LISBON, PT. Inside Suspenso, a sleek and minimalist venue nestled in the maze-like streets of Alfama, a collective of people from across the globe gathered. The World AeroPress Championship 2024, an unassuming yet fiercely beloved competition, drew coffee enthusiasts from across 60 countries to Lisbon, a city that has become a hub for global events.
Over two days, passionate brewers—some seasoned professionals, many enthusiastic amateurs—competed for the title. Perhaps the most endearing part of the championships was that George Stanica, an IT worker from Romania with no professional coffee experience, was crowned World AeroPress Champion. Hundreds of AeroPress fans watched as Stanica out-brewed competitors from around the world in a tournament that celebrates simplicity, creativity, and passion over gadgetry or technique.
AeroPress Championship Winners 2024
🥇 George Stanica @george_e_st, ROMANIA 🇷🇴
🥈 Sophan Nugraha @sophannugraha, INDONESIA 🇮🇩
🥉 Jamika (Mahmoud) Jamika @mahmoud_jamika111, EGYPT 🇪🇬
Most refreshing is there’s no divisions in this championship; It’s amateur, homebrewer vs coffee pro. But the story here, beyond the brew-offs, is not just about coffee. It’s about the power of community, and more significantly, what brands can learn from it.
A Grassroots Community, Global Impact
Granted, it’s not the biggest coffee event in the calendar, but in recent years, the World AeroPress Championship has become more than just a quirky coffee competition. What started in 2008 with a small gathering of three competitors in Oslo has bloomed into a series of events spanning over 60 countries, drawing more than 5,000 competitors worldwide. Unlike the polished world of high-end coffee exhibitions, AeroPress has always been about stripping the brewing process down to its essence: a simple plastic device, hot water, ground beans (good quality), and a community-driven spirit.
For brands paying attention, this championship offers a glimpse into the future of marketing—one that doesn’t just revolve around big budgets, influencers, or product placement, but is instead built on authenticity, engagement, and a shared sense of purpose.
Read more about fandom and why brands who build fan-finity into their strategy will dominate the next decade, here.
Lessons for Brand Leaders
The AeroPress Championship’s unique approach presents an important lesson for brands: communities aren’t just customers—they’re a living, breathing ecosystem that brands can learn from. Again, it’s not the biggest coffee event in the calendar, but it’s backed by the brand and a few key sponsors that contribute towards brand love.
Here are a few key takeaways:
1. Passion Over Product
At its core, the AeroPress competition is about passion. George Stanica, the 2024 champion, isn’t a professional. He’s a homebrewer who brews coffee in his kitchen like millions of others worldwide. And yet, his passion for AeroPress—and his ability to turn that passion into a victory—resonated with the crowd. Brands need to embrace this: customers aren’t just buying products, they’re buying into a community.
Highlight the passion behind the product, and people will connect on a deeper, more emotional level. Personally, I don’t like GymShark clothing, but they know how to build fan-finity, and community.
2. Embrace the Community, Not Just the Sale
The energy at this year’s AeroPress Championship wasn’t driven by flashy sponsorships or high-profile influencers. Instead, it was fueled by a sense of belonging—a global community of coffee enthusiasts eager to share their knowledge, skills, and love for the craft.
For brands, this is a reminder that the most powerful way to engage consumers isn’t always through direct sales or marketing pitches.
Instead, offer opportunities for education and collaboration. For the next AeroPress Championship, introducing workshops and classes during future competitions can build an even greater, more meaningful connection. These interactions foster loyalty by giving something back to the community, rather than simply asking for more.
3. Authenticity is Everything
There’s no place for pretension at the AeroPress Championship. It’s a competition built on humble roots and continues to honour its DIY ethos. The competitors aren’t wielding expensive, high-tech equipment. Instead, they use a simple plastic brewer that costs less than $40. In a time when consumers are increasingly wary of polished, overt marketing, brands can take a page from this event: authenticity speaks louder than any ad campaign. Whether it’s a coffee competition or a brand story, honesty and simplicity cut through the noise.
4. Engage the Fanbase
The specialty coffee industry as a whole has achieved something remarkable: it has turned coffee-making into a form of self-expression and fandom. James Hoffmann and other coffee YouTubers invite homebrewers to geek out on the best brewing methods, the latest coffee tech and be okay to find other coffee enthusiasts to share their latest technique with.
Enthusiasts across the world gather not just to compete, but to share techniques, swap stories, and collectively celebrate their love of coffee. Brands that can harness this kind of organic, user-generated content will thrive in today’s marketplace. Encouraging customers to share their experiences—whether it’s through social media or live events—creates a sense of community that turns fans into lifelong advocates.
Who could have imagined that when Alan Adler invented the AeroPress in 2005, it would spark a global competition where strangers vie for a golden AeroPress to proudly display on their mantelpiece or coffee shop counter 20 years later?
The Future of Coffee—and Community
I’ve never been to an AeroPress Championship before 2024. As the World AeroPress Championship wrapped up, one thing became clear: this is more than just a competition. It’s a celebration of everyday coffee drinkers who have turned brewing into a ritual, a hobby, and for some, an obsession. And while the event is growing in popularity, its authenticity remains intact. The lack of glitz and glamour is what gives it a unique charm—and that’s precisely what brands should be paying attention to.
Looking ahead, the AeroPress Championship could evolve to include more than just brewing contests.
Organisers can look into the idea adding even more value. Integrating workshops, led by roasters or AeroPress representatives, that dive deeper into technique, brewing science, and sustainable sourcing would be fantastic. These could provide added value to attendees, allowing them to leave the event with not just memories, but new skills and insights. And crucially, this model would prioritise education over sales—a direction that aligns with the values of this dedicated community.
For brands, whether within or outside of the coffee industry, the key takeaway is: communities like those that form around AeroPress are powerful because they’re rooted in passion, inclusivity, and genuine connection.
In a world increasingly dominated by digital interactions, real-world experiences that bring people together—and make them feel part of something bigger—are invaluable.
It’s not about pushing a product, but about fostering a culture. Brands that can do this, that can tap into the fandoms already thriving in their industries, have the opportunity to create something lasting.
As for AeroPress? The humble brewer shows no signs of slowing down. And as coffee culture continues to build, it’s clear that the real winners of these championships are not just the crowned champions, but the global community they inspire.
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