Colombia to Host World Barista Championship in 2011

LONDON (March 1, 2010) – Colombia has been selected to host the 12th annual World Barista Championship, which will be held in combination with the 2011 EXPOESPECIALES conference in Bogota. Seven countries vied to host the 2011 event. “Choosing a winner from the very competitive site proposals we received was an extremely difficult task for the WBC board,” commented WBC Executive Director Cindy Chang.

The World Barista Championship (WBC) event is the annual destination for barista champions hailing from more than 50 countries. In each national competition and dozens of local and regional preliminary events, baristas prepare espressos, cappuccinos and original signature drinks to exacting standards for a panel of international judges. “We are delighted to host the 2011 Championship” said Luis Muñoz, CEO of the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia -FNC- “It will be an opportunity for baristas and visitors to keep discovering the world of Colombia Coffee, and also to support our domestic coffee consumption program” “The barista movement is worldwide,” said Ric Rhinehart, Executive Director of the Specialty Coffee Association of America, which co-owns the WBC alongside the Speciality Coffee Association of Europe. “We are delighted to see the event take place in a coffee producing country for the first time in its history.”

LONDRES (1 de marzo de 2010) – Colombia ha sido seleccionado como país anfitrión para la 12ava Competencia Mundial de Baristas, la cual se llevará a cabo junto con la Conferencia de Expoespeciales 2011 en Bogotá.

Siete países aplicaron para ser anfitriones del evento de 2011. “Seleccionar a un ganador de una variedad de ofertas extremadamente competitivas que recibimos, fue una tarea sumamente difícil para la Junta Directiva de la WBC”, comentó la Directora Ejecutiva de la WBC, Cindy Chang.

El evento de la Competencia Mundial de Baristas (WBC) es el destino anual de los campeones de más de 50 países. En cada competencia nacional, y decenas de competencias preliminares locales y regionales, los baristas preparan espressos, cappuccinos y bebidas especiales siguiendo estándares exactos para un panel de jueces internacionales.

“Estamos honrados de ser anfitriones de la Competencia 2011 ” indicó Luis Muñoz, Presidente de la Federación Nacional de Caficultores de Colombia -FNC-  ”Será una oportunidad para baristas y visitantes de poder descubrir el mundo del Café Colombiano, y también de apoyar nuestro programa de Consumo Interno. ”

“El movimiento de baristas es un movimiento mundial,” indicó Ric Rhinehart, Director Ejecutivo de la Asociación de Cafés Especiales de América, asociación que es co-propietaria de la WBC junto con la Asociación de Cafés Especiales de Europa. “Estamos muy contentos de ver que el evento se llevará a cabo en un país productor de café por primera vez en su historia.”

About World Barista Championship UK Ltd. The World Barista Championship is the preeminent international coffee competition. Founded by the Specialty Coffee Associations of America and Europe, the event organization promotes excellence in coffee, advancement of the barista profession and engages a worldwide audience with an annual championship that serves as the culmination of regional and national events held in more than 50 countries. The 2010 World Barista Championship will be held June 23-25, 2010 at Olympia Exhibition Centre in London.