Ten world-champion baristas travel to the other side of the supply chain to learn what it really takes to produce a flawless cup of coffee - from the ground up. Five days. No electricity. No hot showers. No espresso. Plenty of adventure.
When & Where: October 8-14, 2010. The northern jungle of Peru, on the edge of the Amazon basin. A land as fertile as it is remote, where some of the world’s finest specialty coffee is grown. Finca La Encañada- a rustic, family-owned farm fed by a winding river.
Who: Ten World Barista Championship finalists, transported thousands of miles away from their modern cafés and urban clientele into an unfamilar green paradise. They’ll be divided into two teams and compete against one another reality show-style, facing challenges in harvesting, processing, transporting and roasting their own lots of specialty coffee. Every activity will be filmed, and viewers will watch the drama unfold as the baristas stumble along in the unfamiliar shoes of their supply chain counterparts, Peruvian coffee producers.
Why: These baristas are the undisputed masters of coffee preparation, expertly pulling shots of espresso and creating whimsical latte art. But some have never even laid eyes on a coffee plant! The Seed to Cup Barista Origin Adventure™ is a chance for baristas to learn firsthand about the challenges facing coffee farmers in developing countries. When they finally return to their home cafés, they’ll be able to tell a more complete story about the product they serve. And maybe that’s the secret to a truly great cup of coffee.