New 2025 World Coffee Roasting Championship Rules Released by SCA

The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) has announced the revised rules and guidelines for the upcoming 2025 World Coffee Roasting Championship, set to be held from April 25 to 27 at the Specialty Coffee Expo in Texas, USA. This first release of the 2025 World Coffee Championships (WCC) season introduces key updates aimed at refining competition standards.

This year’s updates focus on enhancing clarity and formalizing established practices, especially regarding competitor registration and the selection of provided green coffee. Competitors must now specify blend ratios and quantities, with penalties imposed for late or incomplete submissions, underscoring the importance of precise coffee evaluation.

Notable adjustments include standardized processes for measuring coffee color, using personal notes and hearing protection, and grinding protocols. Additionally, competitors can now include over five descriptors for specific attributes, with refined categorization of these descriptors.

The appeals and complaints process has also been streamlined to allow for online form submissions, ensuring a more efficient system for handling competitor concerns at both national and global levels. All changes are managed by the WCC Competitions Strategic Committee, with rule documents, change summaries, scoresheets, and the appeals form now accessible on the World Coffee Championships’ official website.

Key Dates and Locations for the 2025 World Coffee Championships

• Houston, USA – Specialty Coffee Expo (April 25-27)
  Featuring the World Coffee Roasting Championship
• Jakarta, Indonesia – World of Coffee (May 15-17)
  Featuring the World Brewers Cup
• Geneva, Switzerland – World of Coffee (June 26-28)
  Featuring World Latte Art, World Coffee in Good Spirits, World Cup Tasters, and Cezve/Ibrik Championships
• Milan, Italy – HostMilano (October 17-21)
  Celebrating the 25th World Barista Championship