The Philippines Dominates the Essse Caffè Barista Championship 2025 in Bologna, Italy

On September 17, 2025, John Benjie de Galicia of Blu Coffee Distributors, Philippines, secured the champion title at the Barisssta Championship 2025 hosted by Essse Caffè. 12 competitors reigning from 10 countries across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, competed for the highly coveted champion spot at Essse Caffè’s Flagship store in Bologna, Italy. The selected winner will get the opportunity to represent Essse Caffè and their home country at the Espresso Italiano Championship World Finals to be held at Host Milano, the largest international food & beverage tradeshow, on October 19, 2025.

The Barisssta Championship upholds the same format and criteria of the Espresso Italiano Championship wherein a barista must prepare four perfect espressos and four perfect cappuccinos in just 11 minutes. Baristas are to be judged in 3 main areas: marketing, technical, and sensory – all of which put the baristas’ passion, skill, precision, and consistency to the test.

John Benjie de Galicia, a Training & Beverage specialist representing Blu Coffee Distributors, competed for the first time internationally. With years of experience as a head barista trainer for independent and chain coffee shops in the Philippines and months of preparation, his efforts had ultimately paid off in securing the top spot.

For the 3rd year in a row, the Philippines has represented Essse Caffè in the Espresso Italiano Championship World Finals. It is an indication of the growing skill, mastery, and excellence of the Filipino barista community in the international coffee space.

THE ESPRESSO ITALIANO CHAMPIONSHIP (EIC)

The Espresso Italiano Championship is a barista championship founded by the Istituto Espresso Italiano (IEI)– the official organization which safeguards the standards of Italian espresso worldwide. The competition rules involve calibrating the espresso equipment and preparing four perfect espressos and four cappuccinos in just 11 minutes, all under the eyes of the technical judges and then evaluated by a sensory jury that operates blindly according to the Institute's standards International Coffee Tasters (Iiac). The world finals will be held on October 19, 2025 at the Host Milano Tradeshow – a biennial international tradeshow featuring the world’s latest innovations and products in the HoReCa industry.

Visit for more information: https://www.inei.coffee/en/Espresso-Italiano-Champion.html

ABOUT ESSSE CAFFÈ

In 1979, the Segafredo family, well-known for their time-honoured tradition in this sector, established the Essse Caffè brand in Bologna, Italy. It was no accident that Essse was spelled with a triple S, with the three S’s standing for “Scienza, Sapienza, Specializzazione” (Science, Knowledge, Specialisation), the three values that sum up the company’s philosophy, founded on years of experience, commitment to innovation, and expressed through the consistency of the coffee blends and a constant quest for the best organoleptic properties. The company mission has always been to deliver top quality products from bean to cup. Since the beginning, they relied on the scientific support of the Departments of Agricultural Science of the Universities of Bologna, Cesena, and Foggia, a collaboration that continues to this day.

Over the last thirty years, Essse Caffè has become a leader in the coffee HoReCa industry, with presence in 60 countries and a knowledge base that ranges from fresh coffee beans to the coffee in your cup, from roasting to packaging, and ultimately espresso coffee-making. Today, Essse Caffè is a successful brand, well-known in Italy and increasingly established abroad, an acknowledged guarantee for coffee quality.

ABOUT ISTITUTO ESPRESSO ITALIANO

(IEI) Since 1998, the Istituto Espresso Italiano (IEI) is the worldwide authority and safekeeper of the Italian espresso through a sensory and quality certification.

The Istituto Espresso Italiano (IEI) was established on July 6, 1998, with the primary mission of preserving and promoting authentic Espresso. Currently, the IEI stands as a leading institution in the coffee industry, bringing together espresso equipment manufacturers and roasters, collectively generating over €700 million in revenue.

IEI is dedicated to preserving and promoting authentic Espresso, a commitment reflected in its product certification (certificate of product conformity CSQA n. 214 - September 24, 1999, DTP 008 Ed.1). Member companies that meet the certification criteria are authorized to use the "Espresso Italiano Certificato"(Certified Italiano Espresso) mark.

To ensure the quality of espresso served at coffee bars displaying this mark, a stringent technical specification has been implemented. This specification mandates the use of a certified coffee blend, certified equipment (both machine and grinder-dispenser), and licensed personnel. Compliance with these three conditions is rigorously monitored by IEI experts and auditors from the Certifying Body.

Visit for more information: https://www.inei.coffee/en/Our-Mission.html

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For more information on Blu Coffee and Essse Caffè, contact Anthony Villanueva, Marketing Head, Blu Coffee anthonyvillanueva@blucoffee.ph (+63) 917 140 2966