Sad news today at the start of WBC weekend. World Coffee Events has issued a statement about the death of 2019 Philippines Brewers Cup Champion John Michael Hermoso. According to news reports, Hermoso was shot and killed inside of Good Cup Coffee Company in Cebu City around midnight, April 11th, local time.
Hermoso, a managing partner, roaster, and head barista of Good Cup Coffee Company was a seasoned competitor, winning three competitions and placing in four in the last five years:
2014 Philippine Krispy Kreme Latteart Champion (Cebu)
2014 Philippine Krispy Kreme Barista Cup – 2nd Place
2016 Cebu and Food Beverage Expo Latteart – 3rd Place
2017 Cebu and Food Beverage Expo Latteart – 3rd Place
2018 Philippine National Brewers Cup – 4th Place
2018 Sanremo Latteart Throwdown Champion
2019 Philippine National Brewers Cup Champion
WCE issued the following statement:
“This is a heartbreaking and shocking tragedy, and we want to express our deepest condolences to the friends and family of John Michael Hermoso, as well as those of Katie Ramos, who was also killed in the attack, and Jerome Amada and Sherwin Rivera who were injured.
To celebrate the life of John Michael Hermoso, we will be observing a moment of silence at 1:00PM EDT on Friday 4/12 on-site at the World Brewers Cup and World Barista Championship in Boston, and on the livestream at wcc.coffee/boston. Please join us honoring John Michael’s memory and mourning this great loss for the local and global coffee community.
John Michael Hermoso was supposed to be competing at the 2019 World Brewers Cup, but his visa application was rejected by US immigration. John Michael was pursuing Deferred Candidacy to compete in the 2020 World Brewers Cup, and it is enormously sad that he will not have the chance to do so.”
Click here to read the full statement.
This story is developing…
Top photo via World Coffee Events.
