The Rise of Baristas in Australia

Australia has had a long-standing love affair with coffee and it has never been as strong as it is until recently. The rising coffee and caf© culture in the country has seen a variety of specialty coffee brewers popping up at every nook and cranny of major cities including coffee meccas, Melbourne and Sydney.

This has given rise to the power and influence of baristas within the coffee industry. Never has it been so important to have an experienced and highly talented barista as the cornerstone of a food and beverage establishment. Aussies have evolved into smart consumers who are well-educated in the art of coffee tasting and a caf© with a well-trained barista has the power to attract everyone from the average coffee drinker to the expert with the best palate for the finest brew in town.

Business operators now understand that consumers are willing to fork out $3 - $5 for a great cuppa, and the person behind the coffee machine is just as important as a three-star Michelin restaurants sommelier. In certain ways, a truly great barista can be seen as the rockstar of the coffee industry, and they are the ones who can determine the quality of a cup of coffee.

The baristas job has never changed over the years, but it seems that Australias newfound appreciation for quality coffee has given these artists a chance to be in the spotlight and claim the recognition that they deserve.

The burgeoning demand for top baristas have created a shift in the Australian workforce especially since the emergence of barista training courses and coffee colleges offered by F&B schools and major coffee suppliers like Les Schiratos Vittoria Coffee brand.

Baristas are now so highly regarded that there even exists local and international championships to determine the best in the business. The premier barista competition, The World Barista Championships, will be taking place in Melbourne from the 22 -26 April 2013.

Data from the Roy Morgan State of Nation report have shown that the purchase of barista-made coffee has increased over the last year from 24 to 26 per cent. The surge in purchasing coffee from caf©s and coffee shops has fuelled the increase in job demands for baristas with a reported figure of additional 13,000 new baristas entering the workforce in 2011.

So, why exactly is everyone is becoming so passionate over barista-made coffee, and why is it so important to have a well-trained barista?

Les Schirato, Australias coffee king, says, While this is a very individual thing, in general good quality coffee should have a strong rich taste and should never be bitter or leave a stale aftertaste. A barista can ruin a good cup of coffee. Its a complex product, thats why training is paramount.