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

Come on down and support your local baristas, mini coffee tastings, and fun will be had.

Spectator tickets are FREE.

What's it all about?

All updates here>

Christchurch / Ōtautahi timeline drop...

C4 Coffee Co. 118 Fitzgerald Ave, Christchurch / Ōtautahi Sunday 10 March.

Please note, the timeline is approximate. Announcements of the top four are around 2 pm, followed by a debrief for competitors.

9.20 am Joshua Peacocke, Independent, Christchurch

9:45 am Steven Hill, Prima Roastery, Christchurch

10:10 am Jordan Herbert, Strictly Coffee Roastery, Dunedin

10:35 am Jadon Steven, C4 Coffee Co., Christchurch

11:00 am Tanner Hunt, Hummingbird Coffee Roasters, Christchurch

11:25 am James Evison, Vivace Espresso, Christchurch

11:50 am Joeyn Tan, C4 Coffee Co., Christchurch

12:15 pm Bonnie Lam, The Coffee Dojo, Wanaka

12:40 pm Fangfang Shi, Independent, Christchurch

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 before 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 this 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.

Entry will be through application. If more baristas wish to compete than places available, a selection process will be based on the information provided.

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

When is it all happening?

Aotearoa Barista Champs ’24 Regionals Dates:

Havana 69G St Georges Bay Road, Parnell, Auckland / Tāmaki Makaurau Sunday 3 March.

C4 Coffee Co. 118 Fitzgerald Ave, Christchurch / Ōtautahi Sunday 10 March.

Mojo Featherston, 55 Featherston Street, Pipitea, Wellington / Te Whanganui a Tara Sunday 17 March.

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. If 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

Sponsors: La Marzocco, Mythos NZ, AMC, Acme Cup Co, Caffeto, Monin, MILKLAB, Cofinet

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