DUBLIN, Ireland – The World Barista Championship is coming to World of Coffee Busan, South Korea, May 1-4, 2024. Some of the world’s best baristas will represent their Competition Bodies, demonstrating their exceptional skills in a chance to take the title of world champion. World of Coffee Busan will mark the first World of Coffee trade show on the Asian continent. Busan and South Korea, in particular, have long been recognized for specialty coffee craft, technology, retail, research, and culture, and we look forward to hosting the global specialty coffee community in this region as World of Coffee continues to expand around the globe.
World of Coffee Busan is set to take place at Busan Exhibition & Convention Center (BEXCO) and is a collaboration between the Specialty Coffee Association and Exporum.
World of Coffee Busan 2024 marks the first World of Coffee trade show on the Asian continent and is a testament to the strong growth of the specialty coffee industry in this region. South Korea, in particular, has long been recognized as a destination for specialty coffee craft, technology, retail, research, and culture. The city of Busan, is the second-largest city and coffee trade hub of South Korea, a natural destination for a specialty coffee trade show.
Speaking about the expansion of World of Coffee into Asia in 2024, SCA CEO Yannis Apostolopoulos says: “We are delighted to bring World of Coffee, our leading coffee trade show, to Asia for the very first time. The coffee market in Asia has been booming for many years, and World of Coffee in Busan will be the platform at which coffee companies across Asia and around the world will be able to connect, network, and drive innovation in the specialty coffee space. We are proud to be working with our long-time partners at Exporum on this project, who as our official licensed partner, will produce and deliver a World of Coffee that is tailored to the unique coffee culture in the region.”
And speaking about the first World of Coffee trade show to be hosted in Asia, Exporum CEO Danny Shin says: “I’m excited to introduce Europe’s representative coffee event in Asia for the first time. The Korean coffee market is spotlighted globally for its own creativity and dynamics, especially Busan, the gateway to Asia’s coffee industry. We expect World of Coffee Asia to be a turning point for expanding connections in the Asian coffee market and the wider global coffee industry.”
Prospective exhibitors are encouraged to register their interest in booking a booth on the World of Coffee Busan show floor by submitting their information via this link.
The World Barista Championship (WBC) returns to Korea, after last being hosted at Café Show Seoul in 2017. The WBC focuses on promoting excellence in coffee and advancing the barista profession. Competitors each prepare four espressos, four milk drinks, and four original signature drinks to exacting standards in a 15-minute performance set to music. Certified Judges from around the world evaluate each performance on a range of technical and sensory attributes.
The top 15 highest-scoring competitors from the first round, plus the wild-card winner from the Team Competition, advance to a semi-final round. The top 6 competitors in the semi-final round advance to the finals round, from which one winner is named World Barista Champion.
The coveted World Barista Champion title can be a pathway to global coffee fame, with winners going on to run globally-renowned coffee businesses and ventures. Korea is one of the world’s most dynamic and exciting coffee markets, and great excitement is sure to build with local coffee fans and professionals over the coming months, with thousands of international visitors in Busan to root for their favorite competitors and experience the wonders of Korean coffee culture.
Busan is known for its vibrant coffee community and excellence having two World Coffee Champions out of the city; 2019 World Barista Champion Jooyeon Jeon, and 2022 World Cup Tasters Champion Heongwan Moon.
