Camila Flechas wins Torres Brandy Zero Challenge 2026
Colombia’s Camila Flechas has been crowned victor of the Torres Brandy Zero Challenge 2026.
Following the three-day global final in Barcelona over the weekend, Flechas, who is a bartender at Cartagena-based bar Alquímico, won this year’s Zero Challenge for her sustainable project titled Alquímico School of Hospitality.
Her project, an education programme at Alquímico, aims to support young people at risk of social exclusion in pursuing sustainable, international careers in hospitality.
For her prize, Flechas will receive €30,000 (US$35,300) to bring the project to life.
She said: “Winning the Torres Brandy Zero Challenge has reaffirmed my belief that hospitality is most powerful when it creates opportunity and purpose. This recognition is not just about a drink or an idea, but about using our platform to educate, empower, and open doors for the next generation.
“For me, it is a reminder that innovation in hospitality must always be rooted in people, community, and the possibility of meaningful change.”
Flechas’ Alquímico School of Hospitality project will welcome young people between 17 and 25, and offer both a technical classroom education and hands-on, real-world experience through paid work at Alquímico, in Colombia, which placed 11th on The World’s 50 Best Bars list 2025.
Flechas developed the initiative as Colombia’s hospitality community grows rapidly, but there is also a lack of qualified professionals in the industry. Her programme has an expected employability rate of 80%.
Speaking to The Spirits Business at Barcelona’s global final, Flechas said the project is part of what Alquímico is based around. “It’s giving these young kids, who are at-risk and don’t have the opportunities or the tools to go into this industry, or go into higher education, the chance to get the jobs in our industry,” she explained.
Flechas said the idea arose from a niche in the market: “In conversations with our friends, we thought we need more people to work here, and there are people that want to do bar work, but nobody’s giving them the tools, education or the opportunity to train themselves to do this job.”
Her motivation was also the purpose, as she explained: “When you believe so deeply in a project, it’s so easy to get out of bed, and because essentially what we’ve come up with is that you’re going to benefit other people from this project – that keeps me going.”
For the immediate future, Flechas noted the initiative will start with four kids, with the first group starting in the middle of the year. “We want to give ourselves the best opportunity to work really well with these four kids and work out any small bumps. In three years, we’re expecting to have 180 students. We’re gonna have a turnover of new students every three months and an 80% employability rate,” she said.
If she has one piece of advice for anyone hoping to win next year’s competition, she believes “you have to live, breathe and be your project”.
“It’s not something that you think about once. It’s something you are, it’s what you represent, and it’s essentially what you believe, at your core, is the right next step in the industry,” she added.
If Flechas were to do anything differently, it would be to have the entire Alquímico team, comprising 100 people, in Barcelona to celebrate.
“They’re all tuned in. They’re all a part of this project, and everybody’s so happy with this,” she said.
Global final
The global final of Torres Brandy’s Zero Challenge, now in its fourth edition, was held in Barcelona over the weekend and also coincided with the Barcelona Cocktail Festival.
The contest invites bartenders from around the world to present a sustainability-driven project aimed at reducing the industry’s social and environmental impact.
This year’s edition featured finalists from 12 countries.
Joining Flechas in the top three was Paul Aguilar of Norway’s Himkok and Jason Strohan of Canada’s St Tropez Bistro and Parlor Bar.
Aguilar’s project was titled Side Hustle Water. He pitched a canned vitamin water to help bar professionals manage demanding working hours and adopt healthier lifestyle habits.
Strohan’s project was titled Forgotten Fruit and would assemble an urban network of produce collectors to rescue overlooked or unwanted harvests, reducing waste while strengthening community ties.
The judging panel consisted of award‑winning journalist and drinks consultant Mandy Naglich; Julianne Caillouette‑Noble, the chief executive officer of the Sustainable Restaurant Association; and François Monti, a drinks author and Academy Chair for The World’s 50 Best Bars.
Their criteria looked at four areas: the idea, sustainability, the business plan, and the initiative’s future growth.
Speaking at the final, Miguel Torres Maczassek, fifth generation Familia Torres, said: “The finalists of the Torres Brandy Zero Challenge 2026 represent the best expression of what our industry can achieve when creativity meets responsibility.
“Through this initiative, Familia Torres is helping to strengthen a global community of professionals who are committed to doing things differently, challenging the status quo, and leading by example.
“All movements start with an intention, and their work shows that our industry is ready to move forward and embrace a more sustainable future.”
Last year’s Torres Brandy Zero Challenge winner was Norway’s Daniel Pappa.
The competition is organised by Torres Brandy and inspired by more than 15 years of climate action from Familia Torres.
The 2026 edition featured an expanded list of countries and also opened participation to restaurant teams.
Related news
London tube strikes could slash on-trade bookings by 67%
