The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) proudly announces the selection of “Stronghold” as the Official Production Roaster Sponsor for the 2024-2027 World Coffee Roasting Championship (WCRC), providing the Stronghold SX9 machine for the 2024 WCRC. The production roaster is a crucial component of WCRC equipment, utilized by national champions in their practice and production roasting for both single-origin coffees and blends.

The WCRC is the annual event of the World Coffee Championship (WCC) that recognizes excellence in coffee roasting, evaluating competitors based on their coffee assessment, preparation, blending, and overall skills in practice, sample, and production roasts. The competition has experienced significant growth in recent years, with 130 competitors participating in the eight editions since its inception in 2013.

The World Coffee Championships (WCC) thrive thanks to the support and dedication of a diverse array of organizations and individuals. Qualified sponsors, the manufacturers providing the equipment used by competitors on stage, are integral to this support. In addition to supporting broader SCA programming, qualified sponsors sign multi-year agreements to foster the strategic growth of the competitions and dedicate time and resources to ensure that every world championship competitor uses the same high-quality equipment.

“Stronghold is a fantastic partner, and we are delighted to welcome them as the official production roaster for the 2024-2027 World Coffee Roasting Championships as we see this competition grow,” said Yannis Apostolopoulos, SCA Chief Executive Officer. “Stronghold has been an excellent partner in several other SCA initiatives and events of the past few years, and we couldn’t be more delighted to enter this long-term partnership with them.”

“At Stronghold, we are dedicated to pushing the boundaries of roasting technology, with our environmental and sustainability goals in mind,” said Jason Woo, Stronghold Chief Executive Officer. “As we usher in the era of all-electric commercial roasting, we are thrilled that our efforts have been acknowledged, being selected as the official production equipment for the prestigious World Coffee Roasting Championship. This marks a significant step forward for us, challenging the industry norm and bringing an economically and environmentally sustainable future to the global stage.”

Stronghold will support the World Coffee Roasting Championship as the official production roaster sponsor, starting with the 2024 event hosted at World of Coffee Copenhagen, Denmark, in June. We look forward to an exciting partnership over the coming years.