Mike Candel
El Salvador
Independent
Please tell us a little about yourself:
I started in specialty coffee three years ago, as a judge for National Barista Championships in my country. From the start I wanted to compete but what really sparked my curiosity was all the diverse coffee brewing methods. I entered into the first official national brewers championship to show my passion for the art of extraction, and to my surprise, ended up winning.
What are you excited to do in Boston?:
Meet interesting people and giving my best effort while competing!
Please list the coffee competitions you have participated in, what year they took place, and your results:
First Place – National Brewers Cup 2019 – El Salvador
How do you see the coffee industry changing in the future?:
There will be more people focusing on achieving direct trade relationships with individual producers, while buying more micro-lots of coffee that have been produced with attention to detail. Coffee shops will find new ways to express these relationships with an innovative approach to customer relationships.
Where do you see yourself in five years?:
Being an embassador of specialty coffee in my country, while supporting projects that aid more sustainable and transparent direct trade relationships!
What are your interests outside of coffee?:
Digital Marketing and Technology.
Is there anyone you would like to thank or recognize, or who helped you to prepare for the WBrC?:
I would like to thank the people that belived in me from the beginning, specifically Marco Ariz, who showed me unconditional support; and Federico Bolaños, for sharing his incredible experience and inexhaustible knowledge of coffee with me.
—
