As specialty coffee matures, the World Barista Championship will also need to evolve

The World Barista Championship often conjures images of the most esteemed coffee professionals on the biggest stage in the industry. Over the years, the WBC has come a long way, and is now arguably the most important competition in specialty coffee as it leads the charge in innovation and creativity.

As well as shaping trends in the wider industry, the World Barista Championship also reflects how specialty coffee is continuously evolving. This is most evident with the latest technology and “rediscovered” arabica varieties (or even species) on display year after year.

So as the overall industry matures, how will the WBC change in turn? Bartholomew Jones, co-founder of Cxffeeblack, and Jay Caragay, owner of Spro Coffee, provide their insight.

You may also like our article on whether World Barista Championship sponsors limit creativity.

How the World Barista Championship has changed

The first World Barista Championship took place almost 25 years ago in Monte Carlo. Designed to showcase the highest level of barista skill and knowledge, in its early years, the competition was dominated by Scandinavian coffee professionals – most notably winners Tim Wendelboe in 2004 and Klaus Thomsen in 2006. One year later, the competition was held outside of Europe and the US for the first time when it was hosted in Tokyo, Japan, with the UK’s James Hoffmann claiming the title of world’s best barista.

Jay Caragay is the owner of Spro Coffee consultancy in Baltimore, Maryland in the US. He is also a US AeroPress Champion and has been involved in coffee competitions for over two decades.

“When reflecting on the early years of the WBC compared to now, the change is dramatic,” he says. “There have been minor updates every year that have culminated in such a big difference. The champion who won in 2007 experienced a different competition to the 2024 winner.”

As the competition grew, the rules became more formalised and thorough, while the score sheets were adapted to be less subjective. Tasting notes also became more important, and with this shift, competitors had to better communicate flavours to the judges. Essentially, the focus of the WBC gradually shifted away from pure technical skill to encompassing many different aspects of overall presentation – including the coffee itself.

Over the last decade or so, more and more competitors have sourced lesser-known arabica varieties and “rediscovered” species like Sidra, Pink Bourbon, and Coffea eugenioides to use in their routines. This has sparked wider interest in these coffees with a growing number of high-end roasters now also offering them.

Keeping up with trends in specialty coffee

Significant changes were made to the format of the World Barista Championship in 2016. Sponsors would now provide equipment such as grinders and espresso machines, while the cappuccino round was reworked to become the “milk beverage” course.

Fast forward to the 2023 edition and the WBC saw some of its biggest rule changes yet, such as:

• Competitors were 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, or a competitor would score zero
• No additional ingredients can be added to milk for the milk beverage course, or the competitor will receive zero points in the “Taste Experience” category
• Brewing temperature can be anywhere between 90.5°C and 96°C (or 195°F and 205°F)
  • Competitors can also select individual group head temperatures
• Updated scoresheets, which were in compliance with the SCA’s new Coffee Value Assessment

The plant milk rule in particular reflected just how popular plant-based milks had become in specialty coffee, especially oat milk. According to data from World Coffee Portal, over 28% of customers at UK branded coffee shops ordered oat milk – which makes it the most popular plant milk in the country.

For the 2024 competition – which took place at the first-ever World of Coffee Asia event in Busan, South Korea – there were further changes to the rules and regulations. These included permitting the use of animal and plant milk blends, distinguishing between how judges assess mouthfeel and aftertaste, and clarification about using infused and co-fermented coffee – which have been a hot topic in specialty coffee in recent years.

Why winning requires more than skill alone

Technical skill and in-depth knowledge are essential to achieving success at the World Barista Championship, but flair and creativity have arguably become equally important.

“There’s certainly an element of ‘showing off’,” Jay tells me. “A big part of the competition is who can use the most wildly processed coffee or interesting gadget. It’s part of the culture, and we like to speculate about why that particular barista won.”

The same can be said for specialty coffee in general. In terms of quality, sustainability, and the consumer experience, specialty coffee is marketed as a superior product, which can quickly turn into snobbery and elitism.

Bartholomew Jones is the founder of Cxffeeblack – a roaster and social enterprise which focuses on reclaiming coffee’s Black roots, and in turn, acknowledging and celebrating Black culture in specialty coffee.

“At its best, the World Barista Championship inspires people,” he says. “It can provide a beautiful platform to shape our collective imagination about what coffee is and what it can be.

“However, you so rarely see people of African descent on the stage, and given that coffee originates from Africa, it’s almost unbelievable, but at the same time, sadly realistic,” he adds.

For some coffee professionals from producing countries (which tend to be lower income than majority-consuming markets), the high costs associated with competing can place significant barriers to entry. Unfortunately, this often means African and Latin American baristas are underrepresented at competitions, and therefore miss out on sharing their wealth of knowledge.

“Competing dangles new opportunities in front of you, but if we’re being honest, a lot of people never reach that potential,” Bartholomew says. “The resources and the privilege required to take part are much greater than most people can afford.”

The role of the World Barista Championship in specialty coffee will inevitably change

Undoubtedly, the WBC will continue to push boundaries in specialty coffee for years to come.

“The competition has been instrumental in changing the nature of our industry for the better in its 24 years of existence,” Jay says. “Many of the best practices adopted by baristas today are inspired by what happens on the WBC stage.

“Every year, we see new trends and techniques,” he adds. “It’s a great platform to promote something exciting – whether it’s a rare variety, exclusive processing method, or groundbreaking extraction method – that can inspire other baristas to push their craft in ways they had never considered before.”

Sponsors, meanwhile, will continue to play a key role in the future of the competition, which isn’t always met with positive reaction. When the SCA announced the 2022-25 sponsors, many expressed their concern about losing the ability to use two different grinders and single-dose grinding. These concerns were addressed when Victoria Arduino designed a single-dose funnel specifically for its Mythos grinders, but it’s a clear example of how changes to sponsored equipment can impact competitors’ performances.

Jay points out, however, that competitions and sponsorship go hand in hand.

“WBC organisers need money to run the event, and sponsors provide that money,” he explains. “Of course, sponsors want some kind of return on expenses, so promotion is part of it.”

Reshaping expectations of the barista

While success at the World Barista Championship once led to celebrity-level status, interest in “coffee superstars” seems to have waned in recent years. Younger consumers especially are engaging more with coffee influencers and social media personalities, which could threaten the WBC’s reputation as the pinnacle of specialty coffee.

But Jay doesn’t believe the competition will lose its integrity any time soon.

“There are currently only 24 people with the title World Barista Champion,” he says. “And only those who think they are among ‘the best’ can compete.”

Instead, he says we need to acknowledge that the role of the barista is changing, too.

“We constantly talk about how baristas can transition into roasting or other facets of the industry, but we don’t value them enough in the first place,” he tells me. “It’s not enough to pour pretty latte art, so how do you set yourself apart? It’s as if there’s a specialty coffee playbook and most people are following it, and that’s boring.”

The World Barista Championship will always be relevant in specialty coffee. But as the wider industry matures, the competition will also have to evolve to reflect key changes and trends.

Looking ahead, this could mean further rule updates, different formats, or new sponsorship models. With the 2025 competition set to take place in Italy, it will be interesting to see how new rules shape the future of the event.

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on why “traditional” varieties still have a place on the WBC stage.

Photo credits: Specialty Coffee Association, World Coffee Events

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