Host 2023 was an opportunity to showcase our coffee in all its aspects, from moka to espresso, to delve into how young baristas interpret it, to highlight talents, and to focus on engaging with other realities as an opportunity for growth and learning.
Two Competitions, Two Protagonists, and Two Victories
Our ambassador baristas participated (and succeeded) in two competitions at Host Milano 2023: the Moka Challenge and the Espresso Italiano Champion 2023.
“This year’s stars were our baristas, those who, through experience and training, enhance all the work behind and within each cup of coffee, and who give value to both the efforts of the growers in the plantation and our work as roasters,” says Elisabetta Milani. “These competitions are great initiatives to promote quality and training in the world of coffee bars. We are proud and excited to support professionals who want to test themselves in these adventures.”
Espresso Italiano Champion 2023
The world finals of the annual event, which crowns the best barista, or the “Espresso Italiano Champion” according to the Italian Espresso Institute (IEI), were held on Sunday, October 15. Following the Italian final on June 21 at our headquarters in Lipomo, the competition went global, culminating at Host on the weekend of October 14 and 15.
Song Hye Jin, a young professional from Korea, won the 2023 title. Working as a barista and coffee trainer in her country, she promotes and disseminates the characteristics of Italian espresso using our Gran Aroma blend.
Moka Challenge 2023
On the last day of Host Milano 2023, Tuesday, October 17, the Italian Academy of Coffee Masters (AICAF) and Altoga, the National Association of Coffee Roasters, Importers, and Food Wholesalers, organized the Moka Challenge. It’s a contest dedicated to those who can best extract coffee using a moka pot, in the Italian tradition.
Denis Ferrari, a barista from Caffè Velò in Seregno (MB), won the competition. The café, a loyal client of ours for over a decade, is owned by Matteo Colzani, who won one of the Italian rounds of the Espresso Italiano Champion held last April at our facility in Lipomo.
For Denis, the moka pot embodies the essence of Italian identity and history: “For me, coffee made with a moka pot is summed up in four key words: home, rest, family, and childhood memories.“
