The Knockbox: Maximizing ROI from Coffee Competitions

This article was originally published in Barista Magazine April/May 2024 Volume 20 Issue 1

Every year one person gets to win the barista competitions. In the United States we will have just crowned our 2024 champion this past month, in March. Winning the title of USBC opens many doors, it gives you a spotlight in the coffee industry, and is considered a pinnacle of success. I can speak from my own experience, winning the title in 2014, 10 years later and with many career achievements since, it is still the way I am generally introduced. 

As I write this there are only 18 people in the whole world that hold the title of United States Barista Champion. In the last 20+ years of competitions thousands of baristas have competed for the title of USBC. Which means statistically, your chances of actually winning the competition is unfortunately fairly slim. Which is why most people compete more than once (or even 10 times like 2023 Champ Isiah Sheese). Regardless of your chance at winning, the benefits of participating in the competitions are plentiful.

Over the past two decades, the coffee competition format has evolved significantly. For those of you who are not familiar, I asked Lauren Lathrop to help to explain it. Lauren was the 2023 US National Competitions Coordinator, chaired the judges committee, and is a US head judge. 

“When I first got involved there were 6 regionals. Then we moved to 3  “Big Regionals”. In 2017 there was only one large qualifying competition hosted ahead of the USBC.” She goes on to explain the current structure as such:

-Prelims: Low barrier to entry events hosted by companies. Top finishers get automatic spots at qualifiers. Fee $25-35

-Qualifiers: Prelims advancers + those who are selected in the weighted lottery. Fee ~ $200

-USBC: Top finishers from the Qualifying event/s. Fee ~ $300

As competitions have changed over the years one thing still remains, it’s costly. I myself spent much of my own money in the beginning years of competition. Buying my own wares, paying for flights, and taking unpaid time off to compete. If I was not paying for those things, the company I worked for would. Either way money must be spent and convincing the company you work for to front the money for competitions can be a hard sell. 

I wanted to offer some advice on how to get the best ROI out of competitions to help competitors frame the worth to their employers. First off let's talk about the benefits of participating in the barista competitions. How this investment supports your business and your team. 

Brand Visibility:

Participation in competitions provides an excellent opportunity to showcase your coffee shop's brand on a broader stage. Recognition in competitions can translate into increased visibility, attracting new customers who are drawn to the expertise and excellence demonstrated by your team. 

“Participation in the US coffee championships is a way that we have enhanced Olympia's reputation and brand visibility to generate enthusiasm for our coffee and elevate our standing in the industry.” Says Sam Shroder of Olympia Coffee Roasters. You may know him as the 2023 Coffee in Good Spirits Champion but that isn’t the only title Olympia Coffee has brought home. Sam has also been in the finals for the US Barista Competitions multiple times and they have had competitors place in Brewers Cup as well. This year Reyna Callejo placed third at the Qualifiers in Houston and will represent Olympia at the 2024 USBC. 

Skill Development:

Coffee competitions, whether focused on brewing, barista, or latte art, offer a unique platform for staff to develop their skills. The training and preparation for each event elevates their expertise, contributing to a more knowledgeable and skilled team. I can personally say that my speed of service, bar flow, cleanliness, and overall hospitality and communication with customers saw huge benefits from my participation in the barista competitions. 

Lauren points out the development you get from judging the competition as well “A huge part of judging is analyzing flavor and extractions.” Lauren built training programs based off of what she learned from being a competition judge. She saw huge strides in bar skills and drink executions, and giving better feedback as a trainer and leader. 

Sam noticed something else that his business benefited from the participation in coffee competitions “Seasonal/Signature drinks have become a lot more popular. We are also better at making them, these things are probably related.”

Team Morale and Motivation:

Competing fosters a sense of camaraderie among your staff. The shared goal of representing the coffee shop in a competition can boost team morale. This positive energy often carries over to the daily operations of your establishment and even gets customers excited.  

Many cafes choose to only send 1 competitor, and so “in house” competitions will be hosted to decide who will get to go. You might use competition as a reward for someone's great performance and gumption for growth. The chance of getting to compete is a strong motivation to employees to put their best foot forward. 

Engaging your staff in competitions can be a powerful tool for growth, brand visibility, and skill enhancement. While participation may seem like a significant investment, the return on investment (ROI) can be substantial when approached strategically. 

Strategies for Maximizing ROI.

Events:

Leverage the competition experience by strategically planning events around it. Consider hosting a send-off party or a watch party for customers and staff to cheer on their colleagues. Host a ticketed experience to taste the drinks or sit in on the competitors routine. This is a great way to build engagement with customers and the community.

Social Media Amplification:

Harness the power of social media to maximize the impact of competitions. Regularly update your platforms with behind-the-scenes content, training snippets, and announcements about your staff's participation. Encourage your baristas to share their journey, creating a personal connection with your audience. You can look at videos posted by Morgan Ekroth, competitor from Onyx Coffee Labs, sharing their experience with the competitions. The engagement on these posts and excitement shared by followers shows you don’t have to be a barista to be interested in these niche competitions. 

Limited-Time Products:

Create a sense of exclusivity by introducing limited-time products inspired by the competition. For instance, feature the competition coffee blend or a signature drink crafted by the competing barista. This not only generates excitement but also provides a tangible way for customers to participate in the experience. 

Competitors can also play an active role in money saving tactics to further strengthen their case for company support at the competitions. Here are a few ways to do so. 

Practice Smart:

It can start to really add up as you are practicing, burning through coffee, milk, and signature drink ingredients. I strongly encourage the practice of “mock run throughs” to build muscle memory. The year I won, I would do 10 mock run thoughts for every one real one. Plus, I would do a lot of visualizations of my routine. This saved me on product, and not to mention cleaning! 

Buddy Up:

Most people who get on stage are using much of the same equipment. Pitchers, scales, demi spoons, etc. Other than these items being clean and unbroken, you get no additional points for these items being pretty or expensive. Barrow wares from the cafe, or buddy with another competitor to share these items with you. You can always reach out to the competition's coordinators and ask that they place you and your buddy further away from each other in the line up to give you time to clean and reset for the next competitor to use. Working with someone else has plenty of benefits outside if just saving you money. 

For lodging many competitors will share a hotel room or airbnb. Go to the grocery store so you don’t need to eat out for every meal. Make sure to compare the costs associated with the location or your accommodations vs needing to commute via ride shares or renting a car. Don’t forget some hotels offer free breakfast! And as Head Judge Mike Strumph always says “The coffee is free!”.

Map Out a Strategy for the Year:

If you’re going to jump into competitions, think about it strategically, beyond just year one. It is my recommendation to dip your toe into competitions with judging. This experience will better prepare you for competition the following year.  Travel can be another expensive part of competition so try and map the whole year out well. If you are going to a prelim, pick one you can drive to, where travel and accommodations might be cheapest for you. Maybe even go to a city you would also want to take a vacation so you get that added bonus out of it! 

Lastly, companies may feel worried about investing into staff for these competitions assuming they will find some success and move on or get poached. Sam chimes in on this topic ”In my mind, if our team members can grow and advance their careers in coffee, either internally or even outside our organization, that is a win for Olympia Coffee. Internally, our growth creates new positions and advancement opportunities for our team members. In addition, our reputation has opened doors for our team members to leverage their positions with Olympia Coffee to go on to start their own companies or work at high levels in larger organizations, which is a fantastic outcome, that is literally part of our company's mission.”

For coffee businesses, supporting staff participation in competitions isn't just about accolades—it's an investment in talent development and employee engagement. Empowering team members to pursue competition opportunities cultivates a culture of continuous learning and professional growth. Moreover, recognizing and rewarding participation reinforces a sense of belonging and loyalty among staff members, contributing to enhanced morale and retention rates.

Coffee competitions can be a substantial investment, but with a strategic approach, the ROI extends far beyond the competition floor. By embracing these strategies, you not only enhance the skills of your staff but also turn the competition experience into a powerful marketing tool. Ultimately, the investment in competitions becomes a stepping stone toward establishing your coffee shop as a hub of excellence within the industry. The excitement of your team will be extended to your customers giving you opportunities for more ways to engage with your customer base in meaningful ways.