This year, for the first time ever, a Brazilian competitor won the World Barista Championship – with Boram Um beating five other baristas in the finals.

But what else happened at the 2023 WBC? Read on to learn more about the top six competitor’s routines, and what we can expect from future competitions.

You may also like our article on new rule changes at the 2023 World Barista Championship.

Unpacking this year’s WBC finalists’ routines

Some 140 competitors took part in the 2023 World Coffee Championships, with many competing in the World Barista Championships.

However, just six of them made it to the final round of the competition.

Boram Um, Brazil

This year’s World Barista Champion, Boram Um of Um Coffee Co., is no stranger to the competition scene. He placed seventh at the 2022 WBC, and 16th the previous year.

“Have you ever heard the line ‘it takes teamwork to make the dream work?’” was Boram’s opening statement during his routine – which encompassed his theme of how all supply chain actors have a role to play in elevating coffee quality.

For his espresso course, Boram used an anaerobically fermented Gesha from Janson Family Estates in Panama. He also used a method known as rapid chilling (or extract chilling) to prepare his espresso, which he said helped to preserve more aromatic compounds.

In his milk course, Boram used a blend of Janson Family Estates’ Gesha and a natural Pink Bourbon from Fazenda Um – his family’s coffee farm in Brazil. Moreover, he also used freeze-distilled lactose-free milk with 3% fat. Once steamed, he rapid-chilled the milk down to 50°C to enhance flavour clarity.

Lastly, as well using the natural Pink Bourbon again for his signature drink round, Boram circled back to his theme of teamwork. By using different ingredients to represent the producer, roaster, barista, and consumer, Boram showcased to the judges how working together helps to improve overall coffee quality.

Daniele Ricci, Italy

Although 2023 WBC runner-up Daniele Ricci works at MAME Coffee in Zurich, Switzerland, he represented his home country of Italy at the event. He also received coaching and training from co-founder of MAME, Emi Fukahori – the 2018 World Brewers Cup Champion and a 2021 WBC finalist.

The theme of Daniele’s routine was how using intentional fermentation processing techniques can unlock new flavours and the “full potential” of coffee.

For both his espresso and milk courses, Daniele used a blend of Gesha and Caturra from Finca Milan, Colombia. The ratios differed, however – using 18g Gesha and 2g Caturra for the espresso, and 18g Caturra with 2.5g Gesha for the milk beverages.

As well as extracting his espresso at 91°C, Daniele also used specific cups for his espresso. These were designed to have a high back and low front so that the judges could fully assess the coffee’s aromatic compounds.

For his milk course, Daniele used freeze distilled milk from a dairy farm close to his hometown in Italy, which he steamed to 50°C. The coffee blend he used in his milk course was also processed using mossto juice from previous fermentations and Schizosaccharomyces yeast, which he said helped to preserve notes of melon.

Finally, for his signature beverage course, Daniele served a mocktail using only Caturra, as well as other ingredients such as homemade yoghurt and tonic water. As a final note, to emphasise his point that innovation is key to pushing specialty coffee forward, Daniele set fire to his tasting note cards.

Jack Simpson, Australia

Hailing from Axil Coffee Roasters in Melbourne – which is also home to 2022 World Barista Champion Anthony Douglas – this was Jack Simpson’s first attempt at the WBC. He placed third at this year’s competition.

Jack started by questioning the role of the barista in an ever changing specialty coffee industry – and how they must adapt to keep driving the sector forward.

The most surprising aspect of Jack’s routine was the coffee he used for his espresso routine: the Ombligo variety from Finca El Diviso in Colombia (where Anthony Douglas also sourced his Sidra coffee for the 2022 WBC). 

Not much is known about Ombligo, except for its unusual shape – hence why its name translates to “belly button” in Spanish. Jack explained that the coffee was fermented with Saccharomyces yeast during processing to create flavours of red cherry, blood orange, and yellow peach.

As well as using Weiss Distribution Tools to distribute his ground coffee, Jack also placed his portafilters on a vibrating platform to gently disperse the ground coffee particles more evenly.

For his milk course beverages, Jack used vacuum-distilled cow’s milk, which he made by removing around 30% of its water content.

During his signature beverage round, after adding citric acid to his milk, Jack utilised the vibrating platform again to separate the milk into curds and whey. He mentioned that this helped to complement the other tasting notes, as well as creating a new flavour of toffee apple.

Isaiah Sheese, US

As the owner of Archetype Coffee, Isaiah Sheese has been competing at the US Coffee Championships for years now. He placed fourth at the 2023 World Barista Championship.

“There are no mistakes, just happy accidents,” Isaiah said as he began his routine, quoting American painter Bob Ross as his inspiration. The overarching theme of Isaiah’s performance is that we can now pinpoint exactly where flavours come from during coffee processing, as well as knowing how to manipulate variables to achieve a specific sensory profile.

Similar to Boram Um, Isaiah also used a Pink Bourbon, but from Finca Bella Vista in Colombia. During his espresso routine, he explained that the coffee was processed on another farm (Finca El Paraiso) using 100% controlled fermentation techniques. Again, similar to Boram, Isaiah also used extract chilling to prepare his espresso to preserve flavours of peach, oolong tea, and cherry, with a dark chocolate finish.

For his milk course, Isaiah used cryodesiccated milk – although he didn’t add any additional ingredients to the milk to do this as per the updated 2023 WBC rules & regulations. He mentioned that this method leads to the most consistent and repeatable milk texture and flavour.

Lastly, to emphasise the Pink Bourbon’s unique qualities, Isaiah added a red food dye to his signature beverages – as well as other ingredients such as citric acid, butter syrup, and tonic water.

Dawn Chan, Hong Kong

Dawn Chan – who works for Wan Wan Coffee Roasters – placed fourth at the 2015 WBC and has won the Hong Kong Barista Championship three times. This year, he placed fifth in the competition.

He started his performance by talking about his chosen variety: Typica Mejorado from Finca Soledad in Ecuador. Dawn explained this relatively unknown variety was a new sensory experience for him, and using it allowed him to improve his brewing skills.

Dawn also touched on his concept of balance, talking about the “balance of the future”, “balance of the black”, and “balance of the white”.

Referring to the latter, Dawn served his milk beverages first – using a cold distilled milk which was steamed to 50°C to highlight the coffee’s banana flavours.

Representing “balance of the black”, Dawn blended the Typica Mejorado variety with eugenioides sourced from Finca Inmaculada in Colombia for his espresso course. He said this provided a more balanced sensory profile.

This blend also tied into his “balance of the future” concept for his signature beverages – where Dawn spoke about how we can use other coffees to get the best qualities out of each of them. He added ingredients such as Goji tea, sugar, and a 50% cherry flavour solution.

Patrik Rolf, Denmark

The final top-six competitor was Patrik Rolf, co-founder of April Coffee Roasters. Patrik is a frequent World Barista Championship competitor, and also placed sixth at the 2022 WBC.

Patrik started his routine quoting the famous “life is like a box of chocolates” line from Forrest Gump, which he used to emphasise the impact that fermentation has had on the specialty coffee sector – for good or bad.

During his espresso course, Patrik used red Gesha from Finca La Negrita in Colombia. Notably, he used a low dose of 17g and a high yield of 48g to highlight flavours of passionfruit, white grapefruit, and peach, with a velvety mouthfeel. Moreover, Patrik also used a simple distribution technique by lightly tapping his portafilter before tamping, rather than using WDT tools.

Given the new plant milk rule at the 2023 WBC, Patrik was the only finalist to use a non-dairy milk during his performance. For his milk course, he created a blend of 90% cow’s milk and 10% coconut milk to complement the tropical flavour notes.

In keeping with his fermentation theme, Patrik used two fermented ingredients in his signature beverage round – anaerobic fermented fig leaf cordial and koji fermented red cherry juice.

What happened at the other 2023 World Coffee Championships?

Alongside the 2023 World Barista Championship, there were three other competitions hosted at World of Coffee Athens:

World Brewers Cup 2023

In order of scores, the top six competitors were:

1. Carlos Medina, Chile
2. Savina Giachgia, Greece
3. Garam Victor Um, Brazil
4. Luca Croce, United Kingdom
5. George Peng, China
6. Giacomo Vannelli, Italy

Winner Carlos Medina used a natural processed Sidra from Café Granja La Esperanza in Colombia in his routine.

World Cup Tasters Championship 2023

In order of scores, the top four competitors were:

1. Young Baek, Australia
2. Mandie Soengkono, Indonesia
3. Andrii Vasyliev, Ukraine
4. Oretis Sfiris, Greece

World Cezve/Ibrik Championship 2023

In order of scores, the top four competitors were:

1. Pierre de Chanterac, France
2. Cezara Cartes, Romania
3. Mariam Erin Pinza, United Arab Emirates
4. Dimitris Karampas, Greece

What could we expect next year?

With next year’s World Barista Championship set to take place from 1 to 4 May 2024 at the first-ever World of Coffee Asia event in Busan, South Korea, some of the trends we’ve seen on the 2023 stage are sure to make an appearance again.

Coffee trends

Considered a darling of specialty coffee for some time now, Gesha was one of the clear favourites among this year’s WBC finalists – with half of them using this variety. But at the same time, it’s also apparent that this was the year for other arabica varieties to shine – especially Pink Bourbon.

This variety is a natural hybrid of Red and Yellow Bourbon, but it is notoriously difficult to grow. In line with this, while we may see Pink Bourbon appear in more WBC routines in the future, it will still likely be rare on coffee shop menus.

Looking specifically at Ombligo, Typica Mejorado, and eugenioides, it’s clear that the WBC will continue to be a platform for rare and exciting new arabica varieties and species.

Another important point to note is that the majority of coffees at this year’s WBC final were sourced from Colombia, which is becoming a prominent origin at the competition having won the 2022 WBC.

Blends were also popular at the 2023 World Barista Championship, with half of the competitors including them in part of their routines. Undoubtedly, the trend of using blends at the competition will continue to prevail – especially with many baristas emphasising how they help to create more balanced flavour profiles, as well as new taste experiences.

What about milk?

Surprisingly, only one competitor used plant milk at this year’s World Barista Championship – which was blended with cow’s milk. Patrik Rolf’s use of coconut milk seemed to be more of an additional ingredient as opposed to a standalone one, indicating that it may be too soon for competitors to take full advantage of the new plant milk rule change.

In the years to come, however, we are sure to see more competitors using plant-based milks – and most likely as a prominent ingredient.

Five out of the six finalists used some kind of distilling technique for their milk, with an emphasis on increasing sweetness and creaminess, and enhancing texture. In recent years, this has become somewhat of a staple of WBC competitors’ performances – and will continue to be.

Routine concept & theme

At the 2023 World Barista Championship, there were some changes as to how judges assess and score certain aspects of competitors’ routines, including originality in concept, methods, techniques, and ingredients used.

Competitors also had to demonstrate they are a “coffee professional who has command over their presentation and coffee”, and the total impression score was broadened to include several prompt questions, such as:

• Did the performance inspire a deeper connection to coffee? 
• Was the experience immersive, thought-provoking, or otherwise important to specialty coffee? 
• Would this barista have inspired me about specialty coffee?
• Did the performance celebrate the craft of coffee?

Given the consistency of Boram Um’s concept throughout his routine, as well as the flair of Daniele Ricci’s, it’s no surprise that they both placed first and second, respectively.

Going forward, future WBC competitors are sure to focus more heavily on their routine concept and theme.

Year after year, the World Barista Championship asserts its role in the specialty coffee industry. Without its influence, there would certainly be less innovation and creativity in specialty coffee.

For now, we will wait to see what happens on the stage at the 2024 World Barista Championship in Busan, South Korea.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on why WoC Busan will host the 2024 WBC.

Photo credits: Specialty Coffee Association

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Moreover, the diversity of cold coffee beverages is only growing. By 2027, the value of the global cold coffee market is expected to increase by 22% every year to around $1.4 billion. 

Given its popularity, it’s clear that innovation and diversification will only continue to grow in the cold specialty coffee beverage market in the coming years. In line with this, it’s vital that coffee shops keep up with emerging trends to cater to a wide range of consumer needs.

To find out more, I spoke with four industry experts. Read on for more of their insight into how cold coffee drinks are evolving.

You may also like our article on how coffee shops can use cold coffee drinks to diversify their menu.

Looking beyond cold brew

Today, when we think of cold coffee drinks, cold brew often comes to mind first. And understandably so given its immense popularity. Today, it’s almost impossible to find a specialty coffee shop which doesn’t serve cold brew.

This is for a number of reasons. As well as being convenient for consumers (and more profitable for businesses), the growing use of higher-quality coffee to prepare cold brew has driven its popularity.

Beyond cold brew, however, cold coffee drinks have been a staple of coffee culture around the world for some time now.

Simon Lewthwaite is the Head of Partnerships at New Ground Coffee in New Zealand.

“Cold coffee is a deep-set tradition the world over – from the Greek freddo to iced americanos in the US,” he says. “So it was only natural for specialty coffee to also continue following this trend.”

Today, cold coffee drinks are some of the most ordered beverages in cafés.

Thomas Blackwall is the Global Head of Coffee at Finlays.

“In August 2021, Starbucks announced that nearly 75% of their US Q3 beverage sales were cold,” he says – indicating just how popular the cold coffee market has become in recent years.

“Cold coffee has gone from a summer drink to a year-round beverage consumed in many different ways,” Simon tells me.

The push for RTD

Stephanie Thornton is the Americas Marketing Manager at Finlays. She explains how the cold coffee market has changed over the past several decades.

“In previous years, suppliers would predominantly provide wholesale clients with highly concentrated coffee extracts to be used as minor ingredients in energy drinks and frappés,” she tells me.

In today’s market, however, she says that cold coffee is sold and packaged as a more “finished product” – with a big focus on ready-to-drink (RTD) cold coffee.

Incredibly popular in Japan in the 1960s (and still today as well), canned coffee paved the way for a more diverse range of RTD coffee options – including bottled and milk-based drinks.

Thomas explains that younger consumers are a big part of increasing global demand for cold RTD coffee beverages.

“Younger coffee drinkers are very selective with their spending, and are also looking for something truly innovative and sustainable, as well as being more health-conscious,” he says.

Stephanie agrees, saying: “We are now seeing millennials and Gen Zs demand new high-quality coffee experiences with RTD drinks.”

Emerging trends with cold coffee beverages

It’s fair to say that the cold coffee beverage segment is one of the most dynamic and exciting markets in specialty coffee, with constant innovation driven by many different consumer trends.

Sian Edwards is the Group Insights Manager at Finlays. She tells me despite rising costs, consumers are still willing to pay for high-quality coffee drinks.

According to Finlays’ 2023 Europe Beverage Trend Report, “selective spending” and “affordable indulgences” are two of the key trends so far this year.

“People are looking for cost-effective ways to treat themselves,” she says, adding that cold and RTD coffee beverages are often popular choices.

Within the market segment, plant milks continue to reign supreme, too. Despite the price of non-dairy milks increasing by up to 14% in the past 12 months, coffee consumers are still opting for them – especially oat milk. In fact, sales of refrigerated oat milk rose by an impressive 37% in 2022 to US $512 million – a figure which likely represents similar growth of oat-based cold coffee drinks, too.

Coffee concentrate

Simon explains that use of coffee concentrate – which he says New Ground Coffee refers to as “boxed coffee” – is growing in the fast-moving cold coffee sector.

Coffee concentrates essentially allow coffee shops and other hospitality businesses to serve a variety of cold coffees drinks much more quickly and efficiently. 

“Using automated systems to dispense concentrates allows you to serve a high-quality drink, without always needing an espresso machine or highly-skilled staff,” Simon adds. “Our BIBs (bag-in-box coffees) can be paired with Marco’s POUR’D concentrate system.

“The POUR’D can also dispense hot water,” he continues. This gives users the opportunity to serve a wider range of beverages, such as americanos and tea.

Thomas agrees, saying: “Automated beverage solutions like the POUR’D are suitable for businesses who want to capitalise on cold coffee trends by being able to serve multiple drinks through one integrated system.”

Moreover, concentrates can also be useful additions to coffee cocktails and mocktails. These drinks are becoming increasingly common in specialty coffee shops, largely thanks to competitions such as World Coffee in Good Spirits and Coffee Masters.

But, as well as coffee shops, coffee concentrates are also proving popular among consumers, too.

“Customers want to recreate drinks they have seen in coffee shops or on social media,” Sian explains. “They can customise drinks using different milks and flavourings.”

Canned and RTD coffee

Historically, as well as containing higher levels of sugar, canned coffee has been perceived as lower quality. More recently, however, more and more specialty coffee brands have entered the market – largely thanks to prominent third wave roasters such as:

• Stumptown Coffee Roasters
• Blue Bottle
• La Colombe

In line with this, the quality and diversity of canned coffee has increased in recent years.

“Gone are the days when a one-size-fits-all approach to RTD coffee was acceptable,” Thomas says. “We are now seeing high-quality, unique, and functional coffees with innovative packaging designs and styles becoming increasingly popular.”

How can coffee shops capitalise on these trends?

Although the cold coffee sector is certainly a burgeoning one, specialty coffee brands still need to be savvy when looking to enter or expand in this market.

Simon says that entering the RTD coffee market can be lucrative for many specialty coffee brands – as long as it’s done effectively.

“Adding RTD coffee products to your retail offerings, for at-home customers, or to help your business grow into new areas (such as grocery and fast-moving consumer goods) can be useful – especially if other specialty coffee brands don’t have a large presence there yet,” he explains.

Thomas believes that coffee shops which embrace these emerging trends are likely to reap the rewards. He says the key to successfully adding cold coffee drinks to your menu is to offer drinks which are fully customisable and easy to serve.

“The Marco POUR’D system is a great example of how to serve an easily customisable cold coffee drink range, while also having a space-saving delivery system that is easy to use and maintain,” he explains.

“Alongside using high-quality coffee concentrate that can be added to different types of milk, or even alcohol, there are multiple possibilities for coffee shop owners,” he adds.

A back-to-basics approach

Although there are many different trends in the cold coffee beverage sector, cold brew is still by far one of the most ordered drinks in cafés. In line with this, business owners need to know how to get the best out of their cold brew offerings.

Traditionally, coffee shops make cold brew by steeping ground coffee in water at low temperatures for hours at a time. Not only can these impede service times, but it can also take up a lot of space.

To resolve any potential issues, coffee shops can optimise cold brew production in several different ways. They can partner with manufacturers and wholesalers to sell cold brew, or choose to prepare smaller quantities on-site using solutions like the Marco ColdBRU concentrate system.

The ColdBRU can produce coffee concentrate in less than three hours, and also extracts an average 30% higher yield. It can also be connected directly to the POUR’D font to dispense either cold brew or coffee concentrate – providing coffee shops with a more consistent and profitable way to serve different cold coffee drinks.

“We are seeing more and more roasters and coffee shops using concentrates to streamline service, or even create their own canned coffee they can sell elsewhere,” Simon tells me.

What’s the future for cold coffee?

The specialty coffee sector is always changing – and the same goes for the cold coffee market. So what trends can we expect in the coming years?

“Nitro coffee, sparkling coffee tonics, and coffee kombuchas are some of the drinks we could see gain market share in the future,” Sian says. “Demand for more exciting and experiential beverages is growing, as consumers want something different with their coffee.”

As convenience still remains key to the coffee consumer experience, Simon tells me more opportunities may start to open up for cold coffee beverages.

“There is space in the travel, adventure, and outdoor markets,” he adds.

Health & functional beverages

Sian says that consumers’ focus on health and wellbeing is also likely to persist over the next few years. 

“People are looking for ‘clean’ labels and products with functional benefits, such as added protein, vitamins, and nootropics,” she says. “However, these drinks can’t compromise on taste, and also need to have exciting new flavours and formats.”

Going forward, catering to consumers’ needs in terms of different flavours and sensory experiences for cold coffee drinks is essential. This can range from using different origins or processing methods to prepare cold brew to offering a range of flavourings or syrups to drinks.

We’ve seen something of a cold coffee revolution over the last few years, and it shows no signs of slowing down. Looking ahead, consumers are still seeking more unique and experiential coffee cold drinks, as well as demanding high-quality options.

By meeting these demands and keeping tabs on upcoming trends, coffee shops can successfully capitalise on this seemingly ever-growing market segment.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on how coffee shops can use coffee concentrate.

Photo credits: Sam Gillespie, Taller Stories

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Historically, Kazakhstan is a tea-drinking nation – which is largely attributed to Russian influence. But in recent years, coffee consumption has been on the rise, too. According to Statista, the country’s coffee market will grow by 6.58% year-on-year by 2025. Moreover, since 2020, Kazakhstan’s roast & ground market has been increasing as well – and is expected to surpass sales of instant coffee within the next two years.

Since becoming independent in 1991, the country has experienced rapid economic growth – largely thanks to a huge spike in its oil and natural gas exports. And as its middle class has grown, more people have started to consume higher-quality coffee across the country.

But just how popular could Kazakhstan’s specialty coffee culture become in the next decade or so? I spoke to several local coffee professionals to find out.

You may also like our article on whether Nepal will produce more specialty coffee in the future.

A brief history of coffee in Kazakhstan

Stanislav Tyan is the owner of Massimo Coffee Roasters in Almaty – the largest city in Kazakhstan. He is also a certified Q grader.

“It’s difficult to know exactly when coffee first arrived in Kazakhstan,” he explains. “But it’s believed that Arabic and Turkish traders probably brought coffee into the country through the Silk Road.”

The Silk Road was a network of trade routes between Europe and Asia, which were active up until the mid-15th century. 

“When Kazakhstan was still a part of the Soviet Union, coffees from India were available to buy, but were considered a highly-prized commodity,” he adds. “We used to buy instant coffee which came in a metal tin, but for most people, it was difficult to buy even one tin – you needed to have good connections to buy coffee.”

Fast forward to the late 2000s and 2010s and this was certainly changing. Following the country’s rapid economic growth, more and more coffee chains began to open in Kazakhstan. Some of these included:

• Gloria Jeans’ Coffee
• Shokoladnista
• Traveler’s Coffee
• Costa Coffee
• Starbucks

During this time, it was clear that coffee was steadily becoming accessible to more people, and that it was becoming more popular. These coffee shops became important spaces for people to meet and socialise – a sign that the “third place” was becoming more prominent in Kazakh coffee culture.

Along with Almaty, the capital city of Astana (now known as Nur-Sultan) is home to the vast majority of coffee shops and roasters in the country.

Where does Kazakhstan source coffee from?

According to Kazakhstan’s Bureau of National Statistics, the country imported around 1,900 tonnes of coffee in 2021 – most of which is roasted or soluble products re-exported from other countries, rather than green coffee to be roasted in Kazakhstan itself. But this still represents a meteoric increase of 18.9% on the previous year – showing that coffee consumption is growing at pace.

During 2021, Kazakhstan imported around 1,200 tonnes of roasted coffee from Russia, most of which was instant coffee products. Other big exporters to Kazakhstan include Italy, Brazil, the Netherlands, and Germany.

Emerging consumer trends

Assel Suleimenova and Zhemis Nurzhanova are the co-owners of Nurba’s Espresso Bar in Nur-Sultan.

“Espressos, cappuccinos, and americanos are the three most ordered beverages in our coffee shop,” they explain. “We mostly use dark roast Brazilian arabica, as well as locally roasted robusta, but we’re looking to source [other coffees] in the future.”

While instant coffee products, as well as concentrates, are still hugely popular in the country, Kazakhstan coffee culture is slowly embracing specialty.

A growing specialty coffee scene

Arina Ospanova is a co-owner of What Flat coffee shop in Almaty.

“The first specialty coffee roaster came to Karaganda, Kazakhstan from Russia in 2009,” she says. “Now, there is a growing number of specialty coffee roasters in Kazakhstan, especially in Almaty and Astana (Nur-Sultan). 

“People are becoming more curious and want to try different varieties,” she adds. “At What Flat, consumers tend to enjoy Kenyan and Colombian coffees the most, along with Ethiopian coffees as espresso.

“There’s also a big demand for arabica and robusta blends,” she continues.

Aigerim Yermakhanova is Kazakhstan’s first certified Q grader. She is also a barista trainer and quality control specialist at Spectre Coffee in Almaty.

“Kazakhs usually drink coffee with milk, similar to how they drink tea,” she tells me. “Most coffee consumed in the country is instant, however, consumer preferences are evolving – more people are drinking roast & ground and specialty coffee.

“This is largely driven by the growing number of coffee shops in the country, which offer different roast profiles and origins,” she adds. “In turn, consumer awareness of high-quality coffee is growing.

“Many coffee consumers enjoy washed coffees, but they are also open to trying different and new processing methods,” she continues.

Almaz Ospanov is also a co-owner of What Flat.

“Experimentally processed coffees are becoming quite popular,” he says. “Customers ask about them frequently. Natural processed coffees are also a favourite among consumers.”

Who drinks the most coffee?

Stanislav explains that as with many other emerging specialty coffee markets, younger demographics and tourists are helping to grow specialty coffee culture in Kazakhstan.

“However, people of all ages are slowly becoming interested in specialty coffee,” he says. “My oldest customer is Nina Vasiliyevna, who is 81 years old.

“Her son-in-law introduced her to specialty coffee – she’s probably the oldest V60 brewer in Kazakhstan!” he adds. “I taught her how to use the V60 and follow James Hoffman’s recipe, and she has been using it diligently every day.”

Nina explains why she enjoys brewing and drinking coffee.

“I love the Kenyan coffees I get from Stanislav,” she says. “I always used to drink tea but since being introduced to coffee, it makes me happy and gives me more energy.”

Similar to Nina, there is a growing number of home brewers and baristas in Kazakhstan. In recent years, it’s become easier to buy specialty coffee brewing equipment, and access to online resources has become more available.

Stanislav explains that social media plays a key role in disseminating information and inspiring more curiosity.

“Massimo Coffee is the only official supplier of AeroPress, Hario, Espro, and Comandante products in Kazakhstan,” he says. “We are seeing a big increase in the number of orders for these products, and about 40% of our sales are for filter roast profiles.”

What’s it like being a barista in Kazakhstan?

As coffee culture changes in Kazakhstan, we’re likely to see the role of the barista evolve, too.

Many Kazakh coffee professionals often move to the Middle East or Australia to train as baristas. When they returned to Kazakhstan, some of them open their own roasteries or coffee shops.

Rauan Zhumazhanov (also known as the “One Hand Barista”) is a coffee professional in Kazakhstan. 

“I worked in Kazakhstan for four years, moved to Dubai for five, and then returned to Kazakhstan,” he says. “I won the regional Latte Art Championship in Dubai seven times, and I am also the 2019 Kazakh Latte Art Champion, as well as the 2019 UAE AeroPress Champion – I love what I do.”

However, it’s still not considered a long-term career path for many in the country.

“Like in many other parts of the world, being a barista is not considered an aspirational career goal in Kazakhstan,” Almaz says. “It is mostly seen as a job for students, while roasters are usually regarded as similar to any other business.”

Increasing focus on education

Wendelien van Bunnik is the 2019 World AeroPress Champion and founder of The Happy Coffee Network. She recently visited Kazakhstan to host an AeroPress brewing workshop. 

“Going to Kazakhstan and meeting the Kazakh coffee community has been a highlight of my coffee career,” she tells me. “The country’s specialty coffee sector is still young, but I can sense an eagerness and curiosity to learn more that I haven’t seen for a long time.”

Alongside events like this, online resources are a pivotal part of growing interest in specialty coffee education.

“Barista training mostly happens on the job, but the internet has been a useful resource, and has helped us connect with coffee professionals around the world,” Arina says.

Rauan agrees, saying: “I learn a lot of barista skills from online courses and videos, especially how to pour latte art.”

Although Kazakhstan is still yet to open a recognised Specialty Coffee Association training campus, some of the country’s coffee professionals and enthusiasts travel to Russia or Turkey to become Authorised SCA Trainers or Q graders.

Moreover, there is a growing number of barista schools and training centres opening in Astana (Nur-Sultan) and Almaty.

So what could the future hold?

Although Kazakhstan’s specialty coffee sector remains small, it is clearly an emerging market with potential for growth. With a rising number of tourists and expats entering the country every year, specialty coffee culture is expected to become more popular.

The current political climate brings challenges, however. With the ongoing war in Ukraine, sourcing coffee has been difficult – but it has also inspired more roasters and green buyers to buy green coffee directly from producing countries.

“In the past, the social and political conditions in Kazakhstan have been challenging at times, such as major riots in 2021 which impacted a lot of businesses,” Stanislav says. “However, the government supports coffee businesses by levying zero customs fees for green coffee with just a 12% VAT rate.”

Furthermore, with many Kazakh coffee professionals training in other parts of the world, and then returning to their home country, we’re likely to see more specialty coffee businesses open in the coming decades.

Coffee competitions are also becoming more popular, with local coffee shops and roasters in Almaty and Astana (Nur-Sultan) launching their own barista, latte art, and brewing contests. And while there are no formal Coffee Championships in Kazakhstan as of now, this could certainly change in the future.

Kazakhstan is certainly still far from becoming a major coffee-consuming country. Its specialty coffee sector is also still in its infancy, but that’s not to say that it won’t become more popular over the next few decades.

With a growing emphasis on coffee education and competitions, it will be interesting to see how Kazakhstan’s coffee culture evolves in the years ahead.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on Ukraine’s coffee scene.

Photo credit: Dalla Corte, Brew Battle, Kristine Karpeka

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But judging is also an integral part of these competitions. Highly-trained and well-calibrated judges are essential to the success of any World Coffee Championships event.

So how can industry professionals train to become one? To find out, I spoke to Danilo Lodi and Ania Oleksak, two qualified WCC sensory judges. Read on to learn more.

You may also like our article on how coffee professionals can train for the World Cup Tasters Championship.

What are the first steps to becoming a WCC judge?

Every year, World Coffee Events hosts seven World Coffee Championships. These are:

• World Barista Championship
• World Brewers Cup
• World Cup Tasters Championship
• World Coffee in Good Spirits Championship
• World Latte Art Championship
• World Coffee Roasting Championship
• World Cezve/Ibrik Championship

Although the rules and regulations for each respective competition vary widely, judges are a big part of them all (except the World Cup Tasters Championship). As with any other competition, the judges have the responsibility of assessing and scoring each competitor’s performance against a set of specific criteria.

Danilo Lodi is the Business Development at Dalla Corte and a coffee consultant. He is also a qualified World Barista Championship sensory judge.

“First and foremost, becoming a certified WCC judge is dependent on how much you are invested in the competitions, and not necessarily on your role or status in the industry,” he says.

“To qualify as a sensory judge, you could have held a number of positions in the coffee sector, but you certainly need to have some level of coffee knowledge,” he adds.

A judge’s coffee knowledge should cover all levels of the supply chain, as well as a wide range of skills – which are largely dependent on the competition they are interested in judging. For instance, coffee professionals who want to judge at the World Barista Championship need to know how to taste coffee, alongside being able to assess a competitor’s technical and hospitality skills.

Gaining formal experience

Ania Oleksak is a certified Q grader and R grader. She is also a qualified sensory judge for the World Barista, World Brewers Cup, World Coffee in Good Spirits, and World Coffee Roasting Championships, as well as a World Latte Art Championship visual judge.

“You need to be able to pass a set of tests to become a WCC judge,” she explains. “These tests are based on coffee knowledge, sensory and practical skills, and your understanding of the competition rules and regulations.

“You don’t need to be a seasoned professional, but you do need at least two years’ experience judging national competitions, or one years’ judging experience and to pass the World Competitions Educational Program (WCEP) course.”

Danilo emphasises the need to gain experience judging national Coffee Championships.

“You have to start by judging national competitions to strengthen your coffee knowledge,” he tells me. “You need to know how to taste coffee if you want to be a sensory judge, or if you want to be a technical judge, you have to understand how to assess competitors’ skills.”

Alongside taking part in national Coffee Championships, prospective judges need to also pass a two-day WCC Judge Certification course, which they must pay for. Candidates can certify for the World Barista Championship, World Latte Art Championship, World Brewers Cup, World Coffee in Good Spirits Championship, World Coffee Roasting Championship, and the Cezve/Ibrik Championship – but they must choose between qualifying as either a sensory or technical judge.

As part of the course, participants take written and practical tests to assess their judging capabilities. Once completed, they receive a Judge Certificate which is valid for up to three years.

Attending calibration sessions

In order to make sure the judging process is fair and consistent, all WCC judges must attend calibration sessions before the competitions take place.

“There is a two-day judge calibration session preceding every World Coffee Championship event,” Ania says. “These sessions are coordinated and led by Judge Operation Leads and SCA staff. 

“Judges have to take part in practical competition run-throughs, bias training, sensory exercises, and workshops which discuss the latest trends in the coffee industry to make sure our palates are as calibrated as possible,” she adds.

At every WCC event, the team of judges is presided over by a Head Judge, who provides guidance and may need to approve scores which are considered too low.

“Furthermore, every day that the competitions take place, all judges have to take part in another calibration round, too,” Danilo explains.

Judges for different World Coffee Championships

Besides the World Cup Tasters Championship, all WCC events rely on judges to assess and score competitors’ performances. However, each competition has its own set of judges.

Let’s look at the World Barista Championship as an example. Alongside a Head Judge, this competition also includes both a sensory and a technical judge.

The former largely focus on assessing the quality of the drinks served – which are espresso, milk-based beverages, and signature beverages. Sensory judges will also evaluate how accurate the competitor’s taste descriptors are, as well as the overall beverage experience.

Technical judges at the WBC, meanwhile, need to pay attention to a competitor’s workflow and practical skills for all three beverage courses. These can include using clean cloths, consistently dosing and tamping coffee, and purging the steam wand, to name a few.

Judges also score competitors based on several other aspects of their performance, such as total impression of their routine. Among other factors, this score acknowledges their level of passion and enthusiasm for specialty coffee.

At the 2023 World Barista Championship, however, there have been some major changes as to how these aspects are assessed and scored. Looking at total impression in particular, the score has been broadened somewhat, and now includes several prompt questions such as:

• Did the performance inspire a deeper connection to coffee? 
• Was the experience immersive, thought-provoking, or otherwise important to specialty coffee? 
• Would this barista have inspired me about specialty coffee?
• Did the performance celebrate the craft of coffee?

Ultimately, this means judges also have to evaluate the overall concept of a WBC competitor’s routine. In turn, they need to take a more holistic approach to judging, as well as remaining objective.

To determine a WBC competitor’s final score, points from both sensory and technical judges are combined.

Tips & advice for training to be a WCC judge

With each World Coffee Championship having its own set of unique rules and regulations, choosing which competition to qualify for as a judge is largely based on where your interests and preferences lie. For instance, if you have more experience with roasting, then it’s probably more logical to certify as a World Coffee Roasting Championship judge.

It’s also important to note that WCC judges are volunteers – meaning they don’t get paid for their services. However, that’s not to say that these positions aren’t rewarding in other ways.

“It’s a big honour and a huge responsibility to be a certified judge,” Ania says. “Every judge will feel a little bit differently, but the most important thing for me is to stay focused and direct all of my attention to the competitors.

“Before I became a WCC judge, I was a national Barista Championship coordinator, which helped me to understand the structure of the competition,” she adds. “The WCEP course is also a great way to learn about judging, to test yourself, and to receive feedback from professional judges. 

“Moreover, enrolling on a SCA course will help develop your sensory and technical skills, as well as your sensory lexicon,” Ania continues.

Remaining open to new experiences

Danilo has some advice for prospective WCC judges, and emphasises the level of dedication it takes to be successful.

“You need to understand the competition rules by heart,” he says. “I’ll also push myself to get out of my comfort zone by trying as many different coffees as possible, as well as visiting many different coffee shops wherever I go. 

“When you’re trying coffee – whether as espresso, a milk beverage, or even a signature drink – make sure you pay attention to everything,” he adds. “What flavours can you taste? And the levels of sweetness, acidity, and bitterness? What is the body like, as well as the texture?”

Becoming a qualified World Coffee Championship judge may not be for everyone, but they certainly play a very necessary role in these competitions. Without judges, we wouldn’t have such esteemed and highly-respected events in the global coffee industry.

Although it can be a lengthy and costly process, choosing to certify as a judge can also be a rewarding experience for many industry professionals – and may even be a stepping stone in their coffee careers.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on how to prepare for the World Barista Championship.

Photo credits: World Coffee Events, Specialty Coffee Association

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Mon, 19 Jun

• Researchers at Instituto Agronomico de Campinas to begin regional field trials of low-caff varieties. Using the IAC’s germplasm bank, researchers have been developing these varieties – which are naturally low in caffeine – for years. The IAC expects to see results in two to three years.

• Simonelli opens new headquarters in Dubai. The new facility will act as a key support and sales hub in the UAE market. Simonelli also appointed former Eversys Regional Business Development Director Federico Ortile to oversee its operations in the Middle East.

• Weber Workshops launches BUCK naked portafilter and three new Unibasket sizes. The 58mm BUCK portafilter sits flat against countertops, while the Unibasket is now available in 28g capacity – which the company says is an industry first.

• Kenya signs duty-free EU trade deal to safeguard coffee exports. Reuters reports that the EU accounts for some 21% of Kenya’s exports, which include coffee and other agricultural commodities. It took seven months to negotiate the deal, and Kenya is currently negotiating another trade and investment deal with the US.

• Japanese automatic brewer BALMUDA The Brew now available in North America. The brewer uses bypass brewing by preparing a concentrate and then adding specific measurements of water through a dedicated bypass tube.

• Anaerobic natural Red Bourbon sells for US $29/lb at Best of Ka’ū Private Collection Auction. The coffee, which was produced by Leo Norberte at JN Farms, scored 87.23 points in the competition. Decameron Coffee in China purchased 40lbs of the coffee – totalling US $1,160.

Tue, 20 Jun

• Kiss the Hippo opens fifth location in London. The new store is the roaster’s second location in Fitzrovia, central London.

• Robusta futures reach record highs on tight supplies and impact of El Niño. Robusta futures hit a record high of US $2,783/tonne, while arabica futures fell to US 180.75 cents/lb. Price increases are attributed to depleting robusta stocks following high demand, as well as potential dry conditions in Southeast Asia due to El Niño.

• Loring Smart Roast appoints Abbie Walther as President. Walther, who is a long-time marine industry expert, joins Loring as the company plans to develop new products.

• M-Cultivo to co-host private auction series starting 5 July. Upcoming auctions include Finca La Hermosa’s Gesha Forest, A Taste of Los Pirineos, Catalyst Trade, and Paramount by El Conacaste.

• Fellow launches new Tally Pro Precision scale. Available to pre-order at US $185, the scale has three “Thoughtful” modes: Brew Assist, Timer, and Weight. The scale also includes an OLED display.

• Coffee Association of Canada launches annual awards programme. The awards will honour coffee professionals for their lifetime achievements and volunteer efforts, and companies will also be recognised for their levels of impact and innovation. Nominations close on 9 October 2023.

• Japanese company H Concept launches new ceramic Cerapotta brewer. The porous ceramic brewer is made using Hasami porcelain manufacturing techniques, and will be available to buy online in the US in the coming weeks.

Wed, 21 Jun

• Biggby Coffee partners with Cincinnati Bengals for upcoming National Football League season. The US coffee chain will offer a variety of Bengals-themed drinks to promote the NFL sports team, as well as exclusive promotions at participating stores.

• This year’s World Barista Championship, World Brewers Cup, World Cup Tasters Championship, and World Cezve/Ibrik Championship begin in Athens. Some 140 competitors across all four competitions are expected to take part. All four winners will be announced on Saturday 24 June at WoC Athens.

• Schaerer’s Supersteam automatic steam wand now available on Coffee Skye automatic machines. The company says its Supersteam wand automates the milk foaming process and is compatible with several types of milk, including plant milks and lactose-free cow’s milk.

• Kicking Horse Coffee appoints Cédric Malaga as new CEO. Malaga previously served as Global Revenue Growth Director at Lavazza, which purchased an 80% stake in Kicking Horse Coffee. Malaga will oversee the company’s growth plans.

• Pilot project successfully recultivates stenophylla in Sierra Leone. As part of the project, which was partially funded by Sucafina, over 1,400 stenophylla seedlings were planted – with another 6,000 seedlings to be grown in a nursery during the country’s rainy season. However, more grafting expertise and funding is needed to scale the project.

• Tims China and Oatly launch new RTD oat milk latte product line. The exclusive operator of Tim Hortons stores in China’s new RTD line includes a cold brew latte and an osmanthus latte.

• Starbucks to open coffee sustainability education and innovation lab in Costa Rica. The company says the lab will open at its global headquarters for agronomy R&D at Hacienda Alsacia. The lab will offer hands-on and virtual learning opportunities for employees, students, researchers, and industry leaders.

Thu, 22 Jun

• World of Coffee Athens begins at Athens Metropolitan Expo. More than 10,000 people are expected to attend the trade show, which includes two Roasters Villages, lectures and workshops, cupping sessions, and the 2023 Best New Product and Coffee Design Awards.

• New article explores how specialty coffee is adapting to the airport market. Speaking to New Ground, Taf Coffee CEO Yiannis Taloumis says airports are an ideal platform to “communicate the new coffee culture and spread knowledge about superior quality coffee”.

• The 2023 Singapore AeroPress Championship takes place at Lowercase. Co-hosted by Common Man Coffee Roasters, 36 people took part in the competition.

• Barista Attitude launches its first single-boiler espresso machine at WoC Athens. The company says the Pilot machine is designed to be used by baristas in training. The machine includes touch screen controls with programmable parameters, as well as Barista Attitude’s anti-shock steam wand.

• Guatemalan Coffees opens World of Coffee Athens. The organisation, which represents around 125,000 coffee-producing families in the country, cut the ribbon to officially open the event. Guatemala is also this year’s Portrait Country. Anacafé also has two competitors taking part in the 2023 World Barista Championship and World Cup Tasters Championship.

• Crown Digital secures more funding for its ELLA robot barista concept. RealTech Holdings was the lead investor in the latest funding round, with the total remaining undisclosed. The ELLA robot barista combines AI-technology and an app-based interface with Eversys’ Cameo superautomatic machine, which Crown Digital says can prepare up to 200 beverages per hour.

• Peet’s Coffee to recruit its first-ever Chief Cold Brew Officer as part of new promotion. Customers can apply online to become the US coffee chain’s cold brew ambassador, which includes unlimited cold brew for the summer period.

• Pact Coffee announces donation campaign for Colombian LGBTQIA+ organisation for Pride Month. For every bag of its El Triunfo coffee sold between 19 & 26 June, the UK roaster will donate £1 (US $1.27) to Colombia Diversa – a leading defender of LGBTQIA+ rights in Colombia.

• International Coffee Organisation funds new Anker Living Income Benchmark studies in four producing countries. The studies will take place in Ethiopia, Indonesia, Mexico, and Vietnam, and will aim to assess the costs of a decent standard of living for smallholder coffee farmers in the respective countries.

Fri, 23 Jun

• Host applications open for 2024 preliminary US Coffee Championships. The SCA is looking for hosts for next year’s US Barista, Brewers Cup, Cup Tasters, Coffee Roasting, Latte Art, and Coffee in Good Spirits Championships. Applications close on 2 July 2023.

• Victoria Arduino launches new E1 Prima EXP one-group professional espresso machine. The new machine includes the PureBrew system, which allows users to brew filter coffee, as well as espresso.

• Colombian coffee company develops cascara-based sparkling energy drink. Bebidas Ineditas SAS BIC plans to enter the European market, and is offering private label services for international coffee brands.

• Dalla Corte to host second iteration of the World Espresso Championship in Athens on 25 June. The competition, which is only open to current national Barista Championship and Brewers Cup winners, will take place at the 360 Degrees Hotel after WoC Athens.

• Hawaii Coffee Association announces winners of annual Coffee Cupping Competition and inaugural Latte Art Throwdown. The highest-scoring coffee was a parchment-dried Red Bourbon from the Kona region, which received 87 points. Daryl Fukunaga is the first-ever winner of the Hawaiian Latte Art Throwdown.

• USDA expects Indonesian coffee production to decline by 18% in 2023/2024 season. The US Department of Agriculture says excessive rainfall disrupted the cherry development stage this season, which lowered yields in certain robusta-producing regions. Exports are also anticipated to drop by 32%.

Here are a few coffee news stories from previous weeks that you might find interesting. Take a look.

• Wed, 7 Jun – Oritain launches in Brazil. Operating in more than 20 countries, the company develops technologies which can trace the origins of several commodities, including coffee.

• Mon, 12 Jun – San Francisco Bay Coffee partners with Enveritas to improve conditions for smallholder producers. Through the partnership, the roaster says it will develop a better understanding of the challenges which producers face, as well as knowing how to target its efforts to maximise impact.

• Tue, 13 Jun – Chinese President Xi Jinping holds talks with Honduran President Iris Xiomara Castro Sarmiento regarding new trade deal. In March 2023, China greenlighted the imports of several key Honduran commodities, including coffee.

• Tue, 13 Jun – Heifer International invests US $420,000 in financial access for smallholder coffee farmers in Mexico. The revolving credit facility will pilot more-efficient dissemination of loan funds to qualifying coffee co-operatives who are part of the Beyond Coffee II Project in Chiapas, Mexico.

• Wed, 14 Jun – Germany’s Coffee Fellows opens first location in Texas, US. The chain plans to open three more stores in Texas in this year, as well as between ten to 25 locations in the state by 2025.

• Thu, 15 Jun – BSCA estimates Brazil exports 90% of its specialty coffee. South Minas has become one of the country’s biggest producers of specialty coffee.

• Thu, 15 Jun – World Coffee Research to improve access to genetically pure coffee varieties in El Salvador. As part of the USDA’s MOCCA project, the non-profit will focus on “cleaning” three important seed lots, which includes identifying and removing mother trees that are not true-to-type to ensure all seeds are the correct variety.

• Thu, 15 Jun – Brazil’s 2023/24 harvest could increase by 7.5%. Industry experts predict total production could amount to 54.74 million bags – despite 2023 being an off-year of the biennial cycle.

Photo credits: Specialty Coffee Association, World Coffee Events

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In December 2022, the Specialty Coffee Association released its updated rules and regulations for the 2023 WBC, along with this year’s World Brewers Cup (WBrC), World Cup Tasters Championship, and World Cezve/Ibrik Championship. These three competitions are also taking place in Athens, too.

“The WBC and WBrC updates mark the largest competition changes since before the pandemic, opening up new service possibilities for competitors and major changes in how judges score and evaluate performances,” the SCA stated in the announcement.

So, what should we expect to see at this year’s competition? Read on to find out.

You may also like our article on what the plant milk rule will mean for the future of the WBC.

New rules and regulations

There have been a fair few rule changes for the 2023 World Barista Championship. However, a few key updates are sure to have the biggest impact.

The plant milk rule

This year, for the first time ever at the WBC, competitors will be able to use “commercially available animal and plant-based milks” in the milk beverage course. Prior to this rule change, a milk beverage had to contain cow’s milk – otherwise a competitor using any other type of milk would score zero in the milk beverage round.

This rule change is set to be one of the biggest by far. Considering we have never seen a WBC competitor use plant milks (or any other type of animal milk for that matter), the question remains as to how using them will affect beverage flavour and texture – and therefore scores.

Arguably, as cow’s milk tends to perform better than most other types of milk (including plant-based options), competitors using any other kind of milk may be at a disadvantage. However, given the level of innovation we regularly see on the WBC stage, this may not be the case.

No additional ingredients in the milk beverage round

It’s common for WBC competitors to add other ingredients to their milk for the milk beverage round. Some examples include:

• The 2022 World Barista Champion Anthony Douglas, who used cryodessicated milk. To make this, Anthony added 30g of concentrated milk powder to 300g of fresh milk. He said this doubled the concentration of sugars, fats, and proteins.
• Danish competitor Patrik Rolf, who placed sixth at the 2022 WBC, added ten drops of lactase to 1l of his milk. He said this helps to break down lactose into two simple sugars: glucose and galactose. In turn, the milk tastes sweeter.

At this year’s competition, however, no additional ingredients can be added to milk for the milk beverage course – otherwise the competitor will receive zero points in the “Taste Experience” category.

According to this new rule, cryodessicated milk – as well as adding certain enzymes to milk to enhance the more desirable characteristics – is no longer permitted. However, similar techniques (such as freeze distilling) will still be allowed, as these methods don’t involve the addition of ingredients.

Updated scoresheets

Alongside the plant milk rule, the biggest change to the 2023 World Barista Championship is the new Evaluation Scale & Scoring sheet. This has been updated in accordance with the SCA’s new Coffee Value Assessment. 

This year, there will be four types of scoring at the WBC:

• A yes/no score (or 1/0) for the Evaluation Scales stage
• A numeric score from 0 to 3 for “accuracy”
• A numeric score from 0 to 3 for “impression”
• A numeric score from 0 to 6 for “experience”

At previous competitions, all scoring scales ranged between 0 and 6 – and judges could also score half points. At the 2023 WBC, however, no half points can be given for scoring scales between 0 and 3.

In theory, these more concise scoring scales could create a more even playing field, and could also make the judging process more streamlined – but only time will tell.

Assessing texture and tactileness

For the espresso course, scoring aftertaste is now part of the “Taste Experience” category, as opposed to assessing tactile descriptors. This seems more logical, as aftertaste is much more representative of flavour rather than mouthfeel.

Similarly, WBC competitors will now need to provide descriptors for the thickness and texture of their espresso, which the judges will assess. Given this separation from aftertaste, competitors may now have to be more accurate and precise when describing the mouthfeel of their espresso.

Presentation, coffee knowledge, use of space & total impression

While technical skills are certainly important at the World Barista Championship, the judges also score competitors based on several other aspects of their performance. 

In previous years, there would be scores for:

• “Presentation: professionalism” – which included technique, preparation, and coffee knowledge
• “Attention to details/all accessories available”
• “Appropriate apparel”
• “Judges’ total impression” – which included factors such as overall coffee experience (i.e. whether the espresso, milk course beverage, and signature beverage were all cohesive), the barista’s passion and enthusiasm for specialty coffee, and whether the competitor would be considered a role model

At the 2023 World Barista Championship, there are some changes as to how judges assess and score these aspects. For example:

• When it comes to presentation, judges are now looking for originality in concept, methods, techniques, and ingredients used
• “Coffee Knowledge & proper use of equipment and space” is now a subcategory within rule 15.4 – and the competitor needs to demonstrate they are a “coffee professional who has command over their presentation and coffee”
• The total impression score has been broadened somewhat, and includes several prompt questions such as:
  • Did the performance inspire a deeper connection to coffee? 
  • Was the experience immersive, thought-provoking, or otherwise important to specialty coffee? 
  • Would this barista have inspired me about specialty coffee?
  • Did the performance celebrate the craft of coffee?

Ultimately, this could mean that even if a competitor doesn’t serve the highest-quality coffee, they may still be able to receive a high score based on their performance and the concept of their routine.

Different extraction temperatures

All WBC competitors use the same espresso machine in their routines. But now, brewing temperature can now be set anywhere between 90.5° and 96°C (or 195°F and 205°F). Moreover, individual group head temperatures may be selected.

This could be because of the new qualified sponsor espresso machine, which is the Tempesta by Barista Attitude – although this may not be the case.

Considering how much brew temperature affects extraction, this is sure to have a huge impact on the flavours, aromas, and textures of competitors’ espresso – and can lead baristas to become more innovative and creative.

What trends could see this year?

The World Barista Championship certainly keeps industry professionals on their toes, but there are a few things that we’re sure to see at this year’s competition.

For one, it’s safe to assume that some competitors will use Gesha. Considered a darling of specialty coffee, this variety has been a staple of the WBC for years. 

However, at recent competitions, we have also seen competitors use other rare varieties and species, as well as blends – so these trends may also continue.

As this is the first year that plant and other animal milks are allowed at the WBC, it would come as no surprise to see some competitors veer away from cow’s milk.

In line with this, as there is now a bigger focus on scoring the concept of a competitor’s routine, we could also see some competitors portray a more impactful message during their performances – particularly when it comes to sustainability and climate change.

With all the recent changes to its rules and regulations, the 2023 World Barista Championship is set to be one of the most exciting and innovative yet.

This year’s WBC will run until Saturday 24 June, with the winner announced later that day.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on following “The Road to Milan”: Is the World Barista Championship becoming more mainstream?

Photo credits: World Coffee Events, Specialty Coffee Association

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Storing roasted coffee safely and effectively, as well as moving it around a roastery efficiently, are essential to the success of any roasting business. In line with this, roasters need to follow a set of best practices to protect the integrity of their coffee.

To find out more, I spoke with Roberto Pedini, Expert Process Manager at IMF Roasters. Read on for more of his insight into how roasters can best store and transport roasted coffee.

You may also like our article on how specialty roasters manage their green coffee supplies.

Why do roasters need to preserve roasted coffee quality and freshness?

Before coffee is roasted, maintaining the freshness and quality of green coffee is paramount. Inevitably, if roasters store green coffee in optimal conditions, they can preserve its innate characteristics. This means that once it’s roasted, customers can experience the full spectrum of a coffee’s flavours.

Generally speaking, green coffee stays fresh for between six months and one year after harvest. 

Roasted coffee, however, is much less stable – and will lose its freshness in a matter of weeks.

This is because when high temperatures are applied to green coffee, many chemical reactions take place. These reactions then create irreversible changes within the cell structure of the coffee beans – and thereby help to develop its flavours and aromas.

During the roasting process, a number of gases – including carbon dioxide (CO2) – form inside coffee beans. Although some CO2 and water vapour is released during roasting, the majority of it remains trapped inside the beans. This is because they are porous and will easily absorb gases.

Degassing & freshness

Over the course of the following few weeks, CO2 will gradually be released from the coffee beans during storage – this is referred to as maturation and “degassing”. When roasted coffee is ground, however, it will release around 60% to 70% of its CO2 – indicating an almost immediate loss of freshness. 

In turn, research has concluded that the amount of CO2 contained in coffee is a “physical” marker of freshness. Essentially, this means if there is no CO2 present in coffee, it cannot be considered fresh.

Moreover, CO2 acts as a barrier to the oxidation of roasted coffee. This process causes coffee to become stale, which further leads to degradation of flavour.

“It’s necessary to store roasted coffee properly to preserve aromas and flavours, and protect the coffee from oxidation,” Roberto tells me.

There is, however, such a thing as coffee being “too” fresh. If you grind and brew coffee which contains too much CO2 (or too soon after roasting), the higher volume of gases will impede extraction. This means it’s easy to underextract your coffee, which leads to astringent and sour flavours.

As such, many coffee professionals recommend grinding and brewing coffee a few days after roasting. The specific time period, however, is very much dependent on a number of factors, such as:

• Variety (or even species)
• Processing method
• Bean density
• Roast profile

Food safety regulations

For roasters around the world, food safety rules and regulations can vary. But no matter their geographical location, all roasters need to make sure their roasted (and green) coffee remains free of contaminants.

Although the roasting process is considered a “kill step” (the point where dangerous pathogens and microorganisms are removed from a product), it’s still possible for roasted coffee to become contaminated.

Without adequate storage conditions and facilities, pests and insects can feed on or nest in roasted coffee beans. Similarly, in warm and humid conditions, fungi and mould may grow in roasted coffee.

So, how do roasters store and transport roasted coffee?

When choosing a storage solution for roasted coffee, many roasters opt for silos. These are specifically designed to protect roasted coffee beans from oxygen, humidity, and other environmental factors.

“IMF’s silos are available in different sizes, shapes, and designs,” Roberto says. “They can also be safely installed outdoors if there is not enough space within a roastery.”

As well as storing coffee in optimal conditions, roasters also need to ensure they store and move roasted coffee beans around their facilities adequately and safely.

To streamline the process of moving green coffee to the machine, many roasters use pneumatic conveyors, conveyor belts, or trolleys. This allows them to move large batches of green coffee quickly, while also reducing the risk of injury from lifting heavy loads.

“It’s very important to protect coffee while moving on a pneumatic conveyor or conveyor belt to avoid breaking any beans, as well as minimising any degradation in quality,” Roberto says. “IMF’s solutions rely on certain technologies and designs to handle coffee safely.

“Moving roasted coffee beans has to be a gentle and slow process – it’s important to control the speed and pressure,” he adds. “Pneumatic conveyors are the most flexible and sanitary solutions, while mechanical conveyors are more suitable for shorter distances.”

Post-roasting storage

Similarly to how they transport green coffee, many roasters use pneumatic conveyors, conveyor belts, or trolleys to move roasted coffee beans from the machine to storage solutions. Designing an efficient and ergonomic roasting space can also help to streamline this process.

It’s essential that roasted coffee is placed in containers which protect it from oxygen, humidity, and other environmental factors. For this reason, many roasters choose to invest in silos to store roasted coffee. 

However, it’s also paramount that roasted coffee storage systems allow the beans to mature and degas at a steady rate. For instance, Roberto explains that IMF’s roasted coffee silos include built-in degassing valves, so that CO2 can be released.

What equipment do roasters need?

No matter which storage and transportation solutions roasters choose to use, they need to invest in high-quality equipment.

“Roasters need professional, high-quality equipment which is specifically designed to carefully handle roasted coffee for both storage and transportation,” Roberto explains.

Silos are some of the most effective ways to preserve the freshness and quality of roasted coffee, while also eliminating the risk of contaminants. 

“IMF’s silos are made of steel,” Roberto tells me. “They also include shock absorbers, which minimise the likelihood of damaging or breaking beans during loading.” 

This is especially important as broken or damaged beans will lead to a decline in coffee quality – and thereby the consumer’s experience, too.

Arguably however, the most important piece of equipment for any roastery is the roaster itself. Without a high-performing professional machine, roasters will never be able to achieve consistent and high-quality roast profiles.

Roberto explains that some roasters, such as IMF’s, utilise heat retention and recirculation technology. These systems can not only improve consistency of roast profiles, but also reduce energy consumption – and therefore costs.

What are the benefits of managing roasted coffee supplies effectively?

Firstly, any roaster is obliged to follow food safety regulations. Therefore, they always need to make sure their coffee is free from contaminants and debris.

However, alongside this, maintaining coffee quality and freshness is key. Many specialty roasters pay high prices for green coffee, so they need to ensure the end consumer will experience the full range of the coffee’s flavours and aromas. In turn, coffee companies can build more trust and brand loyalty.

Another important consideration is minimising waste and streamlining operations. Roastery employees can often spend a lot of time transporting coffee around warehouses, so investing in conveyor systems could lighten their workloads. 

As a result, roasteries can focus on other areas of their business, as well as potentially increase profit margins.

Similarly, systems like silos, dosers, and packaging lines can help to reduce waste – which can also decrease costs – and free up space in a roastery.

“IMF also provides conveyor systems which move roasted coffee from silos to packaging lines,” Roberto says.

They might not seem like a priority, but storage and transport are incredibly important factors to consider if roasters want to consistently sell high-quality roasted coffee. Given that roasted coffee is an unstable product, it’s all too easy for it to lose its freshness and integrity.

To reduce this risk as much as possible, roasters need to invest in the right storage and transportation equipment, and design their roastery around these solutions.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on how coffee roasters can design an appealing and efficient roasting space.

Photo credits: IMF Roasters

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North America, meanwhile, consumed almost 31,000 60kg bags in the same year – making it the third-largest market after Asia and Oceania in 2021.

For a long time, we have largely considered the European and US coffee markets to be very different from one another for a number of reasons. However, as specialty coffee becomes more and more popular in both regions – and given that specialty coffee brands tend to market themselves quite similarly – an important question emerges: how different are they?

To find out, I spoke with two coffee professionals. Read on to find out what they had to say about coffee consumption trends in Europe and the US.

You may also like our article on whether specialty coffee culture is dominated by the US.

Comparing European and US coffee consumption

Before we break down the differences between the European and US coffee markets, let’s first examine how much coffee they consume.

Let’s start with the US. Across the country, coffee consumption has been growing over the past few years. According to data from the National Coffee Association, between January 2021 and March 2022, the country’s coffee consumption increased by 14%. This represented the largest increase since the NCA began collecting data on US coffee consumption – marking a 20-year high.

As per the NCA’s Spring 2023 National Coffee Data Trends report, 65% of US Americans reported drinking coffee in the previous day. This amounts to around 491 million cups of coffee every day. 

Similarly, the NCA and Specialty Coffee Association’s latest joint 2023 National Coffee Data Trends Specialty Coffee Report concluded that 59% of US Americans had consumed specialty coffee in the past day. This represents a 2% increase on July 2022 – despite rising inflation rates.

Europe, meanwhile, accounts for around one-third of global coffee consumption. According to data from CBI, the European Union has one of the world’s highest average annual per capita coffee consumption rates: an estimated 5kg of coffee per person per year.

Importing & roasting coffee

Alongside consumption, Europe is also the largest coffee importer in the world. In 2021, Europe collectively imported more than 3.62 million tonnes of green coffee – representing an average annual increase of 1.6% between 2017 and 2021. Germany in particular is Europe’s biggest green coffee importer, accounting for around 34% of total annual imports.

Both Europe and the US are major coffee roasting markets. In Europe specifically, Italy and Germany are the two largest coffee roasting markets, followed by France, the Netherlands, Spain, and Sweden.

As for the US, the value of the coffee roasting market is expected to grow by 6.6% over the next seven years.

Filter first: Coffee consumption in the US

As it’s only several hundred years old, the US has a much less historic relationship with coffee than most European countries. Although coffee was technically introduced to the US in the 17th century, it wasn’t until the mid-1940s that coffee culture really started to develop.

However, that’s not to say that the US doesn’t have a diverse and vibrant coffee culture today. 

Findings from the Spring 2023 NCDT report state that 41% of US consumers prefer to use automated filter brewers to make coffee at home. This makes it the most popular preparation method, preceding both capsule (or pod) machines and cold brew, respectively.

In terms of espresso-based drinks, lattes are the most popular beverages, followed by cappuccinos. Surprisingly, espresso also holds second place with the cappuccino, with 16% of US consumers choosing to drink espresso – a beverage traditionally associated more with European countries.  

Specific to the US market, flavoured coffee drinks are popular among consumers – with 32% of people drinking them in the past week according to the NCDT report. In order of popularity, some of these flavours include:

• Vanilla
• Mocha
• Caramel, toffee, butterscotch, and hazelnut
• Irish cream
• Pumpkin spice

More reliance on technology

Generally speaking, the US market is much faster at adopting new coffee trends and technologies compared to other countries and regions, including Europe.

Bill Murray is the President and CEO of the National Coffee Association. 

“The US coffee market has almost recovered from the impact of Covid-19, which changed where Americans drank coffee, but not how much they drank,” he says. “In some cases, the pandemic even cemented new trends, like the new popularity of drive-thru and delivery services, as well as the use of apps.”

The 2023 Spring NCDT report found that use of drive-thru and app-based pick-up and delivery services remain higher than pre-pandemic levels. For instance, around 59% of past-day coffee drinkers who purchased beverages from a coffee shop, convenience store, or service station used a drive-thru service. Compared to January 2020, this represents an 11% increase.

Similarly, 29% of people who consumed coffee the previous day used an app to order their beverages – amounting to a 5% increase on January 2020.

The diversity of European coffee culture

There are dozens of countries in Europe, all of which have vast cultural differences. The continent’s coffee culture is incredibly difficult to generalise, giving it a rich diversity and plenty of unique coffee consumption trends which vary heavily from country to country.

As with the US, merchants and traders brought coffee to Europe in the 17th century. However, following this, many coffee houses started to open across the continent. They served as important social and cultural meeting places – and continue to do so today in certain countries.

European coffee culture has had a huge impact on the global coffee sector. Arguably one of the most significant events is when Italian Angelo Moriondo filed a patent for the first-ever espresso machine in 1884. Following this, the espresso machine became immensely popular throughout Italy, as well as the rest of Europe – and can now be found in almost any coffee shop in the world.

In comparison, the US has historically favoured filter coffee (although espresso-based drinks are clearly becoming more popular). With that in mind, however, filter coffee is also immensely popular in Nordic countries – which have helped to drive innovation in the global specialty coffee sector for years now.

Looking at different European coffee markets

Thanks to its diverse range of countries, it’s difficult to generalise coffee consumption trends in Europe.

Looking at Greece specifically, the country is home to around 34.3 coffee shops per 10,000 people – which is the second-highest number in western Europe. 

Petros Malousis is the Development & Operations Manager at CoffeeLab in Greece. He tells me more about Greek coffee culture.

“The coffee-drinking habits of Greek consumers are completely different in relation to other markets,” he says. “For example, Greeks love freddos, and I don’t think that will ever change.”

Alongside a thriving specialty coffee scene, Greece also has a more traditional coffee culture. Kafeneia (traditional Greek coffee houses) are still popular, with many people preferring to drink Greek ibrik coffee – also known as ellinikó. Ibrik, or cezve, coffee is also popular in countries like Croatia, Serbia, Cyprus, and Turkey – although the latter is only partly located in Europe.

“We have seen many larger multinational chains try establishing themselves in Greece, but not many have succeeded,” Petros adds.

In comparison, Switzerland consumes more coffee than Greece, but only has about 2.5 coffee shops per 10,000 people. Norway, meanwhile, spends the most money on coffee per capita per year.

Other European countries like Spain, Italy, Austria, Germany, and France are also renowned for their individual coffee cultures. In Italy, for instance, espresso is so culturally significant that the country has applied for UNESCO heritage status more than once over a period of several years. 

Moreover, most espresso bars in Italy charge around €1 (US $1.07) for a single espresso. This is largely due to price regulations, but also because specialty coffee shops and roasters have struggled to establish themselves in Italy.

Do coffee trends in Europe and the US cross over?

So, espresso has been more prominent in Europe for some time. Filter coffee, meanwhile, has been more associated with the US – both in and out of the home.

Historically, in recent years, coffee consumption trends between the US and Europe have been converging.

For example, many consumers in both markets are becoming increasingly focused on convenience. The pandemic certainly accelerated this trend, with many coffee shops in both the US and Europe adopting cashless payment and automated ordering systems.

At the same time, demand for ready-to-drink (RTD) coffee is also becoming more popular in both markets, particularly among younger generations who favour both convenience and quality. Additionally, cold brew has also become a mainstay in the US and Europe – although notably more in the former.

The rise of specialty coffee

Perhaps the biggest change over the last decade or so, however, has been the growing demand for higher-quality and more sustainable coffee in both Europe and the US. 

“The demand for 100% arabica coffee and single origins has grown a lot in recent years in Greece [as well as other European markets],” Petros says. “Specialty coffee is here to stay, with consumers aged between 18 and 34-years old becoming increasingly interested.”

In the US, Bill doesn’t expect growth of the market to slow down any time soon either.

“Consumers have access to a wide array of coffees and beverages to meet their changing tastes and needs,” he explains. “We also expect that more health-conscious consumers will become more interested in coffee and its unique health benefits.

“These factors will only continue to drive the already record-high consumption of coffee in the US,” Bill concludes.

Despite the fact there are distinct cultural differences in coffee consumption between the US and Europe, convergence in some areas appears to be universal. A growing demand for convenience and higher-quality coffee is shared across the two markets.

Despite this, it still seems that espresso retains its crown in much of Europe – while the US’ filter coffee culture persists. However, whether or not this will continue to be the case remains to be seen – as does how both markets will evolve.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on filter vs espresso in the US and Europe.

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Mon, 12 Jun

• PRF Colombia announces first line up of speakers. PRF Colombia will once again take place at the Plaza Mayor venue in Medellín on 14 & 15 September 2023. The first speakers include Martin Mayorga of Mayorga Coffee, Adriana Quiceno of RTS International, Ángela Barrero of Bodega De La Finca, and Matt Swenson of Nestlé Coffee Partners.

• Diana Johnston Ledezma wins 2023 UK Coffee Roasting Championship. The professional Q grader will represent the UK at the 2023 World Coffee Roasting Championships in Taipei in November.

• Hanns R. Neumann Stiftung and TeamUp Uganda to premiere joint webinar on YouTube. The pre-recorded webinar explores how cross-sectoral collaboration can improve efficiency in the agricultural sector, including in coffee.

• ONA Coffee’s Sasa Sestic and Hugh Kelly to launch new Sanremo X-One in UK. Sestic (also founder of Project Origin and the 2015 World Barista Champion) and Kelly (2021 WBC finalist) will co-host the Chasing the perfect cup event on 26 & 27 June. Alongside the launch of Sanremo’s X-One espresso machine, Sestic and Kelly will also host a series of workshops, including one on extract chilling.

• Colectivo Coffee employees ratify first union contract. The contract covers employees across 15 locations in Wisconsin and Illinois, and includes provisions for pay raises, paid leave policies, and joint labour management systems.

• Bluestone Lane launches Coconut Water Cold Brew. The new drink includes Bluestone Lane’s Flagstaff blend and Vita Coco Original Coconut Water, and has notes of toasted almond, vanilla, and milk chocolate.

• Germany’s sales of roasted coffee reached record high in 2022. The German Coffee Association reports that domestic coffee sales totalled 479,700 tonnes last year. The out-of-home market grew by 45%, and it’s estimated that annual per capita consumption was 167l in 2022.

Tue, 13 Jun

• Neumann Kaffee Gruppe acquires majority share in specialty coffee trader Nordic Approach. The acquisition also includes Tropiq, Nordic Approach’s green coffee sourcing department. Nordic Approach and Tropiq founders Morten Wennersgaard and Andreas Hertzberg remain minority stakeholders and will continue as Managing Directors.

• Coffee futures drop following news of good weather conditions in Brazil. The most active arabica contract for September delivery fell by 515 points, while the corresponding robusta contact fell by US $21. Meanwhile, Brazil has already harvested 26% of its 2023/24 coffee crop.

• Intercontinental Coffee Exchange to help coffee companies comply with new EU anti-deforestation regulations. Reuters reports that ICE plans to introduce a Commodity Traceability (ICoT) service in 2024 to assist with compliance.

• Mozambique joins the International Coffee Organisation. The organisation says Mozambique produces some of the world’s most environmentally and socially sustainable coffee, including shade-grown coffees in Gorongosa National Park. By joining the ICO, the country aims to contribute to developing sustainability policies for global coffee production, as well as within its own sector.

• SCA opens nominations for 2024-25 Board of Directors. The SCA is now accepting nominations for its Board of Directors, with interviews set to take place in July. Nominations close on 26 June.

Wed, 14 Jun

• Buyer of Starbucks assets in Russia reportedly paid US $6 million. Anton Pinskiy, who now operates former Starbucks Russia locations under the Stars Coffee brand, told TASS news agency that he paid around RUB 500 million (US $6 million) for assets formerly licensed by the company. Starbucks has declined to comment.

• New US roaster Talitha Coffee strives to combat sex trafficking through job opportunities and access to support networks. Founded by Jenny and Robert Barber, the San Diego roaster partners with the Talitha Survivor Support Network to provide job opportunities and training to survivors of sex trafficking, as well as providing access to support networks.

• Blank Street launches new cold brew menu. The New York coffee chain’s new menu items include the Cold Brew Shot, Cortado Cold Brew, and Grapefruit Spritz Cold Brew.

• Eversys S.A. fully acquires UK subsidiary. The coffee machine manufacturer acquired the remaining 49% stake in Eversys UK Limited, which was previously held by a local managing group. The UK subsidiary employs around 50 people.

• FairWave Coffee Collective acquires Anodyne Coffee Roasting Co. Anodyne’s leadership team will oversee the US coffee company collective’s operations in Milwaukee.

• Regional Indian Bengaluru AeroPress Championship 2023 to take place on 28 September in Bangalore. Benki Brewing Tools will co-host the event at the Bangalore Palace Ground. Dates and locations for the regional Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Delhi competitions will be announced in the coming weeks.

Thu, 15 Jun

• Next year’s World of Coffee Europe event to take place in Copenhagen, Denmark from 27 to 29 June. The 2024 trade show will be held at the Bella Centre, and will host the 2024 World Latte Art, Coffee in Good Spirits, and Coffee Roasting Championships. BWT water+more will be the Official Host Sponsor. WoC Copenhagen will run in addition to WoC Dubai from 21 to 23 January 2024, as well as the inaugural World of Coffee Busan from 1 to 4 May 2024.

• University of Santo Tomás publishes results of robusta project in Colombia. Researcher Diego Alejandro Salinas reported that as part of the project, 17 robusta genotypes have been introduced to Meta, Colombia. The project aims to determine the potential for robusta production across the country.

• Starbucks appoints Roberto Alonso Vega Alfaro as vice president of Global Coffee Agronomy, R&D, and Sustainability. Vega will oversee the company’s global agronomy research, development, and sustainability operations, as well as its global network of farmer support centres.

• Certification body 4C hosts Regional Stakeholder Conference in Campinas, Brazil. Some 170 coffee and sustainability professionals attended the New Requirements for Coffee Exports and Latest Developments in Sustainability Certification event, along with government officials. Key themes covered at the conference included the new EU anti-deforestation regulations, with a specific focus on the German market.

• The Barista League Toronto to take place on 17 June at The Redwood Theatre. Guest judges include Caitlin Campbell of Street Brew, Venice Vallega of Sanremo Canada, and Tiff Bhagwandin of Pilot Coffee Roasters.

Fri, 16 Jun

• Chilean AeroPress Championship 2023 to take place on 21 October in Santiago. CaféStore will co-host the event at Ubuntu Café Coffeeshop in Ñuñoa. Spectator tickets are free.

• Faema raises funds for World Bicycle Relief at 2023 Giro d’Italia. At the event, over 29,000 cyclists pedalled more than 7,000,000km, beating Faema’s target of 120,000km. Funds raised will help distribute bicycles to disadvantaged communities in the Global South.

• SouthmaTea to host maté blending & tasting workshop in NYC on 12 July. Attendees will have the opportunity to create their own yerba maté blend. The event will take place on 62 Bedford St. in Manhattan.

• European Specialty Tea Association to launch barista skills programme at WoC Athens. The Tea Barista Foundation course mainly focuses on practical skills, including brewing and tasting tea, as well as providing basic information about tea.

• Caffè Culture Show announces new talks programme Total Coffee. Curated by United Baristas founder Tim Ridley, and co-sponsored by Sanremo, Total Coffee explores key themes and trends in the coffee industry. Speakers at this year’s event, which will take place on 3 & 4 October, will include Vanúsia Nogueira, Executive Director of the ICO, and UK Barista Champion Paul Ross.

• Attendees from over ten countries took part in The Barista League’s Brno event. More than 24 different coffee companies were also present. Tomas Laca and Jan House of Team Sidra placed first at the competition.

• Applications extended for Australia’s Richest Barista competition at MICE 2023. Competitors will take part in a fast-paced, knock out-style contest to gain access to a collective prize pool of AU $40,000 (US $27,080) – the largest cash prize ever for a barista competition. Applications close on 16 June.

What not to miss at World of Coffee Athens

Next week, World of Coffee Athens will take place at the Athens Metropolitan Expo from 22 to 24 June.

The event will host four 2023 World Coffee Championships: World Barista Championship, World Brewers Cup, World Cup Tasters Championship, and World Cezve/Ibrik Championship.

The SCA’s flagship European World of Coffee trade show will also host the Best New Product and Coffee Design Awards – as well as lectures, workshops and cupping sessions.

A large number of exhibitors are expected to attend the event, including:

• Gruppo Cimbali – commercial espresso machine and grinder manufacturer
• Pentair – water filtration systems company
• Ecotact – green coffee packaging solutions company
• Dalla Corte – professional espresso machine and grinder manufacturer
• Sancoffee – specialty green coffee trader in Brazil
• Ally Coffee – specialty green coffee importer
• MTPak Coffee – coffee packaging and takeaway cup manufacturer
• AeroPress – coffee brewer manufacturer
• Cropster – coffee software company
• Rancilio – commercial and prosumer coffee machine and grinder manufacturer
• Covoya Coffee – specialty green coffee trader (formerly Olam Specialty Coffee)
• Marco Beverage Systems – beverage dispensing solutions manufacturer
• Guatemalan Coffees – official specialty green coffee trader for Anacafé
• Stronghold – professional coffee roaster manufacturer
• IMF – commercial coffee roaster manufacturer
• Taf Coffee – Greek specialty coffee roaster
• Roastelier by Buondi Craft – roasting solutions manufacturer
• Fiorenzato – premium coffee equipment manufacturer
• Sanremo – professional espresso machine and grinder manufacturer
• Toddy – cold brew equipment manufacturer
• Latte Art Factory – commercial milk foaming solutions manufacturer
• Sucafina – international specialty green coffee trader
• Pinhalense – coffee processing technology company
• Heylo – modular espresso machine manufacturer
• Elektra – home and professional espresso machine manufacturer
• Fairtrade – global sustainability certification
• Lallemand – yeast and bacteria developer and supplier
• BWT water+more – water filtration solutions company
• !FEST Coffee Mission – specialty green coffee trader
• Aillio – countertop roaster manufacturer

These companies will be joined by many other prominent brands in the industry, including roasters, green coffee traders, coffee producers, and coffee equipment manufacturers. For more information and to register, visit the World of Coffee website.

Here are a few coffee news stories from previous weeks that you might find interesting. Take a look.

• Wed, 7 Jun – TreeHouse Foods to acquire Farmer Brothers’ Northlake, Texas coffee facility. TreeHouse says the acquisition (for around US $100 million) will add roasting, grinding, flavouring, and blending operations to its existing single-serve and RTD coffee businesses.

• Thu, 8 Jun – Bewley’s Tea & Coffee sells UK business to Cafédirect. Cafédirect is a long-term customer of Bewley’s, and says the acquisition will allow it to grow its out-of-home coffee consumer category. Bewley’s, meanwhile, will focus on sales in Ireland.

• Thu, 8 Jun – Löfbergs sells Percol brand to focus on UK market. Indian brand Continental Coffee acquired Percol, which was first acquired by Löfbergs in 2013. The Swedish coffee company says the acquisition will allow it to focus on strengthening and developing its brand in the UK.

• Thu, 8 Jun – Indonesian minister says new EU deforestation laws constitute “regulatory imperialism”. The country’s Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs told Reuters that the EU is “building walls” with new regulations, which are negatively affecting the country’s coffee, cocoa, rubber, and timber industries.

• Thu, 8 Jun – Universitas Gadjah Mada and UC Davis collaborate on coffee research. The Indonesian university has partnered with coffee researchers at UC Davis to develop a coffee research field station in the country, which aims to encourage academic cooperation.

• Fri, 9 Jun – Espresso House outlines updated House Habits workplace policies. The Swedish coffee company’s new employment policies include improved onsite training resources, talent acquisition, and diversity, equality, and inclusion practices.

• Fri, 9 Jun – Starbucks considers opening delivery-only stores in the US. Speaking to investors, CFO Rachel Ruggeri said more delivery-only stores could help meet increasing consumer demand for convenience, as well as improving overall efficiency.

Photo credits: Producer Roaster Forum, Specialty Coffee Association

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Alongside an annual WoC event in Dubai – as well as the first-ever WoC Asia to be held in Busan, South Korea from 1 to 4 May 2024 – World of Coffee Athens is sure to attract thousands of visitors.

Read on to learn more about WoC Athens 2023, as well as some of the key events and activities taking place at the three-day trade show. 

Check out the PDG Events Calendar here.

Awards programmes & competitions at World of Coffee

As the SCA’s flagship European event, World of Coffee takes place in a different city across the continent every year. In 2022, the trade show was held in Milan, Italy – and brought in more than 10,000 visitors.

This year, World of Coffee will be held in Athens, Greece – one of the oldest cities in the world. Greece also has a thriving and unique coffee shop scene, which is heavily influenced by more traditional coffee culture, as well as specialty coffee.

Alongside an extensive trade show, WoC Athens will also host two awards programmes: the Best New Product and Coffee Design Awards. These two initiatives recognise and celebrate excellence and innovation in the global coffee industry. 

The Best New Product award honours new products which add value to the specialty coffee sector. The categories include:

• Coffee accessories
• Commercial coffee preparation and serving equipment
• Consumer coffee preparation and serving equipment
• Specialty coffee beverage flavour additive
• Specialty non-coffee beverage standalone
• Open class (for products which don’t fit in any other category)

The Coffee Design Awards, meanwhile, celebrate some of the most innovative product and packaging designs. The three categories are branding, packaging, and spaces. Judging criteria is based on five main aspects: innovation and/or improvements, design, education, agroecology, and science.

The winners of both awards will be announced and celebrated at the event.

World Coffee Championships 2023

One of the most highly anticipated events to take place at WoC Athens is the 2023 World Coffee Championships, which begin on 21 June. This year, the World Barista Championship, World Brewers Cup, World Cup Tasters Championship, and World Cezve/Ibrik Championship will all be held in Athens.

The World Barista and Brewers Cup Championships in particular are two of the most highly regarded and esteemed competitions in the global specialty coffee sector – and are sure to attract some of the biggest audiences at the event.

Lectures, workshops & cuppings

Every year, World of Coffee welcomes some of the industry’s leading experts to deliver lectures and workshops to attendees.

In partnership with the Coffee Knowledge Hub and Simonelli Group, this year’s event will feature more than 25 lectures which cover a diverse range of topics. These will include:

• Infused coffees from producer and consumer perspective. Are these coffees a good business opportunity or a problem for the industry? 
• A scientific approach to improving your sensory skills
• Understanding quality: the SCA’s new Coffee Value Assessment

Alongside lectures, the SCA will also hold workshops across the three-day event. These one to three-hour sessions will provide participants with more in-depth knowledge about specific topics. Some of these include:

• Programming for flavour: Dialling in coffee equipment
• Physical and sensory evaluation of experimentally processed coffees
• Coffee & the senses: A multi sensorial experience workshop

The Cupping Rooms are also a big part of every WoC event. Exhibitors can book one-hour slots, which are either open to the public or reserved for invited guests. The final 2023 cupping schedule will be announced shortly.

Following the launch of the new Coffee Value Assessment at the 2023 Specialty Coffee Expo in Portland, the SCA will implement its revised cupping protocol and form at WoC Athens cupping sessions.

Who is attending World of Coffee Athens?

World of Coffee events are perhaps best known for their extensive trade shows, which feature a diverse range of producers and co-operatives, roasters, importers and exporters, coffee shops, coffee equipment manufacturers, and more.

Some of the most prominent companies and brands in the global coffee sector will be in attendance, with many of them hosting their own booths.

Espresso machine & grinder manufacturers

Many of the industry’s leading equipment manufacturers and distributors will be at World of Coffee Athens. This includes Gruppo Cimbali – a pioneering Italian espresso machine and grinder manufacturer.

Andrea Clerici is the Group Business Director at Cimbali.

“We are happy to be presenting again at this year’s WoC – one of the biggest events in the coffee industry,” he says. “We look forward to welcoming visitors to our stand where they can experience our products through a number of activities co-hosted with our partners.”

Gruppo Cimbali will host one stand at WoC Athens, which will include its LaCimbali, Faema, and Slayer brands. The MUMAC Academy (Gruppo Cimbali’s coffee education centre) will present the M200 and the E71e espresso machines at the “It’s only Roast ‘n’ Brew” event. During this, the company will invite different roasters to prepare coffee on these two machines.

For the Faema brand, Gruppo Cimbali will showcase its President GTI espresso machine. Mumac Academy trainers will also provide demonstrations and training opportunities using the Faemina espresso machine.

Across the three-day event, 16 different roasters are invited to prepare coffee using Cimbali’s Steam LP and single-group Slayer espresso machines. Cimbali will also host an espresso competition in partnership with Comandante, as well as the technology-focused “Barista on Decks” training sessions.

To learn more about Gruppo Cimbali, visit the website and stop by Stand 3-H10 in Hall 3 at WoC Athens.

Water filtration systems

Some of the coffee sector’s leading water filtration companies will be present at WoC Athens. This includes Pentair – a global water treatment company with a focus on sustainability.

Ronny Billemon is a Foodservice Technical Support and Applications Engineer at Pentair Europe, as well as the company’s coffee ambassador.

“Water shouldn’t be a concern when it comes to making high-quality coffee,” he says. “With our Claris Ultra range, water quality is optimised to ensure you prepare great coffee.”

Pentair will host its own booth at WoC Athens, where it will showcase its Everpure Claris Ultra water filtration cartridges. 

The Everpure Claris Ultra is designed using new patent-pending water filtration and conditioning technology. The cartridges combine mineral reduction and corrosion protection technologies within one compact unit. As well as this, Claris Ultra cartridges also include protection from limescale and metal migration, and maintain pH level according to EU drinking water regulations.

In turn, Claris Ultra cartridges optimise water quality to help baristas and home brewers prepare excellent espresso and filter coffee, as well as making high-quality ice cubes for iced drinks. With efficiency in mind, Pentair’s Everpure Claris Ultra cartridges also reduce energy consumption, which can decrease costs, too.

To learn more about the Everpure Claris Ultra cartridge range, visit Pentair’s website and make sure to stop by Booth M45 in Hall 3 at Woc Athens.

Green coffee packaging solutions

Several prominent green and roasted coffee packaging companies will exhibit at WoC Athens 2023. One of these is Ecotact – a leading green coffee packaging supplier.

Hanuman Jain is the CEO and founder of Ecotact.

“Ecotact is leading the way to create a better and more sustainable future for the coffee industry and beyond,” he says. “We are committed to revolutionising the coffee industry by providing hermetic packaging solutions that protect green coffee and ensure that farmers receive fair prices for their hard work.

“Our brand promises to keep innovating in terms of sustainable packaging solutions to minimise our carbon footprint,” he adds. “At Ecotact, we believe that sustainability and profitability can go hand-in-hand, and we are proud to be at the forefront of this movement.”

Ecotact has helped to pioneer packaging solutions to preserve green coffee freshness, even while in transit. The company’s nine-layer hermetic packaging technology maintains coffee quality, while also keeping sustainability in mind. Ecotact’s product range is also mostly recyclable and reusable.

At WoC Athens 2023, Ecotact will showcase three of its latest products. The Ecotact Biome Tray is designed to be used during cuppings and tastings, as well as displaying roasted coffee beans. The five-panelled Ecotact Penta Pak hermetic packaging is 100% recyclable and is designed to preserve coffee freshness and quality. Finally, the reusable Ecotact Farmer D’lite storage solution is designed specifically for producers to store parchment and green coffee.

To learn more about Ecotact’s green coffee packaging solutions, visit the website and stop by Booth 2-M2 at WoC Athens.

Producers and co-operatives

Some of the industry’s most innovative coffee producers and co-operatives will be in attendance at WoC Athens. One of them is Sancoffee – a specialty coffee co-operative from Brazil which focuses on direct trade relationships and environmental, social, and governance initiatives.

Allan Botrel is the Business Development Manager at Sancoffee.

“Every harvest brings renewed excitement,” he says. “Following positive results from our impact on farmers, we can see how hard work and dedication translates into the cup.”

Booth visitors will have the chance to learn more about how the co-operative’s work has supported communities at origin. 

For the past three years, Sancoffee has also been carrying out research into carbon emissions in the supply chain – and will be sharing some results at the event. Sancoffee is now carbon negative, and will be assessing the carbon footprint of all member farms in the coming months. 

Through a partnership with Clever Coffee in Denmark, Sancoffee also launched a carbon-neutral coffee, and will publicise carbon emissions data for this particular lot at the event, too. The co-operative will also present women-produced coffees from the Nascentes project, as well as other lots from this year’s harvest. Cupping sessions run during all three days of the event from 11:30am to 12:30pm local time.

To learn more about Sancoffee’s work, visit the website and stop by Booth 19A at WoC Athens.

Other companies at WoC Athens 2023

Alongside these brands, a number of other specialty coffee companies will exhibit at the event. These include:

• Ally Coffee
• MTPak Coffee
• AeroPress
• Dalla Corte
• Cropster
• Rancilio
• Covoya
• Marco Beverage Systems
• Guatemalan Coffees
• Stronghold Technology
• IMF Roasters
• Taf Coffee
• Roastelier by Buondi Craft
• Fiorenzato
• Sanremo
• Toddy
• Latte Art Factory
• Sucafina
• Pinhalense
• Heylo
• Elektra
• Fairtrade
• Lallemand
• BWT water+more
• !FEST Coffee Mission
• Aillio

Roasters Villages

Following growing demand, World of Coffee Athens 2023 will feature two Roaster Villages: Roaster Village East and Roaster Village West. The two Villages will act as meeting points for the thousands of producers, roasters, baristas, and green coffee traders in attendance.

Located on the show floor – and sponsored by Rocket Espresso Milano, La Marzocco, Macap, and Mahlkönig – exhibitors will include Falcafé, 19grams, Coffee Collective, Nordic Approach, La Cabra, and Supremo Coffee.

Green Coffee Buyers and Sellers Programme

For the second consecutive year, the Green Coffee Buyers and Sellers Programme will be held at World of Coffee Athens 2023. The overarching aim of the programme is to facilitate the sale of green coffee.

Registrants can use the World of Coffee mobile app to connect with buyers and traders, with 20-minute meeting room slots available. Green coffee buyers and sellers of any size are welcome to register to the event – which is sponsored by Barista Attitude and COHONDUCAFÉ Foundation.

Other events & activities

Alongside other prominent competitions at WoC Athens, espresso machine and grinder manufacturer Dalla Corte will host the second iteration of the World Espresso Championship on 25 June.

Tristan Creswick is Dalla Corte’s Business Development Manager for Oceania & Southeast Asia, and the founder of the World Espresso Championship.

“With the World Espresso Championship, Dalla Corte is proud to support the global coffee community, and highlight the importance of craftsmanship and artistry in creating the perfect espresso,” he says.

Dalla Corte has been making high-quality espresso machines and grinders for the past two decades. The company’s multi-boiler technology helps to maintain temperature stability and consistency in coffee extraction.

Following its debut at MICE in Melbourne, Australia last year, competitors will take part in a knockout-style barista competition. Registration is only open to current national Barista and Brewers Cup Champions – adding to the competition’s prestige.

The second World Espresso Championship will take place on the top two floors of 360 Degrees Hotel in Athens on 25 June. Competitors will use the Dalla Corte Zero espresso machine, and make use of its new freestyle extraction technology.

Dalla Corte invites WoC attendees to stop by the second World Espresso Championship, which takes place one day after WoC Athens ends.

To learn more about Dalla Corte and the World Espresso Championship, visit the website and stop by stand N20 in Hall 3.

After parties & meet-ups

Across all three days of WoC Athens, many companies and organisations will be hosting their own activities and events, with some taking place in the evenings. Some of these include:

• The Barista League’s Big Opa on 23 June at 7pm local time, hosted at The Underdog
• Cropster and Algrano’s after party, with more details to come soon
• International Women’s Coffee Alliance fundraising reception on 23 June
• La Marzocco and Beyond the Bean’s rooftop party, with more details to be announced soon

Please note that some events are invite-only and attendees may need to register beforehand, with some events possibly sold out.

For those attending World of Coffee Athens 2023, there are plenty of events and activities to engage with – as well as opportunities to network with other coffee professionals.

If you are taking part in any capacity, make sure to register and book for any events and activities prior to attending. 

To learn more about World of Coffee, visit the official website here.

Photo credits: Specialty Coffee Association, La Cimbali, Ecotact, Dalla Corte, Sancoffee

Perfect Daily Grind

Please note: La Cimbali, Pentair, Ecotact, Dalla Corte, and Sancoffee are sponsors of Perfect Daily Grind.

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The post Here’s what’s happening at World of Coffee Athens 2023 appeared first on Perfect Daily Grind.