Astoria To Sponsor Two World Championship Events

For the second successive year, Astoria is to be the official sponsor of both the World Latte Art and the World Coffee in Good Spirit Championship finals.

These events – some of the most popular and fiercely competitive events in the speciality coffee sector – will feature the Astoria Plus 4 You TS. All entrants will use Astoria’s flagship espresso machine during their routines.

The Latte Art Championship is self-explanatory: The winners of a number of regional events all compete to create the most stunning latte possible, armed only with an espresso machine, a milk jug and their imagination.

However, the World Coffee in Good Spirit Championships pushes entrants to the limit. Here, the line between barista and barkeeper is blurred and it is up to those taking part to create the best fusion of coffee and alcohol possible.

This year’s iteration of the tournaments will take place at the Hotelex trade fair in Shanghai, China.

To celebrate China and the history of coffee, Astoria is to release a small set of custom-designed Plus 4 You TS, colloquially known as the Plus 4 Champions, and they will all feature artwork that references some of the most important events and symbols in Chinese history.

“We thought it would be a good idea to pay tribute to a country as fascinating as China by customising the machines and launching a social media campaign, which will take us from here to Shanghai,” explained Astoria’s Business Sector Chief, Stefano Stecca.

With coffee intrinsically linked to Italian culture, Astoria decided to look at China’s expansive culture and history to draw inspiration of these uniquely designed machines.

The twelve custom-drawn illustrations that will adorn these limited Plus 4 You’s will depict Marco Polo and the Silk Road (a crucial bridge between Italian and Chinese history), Beijing’s Forbidden City, the Sichuanese opera and The Great Wall.

photo: Astoria

Last updated by Damien Wilde on Thursday the 11th February 2016