Key takeaways
- Competitions are synonymous with excellence and innovation in specialty coffee, including exclusive varieties and cutting-edge equipment.
- As they have become more prestigious, many competitions have adopted more formal rules and regulations.
- Standardised coffee and equipment have also become more common, making barista skills the true differentiator.
- Competitions are rekindling the excitement that initially drew participants to drive true creativity.
Over the last decade, competitions have evolved from niche events into major platforms that showcase the cutting edge of specialty coffee.
From groundbreaking brewing techniques to state-of-the-art equipment, they are where baristas test and refine innovations before they reach cafés worldwide.
As competitions become more reputable, the coffee industry faces a critical question: How do we maintain their prestige while also preserving the creative spirit that first inspired them?
Valentina Dalla Corte, Chief of Staff and Commercial Excellence at Dalla Corte, explains how improving accessibility is the most effective way to allow competitors to be both creative and innovative.
You may also like our article on how coffee competitions have changed in recent years.
Coffee competitions undeniably drive innovation
For many, competitions represent the pinnacle of specialty coffee.
“They are fundamental in raising quality standards and driving innovation across the industry,” explains Valentina, the Chief of Staff and Commercial Excellence at premium coffee equipment manufacturer Dalla Corte.
The growing prestige of these events pushes participants to uphold the highest standards of hospitality and coffee preparation. To stand a chance at winning in this fiercely competitive format, many train for months, invest in coaches, or partner with equipment brands to develop custom tools and gadgets.
The innovations seen at competitions also have a wider influence on specialty coffee. Weiss Distribution Technique (WDT) tools, for instance, which were popularised through competitions, are now used in specialty coffee shops. These accessories allow baristas to eliminate channelling and improve extraction consistency.
Freeze-distilled milk is a popular technique that concentrates milk’s natural sweetness by removing water through freezing. It debuted at competitions before being adopted by more progressive cafés.
“Competitions create a space where coffee professionals can experiment, share knowledge, and both refine and redefine standards,” Valentina explains. “This inspires and accelerates the adoption of best practices in cafés and barista training programmes.
“In this spirit, Dalla Corte supports a broad spectrum of competition formats. From long-established events like the World Barista and Latte Art Championships, sustained by the Specialty Coffee Association, to complementary platforms such as the World Espresso Championship (WEC), each one plays a distinct role in advancing excellence and creative expression across the industry.”
The wider coffee sector benefits from innovation at competitions in multiple ways. Not only do these tools and practices elevate quality standards more widely, but they also help transform the once-overlooked role of the barista into a recognised, respected profession.
The increasingly formal nature of competitions has also played a key part in this. Organisers have adopted tighter rules, standardised judging criteria, and implemented strict time limits that push participants to perform at their best.
Although the structure of competitions is necessary for credibility, it also means organisers must prioritise ways to support creativity and innovation.
How competitions can inspire more creativity
Specialty coffee is an industry that thrives on passionate baristas, roasters, café owners, producers, and consumers. In turn, it’s essential that competitions – where we often see industry-leading innovation – serve a wider purpose.
Over the last few years, more event organisers have recognised this need.
“As a manufacturer, we see competitions as ‘living laboratories’: they accelerate learning, raise the bar for professional standards, and encourage transparent knowledge sharing,” Valentina says. “With this aim, Dalla Corte proudly sponsors many competitions, both traditional and complementary formats, like the WEC.
“Supporting both reflects our belief that diversity in competition structures enriches the specialty coffee community. Every format contributes to raising standards and inspiring innovation.”
The WEC is a head-to-head competition that complements existing formats, as all participants use the same coffee and equipment.
“This approach emphasises extraction technique and repeatability, making the barista the only changing variable and giving them the chance to showcase their ability and creativity,” Valentina explains.
The fourth edition was held in Milan, Italy, where Aga Muhammed placed first and won €3,000. Competitors must use the same water, coffee (including processing method and roast profile), espresso machine, and grinder. Participants may then adjust as many extraction variables as possible to try to pull the winning shot.
“By design, this complementary format brings the barista’s expertise to the forefront, facilitating a deeper understanding of extraction, calibrated palate development, and the ability to fine-tune brewing parameters, while still leaving ample room for creative espresso recipes,” Valentina explains.
The winners’ final recipe, including the coffee and equipment products used, is also published, helping make high-quality espresso accessible to more people.
Organisers need to balance prestige and accessibility
Creating a competition that feels both prestigious and inclusive requires a careful balance. The key lies in lowering barriers to entry while upholding standards that prioritise coffee excellence.
For the WEC, this balance is achieved through a clear structure. “Prestige is built through the annual world event, while inclusivity is fostered by developing national pathways that allow more baristas to participate and progress toward the global stage,” Valentina explains.
Each barista approaches the same coffee differently, making subtle adjustments to flow rate, temperature, and time that showcase their in-depth understanding of extraction and flavour.
At the 2025 WEC, baristas used the Dalla Corte Zero Plus, equipped with patented Digital Flow Regulation (DFR) technology. This feature gives baristas precise control over flow profiling, unlocking a wider spectrum of flavours and aromas even when working with the same coffee. The machine was officially launched at World of Coffee Dubai 2026, where Dalla Corte also presented the renewed Icon with Steam Maestro technology, as well as the Zero Plus Classic, Zero Plus Barista, Studio, and Mina machines.
“DFR allows baristas to profile flow in distinct stages, creating opportunities to explore complexity and nuance,” Valentina adds.
Supporting the espresso machine were Dalla Corte’s DC One and DC Two on-demand grinders. Both have 65mm flat burrs and dispense coffee at 4 grams per second with 0.01mm adjustment capability. This level of control ensures consistency across rounds and enables competitors to fine-tune their recipes.
Looking ahead, the next edition will introduce a member hub and a web-enabled app to provide clearer visibility on judging and scoring. These technological enhancements will offer more objective, actionable feedback, helping baristas better understand how to improve their recipes.
Coffee competitions continue to push the boundaries of what is possible with espresso. However, the challenge is to maintain these events as engines of innovation while ensuring they attract new talent.
Through continued evolution and community support, competitions will remain vital spaces where the specialty coffee industry tests ideas, celebrates skill, and advances understanding of extraction.
Enjoyed this? Then read our article on how flow profiling can help control extraction.
Photo credits: Dalla Corte
Perfect Daily Grind
Please note: Dalla Corte is a sponsor of Perfect Daily Grind.
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