When the Specialty Coffee Association announced the new rules and regulations for the 2023 World Barista Championship, there were some notable changes that were sure to shake up the competition. The biggest update by far was that competitors were now allowed to use plant milks – a rule that many in the industry thought had been a long time coming.

“These updates mark the largest competition changes since before the pandemic, opening up new service possibilities for competitors,” the organisation said in a statement – acknowledging the significance of broadening the types of milk available at the competition.

Following this, many people expected to see a good number of competitors using plant-based milks at the 2023 WBC. But in reality, during the final round, only one person – Danish competitor Patrik Rolf – chose to do so. And even then, he only used a blend which contained both dairy and plant milks.