LONDON (July 16, 2008) – The World Barista Championship (WBC) will announce the official espresso machine and coffee grinder sponsors for its 2009 – 2011 competitions on August 29, 2008 at 1:00 PM GMT.  

The live announcement will be broadcast from the International Coffee Organization headquarters in London on the WBC’s website at http://www.worldbaristachampionship.com.

Once every 3 years, leading manufacturers of commercial coffee machines vie for the prestigious opportunity to have their equipment featured as the official tools used by national barista champions from around the world at the annual World Barista Championship.  All candidates considered for equipment sponsorship must meet exacting technical standards set and tested by the WBC, but only one supplier from each category may prevail as the official sponsor.

In the most recent contest held this June in Copenhagen, national barista champions from 51 countries converged to compete for the title of world’s top coffee maker in front of a live audience of several hundred spectators and thousands of online viewers.

Each competitor prepared 4 espressos, 4 cappuccinos and 4 original signature drinks of their own creation for a panel of experienced WBC judges.  Seven judges, including one head judge, 4 sensory judges and 2 technical judges evaluated the taste of beverages served, cleanliness, creativity, technical skill and overall presentation of the competitors.

Next year’s World Barista Championship will be held April 16-19, 2009 in Atlanta, Georgia U.S.A. in conjunction with the 2009 Specialty Coffee Association of America Annual Symposium and Exposition.

About World Barista Championship UK Ltd.
World Barista Championship UK Ltd is jointly owned and operated by the Specialty Coffee Associations of America and Europe. The first WBC competition took place in Monte Carlo in October 2000 and has since held annual competitions Miami, Oslo, Boston, Trieste, Seattle, Berne, Tokyo and Copenhagen. The organization’s next event will be held in Atlanta, Georgia U.S.A., April 16-19, 2009.   For more information, please visit http://www.worldbaristachampionship.com.