R&CA back for third year running as MICE association partner
Image: Property of Prime Creative Media
Restaurant & Catering Australia (R&CA) has re-signed as an association partner of the Melbourne International Coffee Expo (MICE), extending a relationship that now spans three consecutive years.
The partnership brings together two of the industry’s key players at a time when café owners are under real pressure due to costs, staffing and margins. For MICE, having R&CA on board means direct access to the association’s national network of café and restaurant operators, deepening the event’s reach into the very audience it’s built for.
For John Hart OAM, National President of R&CA, renewing partnership with MICE speaks to the needs of their members.
“Cafés are one of the biggest and most competitive parts of our sector, and coffee sits at the centre of how thousands of our members run their businesses,” Hart said.
“MICE is where that whole community comes together in one place, from roasters and equipment suppliers through to the operators making decisions about their menus and their margins. Staying partnered with MICE keeps us close to the people we represent and to the conversations that affect their bottom line.”
As part of the renewed partnership, R&CA members will receive a 25% discount on MICE 2027 tickets, covering full access to the expo floor and all Café Owners Education Series sessions, as well as cupping experiences and presentations on the coffee supply chain as part of the Trip to Origin feature. The offer will be distributed via a dedicated promo code through R&CA’s members-only channels.
Hart pointed to the numbers behind last year’s show as proof of the partnership’s value.
“MICE puts our members in the same room as the entire supply chain across three days. Last year the event drew more than 14,000 unique visitors, and café owners made up over a third of them, so it’s a rare chance to compare suppliers, test new equipment and learn from operators facing the same cost and staffing pressures,” he said.
“The Café Owners Education Series is a big part of that. It goes straight to the questions members raise with us most, from pricing and profitability through to staffing and day to day operations. Those are the connections and the practical knowledge that move a business forward.”
R&CA members can join now to take advantage of the MICE 2027 discount: rca.asn.au/join-us.
MICE 2027 runs from 4 to 6 March at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. Purchase your tickets at a reduced early bird rate before prices rise: GET TICKETS
Interested in getting involved? Download the MICE 2027 event prospectus HERE and discover the involvement opportunities.
