59. The Barista Champion Who’s Challenging Caffeine Itself with Pete Licata

Today on Buy The Drip, we sit down with Pete Licata, 2013 World Barista Champion, consultant, and now co-founder of Caffeine Control Coffee.

Pete’s story is one of reinvention. We explore how winning the World Barista Championship catapulted him into the global coffee spotlight, reshaping his career and opening doors into consulting, entrepreneurship, and now innovation.

His latest project, Caffeine Control Coffee, tackles a challenge almost every coffee drinker faces: how to enjoy coffee without overdoing caffeine.

In this episode, Pete shares how his personal experiences with caffeine inspired the launch of a brand blending decaf and regular coffee for a more balanced daily brew.

Beyond the product, it’s a conversation about how competition, curiosity, and hard lessons can fuel entirely new ways of thinking about coffee.