New Zealand Coffee Festival Ltd
PRESS RELEASE – For immediate release November 1
Aussi’s Baristaroos lead the Trans-Tasman Battle
Australia’s six-person barista team, The Baristaroos, have taken the lead in the Trans-Tasman Barista Cup competition in
Sydney against New Zealand’s The Huhtamaki Black Cups.
The two teams, consisting of the best six baristas from each country, took to the stage at Sydney’s CafeBiz show this
week in a showdown for the world’s richest barista prize of $7000.
The Australian Baristaroos will now come to Auckland for the final “test” on November 12 at the Wild Bean Café New
Zealand Coffee Festival & Awards at North Harbour Stadium.
After the first showdown Australia leads with 421 points against New Zealand’s 376 points. The standout barista was Con
Haraloambopoulos of Melbourne with a staggering display of latte art. Leading New Zealand barista was Luciano Marcolino
of Christchurch’s Vivace coffee company, who placed 7th in the World Barista Championships this year in Switzerland.
The other NZ team members are former barista champions Carl Sara of Christchurch and Emma Markland-Webster of Nelson,
Ben Simcox of Napier, plus Auckland baristas David Huang and Ben Boyle, both finalists in this year’s National Barista
Awards.
Around 7,000 coffee lovers are expected to converge on North Harbour Stadium for this year’s 3rd such festival.
The festival, aimed at coffee lovers, café goers and coffee professionals, will feature a number of New Zealand’s best
coffee roasters and everything for the modern coffee lover and café owner, the finals of the National Barista Awards
sponsored by Robert Harris which chooses a winner to compete in the World Barista Championships in Japan next year, the
Trans-Tasman Barista Championships, and the judging of freshly roasted coffees for the New Zealand Coffee Awards.
ENDS
www.coffeefestival.co.nz