Artcaffé coffee brewer wins national barista competition
This year’s barista competition attracted 40 participants from different restaurants and hotels in the country. PHOTO | FILE |
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Martin Opiyo of Nairobi Java House came second in the competition while William Odhako of Fairview Hotel was third.
This year’s competition attracted 40 participants from different restaurants and hotels in the country.
An increasing number of coffee enthusiasts have supported the emergence and expansion of restaurants such as Java and Artcaffé.
Artcaffé restaurant shop-based barista, Martin Shabaya, has won the Kenya national barista (coffee brewing) competitions held in Nairobi at the weekend. Mr Shabaya is set to represent Kenya at the World Barista Championships in the Seattle, US, in April.
Martin Opiyo of Nairobi Java House came second in the competition while William Odhako of Fairview Hotel was third.
The event was officiated by head judge, Teija Lublinlifhof, who was in Nairobi representing World Coffee Events, organisers of the global championship, along with six locally trained judges who are baristas, food and beverage manager and coffee enthusiasts in Kenya.
This year’s competition attracted 40 participants from different restaurants and hotels in the country including Tribe Hotel, Safari Park Hotel, Windsor Golf and Country Club, Sankara Hotel, Sarova Group, Artcaffé Coffee Shops, Nairobi Java House, Flamingo Resort Mombasa, Serena Hotels and Fairview.
Eric Kimathi from Nairobi Java House won last year’s edition of the annual event and represented Kenya in the World Barista Championship, coming in 39th out of the 54 participating countries in Italy.
An increasing number of coffee enthusiasts have supported the emergence and expansion of restaurants such as Java and Artcaffé, which now owns the Dormans Coffee Houses.
“There has been a shift in consumption from tea to coffee-based drinks. We believe it is influenced by an appreciation of the versatility of coffee,” said Artcaffé marketing and communications manager Njeri Kariuki in an earlier interview with the Business Daily.
Dormans is set to open a new branch at the Oval, while Java is to open its Phoenix House branch in Nairobi and another in Naivasha.
Kenya is a producer of one of the world’s highest quality coffee. In an auction at the Nairobi Coffee Exchange last month, grade AA, Kenya’s best variety, fetched Sh25,935 ($285) from Sh24,479 per 50kg bag.
The high prices have been attributed to quality coffee that is trading at the exchange and increased demand from buyers.
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