COFFEE entrepreneurs are gearing up for yet another clash, with the Battle of the Beans (BOB) making its grand entrance for the 2026 instalment.

Last year, the crown went to Lineage Hillcrest as the best coffee outlet in the province. While young, Portia Sibiya of Humble Coffee on Florida Road snapped the Best Barista accolade.

The competition is an annual coffee platform that sets out to recognise and reward KZN entrepreneurs who run the best independent coffee spots across the province. Now in its third year, BOB is hosted by an NPO known as the Coffee Colab, a team of six coffee lovers and media professionals.

“As one of only two provinces that process coffee from bean to brew, we believe that KZN has an important role to play in developing South Africa’s coffee culture. From the farmers that tend the rich red beans on the green hills of our coasts, to our skilled roasters and baristas, we can play an important role in growing this industry,” says marketing guru and experienced coffee judge Bongani Mthiyane.

The engine room of the competition is the hand-picked panel of over 30 judges that crosses the province from the North Coast to the South Coast, throughout Durban, up the Highway and to the Midlands.

“Independent coffee shops can expect incognito visits from these coffee gurus who will be scoring them on the quality of their cappuccinos and espressos as well as the full coffee drinking experience,” said Mthiyane.

After two rounds of judging, regional judging panels will select the top three coffee shops for each region, plus one To-Go coffee outlet and one regional barista winner. The regional winners will then be judged by a specialist team who will select the top three coffee shops in KZN.

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