Australia’s Jack Simpson and New Zealand’s Max Cui are part of a 50-strong contingent of baristas set to compete at the World Barista Championship (WBC) at Host Milano 2025.
This year’s competition marks 25 years since the first edition of the WBC, which was won by Norway’s Robert Thoresen.
Australian baristas have an extensive history in the competition, which Paul Bassett (2003), Sasa Sestic (2015), and Anthony Douglas (2022), all winning previous iterations of the competition.
Only Denmark has produced more WBC winners (four – Martin Hildebrandt 2001, Fritz Storm 2002, Trouls Overdahl Poulsen 2005, and Klaus Thomsen 2006) than Australia over the competition’s 25-year history.
The United Kingdom also boasts three winners, James Hoffman in 2006, Gwilym Davies in 2009, and Dale Harris in 2017.
CEO of the Specialty Coffee Association, Yannis Apostolpoulos, says Milan is the ideal city to crown the next World Barista Champion.
“Given its scale and importance, Host Milano is the perfect location to hold the World Barista Championship,” says Yannis.
“As we gather in this iconic city, we not only celebrate the art of coffee-making but also pay homage to the timeless tradition that continues to inspire coffee lovers worldwide.”
Jack will be hoping to go one step further than he did in the 2024 edition of the competition held in Busan, South Korea, where he finished as runner-up to Indonesia’s Mikael Jasin.
Head of Hospitality Exhibitions, Fiera Milano, Francesca Cavallo, says hosting this milestone WBC in Milan will only add to the insight the show can provide the world coffee community.
“We are proud and delighted to welcome the SCA to Host 2025. With over 2000 brands from 54 countries, Host Milano is the world’s leading exhibition for hospitality, out-of-home and food retail industries,” says Cavallo.
“This important partnership consolidates Host Milano as a global reference for the entire coffee world and testifies to Milan’s role as one of the great coffee capitals in the world.
“The World Barista Championship, the most prestigious among the World Coffee Championships, will bring many of the world’s top baristas to the exhibition, attracting new target audiences of coffee lovers among hospitality professionals, and providing an opportunity to preview the most exciting new trends.”
