Barista Champs 2025 - attendees FREE

Come along and watch the NZ Barista Championship. This truly is the main event for Baristas in New Zealand.

Coffee connoisseurs are welcome to witness the search for the country’s top barista at the Meadow Fresh Aotearoa | NZ Barista Champs 2025.

New Zealand's most talented baristas will be brewing to win the national title in Upper Hutt on Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 August. They are also in the running to win “The People’s Champion” where you can be the judge.

Onstage, each barista will give a 15-minute demonstration scored on the taste of beverages served, cleanliness, creativity, technical skill, and presentation. Competitors each prepare four espressos, four milk drinks, and four original signature drinks to exacting standards set to their own music.

The “signature drink” allows baristas to stretch their imagination and the judges’ palates to incorporate a wealth of coffee knowledge into an expression of their individual tastes and experiences.

After two days of competition, the barista named Aotearoa Barista Champion 2025 will win flights and accommodation to represent New Zealand at the World Barista Championship 2026, in Panama.

🌏 With Thanks to Our Principal Sponsor – Meadow Fresh

Supporting the journey from Aotearoa to the world stage:

• Champion: 🏆 $2,000 to assist with world travel, training, and practice milk
  (Ambassador role with Meadow Fresh to be confirmed)

• Runner-Up: 🥈 $1,000

• Third Place: 🥉 $500

Proudly backing excellence in specialty coffee and the incredible baristas who drive it.

🎉 The People's Champion

Walks away with bragging rights, assorted goodies, and a bar tab — because the people will always have their own champion.

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The World Barista Championship organization (WBC) has licensed The New Zealand Specialty Coffee Association (NZSCA) to run the New Zealand Barista Championships from 2008 into the future.

NZSCA is committed to running the event in close accordance with WBC standards. Our focus is on producing a field of finalists capable of competing successfully at an international level, and of course, a winner who can excel at the world finals.

Dates and venue: Expressions Arts and Entertainment Centre, 836 Fergusson Drive, Upper Hutt

Saturday 23 August – National heats 

Sunday 24 August – Final

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Competitors, trainers, mentors, and judges, make sure you read up on the WBC Rules, Scoresheets, and Code of Conduct.

Machines: La Marzocco, 2 group, Linea PB the temperate of the two group machines, as per the rules, is set at the mid-point between 90.5 - 96c. The baskets are 17g La Marzocco precision baskets. 

Grinder: Hey Cafe Buddy

Code of Conduct and NZBC Rules.

Follow updates of the championship on Facebook, Instagram, and our newsletters

Any curly questions regarding the champs? Contact emma@nzsca.org at 021 415 810

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The NZ Barista Championship 2025 is kindly supported by:

Principle Sponsor: Meadow Fresh

Sponsors: La Marzocco, Mythos NZ, AMC Roastery Supply NZ, Cafetto, Acme Cupco, Monin, MilkLab

The schedule: 

• Friday 22 August: 10 am-4 pm Judge's calibration, (invitation only) on-site

• Friday 22 August: 4 pm Competitor briefing, on-site 

• Saturday 23 August: 8 am-5 pm (8:30 am Stage performance starts) TBC based on final numbers

• 4 pm (approx) announcement of finalists debrief for competitors not continuing

• Sunday 24 August: 10:30 am-3 pm Final

• 4:30 pm (approx) Announcement of Champion

Please view the NZSCA ticketing terms & conditions here>