Chinese Barista Wins World Coffee Competition

By Ryan Gandolfo, May 13, 2019

As the number of coffee shop locations skyrockets in the PRC, so does the number of baristas honing their craft at the neighborhood java spots.

Du Jianing, a Nanjing-based barista, recently helped put China on the mocha map after winning the 2019 World Brewers Cup, held in Boston in April. Du became the first Chinese barista to win the international competition, with talented coffee brewers from Sweden, Italy, Japan, Taiwan and Switzerland also making it to the final round, according to Coffee t&i magazine.

Image via Coffee t&i Magazine

To seal the deal, Du presented a 10-minute brewing routine to the judges and audience members, putting together a championship-worthy blend.

Du has also won the China Brewers Cup two out of the last three years, cementing herself as one badass barista in the Middle Kingdom. In previous appearances at the World Brewers Cup, Du finished 15th in 2016 and 8th in 2018, making this year’s top honor a well-earned achievement.

In a recent interview published by World Coffee Events, Du shared how she got started in the coffee game, saying “I fell into coffee by asking in a shop if there was a job, and I got it.” And so it was meant to be.

The coffee market has been on the rise in China in recent years, with data compiled from Statista projecting revenue in China’s coffee market to grow by 11.3% annually. The popularity of the caffeinated beverage has been a key driver for new businesses entering the market, with Chinese coffee brand Luckin slated for a staggeringly high initial public offering (IPO) in the near future. Yum China, the parent company of fast food chains KFC and Pizza Hut, has also launched a new concept shop called Coffii&Joy, which has recently started sprouting up in China’s first-tier cities.

[Cover image via Coffee t&i magazine]