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🇺🇦 📍London
gm @formativecoffee
UKBC 2026🥇

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Two new coffees are joining the lineup today.

Ruby Punch is a bright, juicy Kenyan coffee produced by around 1,500 smallholder farmers working with the Gaturiri wet mill in Nyeri. Built around SL28 and SL34, it has notes of blackcurrant, pomegranate and hibiscus, with vibrant acidity, layered sweetness and the clean structure we love in washed Kenyan coffees.

London Fog is October’s Exceptional Subscription coffee. Produced by smallholder farmers around Gotiti in Gedeb, Yirgacheffe, this washed Ethiopian is a little more delicate, with bergamot, white peach and jasmine, elegant acidity and a clean, tea-like finish. A beautifully aromatic expression of washed Ethiopian coffee.

There would have been a third coffee joining them today, but Ginger Beer, September’s Exceptional Subscription coffee, didn’t quite make it. The advanced washed Colombian from Linarco Rodriguez at Betania Farm sold out before we had the chance to release the remaining coffee online.

Ruby Punch is available now in the café and online. London Fog is available exclusively through our Exceptional Subscription.

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Back in the training room with Dasha.

Some of the sponsored equipment she’ll be using on stage at the World Barista Championship has arrived, including the @ceado Rev Zero and @weberworkshops Unibasket, so it’s time to start getting familiar with it.

We’ve given her Peachy to dial in while she gets used to the new setup. Partly because it’s one of our favourite coffees to drink around the roastery, but also because it comes from Nestor Lasso, who produced the coffee Dasha used to win the UK Barista Championship earlier this year.

With WBC only a few weeks away, we’re spending some time with Dasha in the training room as she works through the equipment, the coffee, her presentation and the process of getting ready to represent the UK on the world stage.

Peachy is available in the café and on our web store.

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Meet Dasha @dariabilaa, the 2026 UK Barista Champion.

Dasha was a first-time competitor at UKBC, and she did it with a coffee that’s been on the Formative Café menu since the team first sourced it.

It’s a coffee we’ve always loved serving, and one that customers can actually afford to order in a café. Which, for a coffee that just won the UK Barista Championship, is pretty unusual.

Over the next few weeks, as Dasha gets ready for the World Barista Championship in Panama, we’ll be sitting down with her to talk about her process, her experience competing, and the things she finds interesting about coffee.

First up: Say hi 👋🏻

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Daria Bila’s journey to becoming the 2026 UK Barista Champion is about much more than competition.
In this episode, she talks about moving from Ukraine to Dublin and then to London, discovering specialty coffee from scratch, and finding a sense of comfort and community in coffee while building a new life. She shares how that journey led her to Formative Coffee, management, and ultimately the UK Barista Championship - which she won on her first attempt. We also look ahead to her preparations for the World Barista Championship in Panama, her connection to Ukraine’s coffee community, and what might come next🤍

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What an unforgettable 2026 season of the UK Barista Championships! 🏆 From high-stakes regionals to an incredible final, we’ve loved every second of watching our UK coffee community push the boundaries of flavor, technique, and hospitality.

Huge congratulations once again to our 2026 Champion, Daria Bila! 🥇 Standing alongside her on the podium are the incredible Laura Metcalfe in second and Ted Longden in third.

A massive shoutout to every single competitor who took to the stage this year, from the breakthrough newcomers to the seasoned veterans, as well as the dedicated coaches, friends, and family cheering from the sidelines.

Of course, this entire season would not be possible without the generous time of our incredible volunteers and judges, and the unwavering support of our sponsor family:
@dallacorte.uk @1895bylavazza @lavazzauk @oatly @ceado @brita.uk @brita.professional @brew_it_group_official @espressosolutions @brades_farm @cafettoglobal @nizatto @theinstituteofcoffee_ @puq.coffee

🎥 @nizatto

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The blackberry foraging queen, emigrating cousins, judgmental gremlins, and London brewfriends made this July go round.

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Sponsoring the UKBC’s has been a career highlight, and one I’m so proud of. Not only that, but we get to celebrate the best baristas across the country as they battle it out on stage for the illustrious title of UK champion.

Having joined the @sca_uk Chapter as part of the committee this year, I had the opportunity to sponsor the most prestigious coffee competition in the country. To have my name alongside some juggernauts of the industry has put into perspective just how far I’ve developed the business.

You shouldn’t celebrate all your wins but this is a big one for me and I’m so happy to get to be a part of this incredible competition.

Congratulations to all our competitors and of course, our winner; we’ll be rooting for you in the final in Panama!

Thanks to all my fellow sponsors;

@dallacorte.uk
@lavazzauk
@oatly
@nizatto
@brita.uk
@brades_farm
@espressosolutions
@brew_it_group_official
@cafettoglobal
@ceado
@puq.coffee

And one more time: The Institute of Coffee 🎉

Credit: @nizatto

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The lovely ladybird that stayed on the SCA board when I met her before walking into the venue on the final day—I really think she brought me some luck. It was a good day!

No matter what the result is, I just want to express my appreciation for everyone who went through this journey with me.

Thank you to my bro/coach/helper/assistant/qc/flatmate/colleague/bff @hofai ! I am so honored to get into the final with you again! I couldn‘t have imagined this 6 years ago. We grew up together and we did it! Thanks for flying back-to-back.

Thank you to my 2nd bro/helper/assistant/qc @harry_lo and my bb @koyi_batears! You two are always so supportive. Also, thank you for taking such good care of my cat while I was busy practicing🥹

Thank you @siuling__14! My mental health supporter! Always drinking with me until late haha

Thank you to my roaster/supporter @jesseccy! You really pushed me a lot over the years and keep pushing me lol

Thank you to the whole oma team from the UK to HK. Always so warm and full of love🧡

I have no idea how far I’ve come, but I feel so grateful to experience everything with all the lovely people who have crossed paths with me. I hope I made some of you proud! See you all in the future.

Love🫶🏼

#UKBC2026 #5thplace

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Some moments are worth celebrating.

A huge congratulations to our colleague Daria Billa - the newest UK Barista Champion.

To win the UK Barista Championship on her very first attempt is an incredible achievement, and is testament to Dasha’s hard work & dedication.

In October, Dasha will represent the UK at the World Barista Championship in Panama, competing alongside the very best coffee professionals in the world.

This also marks something we’re incredibly proud of as a team: for the fourth consecutive year, Formative Coffee will be represented at the highest level of coffee competition.

Competition has always been about more than trophies for us. It’s about curiosity, experimentation, relentless practice, and pushing ourselves to better understand coffee and hospitality. Seeing our team continue that tradition is something special.

Congratulations, Dasha. Panama awaits. 🇵🇦☕️

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Your 2026 UK Barista Champion is Daria Bila! 🏆

A huge congratulations to @laurinacoffee and @tedlongshot for securing second and third place.

Congratulations to all the competitors who took part in the competition this year. We have seen some incredible performances from both seasoned veterans and breakthrough newcomers.

We could not have run such a great competition this year without the incredible volunteers and judges who generously gave up their time.

A massive thank you to the sponsors who make this all possible: 🙌 @dallacorte.uk @1895bylavazza @lavazzauk @oatly @ceado @brita.uk @brita.professional @brew_it_group_official @espressosolutions @brades_farm @cafettoglobal @nizatto @theinstituteofcoffee_ @puq.coffee

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