Sustainability foams over competition

Second-place winner of barista championship proves the Chinese mainland is a strong contender for bringing innovation in coffee cultivation, Li Yingxue reports.

Given just 15 minutes, a World Barista Championship competitor must prepare 12 coffees — four espressos, four milk-based beverages, and four espresso-based signature drinks — while simultaneously explaining the roasting parameters, brewing variables, and how their chosen theme connects to flavor.

Often described as the "Olympics of coffee competitions", the WBC is among the most demanding events in the global specialty coffee industry.

Before 2025, no barista from the Chinese mainland had advanced to the final round. That changed in Milan, Italy, when Sun Lei, a barista from Suzhou, Jiangsu province, reached the finals, ultimately winning second place.

His presentation, themed the "Eco Friends Project", showcased a low-carbon, sustainability-driven philosophy that impressed judges as a cohesive system linking farming, processing, roasting, extraction, and consumption. Behind the compelling presentation lay many years of dedication and hard work, applying scientific methods to reduce costs and enhance efficiency while framing coffee as both rational and human.