Sustainability foams over competition

Preparation was exhausting. Everything from beans and milk to grinders and cups required careful selection and testing. Sun was supported by a dedicated team throughout.

Sun and Jiang have worked together since 2019. Over time, Sun learned to integrate complex coffee concepts into everyday language. "At first, he relied heavily on technical explanations that ordinary consumers might not understand," Jiang says."Gradually, he learned to explain complexity through daily experiences, which made it more accessible. Judges, after all, are also a special kind of consumer."

One of the most challenging aspects was developing the optimal roasting curve and determining the correct espresso resting period. Sun and Jiang considered hiring foreign coaches or roasters with more international experience, but ultimately relied on their team. In July, they began conducting extensive testing on roast profiles and resting periods, selecting what they believed was an exceptional espresso for Milan.

Behind the final 15-minute performance were countless hours of repetition. "Each run-through must maintain emotional intensity. Some days, Sun practiced 10 times," Jiang says.

Jiang observes that Chinese baristas have made rapid progress internationally in recent years, winning world titles in brewing competitions and achieving top results in latte art and roasting. "These achievements are also the result of baristas supporting one another," he says. "Competition results show that the global coffee stage is recognizing Chinese baristas, which is inseparable from the overall improvement of the country's coffee industry."

Competitions are not only technical contests but also platforms for international exchange, where top baristas' interactions generate new ideas for the global coffee industry. Jiang is confident that more Chinese baristas will achieve strong global results in the years to come.