Milklab is bringing back the Barista Battle, a knock-out style latte art smackdown, in an all-new format this year.
The 2024 Milklab Barista Battle will enable contestants to showcase their skills and creativity in an online latte art forum hosted on Instagram and TikTok from 18 March to 14 April.
The barista with the best pour uploaded to Instagram or TikTok using Milklab, as decided by Milklab’s expert panel of judges, will represent their state in the finals.
“We had feedback from baristas in previous years who weren’t able to participate due to location challenges, so we shifted the focus online this year to make it more accessible for all baristas no matter where they live. It also means there’s no limit on how many people can enter the competition,” says Milklab Brand Manager Melanie Ung.
The seven state winners will win a trip to the Melbourne International Coffee Expo (MICE) to compete in the Milklab Barista Battle final on 12 May. The grand champion will pick up a $5000 cash prize and be invited to become a Milklab Master Barista.
“This year we are mixing it up by injecting some fun into the competition, challenging baristas to share their most entertaining and creative pours where winners will win limited edition Milklab merch packs,” says Melanie.
Barista Battle 2023 Champion Mohammed ‘Rizky’ Ramadani, of café Des Delices and Offshoot Coffee in Western Australia, says winning the competition and becoming a Milklab Brand Ambassador has opened doors for him in the coffee world.
“It’s been such a great experience and has helped me make connections in the coffee community,” he says. “It can be a very competitive battle, so for those who are new, don’t let it get to you. It’s important to learn something new and have fun.”
For more information, visit https://www.milklabco.com/barista-battle
