The grand Kopi Fest Indonesia 2023 has finally reached its peak. Held at Mal Kota Kasablanka from October 4 to 8 last week, the final event brought together thousands of visitors from diverse backgrounds, including home coffee enthusiasts, coffee experts, and regular attendees.

“Kopi Fest Indonesia 2023 served as a home for coffee lovers of all kinds to come together. Throughout our event series that concluded in Jakarta, numerous valuable moments unfolded, not just from visitors but also from community members, competition participants, and stakeholders,” stated Jhoni Kusno, CEO and Co-Founder of Otten Coffee, on Tuesday (10/10).

Indeed, the event served as a gathering for coffee enthusiasts to celebrate their passion for this brewed beverage. Many business owners, professionals, and coffee lovers gathered to enjoy a variety of exclusive offerings and beverages they wouldn’t find elsewhere.

In addition to the festivities, the event also witnessed the crowning of the winners of the Indonesia AeroPress Championship and Barista Innovation Challenge in 2023. The finals of both competitions marked the culmination of the regional qualifying rounds held earlier in Medan, Semarang, and Bandung.

“Both events attended by coffee enthusiasts have successfully nurtured valuable talents in the coffee industry. We are proud to witness the achievements of the participants in both competitions. Their victories not only showcase their skills but also reflect their creativity, dedication, and deep interest in beverages and coffee,” explained Sherley Ruslie, Managing Director of Rasa Group, on Tuesday (10/10).

The Indonesia AeroPress Championship 2023, in particular, was held on October 5. Out of over 300 participants, the national finals of this competition featured four representatives from each region: Felix Sunasli from Medan, Amirudin Arief from Semarang, Rifqi Hasbullah from Bandung, and Nicholas Setiawan from Jakarta.

After a tense judging session, the main winner of this prestigious competition has been determined. Rifqi Hasbullah from Bandung emerged as the champion. In the future, Rifqi will be sent to represent Indonesia in the 2023 World AeroPress Championship, which is scheduled to take place in Melbourne, Australia.

Here is the list of winners of the Indonesia AeroPress Championship 2023:

1. 1st place and Indonesian representative for the 2023 World AeroPress Championship: Rifqi Hasbullah – Bandung

2. 2nd place: Amirudin Arief – Semarang

3. 3rd place: Nicholas Setiawan – Jakarta

At the peak of Kopi Fest Indonesia last Sunday (10/08), the participants who advanced to the final round of the Barista Innovation Challenge 2023 showcased their best performance in crafting coffee-based drinks. They reached this stage after surpassing more than 150 other participants. The competing participants were Muhammad Hazazi Ajik representing Surabaya, followed by Muhammad Dahlan representing Banjarmasin, Tema’O Hondro from Medan, Ibnu Saputra from West Jakarta, and Argha Nugraha from Pontianak.

The winners of the Barista Innovation Challenge 2023 were finally announced based on tight scoring. In the coronation, the winner was entitled to take home an exclusive coffee machine from Orchestrale, which was also attended by Vito Bettiol, Co-Owner, and Founder of Orchestrale.

This victory was warmly welcomed by Angela Tanoesoedibjo, Deputy Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy in the Indonesian Cabinet, who was present during the award presentation on Sunday (10/08).

Here are the names of the winners of the Barista Innovation Challenge 2023:

1. 1st place: Muhammad Hazazi Ajik – Surabaya 

2. 2nd place: Muhammad Dahlan – Banjarmasin 

3. 3rd place: Argha Nugraha – Pontianak 

4. 4th place: Tema’O Hondro – Medan

5. 5th place: Ibnu Saputra – West Jakarta

“We express our heartfelt gratitude to all participants who took part in the Indonesia AeroPress Championship 2023 and Barista Innovation Challenge 2023, and congratulations to the winners,” added Sherley.

“Both competitions have shown that there are many outstanding talents in the coffee industry. Moving forward, we hope that these competitions will encourage creatives in the beverage and coffee field to continuously enhance their skills. See you next year!” concluded Jhoni.