The Alternative Dairy Co.’s Alternative Barista Smackdown Champion Junnie Phyu of Junnie Coffee Workshop shares her hopes and ambitions for herself and the Australian coffee market in 2024.
What are your professional goals for 2024 as a barista?
I am hoping to develop my creative skills and expand my imagination when it comes to creating new latte art patterns. As I am expanding my coffee workshop, I am constantly looking for ways to engage with a broader audience and share my passion with more people.
What are you most looking forward to in 2024?
There are many things that I am always looking forward to year after year. From all the different latte art smackdown competitions to the different innovative coffee equipment, I honestly can’t wait to see what lies ahead in 2024.
What do you think will be the biggest challenge for baristas in 2024?
I think one of the biggest challenges for baristas in 2024 and beyond is how to maintain the balance of coffee craft and automation. While the recent innovative technologies have transformed the industry when it comes to coffee making and espresso bar workflow, many new baristas are not able to develop their core fundamental skills as efficiently as before. In turn, this will make it harder for new inexperienced baristas to find jobs as the market becomes more competitive. It also makes it more challenging for new talent to shine.
