Ceado named official grinder for the 2026 and 2027 World Barista Championship

Ceado has been named Qualified Espresso Grinder Sponsor for the World Barista Championship for the 2026 and 2027 cycle.

For the next two seasons, when the world’s barista champions step onto that stage and prepare their espresso course, they’ll be grinding on Ceado equipment. Not one competitor. All of them. Same platform, same baseline and same scrutiny.

The World Barista Championship sits inside the Specialty Coffee Association’s competition structure. It’s the one most people pay attention to. National champions compete. Judges taste carefully. Scores are tight. Small differences show up fast.

When a grinder is selected for that environment, it has to behave. Every single time.

What the Ceado WBC sponsorship really involves

Under this Ceado WBC sponsorship, Ceado grinders will serve as the standard espresso platform during the championship.

It means every competitor works from the same mechanical starting point. Judges aren’t scoring a grinder. They’re scoring a barista. So the grinder can’t introduce instability. It can’t fluctuate. It can’t become part of the story for the wrong reasons.

Yet, in competition espresso, grind is not a background detail. If particle distribution drifts, flavour drifts. If retention builds up, shot consistency changes. Under bright lights and a tight clock, those details become obvious.

So for two full seasons, Ceado’s grinders will operate in the most exposed espresso environment in specialty coffee.

The two grinders on stage

Ceado has qualified two models for the championship: the REV Zero and the E37Z Naked.

Both use 83 millimetre flat burrs. So the foundation’s the same. After that, they approach grind architecture differently.

The REV Zero uses Ceado’s reverse grinding system and its Sweep Out mechanism, designed to reduce retention inside the chamber. It runs K110 steel burrs coated in Red Speed.

The E37Z Naked also uses 83 millimetre flat burrs, this time with DLC coating. It includes Steady Lock Grinder technology and the Quick Set Gear adjustment system.

If you care about grinder mechanics, those features signal alignment stability and controlled adjustment. If you don’t, here’s the simpler version. Both grinders are built to stay consistent and allow fine control under pressure.

That’s what matters at WBC.

Where Ceado fits in the bigger picture

The World Barista Championship is part of the broader World Coffee Championships portfolio produced by the Specialty Coffee Association. Seven competitions. Global audience. A serious ecosystem.

Equipment partners inside that structure are visible to baristas, roasters, café owners, and distributors around the world.

Ceado, founded in 1998 in Venice, has long been respected for its engineering and Italian manufacturing roots. With this WBC sponsorship, it now occupies the official espresso grinder slot at the most visible competition in specialty coffee.

In the company’s statement, CEO Michele Girardi described the partnership as recognition of Ceado’s focus on precision and innovation in grinding technology, emphasising consistent and reliable performance at the highest professional level.

What to actually watch over the next two years

The headline is simple. Ceado is the official grinder sponsor for the 2026 and 2027 World Barista Championship. But the real story won’t live in the announcement. It will play out on stage. In routines, finals and in the way competitors talk about their workflow when the clock is tight and the margins are thin.

On that stage, you’ll see how the grinders behave across different coffees and different styles. You’ll see how easily competitors dial in. You’ll see whether the workflow feels calm or tense.

Competition has a way of clarifying things. Not loudly. Just visibly.

For operators, that’s useful. It’s two full seasons of exposure in the most scrutinised espresso environment in specialty coffee. For distributors, it becomes a reference point. For serious café owners, it becomes part of the shortlist conversation.

And for Ceado, it’s straightforward. For two years, their grinders will sit where everyone can see them. That’s how reputations grow. Not in headlines. In cups.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Ceado WBC sponsorship exactly?

The Ceado WBC sponsorship means Ceado is the Qualified Espresso Grinder Sponsor for the World Barista Championship in 2026 and 2027. Its grinders will serve as the official platform used during the espresso course for all competitors.

What does qualified espresso grinder sponsor mean?

It means the grinders meet the Specialty Coffee Association’s competition standards and have been approved for use at the championship. They must perform consistently and reliably across multiple competitors and coffees.

Which Ceado grinders will be used at WBC?

The two models qualified are the REV Zero and the E37Z Naked. Both use 83 millimetre flat burrs but differ in grind architecture and internal design.

Why does the World Barista Championship matter for equipment?

The World Barista Championship is the most visible competition in specialty coffee. Equipment used there is tested under intense scrutiny and becomes part of the professional reference point for operators worldwide.

How long will Ceado be the WBC grinder sponsor?

The Ceado WBC sponsorship covers two full seasons, 2026 and 2027. Over those two years, the grinders will operate on the championship stage and be visible to the global specialty coffee community.