The return of regional barista events has encouraged us to acknowledge and celebrate the past and the people who are part of the Championship journey in New Zealand. We reached out to all of our past champions to get some words from them asking them to add anything additional that they felt might inspire the competitive baristas and coffee community of 2024.
Massive thanks to those who responded. Their profound insights encourage anyone to compete. You may not be winners like them, but we can all aspire to their ambassadorial qualities.
Read all about those who to give back by clicking on their names.
Like the great sporting events of our nation, we now have a singular trophy (it looks a bit like our new artwork) with all of the champions listed on it.
The following are the Barista Champions with their competing years listed on the new trophy. Note: In the early years we competed in the year before the world event and over time the competition was held in the same year. So the earlier years are the years of competing at the World event.
2002 Emma Markland Webster, Whakatū
2003 Ben Simcox, Tāmaki Makaurau
2004 Carl Sara, Ōtautahi
2005 Carl Sara, Ōtautahi
2006 Luciano Marcolino, Ōtautahi
2007 Carl Sara, Ōtautahi
2008 Luciano Marcolino, Ōtautahi
2009 Carl Sara, Ōtautahi
2010 Luciano Marcolino, Ōtautahi
2011 Hide Kono, Ōtautahi
2012 Aymon McQuade, Te Whanganui-a-Tara
2013 Nick Clark, Te Whanganui-a-Tara
2014 Hiroko Hanna Teramoto, Tāmaki Makaurau
2015 Addison Dale, Ōtautahi
2016 Sam Low, Tāmaki Makaurau
2017 Dove Chen, Kirikiriroa
2018 John Gordon, Tāmaki Makaurau
2019 Dove Chen, Kirikiriroa
2020 N/A
2021 Luise Metelka, Te Whanganui-a-Tara
2022 Hiroko Hanna Teramoto, Tāmaki Makaurau
2023 Honoka Kawashima, Te Whanganui-a-Tara
