Yearly, the Specialty Espresso Affiliation (SCA) at their Annual Expo has judges strolling the ground, assessing cubicles, merchandise, and providers to find out which deserve recognition as the very best in present. I took half on this course of throughout the early 2000s after I served on an SCAA committee. Corporations submit merchandise for consideration, and judges make a degree of visiting every one and recording detailed evaluations.
This yr, the SCA introduced the 2025 Finest New Product Awards and the Espresso Design Awards. These awards goal to have a good time innovation and excellence throughout the specialty espresso business whereas additionally spotlighting merchandise that declare to drive new traits in espresso.
“We’re proud to acknowledge these excellent merchandise that replicate our business’s ardour, creativity, and forward-thinking spirit,” mentioned Yannis Apostolopoulos, CEO of the Specialty Espresso Affiliation. “This yr’s winners are actually setting new requirements in specialty espresso and galvanizing the complete espresso neighborhood.”
A lot of the award winners this yr are usually not in the primary focus of a web site like CoffeeGeek, however we’ll listing all of them, beginning with those which have probably the most client focus. I’m additionally aiming a little bit of a important eye on the selections, which I believe may have been so much higher this yr.
Folks’s Alternative Award
In all probability my favorite award of the present, and one that every yr often goes to a worthy product. This yr the winner was Time100 Inc. | Mago Maga Good Residence Espresso Bean Roaster, a pioneering dwelling espresso roasting with one-touch automated or handbook skilled modes, 300g capability, auto-cooling, and a smooth, clear design.
I find it irresistible, and wish to attain out to this firm quickly to speak about us presumably reviewing the gadget.
Shopper Espresso Preparation & Serving Tools Winner
This yr, OXO gained for his or her OXO Speedy Brewer, a concentrated hot and cold brew gadget, which may make a brewed cup of both in lower than 5 minutes. OXO claims their gadget makes the identical tasting espresso {that a} 24 hour steep does in conventional chilly brew strategies. It features a inbuilt chrome steel tamper, and a carafe that every one nest collectively for storage.
This in all probability wouldn’t be my high decide, figuring out what’s being proven this yr at SCA (I’d in all probability give it to the Baratza Encore ESP Professional grinder). I’ve had some arms on with the gadget, and whereas it’s fascinating, I don’t fairly know the way it scored better of present.
Espresso Equipment Better of Present
This one went to ICOSA Brewhouse for his or her Avensi Wave Sensory Drinkware Assortment, together with the Cyclone Sensory Carafe, Aeresso Espresso in Glass and Ceramic, and the Alto Tasting Glass.
So this one may be very complicated to me due to two issues. First, I believed ICOSA gained this award for the a number of of the identical merchandise from SCA in 2021 – can they win it twice? They even have the 2021 badge on their web site to show it. And I gotta be trustworthy right here: these merchandise appear to borrow very closely from Kruve’s Propel and EQ glasses, which had been launched in 2018 and 2019. The Kruve Propel particularly pioneered the entire “swirl and agitate” factor and was a Kickstarter mission in 2019; the Aeresso cup got here out final yr.
If I sound important, it’s not as a result of Brewhouse makes fascinating merchandise (they do, even when they did borrow closely from Kruve). It’s primarily as a result of I don’t suppose the identical product ought to win this award twice; and I believe there have been a variety of different manner cool espresso equipment on the present that deserved consideration.
Open Class (Open Class)
Squeaky, an organization I’d by no means heard of (however wish to know extra about now!), gained for his or her HOM Chubby a coaching gadget which, in accordance with them, revolutionizes aroma sampling with a hygienic, eco-friendly design, good for espresso retailers, coaching, and competitions.
It’s definitely fascinating! And fairly “hand-crafted” wanting, however I’m all for issues that assist with aroma coaching in understanding the nuances of espresso. In addition they gained final yr for his or her $160 “Espresso Ball Cooler” gadget.
Different Award Winners
Different classes are usually not actually throughout the scope of what we cowl on CoffeeGeek, however are nonetheless very a lot value mentioning.
Business Espresso Preparation & Serving Tools
An actual recreation altering producer within the espresso roaster world, ROEST, gained for his or her ROEST P3000, an automatic manufacturing roaster with a 1–3 kg capability, roasting in underneath 7 minutes with simply 5 minutes of labor/hour with a small footprint. It options automated roasting, between-batch protocols and superior sensor expertise.
I’ve been listening to so much about this firm and their merchandise, (together with the lovable and tiny ROEST S100) so kudos to them!
Specialty Espresso Beverage Additive
Hacco, Inc. for the KOJI BARISTA (Fermented Rice Beverage), a naturally fermented, plant-based rice beverage for baristas. Koji fermentation creates refined sweetness and a creamy, frothable texture: dairy-free, sugar-free, and allergen-free. Excellent for espresso, enhancing taste and mouthfeel.
Specialty Non-Espresso Beverage Standalone
Harris Woolf Almonds, for his or her Almond Milk 2.0, which differentiates itself from different almond milks with its taste, mouthfeel, and frothiness. Effectively, that’s an enormous promise!
Espresso Design Awards
The SCA additionally acknowledges excellence in design and advertising and marketing throughout the specialty espresso enviornment. These are the winners in choose classes. I’ve left SCA’s personal descriptions intact.
The Award for Areas was offered to Puelo Espresso Roasters, Santiago de Chile. A recognition of the work behind the hassle, give attention to clients and making expertise a part of new solution to perceive the specialty espresso tradition,
The Award for Packaging was offered to Ember Items, Olympia Washington. The first reference was a classic matchbox and enjoying on the corporate’s title, Ember Items. Believing that any good concept or dialog begins with an “Ember” earlier than it turns into a fireplace.
The Award for Branding was offered to Yettu. Yettu is a inexperienced espresso exporter specializing in high-quality Indian espresso, rigorously sourced from the fertile lands of Tamil Nadu. Yettu embodies a journey from earth to cup, honoring historic farming traditions and sustainable practices.
It Might Be Higher
Having participated on this judging course of up to now, and seeing the way it’s been trudging alongside since, I believe the SCA ought to critically think about revamping this whole awards course of, modernizing it and having some fairly strict guidelines in place so the identical merchandise (simply packaged otherwise or with an addition or two) can not win greater than as soon as.
I’d definitely prefer to see extra particular classes within the client and business gear area. Issues like improvements in espresso, in handbook espresso, grinder classes, a wider vary of espresso equipment (maybe one for espresso targeted, one different brew strategies, and so on).
