Julius Meinl Barista Cup 2026 concludes in Vienna

The grand final of the Julius Meinl Barista Cup 2026 took place on September 4 at the MuseumsQuartier in Vienna. The competition brought together 15 national champions from 15 different countries, following more than 350 applications globally.

Elizaveta Rîmscaia from Moldova was crowned the 2026 Overall Champion. Category winners included Stefan Kot for Espresso, Mario Benetseder for Cappuccino, and Luka Darispanashvili for the Signature Drink. Slovenian champion Jožef Fartek secured third place overall, performing notably in the technical execution and signature drink categories with his ‘Mozart Symphony’ creation.

The competition involved strict technical judging across three categories: Espresso, Cappuccino, and Signature Drink. Participants were evaluated on flavor balance, milk preparation, latte art, and technical cleanliness. Winners will participate in the Julius Meinl Generations Programme in India to learn about coffee cultivation in collaboration with Fairtrade.