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The Costa coffee competition is a good example of how a company can raise service standards while promoting brand quality.

Holding a competition is a common strategy for improving staff morale, service and training. But getting the right mix of competitive spirit and training opportunities is a difficult thing to master.

You would not think that making coffee required a huge amount of training and skill, but do not tell that to the baristas participating in the Costa Coffee Barista of the Year 2007 competition. These baristas are very serious about their coffee.

In fact, worldwide, coffee competitions are becoming more and more popular, with promoters, with competitors and as a spectator event. The premium event is the World Barista Championship, but there are a myriad of other competitions and events held around the world.

The Costa competition held at the Murooj Rotana in Dubai last month was designed to produce an entrant for the Middle East and Africa regional finals-the winner of which would go on to the Costa international finals in London and a chance to compete on a stage with more than 500 spectators.

"The Costa world championship is a great opportunity to showcase their skills and to be a champion for their part of the world," points out Costa Core Skills Trainer Tim Douglas, adding, "They take the experience they get back to their part of the world."

Just to get this far, each competitor has already won a country final and undergone weeks of intensive practice and training.

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