Results of the 12th Coffee Tea Cacao Russian Expo 2025: unprecedented success and new records for the industry’s largest event
Coffee Tea Cacao Russian Expo 2025, the largest trade exhibition and conference for coffee, tea, cocoa and chocolate in Russia and the CIS, has concluded in Moscow. The event took place from 16 to 18 April at the new, modern Timiryazev Centre venue and brought together more than 200 exhibitors and more than 15,000 industry professionals from across the country.
Over three days, Coffee Tea Cacao Russian Expo 2025 (CTCRE) welcomed roasters, tea and chocolate producers, equipment and ingredient suppliers, owners of coffee shops, hotels and restaurants, and other HoReCa representatives. The exhibition featured an extensive business programme of more than 200 events, including seminars, masterclasses, round tables, tastings and cuppings. At the plenary sessions, experts discussed key market trends, from new roasting solutions to the development of tea culture. In particular, Ramaz Chanturiya, CEO of the ROSCHAYKOFE Association, presented an analytical overview of the Russian tea and coffee market, highlighting the results and trends of 2024.
Competitions identified the country’s best baristas and roasters
National championships traditionally took centre stage. This year, Russia’s best baristas, roasters and tea masters were named. Артур Щербаков of Kanga Roasters won the Barista of the Year 2025 championship: the judges rated his professional skill in preparing espresso, milk drinks and alternative coffee above all others. Thirty-two of the country’s strongest baristas competed for the title in the final.
The Roaster of the Year 2025 national award identified the country’s best coffee roaster and the best company in the open-roast category. Ten talented roast masters, selected through several stages from Kaliningrad to Vladivostok, met in the final. The expert jury’s combined scores named Даниил Макаров of Solo Coffee Russia’s best roaster of 2025. In the Best Company in the Open-Roast Category nomination, Izhevsk-based Tasty Coffee won for the second year in a row with a sample of its own exclusive roast.
Tea Masters Cup Russia also identified the strongest tea professionals. Юрий Куликов of Surf Coffee won Tea Tasting, achieving the best result in a blind comparison of tea samples. Елизавета Тарасова of the Облака Tea Studio became the Russian champion in Tea Preparation. Independent alternative-coffee championships were also held. Виктор Павлюк of Rockets won Aeropress Battle; Любовь Котова of Source Bistro won Insane Latte Art; Андрей Кателин of Аменари won Matcha Latte Battle; Дарья Барташевич of Alvacacau won Chocolate Battle; and Виктор Кузнецов of BunaBuna won Conilon Challenge.
Ceremonies and industry awards
CTCRE traditionally presented industry awards for professional achievement. Based on voting by the industry council and community, recipients of the honorary Person of the Year 2024 title in the coffee and tea industries were announced.
Рахмон Мишелашвили, winner of the Roaster of the Year 2024 national award and a medallist at the Russian Coffee Roasting Championship, was named Person of the Year in the coffee industry, while Игорь Костюков received the audience award.
In the tea industry, Артём Манюхин received the title for organising the Кипяток Фест tea festival, holding numerous tea championships and tastings, and developing tea culture in the regions; Евгений Дюков received the audience award. The exhibition also presented awards to the winners of Packaging of the Year and Chocolate of the Year 2025. In the Chocolate of the Year tasting competition, the jury selected 15 of the best entries from 12 Russian chocolate producers across five categories, from dark bean-to-bar chocolate to chocolate and nut spreads. All prize-winners received their awards at a ceremony on 17 April.
The Project of the Year 2024 award, the principal award for innovation in coffee, tea and chocolate, received special attention. From 20 finalists, the expert jury selected seven outstanding projects that had made a significant contribution to market development. They included Wang Pack’s project to create 100% recyclable tea and coffee packaging, Russia’s first environmentally friendly alternative to traditional packs; the Двойной эКспрессо educational podcast for professionals; the DrinkX automated beverage station; Pouring Project, the country’s first virtual barista championship for online latte-art competition; a product collaboration between bean-to-bar chocolate producer Unicava and speciality-tea brand Чаёк; and The Welder Catherine’s unusual Instant Coffee Cup championship for instant-coffee cup tasting, designed to challenge stereotypes about the taste of instant coffee. All seven winning initiatives received Project of the Year status and were presented with awards on the main stage on 16 April.
The exhibition extended beyond the pavilion
Alongside the educational programme, CTCRE guests enjoyed an extensive entertainment programme. On the first evening, МойЧай.Ру held a themed tea party on 16 April at the historic Club of Tea Culture on Malaya Dmitrovka. Tea from the club’s collection of rare pu-erhs was brewed over an open fire to a musical set by DJ Afendiev & Zapisnoy, allowing guests to enjoy excellent tea, contemporary music and an informal atmosphere. The following day, 17 April, the traditional Безфартуков party was organised for the professional community as an informal meeting place for baristas and roasters. This bar-and-coffee networking event allowed participants to socialise in a friendly atmosphere and celebrate the industry’s achievements.
Another new project that season was the Coffee Guide to Moscow, created by the exhibition together with coffeemap.ru. From 12 to 20 April, sixteen leading Moscow coffee shops prepared original menu items for visitors to the capital inspired by CTCRE. The special menu offered flavours available only during the exhibition, including alcohol-free tea cocktails, experimental coffee microlots with unconventional fermentation, tasting sets of espresso, filter coffee and cappuccino, and much more. Well-known speciality coffee shops took part, from the Чёрный cooperative to Bloom-n-Brew, HQ! Coffee and Floo. According to the organisers, the Coffee Guide showcased the diversity of Moscow’s coffee culture and became a point of attraction for visitors from other cities, allowing them to discover the capital’s leading coffee shops as part of a single event.
Coffee Tea Cacao Russian Expo was organised by КиЧ magazine with the support of the ROSCHAYKOFE Association.
CTCRE once again confirmed its status as the principal platform for coffee, tea and chocolate professionals to communicate, exchange experience and present new products. The exhibition creates unique opportunities to establish business connections and jointly identify new growth opportunities in Russia’s rapidly developing coffee, tea and cocoa market.
The next Coffee Tea Cacao Russian Expo will take place on 15–17 April 2026 at Timiryazev Centre.
The organisers thank the event’s sponsors and partners:
- General water sponsor — BWT water+more
- General milk sponsor — Parmalat (Lactalis)
- General coffee sponsor — Poetti Professional (МилФудс)
- General brewing equipment and boiler sponsor — Франко
- General sponsor of the Barista of the Year championship — Amenari and LaCimbali
- Coffee machine sponsor for Drinks Stage — PROXIMA
- Green coffee sponsor for Roaster of the Year — Wintergreen
- Coffee grinder sponsor — EUREKA
- Coffee sponsor for Barista of the Year — High Tone Coffee Trade and Rockets Coffee
- Cleaning products sponsor — Barista Line
- Accessories and milk-pitcher sponsor — Эльканто, WPM
- Packaging sponsor — ABC Pack
- Equipment sponsor — Complex Bar
- Equipment sponsor — Doppio
- Exhibition sponsor — CafeStore
- Coffee sponsor for Aeropress Battle — Kojo
- Bag sponsor — Green Milk
- Cup sponsor — Greencof
- Cupware sponsor — Möwe
- Coffee sponsor for espresso and milk drinks — Julius Meinl
- Alternative brewing equipment sponsor — Чебоко/Origami
- Milk frother sponsor — Kitfort
- Disposable cup sponsor — Скандипакк
- Syrup sponsor — Proff Syrop
- Coffee sponsor for Insane Latte Art and Drinks Stage — Face to Face/Cafesso
- Tea ware and Tea Tasting tea sponsor — Слон
- Chocolate sponsor for Chocolate Battle — Шоколадный цех
- Matcha tea sponsor — Origami Tea
- Volunteer promotional clothing sponsor — Submarine
- Coffee sponsor for Roaster of the Year, stage 3 — СФТ and Beska
- Exhibition and Tea Preparation tea sponsor — Арома Чай
- Spice sponsor — Vanila Lab
- Dry mix sponsor — Essence
- Cream sponsor — Petmol
- Alternative milk and apron sponsor — Planto
- Automatic tamper sponsor — Puqpress and Мадиан
- Exhibition partner — OSNOVA food tech
- Ice partner — Ледокул
- Water partner — Fahrenheit
- Equipment partner for the Практику zone — SMEG
- Exhibition partner — Flowwow
- Volunteer partner — РУДН
Additional materials:
Photographs folder
https://coffeeteacacaoexpo.ru/ — exhibition website
https://awards.coffeeteacacaoexpo.ru/ — awards website
https://competitions.coffeeteacacaoexpo.ru/ — championships website
https://vk.ru/cafex_expo
https://t.me/cafex_expo
Complete list of winners and award recipients:
Barista of the Year National Award:
- 1st place — Артур Щербаков (Kanga Roasters, Nalchik)
- 2nd place — Сорокин Владислав (Даблби, Irkutsk)
- 3rd place — Сергеев Павел (Smart Day, Irkutsk)
- Tea Masters Cup Russia, Tea Preparation:
- 1st place — Тарасова Елизавета, Облака Tea Studio, Saratov
- 2nd place — Ширинкина Полина, Ankira Tea House, Yekaterinburg
- 3rd place — Магрупов Тимур, Ankira Tea House, Yekaterinburg
Tea Masters Cup Russia, Tea Tasting — Final:
- 1st place — Юрий Куликов, Surf Coffee, Obninsk
- 2nd place — Артуриан Мерцель, Novosibirsk
- 3rd place — Дмитрий Федорищев, Forrest, Perm
Tea Masters Cup Russia, Tea Tasting — Moscow qualifier:
- 1st place — Юрий Куликов, Surf Coffee, Obninsk
- 2nd place — Вячеслав Пощищайло, Май, Moscow
- 3rd place — Роман Сорокин, ООО Ритейл групп, Moscow
Chocolate Battle, cocoa-based beverage championship:
- 1st place — Барташевич Дарья, Alvacacau
- 2nd place — Красильников Степан
Matcha Latte Battle, matcha-based beverage championship:
- 1st place — Андрей Кателин, Аменари, Krasnodar
- 2nd place — Надежда Асташкова, Camera Obscura, Moscow
Aeropress Battle:
- 1st place — Павлюк Виктор, Rockets, Moscow
- 2nd place — Бойко Евгений, Silky Drum, Moscow
- 3rd place — Щербаков Артур, Kanga Roasters, Nalchik
Insane Latte Art Battle:
- 1st place — Котова Любовь, Source Bistro
- 2nd place — Берсунукаев Хож, Кофемания
- 3rd place — Дуйшонов Жантай, That Place
Ароматика sensory championship:
- 1st place — Майя Михайлова, Brew Riot
- 2nd place — Наталья Ларионова, Май
- 3rd place — Надежда Третьякова, ForCup Roasters
Conilon Challenge winner — Виктор Кузнецов (BunaBuna, Tver).
Brai Gran custom-drip championship winner — Сергей Степанчук (Underground Coffee, Moscow).
Roaster of the Year 2025 national award:
- 1st place — Даниил Макаров, Solo Coffee
- 2nd place — Александр Пец, Silky Drum
- 3rd place — Роман Хомченко, Submarine
Best Company in the Open-Roast Category — Tasty Coffee.
Person of the Year 2024 in the coffee industry — Рахмон Мишелашвили
Audience award — Игорь Костюков.
Person of the Year 2024 in the tea industry — Артём Манюхин.
Audience award — Евгений Дюков.
Packaging of the Year 2024 award recipients:
- Best coffee packaging in the HoReCa segment — Tasty Coffee.
- Best coffee packaging in the FMCG segment — HYDE Coffee.
- Best herbal tea packaging — Eastford.
- Best tea packaging — Kama Sutra.
- Best chocolate packaging — The Fruit.
Project of the Year 2024 award recipients:
- 100% recyclable tea and coffee packaging by Wang Pack
Russia’s first fully recyclable packaging for coffee, tea and loose products. - Двойной эКспрессо podcast
An educational podcast for entrepreneurs, baristas and HoReCa professionals. - DrinkX innovative beverage station and Fibbee robotic coffee shop
An All-in-One system for making coffee and other beverages. - Конилон.рф — premium next-generation coffee
A limited Conilon Challenge coffee series developed with Brazilian farmers and scientists. - POURING PROJECT — online latte-art competition
Russia’s first virtual latte-art championship, allowing baristas to compete from anywhere in the country. - INSTANT COFFEE CUP by The Welder Catherine
Russia’s first championship dedicated to instant-coffee cup tasting, designed to challenge stereotypes about its quality. - Chocolate with Chinese tea — Unicava × ЧАЁК collaboration
A project combining Chinese tea culture and modern bean-to-bar chocolate technology.Chocolate of the Year 2025:Bean-to-bar dark chocolate, Single Origin
1st place — ALVACACAU — Philippines Paquibato 70% Dark Chocolate
2nd place — Stereocoffee® — Venezuela Sabaneta 72% Chocolate
3rd place — Stereocoffee® — Madagascar 70% Dark Chocolate
White chocolate
1st place — Трюфелиссимо — Raspberry Dessert Chocolate
2nd place — CacaoAroma — Buckwheat Chocolate
3rd place — Шоколадный цех — Caramel White Chocolate
Alternative chocolate
1st place — Шоколад от Ольги Романовой — 75% Dark Chocolate
2nd place — TOMER — 33% Milk Chocolate with No Added Sugar
3rd place — VERBA MAYR — PREMIUM CHOCOLATE 75% Dark Chocolate
Chocolate with additions
1st place — Малахова шоколад — 80% Chocolate with Pepper
2nd place — Kusalov Chocolate — Milk Chocolate with Juniper and Mandarin
3rd place — Трюфелиссимо — Bumble Chocolate
Cocoa and nut spreads
1st place — ERMOLAEVY chocolate — Hazelnut and Dark Chocolate Spread
2nd place — Kusalov Chocolate — Pistachio Nut-and-Chocolate Spread
3rd place — ШОКОПОЛИЯ — Gianduja Chocolate-and-Hazelnut Spread