Daria Bila, United Kingdom

Formative Coffee

Please tell us a little about yourself:

I work at Formative Coffee in London, where I’m the General Manager. I got into coffee after moving from Ukraine to Dublin — at first, being a barista was simply a job, but very quickly it became much more than that. Coffee gave me a sense of community and belonging in a new country and the more I learned, the more curious I became.

This year was actually my first time competing, which makes the whole journey to WBC feel even more surreal. I decided to compete because I wanted to challenge myself, push my knowledge and see what I was capable of. What I ended up loving most was the process and how much you learn, how many people you meet, how competition makes you question and explore everything you know about coffee.

Somehow, that journey has taken me from Ukraine to Dublin, then London, and now all the way to representing the UK at WBC in Panama.

What are you excited to do while you visit the Panama city?:

It’s my first year competing, so honestly I just want to absorb as much of the experience as I possibly can and hopefully have some fun while doing it.

What are your interests outside of coffee?:

Outside of coffee, I’m really into film photography and crochet. I also love cooking, travelling and discovering new places — especially through food

Is there anyone you would like to thank or recognize, or who helped you to prepare for the WCC?:

There are honestly so many people I want to thank. My team at Formative, my coaches, friends, the best boyfriend and partner in crime, and everyone in the UK coffee community who has supported me throughout this journey. This is my first year competing, so there have been so many moments when I’ve needed advice, encouragement or simply someone to believe in what I was doing. I’m incredibly grateful for how generous people have been with their time, knowledge and support. It definitely doesn’t feel like something I’ve done alone

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