CANADA PLACES 2ND IN WORLD BARISTA CHAMPIONSHIP - THE "OLYMPIC GAMES" FOR PROFESSIONAL COFFEE MAKERS

Toronto, ON (June 21, 2004) - Canada captured second place at the fifth annual World Barista Championship (WBC) finals in Trieste, Italy on June 20, 2004. Canadian Barista Champion, Salvatore (Sammy) Piccolo of Vancouver, BC placed second in a field of competitors from 37 nations who battled for the world title of best professional coffee bartender ("barista").

This is the first time Canada sent a competitor to the event. Piccolo is the two-time Canadian Champion, having defended his title on June 12, 2004 at the 2nd annual Canadian Barista Championship which took place at the Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre in conjunction with Canadian Coffee & Tea Expo, Canada's leading trade show and educational forum for the coffee and tea industries. Piccolo owns and operates Caffe Artigiano in Vancouver.

Piccolo scored 656 points, just behind Norway's Tim Wendelboe who scored 662 points and just ahead of third place Klaus Thomsen of Denmark who scored 655 points.

The Canadian Barista Championship 2004 which debuted at last year's Canadian Coffee & Tea Expo drew large crowds and provided an opportunity for visitors to join in the fun as well as learn about the skills that it takes to make a proper espresso beverage. Fourteen baristi from across the country well-trained in the art of coffee preparation took their best shot at the Canadian title on June 11 & 12 in Vancouver. Piccolo placed first again which also qualified him to compete in
the next WBC which will take place in 2005 in Seattle in the United States.

The Canadian Coffee & Tea Expo has been designed to meet the needs of retailers, restaurateurs, foodservice operators and buyers from all sectors of the trade. Canada's largest show of its kind featured over 100 companies displaying products from across North America and around the world at the two-day trade show - from espresso machines, tea filters, roasters, cups and bin dispensers to smoothies, flavourings, organic coffee and tea, gelato and Yerba mate. The trade forum offers the country's largest educational program for the new entrepreneur and seasoned professional alike. It featured more than 20 classes for improving day-to-day operations, building sales, coffee brewing, barista training presented by the newly launched Canadian Barista Academy, tea preparation, retailing and staff training, and presentations on sustainability, industry trends and statistics, roasting, coffee cuppings and tea tastings. Also launched at this year's show was a coffee and tea knowledge program for the consumer.

The Canadian Barista Championship is endorsed by the Coffee Association of Canada and the 2004 contest was sponsored by Rancilio, Oscars Syrups, Da Vinci Gourmet/Kerry Group Foodservice, Krups, Dairyland, Hamilton Beach, Miller Springs, CoffeeGeek.com

For information call Vida Radovanovic: (416) 784-5210. E-mail: info@coffee-expo.com
For updates visit www.coffee-expo.com For information and pictures of this year's Canadian Barista contest visit: www.coffeegeek.com and the WBC contest visit: www.worldbaristachampionship.com

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