Zjevaun Janga Crowned Winner of Dutch Barista Championship 2025
Rotterdam-based Zjevaun Janga is the proud winner of the Dutch Barista Championship 2025. For the second year in a row, he has claimed this prestigious title. In the final, which featured six finalists, Zjevaun once again impressed the jury.
Zjevaun Janga Wins Dutch Barista Championship Again
The road to this victory was anything but easy. Zjevaun, the owner of Ripsnorter, reflects: “Today was incredibly beautiful and exactly what we’ve been working towards for all these months. We spent hours selecting the perfect coffee, refining the roasting profiles, and—most importantly—tasting. The last month was the most intense: I almost isolated myself daily to train my performance to perfection. At one point, I was completely fed up, but when everything comes together on the big day, it’s all more than worth it.”
For his performance, Zjevaun chose two exceptional coffees: a classic natural Geisha from Panama, sourced from Hacienda La Esmeralda, and a new-generation Aji Bourbon from Nestor Lasso of Finca El Diviso in Colombia. Using a unique stacking technique, where he combined the coffees in a 50/50 ratio, he created subtle flavor differences by alternating which coffee was placed at the bottom of the puck.
Passion and Innovation on Stage
The competition took place during the Horecava trade fair at RAI Amsterdam and was part of the Dutch Coffee Championship, organized by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA). Esther Maasdam, community coordinator of SCA Netherlands, spoke with admiration about the finalists: “It’s wonderful to see someone with so much experience still bringing innovation. The innovative performance that Zjevaun managed to present in 15 minutes will not only capture attention in the Netherlands but will also certainly make waves on the global stage. What passion we saw on stage from every participant! It was a fantastic day, with volunteers and judges dedicating their free time to organize one of the most beautiful coffee competitions of the year.”
Looking Ahead to the Global Stage
With this victory, Zjevaun will represent the Netherlands at the World Barista Championship (WBC). “I’m so happy with the win and excited to do it again at the WBC,” he says. “But after competing three times here in the Netherlands, this feels like a beautiful conclusion. What a journey!”
Zjevaun Janga not only claimed the national title but will also represent our country at the 25th World Barista Championship from October 17–21 in Milan, Italy, with support from SCA Netherlands.
Article written by SCA Netherlands.