Milestones
Meet the founder and roaster
After his studies, Matteo Pavoni left his hometown in northern Italy for London, driven by curiosity and a determination to shape his own journey.
A small café near Trafalgar Square became the place where everything changed, where Matteo discovered specialty coffee: not just a drink, but a passion and a path.
London became his classroom. Behind counters and roasting machines, among a dynamic community of baristas and roasters, Matteo learned that coffee could be something extraordinary. For five years, he lived and breathed this world, from barista shifts to training roles, including two years at the renowned Colonna & Smalls in Bath.
In 2018, motivated by a desire to bring this knowledge and fresh approach to Italy, a country rich in coffee tradition but slow to embrace specialty coffee, Matteo returned home and founded Peacocks Coffee.
His expertise has been recognised at the highest levels.
In 2022, he won the Italian Barista Championship (IBC) and placed 11th in the World Barista Championship. He went on to place second nationally in 2023 and 2024.
In 2026, he placed third at the IBC. Beyond the result itself, his routine became a statement about visibility, value and the future of specialty coffee.
In recent years, Matteo has spoken at international coffee events, including the World Coffee Conference in India, the World Food Forum Flagship and World Forest Week at FAO.
He championed distinctive coffee varieties, chosen for their unique flavour profiles and traceable origins, while sharing insights on sourcing approaches and partnerships that aim for quality and fairness.
Through this commitment to transparency and expertise, he has expanded Peacocks Coffee’s presence both in Italy and abroad.
His vision still drives Peacocks Coffee today: roasting not to mask flaws, but to reveal the coffee’s natural characteristics, highlighting its origin and cultivation story.
Awards & milestones
From competitions to meaningful partnerships, our journey has been shaped by experiences and achievements we are proud of.
2018 - Foundation
Peacocks Coffee was founded in Italy, bringing Matteo’s London specialty coffee experience back home.
2022 - National and world stage
1st place in the Italian Barista Championship and 11th place in the World Barista Championship.
2023 - Excelsa and international visibility
2nd place in the Italian Barista Championship. Matteo brought Excelsa to the competition stage and shared this work in India at World Coffee Conference and at FAO.
2024 - Agroforestry and new collaborations
2nd place in the Italian Barista Championship. Peacocks strengthened its agroforestry focus, joined the Slow Food Coffee Coalition, and deepened collaborations in Guatemala.
2025 - Partnerships and talks
Matteo spoke at the World Food Forum of FAO, collaborated with Timemore during Host 2025, and continued origin collaborations in Guatemala.
2026 - Visibility and renewal
3rd place in the Italian Barista Championship, with a routine centred on visibility, value and the future of specialty coffee. Peacocks renewed its identity, clarifying its values, philosophy, mission and vision.
Our approach
What we do is shaped not only by our journey, but by the principles that guide every coffee we share. Explore our approach.
Our story
Behind everything we do is a story shaped by experience and learning. Read our story.