“A milk-foam flower blossomed after 60”... Starbucks names senior latte art champions

[The Financial News] Starbucks Korea held a senior barista competition to strengthen the professional skills of senior baristas nationwide and encourage them to seek employment.
According to industry sources on the 14th, Starbucks Korea held the “5th Senior Barista Latte Art Competition” at the Starbucks Support Center in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, on the 13th.
In 2019, Starbucks signed a business agreement with the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Senior Club Association to encourage senior baristas to seek employment. It has since supported barista training by establishing a shared-growth training center at Gunpo Senior Club.
A total of 134 senior baristas from across the country who work at cafes affiliated with the Korea Senior Club Association entered the preliminary round of the fifth competition. After competing, 16 advanced to the final round.
The top honors—the Minister of Health and Welfare Award and the Starbucks CEO Award—went to Lee Geum-suk, a barista at Bucheon Senior Club, and Yoo Geun-yeol, a barista at Chungbuk Jincheon Senior Club, respectively.
Lee Geum-suk, who received the Minister of Health and Welfare Award, said, “I became interested in latte art and got started because I thought that serving coffee decorated with latte art might make the person receiving it happy, too.” She added, “If other senior baristas take an interest and practice every day, I think they can achieve good results, too.”
Shin Dong-woo, CEO of Starbucks Korea, said, “Through senior baristas’ serious approach to coffee and their constant learning, I feel the power of coffee to connect people and create new value.” He added, “We will continue to support more seniors so they can put their experience and abilities to use.”



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