There is more to your comment than meets the eye. On first look it appears you dont think there is much "value" to be gained in the barista comp you've described however try looking at it from another perspective....there is absolutely nothing wrong with a supplier wishing to run a closed comp for its own cafe customers and their staff. There is no doubt it will boost morale among them, do something positive for and lift the profile of the "industry" (as well as the supplier / and there is nothing wrong with this), and by injecting a bit of competition between the participants improve the level of coffee making within their system. It's also a way for the supplier to "give back" to his own clients. The level of coffee making attained will be relative to the participants and of course the standard of the judges. If the judges are only "token" judges, they will learn something from the participants. This is still a good thing... I would call all these things positives, something from which all should benefit, and dont worry about the possibility / probablilty about it only being a publicity stunt...all "barista" comps are. Ultimately someone will win something, and all the participants will go away with a resolve to improve their performance in the job. The coffee supplier will go away with ideas on how to improve its comp for next time, and hopefully will improve the standard of the judges. Everybody wins, no? G.
