Large news for the U.S. coffee industry as 2025 brings US Coffee Championship have been officially announced, and with them significant changes to the structure of the event. 2025 will look very different, but for those who have been following coffee competitions for a while, it may sound familiar.
Announced via Coffee Masters in the USA on Instagramthe biggest changes are that the 2025 season will return to a true regional format, splitting the country into three divisions: USCC West, USCC Central, and USCC East. The novel structure will feature two rounds of competition as opposed to three and will “effectively combine the Preliminary and Qualifier formats to return to the Regional Competitions format that existed previously,” according to the announcement. This includes moving the mandatory format from the previous Preliminary round to Regionals as a way to reduce the cost of competing at this level.
The USCC Leadership Committee has been working over the past few months to take an forthright look at the state of the USCC, what we value, what the community values, and has begun to make strategic changes to create a more sustainable, accessible, and meaningful USCC structure. After many conversations among the USCC Leadership Team, past and present, each of the individual competition leadership teams, valued sponsors and past hosts, and individuals from the Coffee Community, SCA, and the US Chapter, we have decided to return to the Regional Qualifying Structure to be launched in the 2025 season… While there is much to consider as we collectively navigate this novel season, we hope this decision will create a competition culture that better represents those who produce, support, and participate in the USCC, while also allowing the specialty coffee community to be more deeply involved in its production and more meaningfully impact the communities that engage with it.
The format includes a change in venue. The USCC is moving away from larger venues — “completely different from the Expo” — and will instead be hosted by community partners. Partner locations will receive support and sponsorship from the USCC at both the regional and national levels, and the national competition will be held at a “stagnant location” with long-time hosts. Not yet selected, host partner applications open Friday, August 9.
The USCC will also host season openers and listening sessions on Wednesday, August 7 and 14. You can sign up to attend each session Here.
For more information, visit the US Coffee Champs website Instagram page.
