Rayco Paz, runner-up at the Spanish Barista Championship

In 2025, the coffee scene in La Palma showed just how high its level is when Rayco Paz won second place in the Spanish Barista Championship. The competition took place during the second edition of Spain Coffee Fest in Madrid.

At last year's championship, which brought together experts from all over the country and judges from several countries under the umbrella of the Specialty Coffee Association, the barista from La Palma confirmed his place among the best in the discipline.

The real lesson of the competition was the philosophy behind the bar. As the winner himself explained, summing up years of work in a 15-minute performance in front of the judges is a huge challenge, but his real championship is "working day after day, serving good coffee, looking after people well and getting your customers to come and see you because they like you".

To understand how significant this kind of recognition is, you have to look at the market. Industry figures suggest that 86% of the coffee imported into Spain is very low quality, and a further 13% is low quality.

This award adds to a long list of recognitions in Rayco Paz's career, having already won national titles such as Best Latte Art in Spain and Best Espresso.