South Korea’s Dongsuh Foods is using the upcoming 2026 Kanu Barista Championship finals in Seoul to bring competition coffee directly into consumers’ kitchens, launching limited-edition stick coffee and capsule coffee machines around a single Guatemalan origin. The company announced on 18 August that this brand campaign will roll out ahead of the 19–20 September finals at the Central City Open Stage in Shinsegae Department Store Gangnam Branch, according to The Asia Business Daily and Aju Press.
The centerpiece of the finals will be the “Kanu Whole Bean Coffee Guatemala Antigua Cafetio Bourbon Natural Micro Lot,” a premium coffee harvested in the highlands of Antigua, Guatemala and described by The Asia Business Daily as offering a harmonious mix of fresh fruity aromas and smooth sweetness. Aju Press reports the bean under the slightly different name “Kanu Guatemalan Antigua Cafetillo Bourbon Natural Micro Lot” from the high-altitude Cafetillo farm, processed using the natural method, underscoring its micro-lot positioning even as spellings differ between outlets.
To extend that competition experience into homes, Dongsuh Foods will also release “Kanu Guatemala Antigua SHB” in boxes of 40, an instant whole bean coffee made from beans sourced from the same origin as the championship coffee, The Asia Business Daily reported. The product is said to showcase a cocoa-like sweetness and the characteristic acidity of Central and South American coffee, while Aju Press notes that SHB refers to beans grown slowly at high altitudes, resulting in dense, richly aromatic cups.
The campaign additionally includes a limited-edition capsule coffee machine, the “Kanu Barista Pebble Black&Red,” which will feature the visual identity of the Kanu Barista Championship, according to both The Asia Business Daily and Aju Press. Existing Kanu sticks, Kanu Barista Capsules, and Kanu Whole Bean Coffees will carry the championship logo and a QR code that links buyers to event-related activities, The Asia Business Daily reported, strengthening the bridge between the competition stage and everyday consumption.
An unnamed representative of Dongseo Foods, the brand’s marketer, told Aju Press that “we planned this campaign so that everyday consumers can enjoy the special coffee showcased at the Kanu Barista Championship,” adding that the company aims to continue promoting Kanu’s coffee expertise through various products and brand activities. Earlier, marketing manager Lee Jeongwon described the 2026 event as “a stage for discovering new possibilities and inspiration through coffee” and said Dongseo looks forward to seeing the diverse talents and creative coffee philosophies of the participants, in comments reported by The Asia Business Daily.
This year marks the third edition of the Kanu Barista Championship, held under the theme “Discovery,” with applications open from 8 May to 7 June via the official Kanu website for anyone aged 18 or older, according to The Asia Business Daily. Preliminary rounds are scheduled for 13–16 July at the Maxim Plant in Seoul’s Hannam-dong district, where competitors will work in espresso and Americano categories before the top performers move to the finals at Shinsegae’s Central City Open Stage.
The 2026 champion will receive 30 million won and a trophy, while second and third place will earn 10 million and 5 million won respectively, and those placing fourth through eighth will each receive 1 million won, The Asia Business Daily reported. In the 2025 edition, also held at Shinsegae’s Central City Open Stage, eight finalists competed in designated Americano and latte rounds followed by a creative menu segment, with barista Kim Gaeun winning the grand prize for “Golden,” a drink combining Kanu espresso with green tea, allulose and mango syrup, The Asia Business Daily noted.
Reflecting on the 2025 finals, Dongseo Food executive director of marketing Kang Seongryong said it was an opportunity to witness the capabilities and creative efforts of domestic baristas and stated that the company would continue to work towards the advancement of coffee culture, according to The Asia Business Daily. With the 2026 campaign explicitly designed to connect a Guatemalan competition micro-lot and its SHB counterpart to mainstream instant, capsule and whole bean lines, that commitment now extends from the championship stage into at-home brewing in South Korea.
