On September 28, the Nantong division of the 2025 PCA Professional Coffee Masters Tournament concluded successfully.
Known as a city where the grandeur of the Yangtze River meets the warmth of everyday street life, Nantong welcomed 60 skilled coffee professionals from across China. As an official sponsor throughout the competition, Dr.coffee presented Castle, the fully automatic coffee machine from its Coffee Shop series, combining immersive product display with professional hands-on experience and bringing fresh energy to a feast for both the eyes and the palate.
01
Where River-and-Sea Culture Meets the Aroma of Coffee
Coffee culture has already become part of Nantong's urban fabric. More than 400 cafés are scattered across Chongchuan District, while creative coffee streets such as Yixiaoxiang and Yanglaoyuan Road connect coffee with daily neighborhood life. Cafés around landmarks such as Jianshan and the Hao River further blend local scenery, culture and coffee experiences. Nantong was selected for the competition precisely because of this distinctive character, where the aroma of coffee meets a strong literary and cultural atmosphere.
02
Two Competition Tracks Showcase Professional Coffee Aesthetics
Across the two-day event, brewing and latte art competitions were held in succession, reflecting PCA's principles of fairness, impartiality and transparency.
In the brewing competition, contestants carefully controlled water temperature and extraction rhythm to present the coffee's flavor at its best. Judges evaluated core dimensions including sweetness, acidity and finish, and several contestants earned unanimous recognition by precisely interpreting their beans and producing cups with both balance and depth.
In the latte art competition, contestants used refined pouring techniques to create intricate patterns on the surface of the coffee. Judges assessed design completeness, color contrast, operational standards and attention to detail. Creative patterns that blended technical skill with cultural expression became a lively topic of discussion at the event.
03
Castle Creates an Immersive Experience Zone
Alongside the professional coffee competition, the Dr.coffee Castle fully automatic coffee machine generated strong interaction and interest in the exhibition area.
Designed for coffee businesses, Castle attracted contestants with an artistic retro appearance. Its milk-foam, grinding and brewing systems feature advanced technical configurations that reproduce the consistency of an experienced barista while helping operators significantly reduce staffing and management costs. The machine prompted many professionals to stop for consultations, while visitors could simply touch a button to enjoy a Castle-made latte. Its dense milk foam and balanced flavor received strong positive feedback.
Nantong's coffee culture combines everyday warmth with professional ambition, closely aligning with Dr.coffee's mission to “create better coffee experiences.” As an official sponsor throughout the 2025 PCA competition, Dr.coffee's presentation of Castle not only demonstrated the technical capabilities of Chinese commercial fully automatic coffee machines, but also used the competition platform to create a bridge for industry exchange.
With the winners of the Nantong division now decided, the award-winning contestants will advance to the national finals. Dr.coffee will continue using technology to empower the coffee industry and bring professional coffee experiences to more cities.
