You asked, we’re delivering! Get excited, REGIONAL’s are HAPPENING!

All updates here>

Ticket sales will open at 9 am on Monday 27 November and close once sold out.

Entry: Places to compete, member company $200 inc GST & Non-Member $250 inc GST

Each regional Champion will secure a space to compete in the national event as part of their prize package.

Places second to fourth will have reserved positions, half of their entry fee is covered by their regional positions. As a regional place-getter, you still need to enter via this channel prior to the entry opening. As a regional place getter, details on how will follow the regional event.

What’s happening for Barista Champs?

We are bringing you parred-down Barista events to the regions next March. Get out your 2024 calendars, there are more events for baristas than ever!

Then the big event to showcase all that talent, The Aotearoa New Zealand Barista Champs will be held on Saturday 5 – Sunday 6 October 2024.

What are the regionals about?

We are breaking down the barriers to entry by focusing on what baristas know. It’s all about knowing your coffee and serving it with great customer service. No signature drink in the regions, just espresso and milk beverages.

You bring your coffee and presentation. We will provide the machine, grinder, milk, cups, spoons even the milk jugs and tamper if you need it. Table decoration and all the other stuff are actively discouraged. Baristas may bring menus to assist in describing their coffee, however, this still needs to be verbalised during the competition time.

Similar to the main event you will have to pour four (4) x espresso and four (4) x milk beverages to two (2) scoring sensory judges and two (2) guest non-scoring sensory judges, one (1) technical judge, and a one (1) head judge. All competitors will receive a full debrief on their performances to set them up for the main event. You don’t have to go on to compete in the main event, but we would love to see you there!

You will have 5 mins to dial in and 10 mins to present.

There will be three (3) regional titles and prizes TBC. Places 2-4 will receive a reserved space to compete in the national event if they wish.

Full Rules and Regulations for Regional events can be found here>

Sensory Scoresheet Regional

Technical Scoresheet Regional

When is it all happening?

Aotearoa Barista Champs ’24 Regionals Dates:

Sunday 3 March:

Havana 69G St Georges Bay Road, Parnell, Auckland / Tāmaki Makaurau

Sunday 10 March:

C4 Coffee Co. 118 Fitzgerald Ave, Christchurch / Ōtautahi

Sunday 17 March:

Mojo Featherston, 55 Featherston Street, Wellington / Te Whanganui a Tara

Aotearoa Barista Champs ’24

Whirinaki Whare Taonga, 836 Fergusson Drive, Upper Hutt / Te Awa Kairangi ki Uta

Saturday 5 October – Round one

Sunday 6 October – Final

Judge’s workshops and set up will be held the day before each event. Rules and regulations and all the details are being worked through and will be published shortly.

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The main Barista Championship will take place later in 2024 six months after the regional events. You do not have to enter via the regional feeder events though positions to compete will be restricted as the top 4 in each regional will earn a place in the barista lineup if they choose to compete.

Who will take the Crown of NZ Barista Champion 2024? This truly is the main event for Baristas in New Zealand.

The winner will represent at the World Barista Championship 2025. Flights and accommodation will be covered as part of the champion's prize

The People's Champion: all the bragging rights and assorted goodies and a bar tab, for the people's favourite.

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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.

If you are keen to compete, there are a few things you should consider. Running to the WBC standards is time-consuming and means we can put only 20 contestants through in a day. In the event that there are more than 20 entrants for the championship, we will conduct a selection process, awarding entry to those competitors we consider best able to excel in competition conditions. This means the information entrants provide us at the time of entry is particularly important, to help us make a sound selection.

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

Machines: La Marzocco, two group, Linea. 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. Other than the practice times that will be noted on the schedule, there are no practice times available or time on the machine on-site or in the Wellington region.

Grinders: Mythos MY75 set at 30 degrees

Full rules and regulations:

Code of Conduct and NZBC Rules.

http://worldbaristachampionship.com 2023 rules

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

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

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The NZ Barista Championship 2024 is kindly supported by:

Principle Sponsor: Meadow Fresh

Machinery: La Marzocco NZ

Grinder: Victoria Arduino: Mythos MY75

Syrup: MONIN

Cleaning Supplies: Cafetto

Equipment: AMC Roastery Supply

Ceramics/Porcelain: Acme Cup Co

Barista tools: Open

Plant-based milk: MILKLAB

Green coffee supply: Cofinet

Event partner: Open

The schedule:

Friday 4 October: 10 am - 4 pm Judge's calibration, (invitation only) on-site
Friday 4 October: 4 pm Competitor briefing, on-site
Saturday 5 October: 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 6 October: 10:30 am - 3 pm Final
4:30 pm (approx) Announcement of Champion

Please view the NZSCA ticketing terms & conditions here>