Coffee Stories

Growing up in an Arabic household in Bahrain, you could say that Nasser probably drank coffee without thinking anything about it. Everyone in his family drank coffee. After all, the Arabian Peninsula was one of the earliest birthplaces of coffee cultivation and trade. However, it took him to go on…

My name is Samson Kibunja, and this is my coffee story. Samson Kibunja - barista, latte art throwdown competitor, and judge - grew up with coffee beans in lifeblood. Ever since he was a child, he would recall visiting his grandfather, who was a coffee producer. He would see the…

My Name is Kaapo Paavolainen, from the experimental French press, Being Blown away by the Siphon to the Finland Barista Champion, and this is my coffee story. It all started when Kaapo was in high school. The Unofficial Specialty Coffee club, they tracked down and experimented different coffees on the…

“In Mexico, there is a popular saying - coffee smells better than it tastes.” Or so Guadalupe Delgadillo thought. It took a local Mexican Guerrero double espresso with milk to change her mind. In the middle of a busy open market full of fresh fruit and vegetables, the fresh scent…

“I am always trying, and I am always finding my way.” - ​Pinar Misirdal Aktepe, 2019 Pinar Misirdal's  journey to becoming the now well-regarded and respected first-ever female 2018 Barista Champion of Turkey had humble beginnings. Being a graphic design student and struggling financially to save money for school, she…

My name is Hany Ezzat, and this is my coffee story. I have been working in coffee for the past 5 years, I started my coffee journey after moving out of a kitchen hand roll at a Turkish restaurant moving into the bar making a few coffees at night. The…

Recently we talked to Smayah Uwajeneza, the ‘18 East Africa Aeropress champion. Regarding the current global BLM, Smayah has her own thoughts about it. As a hardworking barista from Rwanda Africa, her coffee journey definitely inspires many coffee professionals.  "We need more visibility, we need more platform created for people…

My name is Ronița Dragomir, and this is my coffee story. It’s no surprise that Ronița Dragomir has found community in making and sharing great coffee. As a child growing up in Romania, she relished watching her parents enjoy their morning cup. As she grew older she, too, partook in…