MONIN Coffee Creativity Cup 2023 Crowns India's First-Ever Barista Champion

International flavor giant, MONIN, recently hosted the first-ever MONIN Coffee Creativity Cup (MCCC) - a competition that was designed to find the most innovative, progressive, and creative coffee mocktail made by industry professionals.

Contestants at the MONIN Coffee Creativity Cup 2023

The competition to find the best Barista in India kicked off with a bang on July 19 in Delhi for the first round of the regionals. The next part of the regionals was held in Mumbai on July 27 and Bengaluru on August 1. The participants were required to create an innovative espresso-based mocktail that enhances and appeals to all five senses - sight, smell, sound, taste, and touch. Each contestant was then marked based on how well they were able to incorporate the experience into their drinks.

Winner - MONIN Coffee Creativity Cup 2023

The esteemed jury, including some of the biggest names in Coffee, picked a total of 10 Competitors three/four from each region, out of a total of 30+ Participants. And these lucky Baristas got a chance to compete in the Nationals.

The crowning glory of the competition was the Finale held on August 3 in Bengaluru. The 10 chosen participants performed and presented their recipes in front of the esteemed jury consisting of Felix Daniel, Mithilesh Vazalwar, Kruti Malgi & Akanksha Gupta. Soudh Abubakar Ibrahim emerged as the grand champion of the MONIN Coffee Creativity Cup 2023 and is all set to represent India at the Global Finals in Malaysia alongside getting an all-expenses paid trip to Malaysia.

“This feels surreal. First of all, having a competition for baristas in the country and then getting to win is an overwhelming feeling. I am so grateful to MONIN for hosting this and giving us coffee connoisseurs a platform. And I cannot wait to go and represent our country globally in front of coffee experts from across the world,” said Soudh Abubakar Ibrahim, who was elated about winning India’s first-ever Coffee Cup.

Speaking about the successful culmination of the event, Germain Araud, Managing Director, MONIN India, said, “We are so happy with the response that our first ever Coffee Cup has gotten. It is heartwarming to see so many coffee enthusiasts in the country represented on a national and now soon on a global scale. And we are so glad that MONIN is spearheading this growth in the current generation of coffee professionals. Inspired by this event, we want to continue to encourage the growth of the coffee industry in the Asia-Pacific region.”

MONIN has been involved in promoting new talent in India through various such events every year. The competition not only celebrated India’s growing love and interest for coffee but also helped the growth of the entire coffee community.

About MONIN

A premium French brand created in 1912, MONIN is an innovative flavor solutions creator and a trusted partner for hospitality professionals across the world. At the heart of MONIN are people who are open-minded, gourmet-passionate, who are open to new ideas, always pushing the boundaries, and seeking to endlessly inspire. Faithful to our French heritage, our headquarters is in Bourges, where the company was founded. We never stop creating and this is why our portfolio, embracing 150 flavors, is still unrivaled.

MONIN is more than a drink solution, it’s a way of living, an experience based on our century- old expertise, and a brand respectful of the environment. It’s about authenticity and bringing people together, using only the best and the most natural ingredients in an exciting and creative way.

For more than a hundred years, MONIN has taken risks in exploring new markets by launching unique products. Eventually, we have become the leading brand of choice for beverage professionals worldwide. Our goal has always been to help our customers succeed in crafting the most innovative and ahead-of-the-trend drinks, from the small independent coffee shop to high-standing bars, from international quick service chains to local mom-and-pop restaurants.

We have succeeded not only by consistently providing premium quality products but also by producing locally and being closer to our suppliers and markets, allowing us to better understand the needs of our customers. This has led us to become not only French, but also American, Malaysian, Chinese, and soon-to-be Brazilian and Indian.

MONIN in India

India, over the last few years, has become a top-priority market for MONIN and this has propelled us to establish a wholly-owned subsidiary in Hyderabad as MONIN India Pvt. Ltd. In 2018, we made a commitment to invest Rs. 100 crore in India in the first phase, which included setting up a manufacturing plant in Telangana and an in-house R&D center in Hyderabad.

In 2021, we expanded our commitment by doubling the amount to Rs. 200 crores. The same year, MONIN India reinforced its presence by opening its first ‘Experience Studio’ at The Dhan Mill in New Delhi. The brand also launched its second Experience Studio in Bengaluru in June 2023 to bring the exclusive MONIN experience to professionals in Southern India.

As part of our commitment to support the Hospitality Industry by promoting and nurturing local talent, we brought back the popular MONIN Cup to India in 2022, with the national winner participating in the International Grand Finale in France.