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tags: [] - coffee/business - coffee/history/figures aliases: - Agnieszka Rojewska WBC - first female World Barista Champion created: 2026-05-10 updated: 2026-05-10

Agnieszka Rojewska

Tags: #coffee/business #coffee/history/figures Aliases: Agnieszka Rojewska WBC, first female World Barista Champion Related: World Barista Championship | Coffee Business MOC | Polish Coffee Culture Status: ✅ Complete

Overview

Agnieszka Rojewska is a Polish barista who won the 2018 World Barista Championship (WBC) in Amsterdam, becoming the first woman to claim the title in the competition's 18-year history. Her win brought significant attention to gender representation in specialty coffee and marked a milestone for the global barista community. She has continued to serve as an ambassador for Polish specialty coffee internationally.

Career and Path to the World Barista Championship

Rojewska is based in Poland and competed in Polish national barista championships multiple times before advancing to the international stage. She placed within the top 10 at the WBC in both 2016 and 2017, demonstrating consistent progression before her championship win. Her preparation involved extensive training in sensory evaluation and coffee science, reflecting the rigorous preparation typical of top WBC competitors.

The 2018 World Barista Championship

The 2018 WBC was held in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Rojewska's winning routine featured a washed Colombian coffee processed with specific yeast inoculation, a method designed to influence the flavour profile at the fermentation stage. Her presentation was built around sensory precision and flavour transparency — communicating to judges exactly what each beverage was intended to deliver and why. The routine was praised for its clarity, technical execution, and the quality of the coffee used.

The World Barista Championship was established in 2000, meaning Rojewska's 2018 win came after 17 consecutive years in which all champions had been male. Her victory was widely celebrated within the specialty coffee industry as a landmark for gender equity in a field that, at the professional competition level, had long been male-dominated.

Significance and Reception

Rojewska's win prompted broader industry conversation about the representation of women at the highest levels of specialty coffee competition and in barista culture more generally. Coverage at the time noted that women constitute a large proportion of the café workforce globally, making the historic absence of female WBC champions a subject of scrutiny. Her championship was seen not only as a personal achievement but as a visible signal of change within the competition circuit.

Post-Championship Activity

Following her championship, Rojewska continued competing, training, and consulting within the specialty coffee sector. She has represented Polish specialty coffee on international platforms, contributing to awareness of Poland's growing café and roasting scene, particularly in Warsaw and Kraków. Poland's specialty coffee industry, while small relative to established markets in western Europe, has expanded steadily since the mid-2010s.

Key Facts

  • Polish barista based in Poland
  • Won the 2018 World Barista Championship in Amsterdam
  • First woman to win the WBC title in the competition's 18-year history (founded 2000)
  • Competed at the WBC in 2016 and 2017, placing in the top 10 on both occasions
  • 2018 routine used a yeast-inoculated washed Colombian coffee
  • Recognised as an ambassador for Polish specialty coffee internationally

References

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