NOW in its second offering, Battle of the Beans will announce the ultimate victors from the top regional finalists in seven regions across KZN. For now, the overall winners remain top secret and, together with the winning baristas and the winning mobile coffee outlets, will only be revealed on January 30.

The Battle of the Beans has evolved and added a special touch from the original coffee competition, which ran over decades. This year, the competition features a separate category for those “serving coffee on the move” to busy commuters and consumers, and has significantly refined its contribution to building the all-important barista community in KZN.

Also read: Locals emerge as cream of the crop of coffee shops

Coffee guru and food critic Ingrid Shevlin, who kept watch over the judging process in each of the seven regions during 2025, said, “In KZN, coffee shops are the cornerstone of the hospitality industry, offering spaces where you can linger over a freshly brewed espresso or a creamy cappuccino while chatting with friends or catching up on some work.

“When thinking about our coffee shops, we realised the importance of affordable community spaces and the contribution that they make to the quality lifestyle in our province and to the tourism sector. We felt it was important to recognise the role that these shops play, both now and into the future.”

She said that the competition’s greatest achievement during 2025 was facilitating the training of three rookie baristas by Famous Brands, as well as the recognition of the Coffee To-Go establishments that are often an important entry point for coffee entrepreneurs.

Also read: And the winner is: Best coffee in town to be crowned

The list of the Battle of the Beans top regional performers that will receive awards on January 30 is as follows (in no particular order):

Berea / Beach / Bluff 
Boston Brew – Morningside, Savior Cafe – Glenwood and Surf Riders Cafe – South Beach.

Lower/Upper Highway
Velvet Coffee Co. – Kloof, Lineage Coffee – Hillcrest and Crane Flower Coffee – Kloof.

Pietermaritzburg / Midlands
Lineage Coffee – Nottingham Road, The Upper Millstone – Hilton and Ground Coffee House – Hilton.

Amanzimtoti / South Coast
Berry Crafty Cafe – Port Edward, Mojo’z – Shelly Beach  and The Packshed – Margate.

North Coast 
Sky – Salt Rock, Coffee Lab – Ballito and Caffe Giordano – Umhlali

Durban North / Glenashley / La Lucia
Noble Coffee – Durban North, Now Coffee – Glenashley and Skyline Coffee – Durban North

Umhlanga
African Roots Cafe, Now Coffee and Home Bru Graft Cafe

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