For many, elite coffee competitions represent the pinnacle of the industry. But the huge costs to compete prevent those without financial support from participating—and harm the industry as a whole.
It's all a bit silly to be honest. I'm a huge fanatic of coffee but the idea that we have a world competition for someone making an espresso means we're probably turned it into something it's not. Yes, coffee is complex if you're dealing with plant to cup but a world barista competition? It's like having a world chart making competition for people who take decades of scientific research and make something pretty from it. Maybe in this stage of society we just want bread and circuses to amuse us.
I agree that there's a lot of hype and maybe too much focus on competitions considering the issues in the coffee industry more generally. But I also think there's a lot of utility to coffee competitions - they push innovation in drink-making, processes, and craft, for one thing. Plus I think it's good that we celebrate the best craftspeople that the industry can produce. But the fact that it costs tens of thousands of dollars to even get to the final stages, let alone win, is absurd. That means there's plenty of very talented people who never get a chance to show what they've got because they can't afford it.
The industry is worth multiple billions of dollars, and the SCA is putting on flashy events and conferences all over the world every year, and yet all the onus is on the competitors to pay their way. That feels wrong.
(I also feel like Chart Hero is going to be a reality show before long...)
It's all a bit silly to be honest. I'm a huge fanatic of coffee but the idea that we have a world competition for someone making an espresso means we're probably turned it into something it's not. Yes, coffee is complex if you're dealing with plant to cup but a world barista competition? It's like having a world chart making competition for people who take decades of scientific research and make something pretty from it. Maybe in this stage of society we just want bread and circuses to amuse us.
I agree that there's a lot of hype and maybe too much focus on competitions considering the issues in the coffee industry more generally. But I also think there's a lot of utility to coffee competitions - they push innovation in drink-making, processes, and craft, for one thing. Plus I think it's good that we celebrate the best craftspeople that the industry can produce. But the fact that it costs tens of thousands of dollars to even get to the final stages, let alone win, is absurd. That means there's plenty of very talented people who never get a chance to show what they've got because they can't afford it.
The industry is worth multiple billions of dollars, and the SCA is putting on flashy events and conferences all over the world every year, and yet all the onus is on the competitors to pay their way. That feels wrong.
(I also feel like Chart Hero is going to be a reality show before long...)