Milklab’s Roaster Royale competition to return in 2025

Milklab’s Roaster Royale is returning for its second year in 2025, with winners to be announced at the Melbourne International Coffee Expo (MICE) in March. 

As part of the competition, roasters compete to create their own coffee roast using supplied green beans from InterAmerican Coffee that best pairs with Milklab Oat.

The top prize includes a trip to Brazil, $10,000 in cash, and a Milklab Roaster Partnership, while the runner-up will receive $5000. Additionally, the MICE favourite – a new category where attendees will blind taste the top five roasts to decide the winner – will receive $1000.

According to Milklab Brand Manager Melanie Ung, last year’s event was a success because it nurtured relationships and platformed roasters within the Australian coffee community.

“It was a highlight to collaborate with so many Australian roasters and see the feedback and engagement we received from them,” she says.

“Roasters were excited to see an initiative that speaks directly to them and highlight their contributions to the coffee industry in a way we haven’t done before.”

Eligibility criteria state that participants must enter as a roaster, be commercially selling wholesale coffee at the time of entry, be based in Australia, and only use the supplied green beans in their submissions.

To enter, participants must be among the first 100 eligible roasters to submit their expression of interest by 22 December 2024.

In January, Milklab will provide a Roaster Royale competitor kit including green beans from InterAmerican Coffee. Participants must send submit one kilogram of their roast along by 7 February 2025 for judging.

Entries will be blind-tasted, and the top five will be announced by 17 February 2025. These finalists will be showcased at MICE during the Roaster Royale Grand Finals, where a winner will be crowned.

Melanie says last year’s event was significant for roasters as it highlighted some crucial shifts within the industry.

“It brought up an interesting conversation starter on how café and coffee culture is evolving,” she says.

“With one in three coffee drinkers now choosing plant milk, there’s a significant market that roasters can engage with directly.”