Paris Spirits Cup’s Post

For many coffee professionals, #barista #competitions represent the pinnacle of the #specialtycoffee industry, and many have built a career off the back of their competition success. But as new generations enter the sector, the prestige is shifting. Ross Hindle speaks with Charlotte Corra about the evolution of competitions over time, how in recent years, SCA Expo and WoC events have seen a notably smaller audience for their competitions, and why that is. https://lnkd.in/egiWiT5P

Ready to make your beverage brand a champion during the Paris Olympics? 🥇🍹 With 82% of Italians gearing up to watch the Paris Olympics, the Italian HoReCa landscape is witnessing an uptick in dining out and weekday visits. Which games will consumers flock to watch On Premise? And more importantly, what will they be drinking? CGA's insights not only answer these crucial questions but also highlight strategies for tailoring experiences to match consumer preferences. Don't miss out on this opportunity to harness the Olympic enthusiasm. Dive deeper into our insights: https://lnkd.in/eeb-w4-n #CGAbyNIQ #OnPremise #ParisOlympics #Olympics2024 #Italy #drinkchoices #consumerinsights #beverageindustry #horeca #hospitality

Introducing Alexandre Robin, Northern Europe Brand Ambassador at Giffard Liqueurs & Sirops, and this week’s #IndustryInspiration! 🥂 So far, Alexandre has had a colourful career in the hospitality industry, beginning in France where he studied for 7 years. Fast forward to 2015, Alexandre moved to London where he managed the bars in sketch London in Mayfair and FAM in Marylebone, before joining Giffard as their Northern Europe Brand Ambassador in 2023. Alexandre shares some insight into his current role as Northern Europe Brand Ambassador, explaining, “Days never really look the same. Between trainings, bar takeovers, menu creation, trade visits, trade shows, meetings... all of this with the 14 markets I'm looking after sure takes time! “This year, I am focusing on becoming the preferred brand of liqueurs and syrups for spirits portfolios and independents. Being one of the very few liqueurs ambassador is a plus, considering Giffard's wide range compared to other brands' single products and the fact that our brand is recognised worldwide.” Speaking on his love for the brand, particularly the quality of the products, Alexandre states, “Giffard's products speak for themselves, and their versatility is sensational. Being around since 1885 with quality that brought worldwide recognition from industry professionals.” The future looks bright for Alexandre, as he shares his short-term goals, “For now, the main plan is to keep growing the brand and the category, carrying on the work started last year. We are also running our international cocktail competition called the West Cup which takes place every two years, where we will select 18 world finalists to compete in Angers in September.” To finish, Alexandre offers some words of advice for fellow hospitality professionals, “The advice I've always given to my teams is whenever you have a spare five minutes, grab a bottle behind your bar and learn about it. You do not need to know everything, just what it is, how it's made, where it is from and a specific fun fact. That's more than enough! “Growing your network is also very important. I'm meeting people I haven't seen for years and still remember where and how we've met. Whatever you do, it’s all about loving what you do and having as much fun as possible,” he adds. We congratulate Alexandre on his hard work so far, and wish him continued success in his role at Giffard!

Another great interview with John McDonnell, who continues to drive Tito's Handmade Vodka globally beyond expectations. While having worked together much earlier in my career I continue to gain so much perspective on keys to building great brands within the BWS category. My quick takeaways from his sitdown with Peter Marshall: Story Find the time to tell your story to prospective buyers and consumers. All brands have a unique story to tell - don't feel as though the brands you own or work with are any different. Social Responsibility Always a huge part of the Tito's Handmade Vodka identity - it's more important than ever in today's consumer market to find common ground with your consumers in endaevours that you and your teams truly beleive in. Sustainability Being present and knowledgeable about the impact your products have on the environment should be considered as paramount for brands moving forward. Even the smallest changes can make a big difference. Digital The BWS industry as a whole needs to adopt digital capabilities with greater speed. In a market where availability is key, new forms of digital access will allow consumers a better understanding (and ability to purchase) of/for your brands.

💥The updated Gelato Festival World Ranking has officially crowned the following three as the world's best ice creams: 1) Adám Fazekas of the ‘Fazekas Cukrászda’ ice-cream shop in Budapest, Hungary; 2) Giovanna Bonazzi with ‘La Parona del gelato’, located in Parona, a town in the province of Verona. 3) Savannah G. Lee, owner of ‘Savannah's Gelato-Kitchen’ in San Francisco, California. But just down the podium there are other Italian gelato spots. In the fourth place is Massimiliano Scotti, with ‘Vero Latte’ in Vigevano (Pavia) followed by Maurizio Melani, an Italian who lives and works in Spain, in Valencia. Next are Fabio Forghieri from Correggio (Reggio Emilia) and Leonardo La Porta in Turin. Then we find Carlo Guerriero in Cadiz (Spain), Paolo Pomposi in Florence and Fabrizio Fenu in Cagliari. All these professionals are in the Top Ten, which is dominated by Italy. 💪 Giulia Rossi, judge and project manager of the Carpigiani Group (a leading company in the sector) commented on the verdicts, saying that ‘Summing up after 13 years of competitions, what emerges is the ever-increasing commitment of gelato makers to researching ingredients, studying balancing techniques and creating their own unique style, which has been rewarded internationally’. Here the final general classification:  https://lnkd.in/dt3SCsJF

There is no denying the huge influence that competitions have over specialty coffee. Every year, major events – most notably the World Coffee Championships – take place in different countries and bring together some of the industry’s most skilled and talented professionals. This gives us a lot to celebrate about coffee competitions, particularly the extraordinary level of innovation and creativity they encourage. But that’s not to say that these events haven’t received their fair share of criticism over the past few years, too. Many point to the lack of inclusivity, diversity, and accessibility at high-level competitions, which can be a huge barrier to entry for some coffee professionals. And unfortunately, this tends to disproportionately affect certain demographics more, including those who work in producing countries. The International Coffee Organisation estimates that Latin America will account for more than half of global coffee production in the 2023-24 harvest season. Despite this, since 2015, less than ten Latin American roasters have participated in the world finals – a staggeringly small number compared to competitors from Global North countries. Without better representation of these communities at competitions and beyond, specialty coffee misses out on their wealth of knowledge. In today’s article, Emilio Bonnet speaks to Eduardo Choza, director of coffee at Mayorga Coffee and the 2024 US Coffee Roasting Champion, to understand why we need to see more Latin Americans taking part in coffee championships. 👉 https://lnkd.in/dDgnGhYY #PerfectDailyGrind #CoffeeCompetitions #RoastingCompetitions Photo credit: Mayorga Coffee

9 Coffee Facts That Might Surprise You… VIEW TIPS... https://lnkd.in/ehrzW7PE #valetcoffee #coffee #espresso #smoothies #corporateevents #tradeshows #customerappreciation #employeeappreciation #events #eventtips

Italians love to drink Aperol Spritz. Its presence is everywhere, and its orange color is especially pleasing in February. Tourists adore it and enjoy showcasing how they make it. It’s a true delight to watch the meticulous preparation of this drink, embodying the essence of the Italian brand. 🇮🇹 The conclusion: 1️⃣be unique 2️⃣vibrant and 3️⃣bring something new. #italy #sicily #leadershipdevelopment #personaldevelopment #leadershipcoaching #businesscoaching #consulting ♻️ Repost to bring a joy in other life. And follow for more posts like this.

Competitions are some of the most exciting and engaging events taking place in the coffee industry every year. Often drawing large crowds at trade shows and expos, coffee championships are big indicators of upcoming trends in the wider industry – and continue to pique our interest year after year. For the most part, barista competitions have been leading the way when it comes to innovation – especially the World Barista Championship. The flashiness and flamboyance of these championships are part of their huge appeal, with spectators eager to know which new and interesting coffees competitors are using. Over the past couple of years, however, there seems to have been a shift in the coffee competition scene – with more and more roasting championships being held. As well as Producer & Roaster Forum’s Global Coffee Roasting Contest taking place on 7 & 8 March in Guatemala, the most recent addition is MILKLAB’s Roaster Royale, which is offering the winner an origin trip and a significant cash prize. So are roasting championships becoming more popular, and what impact could this have on the coffee competition circuit? In today’s article, Tasmin Grant speaks to Tomas Serra, an Authorised Specialty Coffee Association Trainer, and Henry Wilson, founder of PRF, to find out more. #PerfectDailyGrind #CoffeeRoasting #CoffeeCompetitions 👉🏻 https://lnkd.in/d6zwcBd5