VIENNA, Austria – Premium coffee brand Julius Meinl has crowned the winner of its first ever international barista competition, Raffy Vajio. The Julius Meinl Barista Cup took place at the company’s historical Vienna headquarters on September 19th. Vajio represented the United Arab Emiretes at the Finale and works for Atlantis the Royal in Dubai. Vajio is the Head Barista for the hotel, managing over 35 restaurants. His exceptional coffee mastery impressed the judges, as did the heart and genuine passion for coffee that shone through in his performance.
“I am very grateful to have come to Vienna to compete with these amazing people,” says Vajio. “When you serve with your heart, you can see the passion—it’s evident. That’s the secret.”
The winners of the individual categories were:
- Espresso: Vladimir Chzou (Red Rabbit) representing Moldova.
- Cappuccino: Luca Riccardi (Bar Attymo) representing Italy.
- Signature Drink: Mario Benetseder (Café Orchidee) representing Austria.
Luca Riccardi added: “The secret for my victory is simple and can be summarized in determination, passion and a bit of luck”.
Vladimir Chzou shared the reason of his obsession with coffee: “I am originally from Russia and I came in Moldovia two years ago when the war started. I began my journey in the coffee world four years ago in a coffee shop in Russia where I tasted the best cup of coffee of my life. I wanted to learn how to prepare and brew this coffee. I would like to compete more in the future and do my best”.
Mario Benetseder, shares the secrets behind his Signature Drink: “For my drink I used italian olive oil from the Garda lake, homemade organic Calabrian bergamot syrup and coffee. Italy had a great influence on my drink since bergamot come directly from Calabria, not to talk about the olive oil”.
The champions of 12 national barista competitions hosted earlier in the year competed with Julius Meinl’s super premium 100% Arabica Belvedere Blend coffee, part of the double certified The Originals Bio Fairtrade line.
The competitors were assessed by a panel of expert judges in 3 categories: Espresso, Cappuccino and Signature Drink. The baristas, in turn, prepared two espressos, two cappuccinos and two signature drinks with limited preparation times: 12 minutes to organize the station, 12 minutes to compose and create the blends and 7 minutes to clean the station.
The panel of experts was composed by: Tim Sturk, the head judge, founder and director of Coffee Education at Coffee Cherry Training. Sturk is a licensed Q Grader and World Coffee Events Certified Judge, and has been dedicated to improving incup coffee quality in the horeca industry for over a decade; Angelika Galas (technical judge), the Head of Coffee Academy at the Julius Meinl Group, responsible for training hundreds of Julius Meinl employees and customers each year, many at the SCA level.
The Coffee Academy and its education program is integral to the exceptional support Julius Meinl provides to its customers across the world; Agnieszka Rojewska (Sensory Judge), 2018 World Barista Champion and 2022 World Coffee in Good Spirits Champion. Rojewska has garnered numerous accolades and has become a prominent figure in the specialty coffee community; Ali Vogel (Sensory Judge), the 2024 Austrian Latte Art Champion 2024 with extensive competition experience. He is a true ambassador of Vienna’s rich coffee culture, owning his own café in Vienna, Vogel Kaffee.
The other baristas competing showed exceptional talent on the international stage:
- Mladen Jurošević (Café Bar Vremeplov), Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Davor Meštrović (Garaža Coffee Bar), Croatia
- Štěpánka Potůčková (Café and Bistro Chodský), Czech Republic
- Davit Nikolishvili (Ambassadori Tbilisi Hotel), Georgia
- Daria Tovkach (Mr & Mrs Coffee), Poland
- Ionela Todoran (Café Wien), Romania
- David Melicher (Crowne Plaza), Slovakia
- Coral Gamliel, (Café Noir), United State of America
Marcel Löffler,CEO, Julius Meinl Coffee Group, stated: “Today, each barista competed using top-quality coffee and state-of-the-art equipment, supported by the unmatched expertise of our global & local teams. This is the service we offer all our horeca partners. Paired with the talent and dedication of our top baristas, it guarantees exceptional coffee, every time.”
The baristas showcased their skills using the SCA certified Rancilio RS1 machine, Fiorenzato’s F83 Pro Grinder, and BWT’s Bestaqua ROC reverse osmosis systems.
These tools, maintained with specialised cleaning solutions from Cafetto, reflect Julius Meinl’s dedication to innovation and in-cup quality.
The four winners will travel to Honduras in January, where Julius Meinl sources organic, Fairtrade certified coffee for The Originals Bio Fairtrade range.
The once-in-a-lifetime adventure hosted in partnership with Fairtrade offers a unique opportunity for the baristas to immerse themselves in Honduras’ rich coffee culture and develop their knowledge of coffee cultivation. Fifth generation family member, Christina Meinl, and Hartwig Kirner, Director of Fairtrade Austria, will also join the trip.
Christina Meinl added: “For over 160 years, Julius Meinl has been dedicated to sharing Vienna’s rich coffeehouse culture with the world. Our belief is simple: coffee is a craft to be enjoyed beyond just a fleeting moment. With a legacy of over a century in expertise and a commitment to innovation, the Julius Meinl Barista Cup serves as a platform to celebrate baristas who share this same passion”.
The event was also the occasion to try the new specailty coffee reference Burundi produced for the next International Coffee day on the first of October. The Burundi line has notes of blood ornge with a hint of black tea and caramelized brown sugar.
Discover more about Julius Meinl and its sustainable coffee and tea solutions for businesses here.
About Julius Meinl
Founded in 1862, Julius Meinl is one of the oldest coffee roasters in the world and an iconic Vienna coffee house brand. Dedication to quality has been a family trademark for five generations. With more than 160 years of experience in sourcing, blending and roasting, Meinl is a preferred coffee supplier for Vienna’s leading coffee houses.
Today, Julius Meinl coffees and teas help create meaningful moments for customers and consumers across the globe, and are sold in over 50,000 hotels, coffee houses and restaurants in 70 countries, plus a growing number of retail outlets.
