ESTA Hub was once again at the heart of Caffè Culture Show, hosting a Tea Brew Bar, a brand-new Matcha Bar, engaging panel discussions, two tea competitions, and educational workshops.
ESTA HUB
TEA VILLAGE
Tea Village
This year, we not only gave tea a presence in the coffee shop world, but a platform. And that platform was the Tea Village, a vibrant space to meet leading tea companies and discover their products. The Tea Village celebrated the craft, culture and innovation transforming the tea world.
Thank you to Tea Rebellion, Matcha & Beyond, Suki Tea, Chalo (For the Love of Chai), Espresso Warehouse, Teapy T-4-1 and Novus for making sure that speciality tea was well represented.
MATCHA BAR
MilkPal from Marco
ESTA introduced a brand-new feature at Caffè Culture: the Matcha Bar. It took the support of Marco, BRITA, Suki Tea, Matcha & Beyond, Oatly, and Good & Proper Tea to bring it to life.
The all new MilkPal from Marco steamed away all day long, while experts demonstrated traditional whisking and batch-brewing, giving visitors a chance to experience matcha in every form.
TEA BREW BAR
We brought the world of tea together on one bar at this year’s Caffè Culture Show, the Tea Brew Bar, a space where teas from different companies and origins were brewed side by side.
Visitors didn’t just taste tea — they gained insights into:
- How origin influences flavour (soil, climate, and craft make every cup unique)
- Why brewing method matters (temperature, time, and water change everything)
- How sharing tea sparks new business — conversations led to collaborations and deals right at the bar
PANEL DISCUSSIONS
Brew for the Planet
Bernadine Tay, Ajit Madan and Annabel Kalmar explored how regenerative farming isn’t just a buzzword, but a living solution to climate challenges, soil depletion, and the future of one of the world’s most-loved drinks.
From farmers sharing the courage it takes to change decades-old practices, to the science behind healthier soils and richer biodiversity, one thing was clear: tea can be a force for regeneration, not just consumption.
This discussion reminded us that every cup carries a story - of the land, of the people, and of choices that can either exhaust or restore our planet.
The main conclusion: Regeneration is possible, but it requires awareness, investment, and all of us - drinkers, buyers, brands, and growers - to take part.
Matcha Rising: Balancing Demand, Quality and Sustainability
The ESTA Matcha Panel dug into the realities of sourcing and sustainability in matcha. Panel speakers included Oscar Woolley (SUKI Tea), Olivia Nottin (Matcha & Beyond), and Annabel Kalmar (Tea Rebellion, panel host).
Did you know that Matcha (or tencha used for matcha) accounts for about 6% of Japan’s total tea production (not fields) according to the Global Japanese Tea Association.
With global demand booming, the bottleneck isn’t just the interest, it’s production capacity. High-grade matcha can’t be rushed, and farmers are balancing tradition with the pressure of scaling up.
Add to that the challenge of climate change and labour shortages, and it’s clear: quality matcha is more precious than ever.
Panels like this matter because they give our industry space to share challenges openly, learn from each other, and set the standard for responsible growth. Matcha is here to stay. It may have started with social media for its visual appeal, but the focused calm it delivers is something people won’t be giving up any time soon.
COMPETITIONS
Diana, Mero and Jonathan
Tea Tasting Competition
Thank you to all who stepped up — your skill, courage, and sharp palates made the competition electric.
Congratulations to the winners:
1st: Mero Lam – who also was first last year
2nd: Diana Perez
3rd: Jonathan Ying
Matcha Latte Art competitors: Mads, Alex-Linh, Gordon and David
Matcha Latte Art Competition
Baristas from across the event stepped up to the green stage, whisking vibrant matcha to perfection, stretching silky milk and plant-based foam, and pouring pure magic into every cup
Congrats to our winner Gordon Yuen, and applause to all the competitors who poured their hearts out - literally.
Thanks once again to our sponsors who made it all possible
And thank you to all the product providers
FIRST EUROPEAN TEA CHAMPIONSHIPS HELD AT
AMSTERDAM COFFEE FESTIVAL
ESTA presented its first ever European Tea Tasting Championship and Matcha Latte Art Championship at the Amsterdam Coffee Festival on 5th April.
Competitors representing Belgium, Netherlands and the United Kingdom gathered together, having won their own competitions over the past six months and were joined by the winners of the ACF25 open championship which had been held earlier on at the Festival.
Tea Tasting Championship
Ron de Wit, Annabelle Maes, Mero Lam and Frans Van Den Berg awaiting the result of the Tea Tasting competition
The Tea Championships are a culmination of several years of work by ESTA in encouraging tea professionals to compete to improve their skills and passion for speciality tea, as well as in a fun way promoting the popularity of matcha in the coffee shop sector.
Tea Tasting Competitors preparing
The Tea Tasting Competition on the face of it is quite simple, the competitors have to taste a series of teas in a triangular formation and pick the odd one out. Sounds easy, but the difference is often so subtle that it takes really high sensory skills to taste the difference.
So, congratulations and well done to Frans van den Berg of Barista Brothers for winning a tough competition, having earlier qualified in the ACF25 Open.
Frans van den Berg
Matcha Latte Art Championship
Caitlin McArdle
Caitlin McArdle also qualified through the ACF25 open championship to become ESTA’s first ever European Matcha Latte Art Champion combining matcha whisking skills with latte art creativity to produce a beautiful cup of matcha latte. This drink is becoming more and more popular in café bars and coffee shops across Europe and we like to think that the ESTA competition which is now in its fourth year has played a part in that.
ESTA would like to thank the Amsterdam Coffee Festival for hosting our Championships, Wendelien van Bunnik for compering the competitions, Annabelle Maes and Annemarie Tiemes for their organisational skills, all of the volunteers for their hard work and our sponsors Brita Water Filters, Alpro, Hario, Kaori Tea and Spices and Mount Everest Tea for making it all possible.
The 2025 edition of Horecava in Amsterdam was a successful one for the ESTA Benelux Chapter as they hosted the Matcha Latte Art and Tea Tasting competitions, supported by Speciality Coffee Association and sponsored by BRITA.
The winners of the two competitions will go on to represent Netherlands in the European Finals to be held later in the year.
Willem Huisman of Brita presented winner Ron de Wit and the runners up with their trophies and prizes.