Today during the first round of the 2025 World Barista Championship at HostMilano, Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) CEO Yannis Apostolopoulos and Colombian Coffee Growers Federation/Federación Nacional de Cafeteros de Colombia (FNC) CEO Germán Alberto Bahamón Jaramillo took to the competition stage to jointly confirm and announce World of Coffee Bogotá 2027 featuring the 2027 World Brewers Cup, set to take place over three days from September 30 – October 2, 2027 in Bogotá, Colombia.

2024 was an eventful and important year for us at the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA). Over the year, we adopted and published the remaining standards for our Coffee Value Assessment, officially replacing the 2004 Cupping Form, brought World of Coffee to Asia and announced its first iteration in a coffee producing country.  Dive in to the newly published 2024 SCA Annual Report

Today, Q Grader courses launch as part of the updated program with the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) for the first time. The globally respected license for coffee professionals to evaluate and communicate coffee quality has been updated to align with the latest in coffee science. Many courses are now available, with more locations, languages, and dates to be added continuously over the coming months. 

Today during SCAJ2025 World Specialty Coffee Conference, the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA), Exporum Inc., and the Specialty Coffee Association of Japan (SCAJ) formally agreed and announced that Tokyo, Japan will host World of Coffee Asia and the World Barista Championship in 2027. The signing ceremony featured SCA CEO Yannis Apostolopoulos, Exporum Inc. CEO Danny Shin, and SCAJ President, Yoshi Kato and will mark the fourth edition of World of Coffee Asia following successful events held in Busan and Jakarta. World of Coffee Tokyo 2027 will take place April 28 – May 1, 2027 at Tokyo Big Sight (3-11-1, Ariake, Koto-ku, Tokyo) and will feature the 27th annual World Barista Championship (WBC).

The Specialty Coffee Association of Japan (SCAJ) and the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the SCAJ Conference in Tokyo Big Sight, marking a milestone in global collaboration for specialty coffee education. 

Today, it is my pleasure to present the slate of candidates for the 2026-2028 SCA Board of Directors elections. The Nominating Committee, chaired by SCA Board President Garfield Kerr, has put forward the following professionals after an extensive interview process with the dozens of SCA members who responded to our call for nominations made in June 2025. 

The Specialty Coffee Association is now accepting nominations for the 2026-2028 SCA Board of Directors.  The SCA will announce the slate of candidates selected through the interview process by Friday, August 28.

The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) has announced that World of Coffee Europe will take place June 25–27, 2026, at the renowned Brussels Expo, marking the first time a World of Coffee event has taken place in Belgium.

The 2025 report shows specialty coffee consumption hitting a 14-year high.

World of Coffee Bangkok will take place May 7-9, 2026, at Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre: BITEC, a premier venue in one of Southeast Asia’s most dynamic and culturally rich capitals. Produced by licensed partner Exporum and hosted with support from the Barista Association of Thailand, the event will continue SCA’s commitment to growing global opportunities for specialty coffee professionals through events, education, and market access.  

New partnership designates the SCA Coffee Value Assessment as official protocol for Indonesian specialty coffee, advancing transparency, education, and global market access for the country’s producers.   

The SCA is transforming its education pricing model to make learning more accessible, affordable, and equitable for coffee professionals everywhere. Education costs will now vary by country, reflecting local economic realities. 

Today, during CQI’s 25th Annual Luncheon at Specialty Coffee Expo, a grant agreement was announced between the Coffee Quality Institute and the Specialty Coffee Association.

The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) and the Federación Nacional de Cafeteros de Colombia (FNC) are proud to announce the signing of a transformative Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) today at the Specialty Coffee Expo in Houston.

The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) and the Coffee Quality Institute (CQI) are pleased to announce a historic partnership that will provide better support and more accessible educational opportunities to the coffee industry.

The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) is proud to announce the launch of the World Coffee Championships (WCC) Judge Skills Program, a new educational initiative designed to equip coffee professionals with the foundational knowledge and skills necessary to pursue becoming a World Coffee Championships Judge.

Today the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) has announced the rebranding of its flagship North American event, Specialty Coffee Expo, as World of Coffee!

Manufacturers can now register their interest in Qualified Sponsorship for the World Barista Championship (WBC) and for the first time, the World Brewers Cup (WBrC). Open categories include the Qualified Filter Grinder position for the 2026-2029 World Brewers Cup, and Qualified Water Filtration, Espresso Grinder and Espresso Machine Positions for the 2026-2029 World Barista Championship. Bidding will remain open until July 4, 2025.  

The Specialty Coffee Association is delighted to release updated Rules & Regulations for the 2025 World Barista Championship (WBC). The 2025 WBC will take place October 17-21, 2025 at HostMilano. This set of rules and regulations finalizes the suite of rules for each of the seven World Coffee Championships taking place in 2025.