The quest for the best Greek baristas
The stage of Hall 1 once again hosted the Coffee Championships by SCA Greece, offering unique artistic creations with coffee in the spotlight and providing moments filled with intensity, passion, and great excitement.
From the first day, the stage in Hall 1 welcomed talented baristas who took the stage, eager to stand out and carve a successful path both within Greece and internationally. The winners will represent our country on a global level. Throughout the four days of the exhibition, the semi-finals and finals of the SCA championships stole the spotlight, with competitions such as Barista, Brewers Cup, and Coffee in Good Spirits.
Monday, February 10, 2025
On the last day of the exhibition, Monday, February 10th, the finals of the Panhellenic Brewers Cup and Coffee in Good Spirits Championships took place. The competitors presented unique creations, demonstrating their expertise in the specialty coffee industry.
The final winners won a place in the global championships, where they will represent Greece among the best baristas in the world. The winners of the Brewers Cup were: 1st Papantoniou Giorgos, 2nd Dimitris Prokopiou, 3rd Dimitris Baigousis and of the Coffee in Good Spirits: 1st Klouvatos Christos, 2nd Giannis Zoras, 3rd Stelios Rogdakis.
Sunday, February 9, 2025
On Sunday, February 9, the final of the Greek Barista Championship took place. Contestants showcased their skills in preparing espresso, milk beverages, and signature drinks. The winners of the championship were announced in a ceremony full of emotion and excitement. The winners are: Peny Halkiadaki (1st), Michalis Katsiavos (2nd), George Labiris (3rd).
At the same time, coffee industry professionals watched with great interest the research on the role of women in the coffee sector, which was carried out for the first time in Greece as part of HORECA 2025.
Grand sponsor for the implementation of the research was FORUM, the organizing company of the exhibition, which was awarded by the members of the Board of Directors of IWCA (International Women’s Coffee Alliance) for its practical support of both the initiative and the overall work of the Greek branch.
The award was received, on behalf of FORUM, by Mrs. Katia Molfeta, Commercial Director & BOD Member, symbolizing the pivotal role of women in Greek entrepreneurship and in the FORUM company, where 70% of the total staff is made up of women.
The research was prepared and presented by Haris Lalatsis and Ierax Analytics, followed by a panel discussion with the members of the Board of Directors of IWCA Greece: Marilena Kouidou (President), Eleni Michopoulou (Vice President 1st), Anastasia Maniatopoulou (Vice President 2nd), Konstantina Spyropoulou (Member) and Anna Ve (Member). The panel was coordinated by Snack&Coffee Editorial Director and IWCA Greece Secretary Eleni Manika, who led the discussion, with her and the other members expressing their views on key issues such as the necessity of female representation in the coffee sector, the prospects for development and the necessary initiatives to reduce racial discrimination.
The conclusions that emerged provided valuable knowledge and highlighted the importance of collaboration and networking among coffee professionals to create a more inclusive and supportive work environment.
The research revealed important data on the presence, challenges and prospects of women in the coffee sector, shedding light on issues such as professional development, age groups, discrimination and the role of education and support for women with the ultimate goal of creating an equal work environment.
In closing, thanks were given to everyone who contributed to the realization of this action, while expressing their impatience for the next actions that will continue to highlight the potential of women in the sector. Supporters of the presentation were also Nespresso Professional – SYNERGY SA, ARTEMIS, Bero Italia, Kross Coffee Roasters, NKG Bero Italia and Savina Yahgia. The research is to be published in detail in issue 118 of Snack & Coffee.
Saturday, February 8, 2025
On Saturday, February 8th, the semi-finals of the Brewers Cup continued. The winners were selected after an impressive presentation in front of the audience and judges. The six contestants who won a place in the final are: Dimitris Prokopiou, Giorgos Malounis, Dimitris Baintousis, Spyros Piliafas, Giorgos Papantoniou, Thanos Pavlopoulos.
Additionally, the Latte Art Throwdown competition was held, where baristas that visited the trade show, took part and displayed their technical prowess, creating the most impressive latte art creations.
Friday, February 7, 2025
On Friday, February 7th, the semi-finals of the Brewers Cup Championship took place. The contestants showcased their skills in manual brewing and their technique in preparing high-quality filter coffee in order to win a place art the finals, which will take place on Monday.
