It’s no secret that we love our coffee here in Melbourne. And local barista Jack Simpson, from Axil Coffee, has done us proud, and was crowned the winner of the World Barista Championship for 2025. The competition took place over five days in Milan, and Jack was named the best barista on Tuesday October 21. He was mentored by Axil Coffee founder Dave Makin, a two-time Australian Barista Champion, and Axil’s director of coffee Matthew Crowley.
“It’s an incredible honour to bring the World Barista Championship title home to Australia,” said Jack. “This win celebrates not only me, but the producers, roasters, and the entire Axil Coffee team who have supported me along the entire journey.”
Jack Simpson of Axil Coffee wins the 2025 World Barista Championship
In the championship, baristas need to make three categories of drinks: espresso, milk-based and specialty. Each competitor needs to make four of the same drink per round for the judges. They are given 15 minutes to make their drinks, and they are judged on taste, technical skills, presentation and storytelling.
Jack’s winning signature beverage combined two coffees – Finca Deborah in Panama and Finca Zarza in Colombia – with a house-made honey vinegar and a passionfruit husk distillate.
The top finalists were:
- Jack Simpson, Australia
- Simon SunLei, China
- Ben Put, Canada
- Jason Loo, Malaysia
- Hiroki Ito, Japan
- Christopher Sahyoun Hoff, Denmark
You can learn more about the championship here. If you’re craving a cup, you can find your nearest Axil here.