Abbotsford barista qualifies for western Canada final of Starbucks North America Championship
Published 4:47 pm Monday, July 20, 2026
Ellie Cusworth’s upcoming trip to Calgary and her potential journey to Seattle is literally going to be fuelled by caffeine.
The local Starbucks barista impressed judges at the coffeehouse, district and area qualifiers and her skills behind the counter have earned her a berth to the Western Canada Regional Final of the 2026 Starbucks North America Barista Championship.
She will compete against three other baristas at the event, which will see competitors battle it out in what Starbucks calls the Coffeehouse Rush Challenge. Contestants have to make 10 drinks in 10 minutes for the judges, while also perfecting the sequence the craft and customer connection.
According to Cusworth, 10 drinks in 10 minutes seems like a lot – but that’s not atypical from what she sees on a daily basis.
“We’re used to that type of volume for sure,” she said, laughing. “But it’s definitely a different stage. It’s something I’m looking forward to, I think it’ll be fun.”
Although she is highly skilled at her job, Cusworth shared that she’s only been working at the Starbucks location at 1399 Sumas Way for about four years.
“It was my first job out of high school and I’ve put a few years into the job at this point, but I’m a pretty confident person,” she said, of her ability to master the job in a relatively short amount of time. “I love all my fellow baristas, they are all so amazing and I’ve been using what I can do to show off my craft a little and meet new people.”
The Yale Secondary grad said that entering the contest was a decision between herself and her manager. Round one was making latte art for judges and took place within her own store. From there she had to choose a roast, create a drink and then tell a story of how that drink and Starbucks connected to her personal journey.
“For me, a lot of story is based on connection and connecting with people – I’m a big people person,” she said. “I picked Verona, which is one of our dark roasts, and it’s found in the city of love [Verona]. I connected the drink to the love I have for the customers and the connection within my store.”
Cusworth excelled at all the earlier rounds and feels ready to head into the Calgary event, which begins on July 21. She stated that getting the invite to Seattle would be an incredible achievement.
“Oh my gosh, I would be so excited,” she said, when asked about what it would mean to advance. “I’m not really in it for the competition aspect, it’s just an amazing experience all-around and getting the chance to represent my store would be an honour. I’m really looking forward to this opportunity and am hopeful to advance.”
She said that Starbucks has been the perfect job for her at his point in her life.
“Wanting to work at Starbucks was based on their missions and values and how focused they are on connection and care,” she said. “It’s incredible how much they support the community and it’s also just a lot of fun. Just making coffee and connecting all day is incredible.”
The current UFV student is in the athletic therapy program at the school and has worked with the Cascades sports teams. She said she’s not sure if she will follow that path, but wants to continue to have the chance to connect with people no matter where her career path goes.
For more on the event, visit about.starbucks.com/stories/2026/road-to-seattle-starbucks-baristas-compete-for-2026-north-america-championship.