The First Cup to the Final Stage: Boram Um’s Brazilian Coffee Revolution

Shifting the Brazilian Paradigm

When Boram Um returned from a finance career abroad, he realized a hard truth: he didn't know his own product well enough to sell it. In 2015, while trying to showcase Brazilian beans globally, he struggled to articulate their value. This ignited a fire to understand the entire lifecycle, from soil to server. The family opened their first specialty cafe in São Paulo in 2016, a time when the city had only a handful of brands dedicated to high-end coffee. Boram worked the bar for nine months, opening and closing the shop himself, roasting late into the night. This hands-on immersion was the only way to bridge the gap between production and consumption.

The Athlete Mindset in the Lab

By 2019, the focus shifted toward the World Barista Championship. Boram approached coffee not just as a beverage, but as a discipline requiring an athlete’s rigor. He converted his father's office into a high-performance training room, often sleeping on a couch in the lab after practicing until 11:00 p.m. His training schedule was grueling, involving four to six hours of technical drills daily. He realized that a technical gap existed between Brazilian baristas and the global elite; closing it required a total sacrifice of personal life and a singular focus on the objective.

Mental Fortitude and High-Performance Coaching

Victory required more than just the perfect pour. Boram sought out Larissa Zink, a coach who typically works with elite athletes, to help him manage high-stress environments. For two years, they trained his brain to process pressure, allowing him to adapt to mistakes instantly and improve his motor skills. This mental conditioning turned the stage from a place of anxiety into a space of flow. Combined with mentorship from Japanese and Canadian teams—including Cole Torode and David Torode—Boram refined his speech and technical structure to a world-class level.

Redefining Flavor Through Dark Room Drying

At the heart of the victory was the coffee itself: a Pink Bourbon processed through an innovative dark room drying method. Traditionally, Brazilian producers were wary of fermentation, fearing it would introduce defects. Boram leaned into the controversy, using controlled, sunless environments to preserve complexity and sweetness that sunlight often destroys. By bringing this coffee to the world stage, he proved that Brazil is not just a source of bulk beans but a terroir for world-leading specialty flavors. When he was finally named the 2023 World Barista Champion, it wasn't just a personal win; it was a signal that the global market was ready to see Brazil in a completely different light.