It’s time to meet our 2025 competitors.
We asked each of them a few quick questions so you can get to know them before the championship next month.
See you soon:
23–24 August
Whirinaki Whare Taonga Centre
836 Fergusson Drive, Upper Hutt
10:00 am Joshua Peacocke
Representing: Mojo Coffee, Auckland.
Favourite track: When Moon’s Reaching Out Stars -Reload- by Azumi Takahashi or Guitar, Loneliness and Blue Planet by Kessoku Band. Both are in all my playlists!
Why compete?: When I first volunteered, I got to meet so many role models. Winning the competition not only means the glory and bragging rights, but I hope it means that someone else looks up to me
What do I love doing outside coffee?: I feel a bit like a jack of all trades having tried a bit of everything. But when it comes to something I love? It would be calligraphy (specifically Shodou 書道). It has a history through my family, and the feeling I get when I write is very unique.
Typical day: At the moment, work work work, practice practice practice! The day always starts with a coffee, whether a pour over at home or an espresso at work. A highlight in between is getting to look at the Auckland city-scape from Harbour Bridge. After work (not practicing!), I like to chip away at long JRPG (Japanese Role Playing Game) video games, learn a bit of guitar, or hang around my coffee friends.
If you could have coffee with any person, living or dead, who would it be and why? A bit of a cliche answer, but I’d have a coffee with myself from 5 years ago. Back then, I didn’t know about barista champs, the difference between washed and natural coffees, or even the idea of using scales for making a coffee. I’ve changed a lot, not just in coffee, and I’d be interested to know if me back then is even interested!
10:25 am Rob Hulse
Independent, Auckland.
Favourite track: Duchies Shapeshifter – always the best walkout song
Why compete?: The barista competition is the place to innovate, to think differently and to forge a new way forward for coffee.
What do I love doing outside coffee?: Like many in coffee we annoyingly find almost everything interesting so I like to go out to find fun experiences to share.
Typical day: Mostly spreadsheets and meetings. When I do get out it’s great to meet people from our industry and share ideas
If you could have coffee with any person, living or dead, who would it be and why? It would be Steve Jobs. We would talk about innovating and reimagining how something can work.
10:50 am Matt Ross
Representing: Kindred, (Mount Zion Coffee) Tauranga
Supported by: Grey Roasting Co.
Favourite track: ooooh that’s a tough one! Noah Kahan is my go to artist at the moment. Anything by Lianne La Havas is also amazing!
Why compete?: I compete for the love of coffee and community. The coffee industry is so cool! Such a tight knit group of people and I love seeing everyone striving to push the NZ industry forward.
What do I love doing outside coffee?: I have 2 daughters who are my world! Anything with them. I also love drawing and generally being creative.
Typical day: Early morning baking for the shop (usually with at least one of my daughters) making coffee, then home to hang out with the family.
If you could have coffee with any person, living or dead, who would it be and why? My grandpa, he passed away when I was little, that would be special!
11:15 am Nelson Soon
Representing: Starbucks New Zealand, Auckland.
Favourite track: for lovers who hesitate – JANNABI
Why compete?: I want to accelerate my growth as a coffee professional. Coffee competitions have allowed me to meet and exchange perspectives with many people throughout the coffee industry. I really value sharing our thoughts and think these competitions facilitate the growth and strength of the Coffee Industry. I also really want to go to Panama!
What do I love doing outside coffee?: I love to cook! I think it helps my approach to coffee: sometimes you don’t need to follow a recipe for delicious food, just play it by ear. Cooking also requires me to engage all of my senses at once, and it lets me focus in on being intentional with what I do. This is a feeling that brewing coffee makes me feel sometimes.
Typical day: I get up and I make a pourover. Nowadays I’m challenging myself to pour to .0 accuracy. Then, I go to work and I cross the beautiful harbour bridge and take in the scenes. My days are really dynamic – sometimes developing internal training procedures, sometimes testing new products, sometimes 1 on 1 coaching with partners, sometimes packing supplies to send out to stores. Then, I go home and try to cook myself something yummy.
If you could have coffee with any person, living or dead, who would it be and why? I would have coffee with my grandma! She was always a fancy lady and I think she would really enjoy pourover of Anaerobic Honey Pink Bourbon from Finca Inmaculada.
11:40 am Alan Bruce
Representing: Acme Cup Co, Wellington.
Favourite track: It’s impossible to pick just one, but I always come back to Theme from Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me by Angelo Badalamenti
Why compete?: I’m competing to ensure that these events continue to run. We have an incredibly talented pool of people in our industry, and I’d love to see more of them competing. I feel like the competition and I have both evolved a lot since I last competed, so it’s also just fun to approach it differently than I have in the past.
What do I love doing outside coffee?: Eating and sleeping.
Typical day: Mostly walking back and forth between my desk and the coffee machine.
If you could have coffee with any person, living or dead, who would it be and why? David Lynch – I don’t think we’d agree on what makes a damn fine cup of coffee but I loved his films growing up
12:05 pm Hiroko Hanna Teramoto
Representing: Mojo Coffee, Auckland.
Favourite track: Paramore/Ain’t It Fun
Why compete?: I’m a looooong time competitor. It started from getting acknowledged in the industry when I was still new to coffee and to the country. Then it shifted to proving to others and myself. And now, expressing through coffee and exploring myself. All this is on top of learning. Yes, I’m still learning and I learn something new every time I compete.
What do I love doing outside coffee?: I do a few things to refresh myself like hiking up Mt Wellington or watching movies and they’re all important moments to me to get myself reset, but out of all, the winner is experiencing different escape rooms. I don’t know why but I’m kinda obsessed. Family and birthday activities end up being escape rooms for that reason
Typical day: I’m back on the machine at Mojo Coffee so mornings are at work when I’m rostered. Then, I go back home to make late lunch for Akio and myself. This past few months, the rest of the time until dinner was for practicing or preparing for 3 competitions (Akio’s Aeropress Champ, my Barista and Monin Comps).
If you could have coffee with any person, living or dead, who would it be and why? My uncle. He passed away right before my 2014 national barista champs. I couldn’t go back to see him in Japan, knowing it was his last moments, because it was a crucial time for practice and he would have told me off if I went back. His last words to me was “be the champion” and I won that year. He was a big coffee lover so I want to make him a competition level coffee, sit down and talk about everything since my first win.
12:30 pm Honggu Shin
Representing: Receptionist Coffee, Auckland.
Favourite track: Dancing in the Moonlight.
Why compete?: Prove myself
What do I love doing outside coffee?: Going to winery tasting with my wife.
Typical day: I try to have big smile and have fun as much as possible in anywhere.
If you could have coffee with any person, living or dead, who would it be and why? Always with my wife whether we live or die. Most favorite moment in my life is just hang out time in the cafe with my wife.
12:55 pm Moi Yokota
Representing: Atomic Coffee Roasters, Auckland.
Favourite track: While We’re Young – Keith Garrett
Why compete?: Competitions have really opened up my opportunities for learning, growing and meeting fellow coffee peers! After volunteering, I was curious to see what I was capable of, to push my own limits, as well as give back to the community and industry.
What do I love doing outside coffee?: I love spending time in nature – whether it’s just soaking the sun, taking a bush walk or jumping into a water hole, we’re so blessed to have such a beautiful country to explore. It’s the simple things in life that make me happy! Music and art has always been a passion of mine too.
Typical day: Wake up and go to work, banter with customers and serve them some yummy coffee. It’s so rewarding exchanging kindness and smiles, as well as providing coffee! On the weekends, I usually coffee hop and hang out with friends!
If you could have coffee with any person, living or dead, who would it be and why? My grandad – although quiet, he has always been my supporter and I want share what I enjoy with him!
1:20 pm Saransh Raina
Independent, Auckland.
Favourite track: Ain’t No Sunshine – Bill Withers. Hard to pick just one.
Why compete?: This is the journey I’ve always wanted to be on. I love every part of coffee, and competition is one of those it challenges me and brings learning, which is what I value most.
What do I love doing outside coffee?: Ahh, a lot of travel, cooking, badminton, opening new cafés… the list goes on.
Typical day: Could be anything, start with the espresso for sure straight to gym, drop off my little punk at daycare with a café stop, then some consulting, a bunch of calls, pick up my bubba, and head home. Pretty chill days, really.
If you could have coffee with any person, living or dead, who would it be and why? If I get this opportunity, I’d love to share a coffee with Felipe the incredible Colombian farmer who’s given me the chance to showcase his coffee on stage.
1:45 pm Bonnie Lam
Representing: The Coffee Dojo, Wanaka. & The Coffee Shack
Supported by: Flight Coffee.
Favourite track: Santeria/Sublime
Why compete?: I want to move the industry to a more sustainable life-style by passion and love. I want to share my story and my continuous journey through the championship.
What do I love doing outside coffee?: Dance (hip hop), Snowboarding, mountain biking, skateboarding, being a mum.
Typical day: Some coffee and a lot of mum.
If you could have coffee with any person, living or dead, who would it be and why? Buddah
Tufele Timothy Tavite
Representing: Strictly Coffee Roasters, Dunedin
Favourite track: Damn that’s a thought question I cannot answer, but top 3 at the moment, in no order are: Bob Vylan- We live Here, Funkadelic -Maggot brain, Ms.Lauryn Hill Ex-Factor
Why compete?: Development, Growth and understating. To make connections with others in the industry.
What do I love doing outside coffee?: I enjoy Creative outlets like Painting, Ceramics and visiting exhibitions. playing games with others whether its videogames, cards or table top. Reading One Piece or watching some horror basically just spending time filled with warmth, community and culture.
Typical day: Generally I have opening shift at the Café then training in the afternoon. Evening activities include general shenanigans and goblin activities.
If you could have coffee with any person, living or dead, who would it be and why? Probably Kaldi the goat herder, for the truth.