There is always a moment at PLMA when you realize you have been holding the same coffee for over an hour because you simply have not had time to drink it yet. That moment came pretty early for the Beyers Koffie team during PLMA’s 2026 “World of Private Label” International Trade Show, where we exhibited on May 19–20 in Amsterdam.
Jérôme Carrier, Sales Manager at Beyers shares his thoughts:
Our booth stayed busy almost nonstop throughout the two days. One meeting flowing into another, familiar faces constantly stopping by, quick coffees turning into longer conversations and always a few people gathered around the stand at any moment. It’s the kind of busy that leaves you tired at the end of the day, but in a good way.
The topic nobody avoided this year
One of the biggest topics this year was pricing (not exactly surprising, right?). But what was remarkable, and what I found interesting, is that nobody danced around the topic. The conversations felt very direct, open and practical. Less polished sales talk and more real discussions about the challenges everyone is currently facing in one way or another.
Everyone is trying to figure out what comes next
Discussions around packaging were more focused this year. A few years ago, these topics were still discussed in a much more general way. Now, people are thinking much more practically about what changes could actually happen in the coming years and what that means for their products and categories.
Recyclability, mono-material solutions and upcoming regulations came up in many discussions, especially around retailer expectations and future packaging directions. You could feel that companies are trying to understand how the market is evolving and what realistic changes might be needed moving forward without losing what already works today.
The power of a good coffee on a booth
Pro-tip: a good coffee can completely change the atmosphere at a booth. People stop for a quick espresso, someone else joins the conversation, another coffee is ordered and suddenly 20 minutes have passed without anyone noticing. That was very much the feeling at the Beyers booth this year. Busy almost all the time, but still relaxed, open and easy for people to walk into naturally.
Honestly, a really good barista and good coffee probably do more for the atmosphere of a booth than people realize.
The people you keep running into
At some point during the show, I realized I had spent half the day having conversations that started with “how long has it been?” or “I haven’t seen you since last year”.
Coffee really is one of those industries where people somehow keep finding each other again. Different companies, different countries, different roles, but the same familiar faces crossing paths over and over again. And trade shows like PLMA make that especially visible.
Walking out with more ideas than you came in with
Walking through the halls this year left me with so many observations. You notice which booths people naturally gather around, which products make visitors stop and where conversations keep happening.
Two very full days, a lot of coffee and almost no quiet moments in between. Exactly how PLMA should feel. See you next year!
About Jerome: Jérôme is the Sales Manager for France at Beyers Koffie and has spent more than 25 years working in the food industry across private-label and retail environments. What he enjoys most is that no two conversations (or customers) ever really approach coffee the same way.
