Nobuki representing Japan crowned Starbucks Global Barista Champion
Narrowed down from 84,000 baristas, Nobuki earns the title of Starbucks Global Barista Champion.
Updated June 11, 2025 at 10:30 a.m. PT
Nobuki representing Japan crowned Starbucks Global Barista Champion
Narrowed down from 84,000 baristas, Nobuki earns the title of Starbucks Global Barista Champion and will have the opportunity to co-create a beverage that will be served in Starbucks coffeehouses in the near future.
After three days of intense competition focusing on craft, quality and connection, the first-ever Starbucks Global Barista Champion was crowned. With the stage illuminated in quintessential Starbucks green and in front of a crowd of more than 14,000 partners (employees) in Las Vegas, Nobuki representing Japan was named Starbucks Global Barista Champion.
For a closer look at today’s final round, visit this page.
Updated June 11, 2025 at 7:30 a.m. PT
Final Round of Starbucks Global Barista Championship Underway
The final round of the first-ever Starbucks Global Barista Championship is underway – watch live!
Updated June 10, 2025 at 2:30 p.m. PT
Starbucks Global Barista Championship Finalists Announced
With excited cheers and congratulations from their fellow competitors, Nobuki representing Japan, Sumayyah representing Europe, Middle East and Africa, Takahiro representing Tokyo Reserve Roastery, and Chico representing Shanghai Reserve Roastery were announced as the four baristas moving on to tomorrow’s final round of the first-ever Starbucks Global Barista Championship!
Just before the final four baristas were named, Starbucks leaders had an exciting announcement to share. “To deepen the impact in the community of each contestant, The Starbucks Foundation will be awarding a $10,000 grant to a nonprofit organization in each contestant’s region,” shared Kelly Goodejohn, chief social impact officer.
Smiles spread across the stage as emcees Rebekah and Laurence closed out the day’s event congratulating all 12 baristas on their incredible efforts.
Tomorrow’s final round of competition will take place in front of a crowd of more than 14,000 partners (employees) in attendance to watch the first-ever Starbucks Global Barista Champion be crowned. The live broadcast will begin tomorrow, June 11, at 7:30am PT and can be viewed on this page as well as Starbucks YouTube channel.
Updated June 10, 2025 at 7:15 a.m. PT
Starbucks Global Barista Championship Semi-Finals Continues – Highlights Craft and Connection
Steaming milk was the soundtrack to this morning in Las Vegas for the second day of the semi-finals for the first-ever Starbucks Global Barista Championship.
All 12 baristas are participating in three rounds of competition – latte art, store rush and presenting their signature beverage recipe. On opposite sides of the stage, two full-functioning coffee bars were set up, allowing two baristas to move through their designated challenge at the same time. Here’s a closer look at each of those challenges:
Latte Art
Latte art took center stage with a focus on beverage quality and craft.
Baristas completed three rounds of pouring a tall (12 ounce) latte into a mug, with the milk choice and latte art pattern randomly selected. Pattern options included a heart, rosetta, tulip, and a competitor choice. Milk options were oat, nonfat (0%) milk and whole (full fat) milk.
The judges focused on beverage quality, pattern orientation and definition, connection and professional presentation.
Store Rush
For store rush, baristas demonstrated their expertise during ‘peak’ (the busiest time of the day).
Each barista prepared 10 beverages against the clock, ensuring perfect quality and connection. The beverages requested varied from espresso shots to cold or hot coffee beverages. Other variables included non-dairy milk customizations and ‘for here’ or ‘to-go’.
Judges scored the baristas on numerous elements such as customer interaction, order accuracy, beverage quality and consistency.
Signature Beverage
Celebrating the passion for coffee and innovation is the signature beverage round.
Each barista had 10 minutes to present a coffee beverage recipe they created using ingredients from the region or Starbucks Reserve® Roastery they are representing. This round was evaluated on beverage taste, recipe and visual appeal in addition to the overall presentation and customer connection.
The semi-finals will conclude later this afternoon, followed by the announcement of the four baristas who will be moving on to compete in tomorrow’s final round of the first-ever Starbucks Global Barista Championship.
Updated June 9, 2025 at 11 a.m. PT
Starbucks Global Barista Championship Semi-Finals Focuses on Coffee Knowledge & Storytelling
The first-ever Starbucks Global Barista Championship is underway! Watch the semi-finals here.
The energy and anticipation could be felt in the room the first day of the semi-finals as emcees Rebekah Frye, a partner (employee) on the coffee education and experiences team, and Laurence Unsworth, a member of the international coffeehouse operations team, took the floor to welcome and introduce the 12 baristas who traveled from around the world to compete.
The overhead lights dimmed, leaving the audience and stage surrounded by a perimeter of green-lit columns as a video highlighting all of the contestants played. Cheers filled the room as the lights came back on, and with that, the competition commenced.
Blind Coffee Tasting
Beginning with blind coffee tasting, baristas identified the characteristics and flavors of Starbucks coffee (brewed in a coffee press by the judges), demonstrating their coffee knowledge and sensory skills.
Coffee Storytelling
The next semi-final event will focus on coffee storytelling, and the baristas’ ability to articulate Starbucks commitment to the coffee we source, and the communities we serve.
“Our 12 barista champions are AMAZING! I watched every one of them step into a situation that was overwhelming. They represented Starbucks, our partners, our farmers…I had no doubt that every single one of them was going to be the best at what they do. They showcased great skill and expertise in tasting coffee. They told us stories that brought the first ten feet to the last ten feet, and highlighted how we ensure the future of coffee for all. I saw smiles, I heard excitement and a lot of laughter. I can’t wait for tomorrow!” – Lennon Fediw, a partner on the coffee education & experiences team.
Tomorrow, June 10, the semi-finals will conclude with three rounds of competition including latte art, store rush and presenting a signature beverage they created themselves. Closing out the day will be the announcement of the four finalists who will compete for the title of Starbucks Global Barista Champion the following day, June 11.
The live broadcast for tomorrow’s semi-finals will begin at 7:15am PT and can be viewed on this page as well as Starbucks YouTube channel.
In celebration of our baristas who embody our commitment to community, connection and craft, Starbucks is hosting its inaugural Starbucks Global Barista Championship June 9-11 in Las Vegas.
Over the three-day competition, 12 baristas from around the world will showcase their coffee passion, expertise and craft through a variety of skills and knowledge-based competitions. The event will take place during the Starbucks Leadership Experience conference with more than 14,000 partners (employees) from the United States and Canada in attendance to watch the first-ever Starbucks Global Barista Champion be crowned.
Event Overview
All 12 baristas will compete on June 9 and 10 in the semi-finals and four finalists will then move on to compete on June 11 in the finals.
The competition will focus on three key pillars:
Starbucks Global Barista Championship judges are made up of Starbucks leaders, Starbucks Coffee Masters and partners (employees) who work on the coffee quality and development teams.
Meet the Baristas
The Starbucks Global Barista Championship is the culmination of more than 84,000 baristas competing around the world for over a year.
Competing this year are the 2024 Barista Champions from China, Japan, EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa), Asia Pacific, North America, Latin America & the Caribbean, as well as the six Barista Champions from each of the Starbucks Reserve® Roasteries (Shanghai, Tokyo, Milan, New York, Chicago and Seattle).
You can find more details about the competitors in the Barista Bio Booklet.
6 Coffeehouse Barista Champions
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Adrian
Representing: North America
“I attended Origin Experience and the most impactful thing I learned was the hard work and dedication that it takes to make coffee.”
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Sumayyah
Representing: Europe, Middle East and Africa
“Being a partner makes me proud and I recognize the role I have to bring happiness to those around me, through coffee.”
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Sebastian
Representing: Latin America & the Caribbean
“Coffee is more than a drink: it is art, it is community and it is a way to leave a mark on the world.”
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Charlie
Representing: Asia Pacific
“It’s about more than coffee, it’s also about supporting and connecting people behind the coffee.”
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Nobuki
Representing: Asia Pacific
“Being able to serve a cup of tasty coffee, cooperate with partners and connect with customers…I love all of these moments.”
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George
Representing: Asia Pacific
“Together, we have the power to create a lasting impact — not only on coffee, but also on people and the planet.”
6 Reserve Roastery Barista Champions
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Victor
Representing: Starbucks Reserve® Roastery New York
“Being a partner means creating impactful moments in our customers’ lives, being able to connect and interact with people from across the world.”
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Cali
Representing: Starbucks Reserve® Roastery Chicago
“’Back to Starbucks’ means making the space for both the customer and myself to appreciate the craft of our coffee.”
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Ivan
Representing: Starbucks Reserve® Roastery Milan
“I’m so excited for the Global Barista Championships because IT’S GLOBAL! We’ve never done it before!”
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Chico
Representing: Starbucks Reserve® Roastery Shanghai
“’Back to Starbucks’ isn’t just a slogan; it’s a daily commitment, a focus on our fundamental responsibility to serve every customer.”
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David
Representing: Starbucks Reserve® Roastery Seattle
“Being a partner means creating meaningful connections with partners and customers through a passion for coffee and craft.”
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Takahiro
Representing: Starbucks Reserve® Roastery Tokyo
“Being a partner has been a journey of growth for me. I get to make friends, make a difference and hopefully make someone’s day.”
Find the latest updates HERE!
In June, visit this page throughout the competition for daily highlights and key takeaways. The entire competition will be livestreamed via the Starbucks YouTube channel and on this page.
Event highlights will be available on both Starbucks YouTube channel and About Starbucks after the winner is announced.
For more than a decade, Starbucks partners around the world have been competing in regional competitions around the world. This is the first year Starbucks is hosting a global championship, celebrating what our baristas do every day—from building community and working together to creating connections with customers, to crafting high-quality coffee.
As part of Starbucks promise to ensure the future of coffee for all, the company is committed to deepening our partners knowledge and passion for coffee. Learn more about our Coffee Master and Origin Experience programming.
