It’s been a whirlwind 2024 here at Sprudge! Coffee competitions, coffee exhibitions, coffee conferences—coffee, coffee, coffee! Sprudge’s industry-leading team of expert journalists have covered these events—in Chicago, in Busan, in Copenhagen—from stem to stern, seed to cup, bringing you immersive coverage along the way right here on Sprudge and on social media. But we couldn’t do it alone. We’ve had some specialty help at every destination from our beloved coffee bean mascots, Buzzy The Bean and Spesh L. Tee.
Yes, that’s right. Buzzy and Spesh are arguably the coffee world’s first and undeniably the coffee world’s foremost anthropomorphized bean characters, and they’ve traversed the globe right alongside us to attend the Specialty Coffee Association’s portfolio of international coffee events. Only Buzzy and Spesh are so uniquely capable of bringing joy to the faces of children and coffee celebrities alike, and we’ve been overwhelmed by the response they’ve received by members of the Sprudge reader community around the planet.
There’s little our beans love more than posing for pictures, and so, with Copenhagen finished and this year’s events in the books, we thought we’d take just a moment to look back at their frequent flier hijinks. Buzzy and Spesh love a coffee conference, but are also available to book for your next throw down, sprodown, Bar-or-Bat Mitzvah, wedding, wake, or retirement party. Here’s a few of our favorite moments from SCA Expo Chicago, World of Coffee Asia Busan, and World of Coffee Europe in Copenhagen!
Just outside of the McCormick Place Chicago Lakeside Center, Spesh waits for his car service to one of several exclusive satellite parties.
Spesh takes a photo with 2007 US Barista Champion Heather Perry at the iSi booth in Chicago. He’s looking charged up!
Spesh did not enjoy the robotics on display. Don’t worry Spesh! This model won’t kill you! It just wants to brew you!
Meanwhile, Buzzy the Bean captivates the audience at the 2024 US Latte Art Championship between competitors, talking with 2023 Sprudge Twenty and US Latte Art MC Maya Crowley!
Buzzy and Spesh pose with Sprudge competition coverage mensches Charlie Burt and Zac Cadwalader outside of the gorgeous BEXCO hall in Busan, South Korea. Just moments later they would enter the fabulous (and world’s first) World of Coffee Asia, home of the 2024 World Barista Championship.
Spesh poses at the World of Coffee Asia info booth. Don’t ask Spesh for information! He doesn’t know a thing!
Spesh helps the distinguished Dr. Sunalini Menon (member of the 2024 Sprudge Twenty) lead a specialty robusta cupping at World of Coffee Europe in Copenhagen.
Buzzy creeps around the 2024 Cezve/Ibrik Championship stage. Get off the stage, Buzzy! You don’t have clearance!
Buzzy tries out the new La Marzocco/Specialized espresso bicycle collaboration at the La Marzocco satellite event Out of the Box. Whoa, there, Buzzy! That bike’s already spoken for!
Spesh goes in for a group hug with the 2024 Cezve/Ibrik Champion Jordan Tachnakian of France.
Did you take a photo with Buzzy and Spesh at these events? Tag us in your favorite photos on your social media platform of choice, except for Twitter, which is dead.
Look out for these two at future World of Coffee events in Geneva, Jakarta, and at the Specialty Coffee Expo in Houston in 2025!
