What you need for a barista competition

A barista competition needs more than espresso machines and coffee beans. You also need enough cups, water glasses, sample glasses, milk jugs and serving items for competitors, judges and guests. Plan the room around separate competition tables, a judges’ table and a registration desk, then check power, cooling and waste capacity before shopping. Use the final participant list to calculate quantities, especially for tasting cups, milk, water and disposable supplies.

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What to bring

Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.

Furniture

Competition tablesqty 6
Judges' table
Registration desk
Audience tablesqty 8
Chairsqty 70
Bar stoolsqty 6
Waste binsqty 5

Tableware

Coffee cupsqty 80
Platesqty 80
Water glassesqty 80
Sample glassesqty 120
Dessert platesqty 70
Cutlery setsqty 70
Milk jugsqty 12
Water carafesqty 8
Serving plattersqty 12

Equipment

Espresso machinesqty 6
Coffee grindersqty 8
Kettlesqty 4
Filter coffee makersqty 2
Coffee scalesqty 8
Milk frothersqty 6
Cooking thermometersqty 8
Stopwatchesqty 8
Power stripsqty 10
Extension cordsqty 10
Refrigeratorsqty 2
Coolersqty 4
Ice containersqty 4
Bluetooth speaker
Microphone

Kitchen

Tamper Matsqty 6
Coffee Tampersqty 8
Milk jugsqty 12
Barista spoonsqty 12
Dosing cupsqty 12
Shot glassesqty 24
Measuring cupsqty 12
Cutting boardsqty 4
Kitchen knivesqty 4
Storage binsqty 12
Serving traysqty 8
Water jugsqty 6
Thermos flasksqty 6
Kitchen scalesqty 4

Decorations

Competition banner
Bib numbersqty 8
Tableclothsqty 14
Menusqty 12
Direction signsqty 8
Trophiesqty 3
Prize display
Table numbersqty 14

Office

Score sheetsqty 100
Participant foldersqty 25
Name badgesqty 80
Pensqty 40
Markersqty 12
Clipboardsqty 12
Ballot slipsqty 100
Wristbandsqty 80
Tapeqty 6
Scissorsqty 4
Staplersqty 3
Printer paperqty 2

Cleaning

Washing-up bowlsqty 4
Dish brushesqty 6
Microfiber clothsqty 20
Floor mopsqty 3
Bucketsqty 4
Hand broomsqty 3
Dustpan and brushqty 3
Glovesqty 8

Lighting

LED string lightsqty 4
Standing lampsqty 4

Catering

Groceries
- Espresso beans - 8 kilogram
- Filter coffee - 1 kilogram
- Decaf coffee - 500 grams
- Coffee capsules - 100 pieces
- Whole milk - 18 liters
- Semi-skimmed milk - 8 liters
- Oat milk - 8 liters
- Soy milk - 4 liters
- Almond drink - 4 liters
- Coconut drink - 2 liters
- Whipped cream - 3 liters
- Vanilla coffee syrup - 2 bottles
- Caramel coffee syrup - 2 bottles
- Hazelnut coffee syrup - 1 bottle
- Chocolate sauce - 2 bottles
- Cinnamon - 4 jars
- Cocoa powder - 2 kilograms
- Vanilla sugar - 4 sachets
- Granulated sugar - 3 kilograms
- Cane sugar - 2 kilograms
- Sweeteners - 4 boxes
- Honey - 2 jars
- Brown sugar - 1 kilogram
- Tea selection - 200 bags
- Fresh mint tea - 8 bunches
- Lemons - 20 pieces
- Limes - 20 pieces
- Oranges - 15 pieces
- Apple juice - 8 liters
- Orange juice - 8 liters
- Cola - 6 bottles
- Cola Zero - 6 bottles
- Ginger ale - 4 bottles
- Tonic - 4 bottles
- Sparkling mineral water - 12 bottles
- Still mineral water - 12 bottles
- Apple cider - 24 bottles
- Non-alcoholic beer - 24 bottles
- Ice cubes - 20 kilograms
- Brioche rolls - 80 pieces
- Mini croissants - 100 pieces
- Mini cinnamon buns - 80 pieces
- Unsalted butter - 2 kilograms
- Cream cheese - 2 kilograms
- Young cheese - 2 kilograms
- Aged cheese - 2 kilogram
- Hummus - 2 kilograms
- Avocado - 20 pieces
- Tomatoes - 3 kilograms
- Cucumbers - 8 pieces
- Arugula - 1 kilogram
- Smoked salmon - 1 kilogram
- Turkey breast - 1 kilogram
- Falafel - 2 kilograms
- Mayonnaise - 2 bottles
- Mustard - 2 bottles
- Ketchup - 2 bottles
- Pepper - 2 mills
- Salt - 2 packs
- Paprika powder - 1 jar
- Paprika chips - 8 bags
- Plain chips - 8 bags
- Mixed nuts - 3 kilograms
- Dark chocolate - 2 kilograms
- Milk chocolate - 1 kilogram
- Cookies - 8 packs
- Brownies - 80 pieces
- Mini muffins - 80 pieces
- Fresh fruit - 6 kilogram
- Grapes - 3 kilograms
- Napkins - 500 pieces
- Paper straws - 200 pieces
- Coffee filters - 200 pieces
- Barista cloths - 30 pieces
- Paper towels - 12 rolls
- Paper towels - 8 rolls
- Toilet paper - 24 rolls
- Liquid hand soap - 6 bottles
- Dish soap - 4 bottles
- Dishwasher tablets - 50 pieces
- All-purpose cleaner - 4 bottles
- Descaler - 3 bottles
- Glass cleaner - 2 bottles
- Disinfectant spray - 4 bottles
- Trash bags - 60 pieces
- Freezer bags - 2 boxes
- Aluminum foil - 3 rolls
- Cling film - 3 rolls
- Baking paper - 2 rolls
- Food labels - 200 pieces

Tips

Allow at least one competition table per active competitor or team, plus a separate judges’ table and registration desk. Keep chairs for seated guests and bar stools only where spectators need a higher view.
Buy or bring enough coffee cups and sample glasses for every judging round, then add 20% extra for breakage, rinsing and late replacements. Plates and dessert plates should cover every planned serving, not just the registered competitors.
Plan one coffee grinder and one espresso machine for each active competition station. Add kettles, coffee scales, stopwatches and power strips before the event; these are easy to overlook and difficult to replace on the day.
Prepare cooling capacity for milk, ice cream and any fresh groceries: use refrigerators for reserve stock, coolers for service and ice containers at the working area. Check the equipment and grinder settings before competitors arrive.
Count water carafes, water glasses, milk jugs and cutlery by service point, then add at least 10% spare. Place waste bins near the competition tables and audience tables so used cups and packaging do not collect around the registration desk.

Frequently asked questions

How many coffee cups do I need for a barista competition?: Count the cups required for every judging round and serving point, then add 20% spare. For 20 participants using 2 cups per round across 3 rounds, that is 120 cups before the spare stock, or 144 cups in total.
How much coffee equipment is needed for a barista competition?: Plan one espresso machine, coffee grinder, coffee scale and stopwatch for each active station. Add at least 1 spare grinder and 1 spare kettle if the schedule has little recovery time between rounds.
How early should I buy supplies for a barista competition?: Buy non-perishable tableware, extension cords, power strips and serving equipment at least 1 week ahead. Pick up fresh groceries and check coffee beans 1 day before the competition, while chilled milk and ice cream should be cooled before setup.
What do I need for the judges at a barista competition?: Set aside a judges’ table with score sheets, pens, water glasses, water carafes, sample glasses and any required serving plates. Prepare at least 1 complete tasting place per judge, plus 2 spare places for replacements or guests.

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