10:00am Nico Refiti, Cofinet, Auckland
10:35am Jared Rendell, C4 Coffee Co, Christchurch
11:10am Luke Powell, Vanguard Specialty Coffee Co, Dunedin
11:45am James Evison, Vivace, Christchurch
12:20pm Rob Bangham, Victus Coffee & Eatery, Nelson
12:55pm Jessica Halliday, International Antarctica Centre, Christchurch
1:30pm Jadon Steven, C4 Coffee Co, Christchurch
2:05pm Jordan Reid, Vanguard Specialty Coffee Co, Dunedin
2:40pm Nick Schryvers, Victus Coffee & Eatery, Nelson
3:15pm Alan Bruce, Acme CupCo, Wellington
“The Regional People’s Champion”
Every year, we’re overwhelmed with Aroha for our amazing baristas from family, friends, companies, and loyal customers. While we can only crown one official winner, in our eyes, they’re all champions!
However, you can help us choose “The Regional People’s Champion.” And we will give them $500 cash!
Voting is open now, and the winner will be announced on Sunday, 30 March, right after we unveil the top regional baristas. We’d love to hear why your chosen barista is impressive!
What’s at stake? The winning barista will take home a certificate, some awesome goodies, and the ultimate bragging rights! By voting, you also have a chance to score sweet merch. You can only fill in the form once, so make it count!
Sunday 30 March 10 am – 4 pm.
Join us at C4 Roastery, 113 Fitzgerald Avenue, Christchurch 8011
Everyone’s welcome; there’ll be koha coffees and fluffies for all.
Important:
- Only one vote per email address.
- Incomplete or partial votes will be deleted.
- By entering, your email address will be added to our mailing list (unsubscribe anytime).
- NZ residents are only eligible to win goodies
Let’s rally behind these incredible baristas and our coffee community. Tell us why your barista is the best!
For more about who we are and what we do, visit NZSCA.org.
Good luck to all our competitors! Baristas, it’s time to get your campaign on!
10:00am Nico Refiti, Cofinet, Auckland
Where do you work, and what’s your favourite part of the job? I work at a green coffee producer and importer called Cofinet. While my day-to-day is varied, I love getting to visit coffee roasters all across New Zealand and drinking the best coffees in the country!
How do you like to brew coffee at home? Any special techniques or equipment? We mainly use an AeroPress at home. Inverted, ~30g in, fill to brim with 94 degree water, stir, plunge after 90 seconds, bypass to taste.
What’s your go-to song to brew to? Haku – かむかもももにも link
If you won Regionals, who’s the first person you’d share the news with? That would be my amazing wife Heesun (who placed second at NZBC in 2019!)
Which Meadow Fresh Milk do you recommend to pair with coffee, and why? First pour farmhouse paired with a Natural Process Ethiopian coffee!
What does being a barista mean to you? I believe the best barista has the best customer service!
10:35am Jared Rendell , Christchurch @jaredrendell C4 Coffee Co @c4coffee
Where do you work, and what’s your favourite part of the job? C4 Coffee Co, getting access to experience and roast the best coffees available in New Zealand
How do you like to brew coffee at home? Any special techniques or equipment? Origami or Stagg X. I do not like waved papers for flat bottom brews. I have a jank technique for turning a #1 Trapezoid filter into a flat bottomed, flat circular walled paper filter.
What’s your go-to song to brew to? I’d be lying if I didn’t say Pink Pony Club
If you won Regionals, who’s the first person you’d share the news with? All the haters I work with I’d never stop reminding them
Which Meadow Fresh Milk do you recommend to pair with coffee, and why? I don’t do Dairy. But I’m sure the Banana Fresh slaps
What does being a barista mean to you? The ability to make someone’s day better, from strangers to long time customers. A great coffee and a little bit of conversation can change someone’s day, and in cafes you can make hundreds of people’s days better.
11:10am Luke Powell, Vanguard Specialty Coffee Co, Dunedin
Where do you work, and what’s your favourite part of the job? Vanguard, Dunedin. Tasting new coffee and selling it when it’s fresh on the retail shelf.
How do you like to brew coffee at home? Any special techniques or equipment? Plungers and pour overs
What’s your go-to song to brew to? Flight Facilities Decade Mix: 1972-1982
If you won Regionals, who’s the first person you’d share the news with? My wife, and family back home
Which Meadow Fresh Milk do you recommend to pair with coffee, and why? Farmhouse, full and delicious!
What does being a barista mean to you? “Simply fueling your day”
11:45am James Evison, Vivace Christchurch @jamesevisonjamesevision
Where do you work, and what’s your favourite part of the job? I work at Vivace as an account manager, my favourite part of this job is training the next generation of baristas and inspiring a passion for coffee!
How do you like to brew coffee at home? Any special techniques or equipment? I like to keep it simple, mostly french press and some pour overs if I’ve gotten my hands on an interesting bag of beans!
What’s your go-to song to brew to? Got to be some alt j – something good
If you won Regionals, who’s the first person you’d share the news with? Probably my partner and my son
Which Meadow Fresh Milk do you recommend to pair with coffee, and why? For me its got to be the farmhouse, i love the rich creamy indulgence of it!
What does being a barista mean to you? Connecting with people and putting a smile on peoples faces
12:20pm Rob Bangham, Victus Coffee & Eatery Nelson @robert_bangham
Where do you work, and what’s your favourite part of the job? Victus Cafe and Eatery: my favourite part of the job is dialing in the new single origins and progressing my coffee journey and understanding.
How do you like to brew coffee at home? Any special techniques or equipment? I Brew at home on my 1978 La Pavoni I restored a few years back. I especially love the manual brewers as you can feel how it’s extracting and have full control over the shot
What’s your go-to song to brew to? My favourite song to brew to is Nubiyan Twist, Breeze at the moment however it changes frequently.
If you won Regionals, who’s the first person you’d share the news with? The first person i’d tell would be my boss for giving me the opportunity to compete.
Which Meadow Fresh Milk do you recommend to pair with coffee, and why? Meadow Fresh original is my preferred, as it had a very silky texture which helps pouring more complex latte art, in addition it doesn’t mask the coffee and brings it back into balance.
What does being a barista mean to you? Being a barista is a lifestyle as you are part of a lot of peoples rituals and routine and often are the first person they see that day, and start them on the right foot for the day.
12:55pm Jessica Halliday, International Antarctica Centre, Christchurch
Where do you work, and what’s your favourite part of the job? I work at the International Antarctic Centre where we use Prima Coffee and I love chatting to people. And husky cuddles of course!
How do you like to brew coffee at home? Any special techniques or equipment? V60. It’s easy to clean up, makes great coffee and a cool conversation piece for those who haven’t seen one before.
What’s your go-to song to brew to? Whatever is stuck in my head at that time, which is typically either something from TikTok or metal.
If you won Regionals, who’s the first person you’d share the news with? My friends. I’m lucky to have some amazingly supportive people who will check in with me straight after the competition, not to hear the results but to find out how I am doing.
Which Meadow Fresh Milk do you recommend to pair with coffee, and why? I enjoy Original Meadow Fresh, but I also love the texture and mouthfeel produced from Farmhouse.
What does being a barista mean to you? It’s about encouraging and supporting the next generation of coffee lovers and barista, while showcasing the possibilities of coffee and hospitality.
1:30pm Jadon Steven, C4 Coffee Co, Christchurch
Where do you work, and what’s your favourite part of the job? I work at C4 Coffee, my favourite part of the job, which is a little bit cheesy, is making people’s day with coffee experiences. Making their day a little bit better in the best of ways.
How do you like to brew coffee at home? Any special techniques or equipment? I make a pour over at home because there are times when I don’t want to deal with a bad shot tasting like battery acid. And just the ritual of taking the time to sit with a coffee as you brew it is very enjoyable.
What’s your go-to song to brew to? I have had by best cup recently while brewing to the album “Clarity of Cal” by Vulfpeck
If you won Regionals, who’s the first person you’d share the news with? My grandmother cos she’d get the biggest kick out of it.
Which Meadow Fresh Milk do you recommend to pair with coffee, and why? I’m a classic Blue top kinda guy, a great level of creaminess without having too much lingering mouthfeel.
What does being a barista mean to you? I find it’s the same as the best part of my day, creating experiences
2:05pm Jordan Reid, Vanguard Specialty Coffee Co, Dunedin
Where do you work, and what’s your favourite part of the job? Vanguard, chatting to customers about coffees and seeing them light up after trying them!
How do you like to brew coffee at home? Any special techniques or equipment? You’d hate to see it. Scales and a plunger from the warehouse! Fancy coffee gear costs an arm and a leg!
What’s your go-to song to brew to? Malibu by Hole
If you won Regionals, who’s the first person you’d share the news with? Probably my Mum, she’s a big supporter of mine!
Which Meadow Fresh Milk do you recommend to pair with coffee, and why? Farmhouse for that delicious creamy taste
What does being a barista mean to you? Being the last step of a big long process. I gotta do my part well or the farmer and the roaster did all that for nothing!
2:40pm Nick Schryvers, Victus Coffee & Eatery, Nelson
Where do you work, and what’s your favourite part of the job? My wife and I are the owners of Victus Coffee & Eatery in Nelson. My favourite part of the job is having the creative freedom to build and create a hospitality experience that is memorable and enriches our community.
How do you like to brew coffee at home? Any special techniques or equipment? At home I like big batches of slow coffee on a Sunday morning. My current setup is a Mahlkonig x54 and Chemex. Simple and classy. Before we set up Victus, I used to have my EK43 on the bench at home with a Moccamaster, but I couldn’t quite justify taking up 1/3 of the benchtop for my weekend brews!
What’s your go-to song to brew to? At the moment, it’s probably Son Shine by SAULT. For the longest time, it was Problem Number 6 by Bruno Pernadas, but I once forgot the title and spent about a year humming it into Google poorly to try and remember what it was called. Both are great brewing tunes, a little funky, a little fresh
If you won Regionals, who’s the first person you’d share the news with? My wife Beth for sure! She’s my biggest fan, best bud, business partner and numero uno supporter. The type of person you want on your team.
Which Meadow Fresh Milk do you recommend to pair with coffee, and why? I mean I would definitely be down to smash a cold glass of choccy milk and chase it with an espresso, but if they’re being made together I would probably go for a Farmhouse, I like the creamier mouthfeel and sweet, buttery compliment it adds to your coffee.
What does being a barista mean to you? For me being a barista is less about how you work, and more about how you think. It’s about striving for excellence, attention to detail, having a passion for ongoing learning, dedication to the craft and the ability to use this beautiful drink to make someone’s day just that little bit better.
3:15pm Alan Bruce, Acme CupCo, Wellington @theboybruce @acmecupco
Where do you work, and what’s your favourite part of the job? Acme Cupco. It’s great having connections with coffee people all over the world.
How do you like to brew coffee at home? Any special techniques or equipment? I mostly use my Moccamaster, but I’ll sometimes do a cheeky Aeropress.
What’s your go-to song to brew to? At the moment, “Barbara” by Enzo Carella. It’s a good vibe.
If you won Regionals, who’s the first person you’d share the news with? Probably my wife!
Which Meadow Fresh Milk do you recommend to pair with coffee, and why? Full fat or Farmhouse – Fat is flavour, the more the better!
What does being a barista mean to you? Creating little moments of sanctuary in peoples days where they can get away, where it’s just them and a delicious coffee.