Our coffee on the world stage: Jakub Smolka competes in Milan with coffee from Nordbeans

Jakub Smolka is one of the best baristas in the Czech Republic. His journey began years ago in Sweet City and gradually progressed through domestic competitions such as the Czech Barista Championship to a level that opened the door for him to the world championship.

In Milan, from October 17 to 20, 2025, he will represent the Czech Republic among dozens of top baristas from around the world.

The World Barista Championship is considered the absolute pinnacle of barista craft. Each competitor has 15 minutes to prepare:

• 4 espressos
• 4 milk drinks
• 4 original signature drinks

The jury not only looks at taste, but also at technique, consistency, and overall presentation. And every detail can make a difference.

And this is where Nordbeans comes into the story. We are proud that Jakub chose coffee from our roastery in Liberec for his competition set – coffee with a heart in the mountains.

Our roasters are fine-tuning the final roast profiles to bring out the best in the coffee. As with all our beans, we know the origin, the farmer and the story – and it is this attention to honesty and detail that elevates our coffee to the world stage.

Participation in the World Barista Championship is confirmation for us that the Nordbeans philosophy works. Since the first roasts in Liberec, we have always taken the harder path – without compromise, with respect for farmers and with an emphasis on quality.

The fact that our coffee is chosen by a barista who is on the verge of world competition is a symbol for us that Czech premium coffee can establish itself among the world's top coffees.

📅 October 17–20, 2025 – Milan, World Barista Championship.
👉 Follow @nordbeans on Instagram, where we'll bring you behind-the-scenes moments from the roastery and the world championship.

Whatever the outcome of the competition, we are already proud that our coffee from Liberec will have a place on the world's largest coffee scene.