Javier García: top-level competition and technical craft in the world of coffee

Behind an exceptional cup of coffee there's a rigorous technical process, but also the experience of professionals who have spent years understanding how the bean behaves. In specialty coffee, Javier García's career stands out as a benchmark in the evolution of barista culture and craft roasting in Spain.

Early days and discovering coffee as a fruit

Born in Irún, Gipuzkoa, Javier García started out in traditional hospitality. His perspective changed completely in 2006 when he discovered barista championships, where he understood the true value of high-quality coffee. That discovery redefined his career, pushing him to compete and to go deeper into brewing and extraction techniques.

Dedication and technical precision made Javier one of Spain's most decorated baristas. During his competitive career he achieved major milestones: he is a five-time Spanish Barista Champion and finished fourth at the World Barista Championship in 2011, representing Spain at the world final held in Colombia.

After years at the forefront of competition, he moved into craft roasting, founding Sakona Coffee Roasters in 2015.

Today he brings all that competitive experience to his role as head roaster and "flavour architect". He takes the green coffee carefully selected at origin and applies a precise method to design a specific roast profile for each lot.