We have carefully curated a group of 15 of Italy's up-and-coming roasters, who will no-doubt be mindful of the country's rich espresso culture whilst balancing an adoration for progressive, specialty coffee.
Joining them are eight other hotly-tipped roasters from outside the bel paese, who will be hoping to take home the Roast Master title to their respective homes.
Lets meet the contenders...
REPRESENTING: Savona, Italy
COMPETING ROASTER: ALESSANDRO BOREA
COMPETING BARISTAS: MATTEO BOREA
Borea Specialty Coffee formed in 2015 by its namesakes, Alessandro and Matteo Borea, as the specialty line of La Genovese, their family-run roastery. Their aim is to develop new-wave specialty coffees without forgetting the know-how of Italian espresso roasting.
representing: Florence, Italy
competing roaster: Robert Brinck
competing barista: Ilaria Nocentini
CaffèLab is an innovative and dynamic coffee laboratory that chooses, imports and roasts the most unique coffees from all over the world. Born in 2015, Caffèlab grows day-by-day thanks to the contribution of a team that connect experts, specialists and industry professionals who work to discover, experiment and propose the best coffee quality: from traditional Italian blends to specialty coffees. The Florence-based company pride themselves on roasting all of their coffee on request.
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Photo by Lorenza Cini
Representing: Aprilia, Italy
Competing Roaster: Emanuele Tomassi
Competing Barista: Jorge Albarracin Qintero
Emmanuele Tomassi's coffee roastery is the natural result of experience from opening his own coffee bar (Caos Caffè) in his hometown of Aprilia and falling in love with the modern coffee shop, and a chance meeting with a world-class barista in Denmark. Now, his micro-roastery produces specialty coffee for both espresso and filter, utilising technology to manage the roasting curve.
Representing: Sicily, Italy
Competing Roaster: Sergio Barbagallo
Competing Barista: Alessio Vabres
This micro-roaster set in the foothills of the mighty Mount Etna that sees the preparation of coffee as a sacred ritual, a "small parenthesis in everyday life". Accordingly, its founder Sergio Barbagallo and his team strive to dedicate the right care to protect the high quality of such an important facet of life.
Representing: Verona, Italy
Competing Roaster: Davide Cobelli
Competing Barista: Simone Cattani
Set in the beautiful town of Verona, home to the story of Romeo and Juliet, Garage Coffee Bros approach coffee roasting from both an Italian and international perspective, whilst always striving to be innovative and eco-friendly.
Photo by Lorenza Cini
Representing: Trentino, Italy
Competing Roaster: Raimondo Morreale
Competing Barista: ERIC VENTURI
Based in their grandmother's old bottega used to be in the small village of Trentino on the slopes of the Paganella mountain, I Druper Coffee & More's micro-roastery is the pride and joy of the family. Nothing is left to chance when it comes to I Druper Coffee & More's roasting process, from choosing the green coffee to selecting the right roasting curve unique to that specific product.
Representing: Puglia, Italy
Competing Roaster: Gianluca Lavacca
Competing Barista: Gianluca Lavacca
Gianluca Lavacca has worked in the F&B industry for ten years, and is now a passionate roaster, SCA-authorised trainer and coffee consultant. His roastery Il Manovale's mission is to bring handmade, fresh and traceable product to homes and café, because "every sip can be the discovery of excellence."
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Representing: Caluso, Italy
Competing Roaster: Alessandro Minelli
Competing Baristas: Gabriela Montanez, Alessio Simonetta
Orso Laboratorio Caffè was founded in 2014 in Turin, with the desire to accompany coffee lovers on an adventurous journey full of new and flavourful experiences. Headed up by Alessandro Minelli, Orso searches for single-origin coffees and utilise artisan roasting methods to highlight the best qualities of the beans.
Representing: Monza, Italy
Competing Roaster: Matteo Pavoni
Competing Barista: Gianni Tratzi
At Peacocks Coffee, origin and varietals are the real protagonists. The Monza-based independent roasting company only selects specialty coffee that perfectly represents how provenance can shape the flavour in the cup. They roast coffee using different profiles for espresso and for filter brewing, using an HB coffee roaster with Artisan software, in Lissone (MB) at Torrefazione Caffè DF.
Representing: Rome, Italy
Competing Roaster: Emanuele Bernabei
Competing Barista: Emanuele Bernabei
Picapau was founded by Emmanuele Bernabei and Carolina Teixeira Dos Santos. They were introduced to quality coffee in Brazil in 2013, when they tried specialty coffee in a coffee shop for the first time. After several years of experience in the coffee world, in 2019 they created their roastery together. One of their main goals is to develop a direct partnership and work closely with all the producers they buy from.
Representing: Bari, Italy
Competing Roaster: Luigi Paternoster
Competing Barista: Vincenzo Paternoster
Pierre Caffè lies just a couple of minutes walk outside the historic center of Gravina di Puglia. Vincenzo and Luigi Paternoster are proudly managing the coffee shop and roastery that their parents first opened in the early 1980s. Since the beginning they had this notion of quality, that, despite Italy's good reputation regarding coffee, is and was not self-evident. To obtain the best from each specialty bean, they adapt their roasting methods for each origin, understanding their different characteristics and needs.
Representing: Regio Emilia, Italy
Competing Roaster: Agostino Badalamenti
Competing Barista: Andrea Lattuada
Born in 2016, Badalamenti Agostino's roasting lab has since become the main focus of his work. There he and his team analyse raw coffees from around, studying their characteristics and aromatic profiles so that they can get the most from their sensual bouquet. At Santa Fara Caffè, "The customer is at the centre of everything, only after the quality of the coffee."
Spirit of Coffee
Representing: Bergamo, Italy
Competing Roaster: Gian Andrea Sala
Competing Barista: Gabrielle Pezzaioli
Spirit of Coffee may be a new player in the Italian scene, but the Bergamo-based roaster is backed with a bulk of experience, specialising in light-roasting.
Representing: Parma, Italy
Competing Roaster: Massimo Bonni
Competing Barista: Nicoletta Montini
Since 2006 Massimo Bonni and Nicoletta Montini of Parma-based Torrefazione Lady Cafè have had a relentless drive to keep learning improving on sourcing, roasting and brewing.
Representing: Vicenza, Italy
Competing Roaster: Giovanna Dalla Rovere
Competing Baristas: Andrea Tomasi, Cristian Hidalgo
Young Cup Coffee began in 2015, joining together coffee experts from different backgrounds to help spread the culture of high quality coffee. "Ambition, enthusiasm, creativity and research" is the company's philosophy; important pillars for any aspiring roastery.
Representing: Zilina, Slovakia
Competing Roaster: Mayo Galuska
Competing Barista: Ivan Lacny
9 Grams Coffee is the first and only coffee roaster in the small, manufacturing city of Žilina. It soon became a beloved coffee spot, with visitors watching the roasting process whilst enjoy the fruits of Mayo Galuska and his team's labour. Their goal is to achieve the highest possible standard of service and quality of product.
Representing: Plock, Poland
Competing Roaster: Krzysztof Blinkiewicz
Competing Barista: Krzysztof Blinkiewicz
Autumn Coffee Roasters is a specialty roaster based in the Płock, in central Poland, co-founded by Krzysztof Blinkiewicz, who is an authorised SCA trainer and teaches coffee skills from the roastery. Autumn love to create a good balance and excellent body for filter coffee.
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Representing: Paris, France
Competing Roaster: Mihaela Lordache
Competing Barista: Ludovic Gossart
Belleville Brûlerie's head roaster and quality control manager Mihaela Lordache was first introduced to specialty coffee after visiting a cupping at the Paris-based roastery back in 2013. It was love at first sight, and she has been working in the industry ever since, from barista to head roaster. Sourcing, roasting and assembling delicious coffees and stunningly balanced cups, Belleville Brûlerie wants to redefine the term 'French Roast'.
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Representing: Maastricht, The Netherlands
Competing Roaster: Björn Aarts
Competing Barista: Björn Aarts
Making use of cutting edge innovative techniques, such as colour sorting, combined with experienced craftsmanship, Maastricht's Dutch Barista strive for a "Taste of Perfection" whilst developing long-term, sustainable relationships with farmers.
Representing: Berlin, Germany
Competing Roaster: Wojtek Bialczak
Competing Barista: Wojetk Bialczak
Five Elephant specialty coffee roastery has Berlin locals and tourists alike flocking to its Kreuzberg café on a daily basis for their delicate pastries and light, sweet roasts. They are passionate about engaging their customers in a conversation about their coffee and the journey it took from origin to cup.
Representing: Warsaw, Poland
Competing Roaster: Rafal Kaniewski
Competing Barista: Eliza Modzelewska
Java Coffee launched in the Polish capital in 2001 with a desire to showcase varietal characteristics through their roasting, and have since always kept in mind their important mantra: "Good Coffee Is A Human Right."
Representing: Riga, Latvia
Competing Roaster: Edgars Dzirkalis
Competing Barista: Raimonds Zadvornovs
Kalve Coffee was formed to help elevate coffee culture in Latvia's developing market whilst strengthening their own coffee production, preparation and enjoyment. Kalve particularly enjoy collaboration, finding inspiration from other people's experience – be it consumer or professional – and consult other business on their coffee concepts.
Representing: Brussels, Belgium
Competing Roaster: simon Derutter
Competing Barista: Jens Crabbé
Founded in 2012, MOK’s sourcing, roasting and brewing style is focused on purity and clarity. The team currently roast on a Giesen W15 with cropster, showcasing coffees in two amazing cafés in Brussels and Leuven and also supply coffee to independent bars and restaurants worldwide.
Catch the Roast Masters™ action across each day of The Milan Coffee Festival. Entrance is completely free, join our coffee club now for tickets