The SCASA Gauteng Regional Barista Competition took place at Hostex on 8th&9th March 2026 and saw 6 baristas qualify for the Nationals.
It was a very smooth competition and the 7-minute format is a great way to make it more accessible for baristas to compete at a Regional level.
Baristas have 7mins of competition time to present: 2 Espresso,2 Milk Beverages to 2x Sensory Judges, with 1x Technical Judge, and 1x Head Judge observing but not scoring.
It was a talented field, with a few surprise entries! We even had two visiting baristas from Lilongwe, Malawi representing Uka Coffee. They came to learn and grow and were shown great hospitality from the local community. A credit to the values of this industry.
From 8–10 March, the Gauteng regional heats of the South African Barista Championship took place on the show floor at Hostex, bringing a lively dose of competition and community to one of the country’s most important hospitality gatherings. Over three days, around 30 competitors took to the stage, representing cafés, roasteries, training institutions and equipment suppliers from across the province.
There was a noticeable sense of anticipation throughout the event this year. The field included a significant number of first-time competitors standing alongside some of the country’s most respected baristas and long-standing coffee professionals. For many of these newcomers, it was their first experience of presenting coffees, refining recipes and delivering a full competition routine under the scrutiny of judges and a live audience.
They handled the challenge remarkably well.
Several first-time competitors delivered impressive performances and narrowly missed advancing further in the competition. In some cases it came down to going slightly over the strict time limit, while others lost out by only a few technical points. These close margins are a normal part of barista competition, but they also highlighted the depth of emerging talent currently developing within the South African coffee community.
The TOP 6 moving through to the Nationals are:
1. Xander Venter - Robin Chat Coffee
2. Munashe Gumbo (aka Uncle Nash!) Father Coffee
3. Christiaan Jacobs - CIRO
4. John Evans - Blank Supplies
5. James Odendaal - Culture Coffee
6. Keilen Cornellison - Pulse 99 Coffee
The variety of backgrounds represented in the finalists reflects the broadening landscape of specialty coffee in South Africa. Independent cafés, established roasters, training institutions and equipment specialists were all represented on stage. One particularly memorable moment was the return of John Evans to competition after six years away, a reminder that the competitive spirit in coffee rarely disappears entirely.
Events like this rely heavily on the support of sponsors and partners. A sincere thank you goes to the team at Hostex for hosting the championships on the exhibition floor and for their continued support of the coffee community. Special thanks must go to event manager Lerato Nakho and her team for their assistance throughout the event. This year also marks Hostex’s 40th anniversary, an important milestone for a show that has played such a central role in the hospitality industry for four decades.
The competition would not have been possible without the generous support of our sponsors. La Marzocco South Africa sponsored the Linea Mini espresso machine used throughout the competition. Electrical Industries supplied the Sanremo F64 Evo Pro coffee grinder, while BWT Water+More provided the competition water and filling station that kept everything running smoothly. Caffenu supplied the cleaning products that ensured the equipment remained in excellent condition across the three days.
A heartfelt thank you must also go to the volunteers who gave their time over the weekend to help run the event. Luyone Ndinisa, Sibongiseni Mainjana, Reagile Moraba, Neelo Moremi and Nompumelelo Nkosi all played an important role behind the scenes, helping to keep the competition moving from one routine to the next.
Finally, a note of appreciation to our friends at Coffee Magazine, who brought along a selection of exceptional coffees from World of Coffee Dubai and helped close out the expo on a high note. Sharing great coffee with the wider community felt like a fitting way to end a weekend that celebrated skill, dedication and the continuing growth of South Africa’s specialty coffee industry.
With the Gauteng heats now complete, attention turns to the next stages of the championship season. If this regional event is any indication, the national competition is shaping up to be a very exciting one.
Well done to everyone who took part! And thank you to all the sponsors and volunteers
