啡常好喝 - Asia’s Ascent in the Global Coffee Scene

 

 

The specialty coffee movement, now a global force, had its roots in the United States with the formation of the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) in the 1980s. A decade later, the Specialty Coffee Association of Europe (SCAE) emerged across the Atlantic. Capitalizing on its geographic proximity to Asia, SCAE expanded eastward in the 2000s, establishing national chapters throughout the region.

In 2011, the two associations joined forces to launch World Coffee Events (WCE), which now oversees global exhibitions under the World of Coffee (WoC) banner and the World Coffee Championships (WCC). These events gained traction as SCAE’s national chapters took on roles in training and recruiting baristas, triggering a spike in interest across Asia. The continued involvement of Asian countries not only boosted participation but also significantly contributed to the finances and expansion of the organization.

In what many regard as a landmark move, SCAA and SCAE officially merged in March 2017 to form the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA), consolidating their networks, expertise, and resources into a single global entity.

In Southeast Asia, momentum was also building. The ASEAN Coffee Federation (ACF) held its first meeting in 2010 and was formally registered in Singapore on 14 March 2013. Representing a region that includes two of the world’s top four coffee-producing nations -Vietnam and Indonesia - ACF set out to foster dialogue and standardise practices across the coffee value chain within ASEAN.

Initially composed of trade-focused national associations, ACF has evolved to include members involved in training and competitions. As of 2025, both Thailand and Indonesia have two representative associations within ACF, each serving a distinct focus area.

ACF, much like the International Coffee Organization under the United Nations, was established under the umbrella of ASEAN. With the regional coffee market projected to reach SGD 44 billion by 2025 - SGD 32 billion from out-of-home consumption and SGD 12 billion from in-home use - the stakes are high. Thailand and Indonesia lead the charge, which explains why WoC and WCC are scheduled for Jakarta in 2025 and Bangkok in 2026.

At the footstep of ASEAN, China has been staging its own coffee revolution. The China Coffee League (CCL) was founded in 2013 to unify 12 provincial and city-level coffee associations and 80 coffee businesses. Built on a ‘win-win’ ethos, CCL members - many of whom are business competitors - share a common goal: to expand the Chinese coffee market in both scale and skill.

Valued at an estimated SGD 70 billion by 2025 and growing at 17% annually, China is now the world’s eighth-largest coffee producer. Its commitment to education is equally groundbreaking: in 2024, China Yunnan Agricultural University’s College of Tropical Crops launched the world’s first engineering degree in Coffee Science and Engineering, emphasizing real-world applications to fuel the next wave of innovation.

CCL’s influence is amplified through an unparalleled number of domestic events - over 300 brewing and tasting competitions held annually. This relentless focus on skill development has helped Chinese competitors dominate WCC podiums, showcasing the country's growing influence on the global stage.

Asia’s presence in WCC events is no longer a surprise - it's expected. Asian faces have frequently swept the podium, notably in the full Asian slate of finalists in the World Latte Art Championships of 2023 and 2025. Champions have emerged from Taiwan, Indonesia, China, Japan, Thailand, and Malaysia in multiple categories. Here is an expectedly long list: World Barista Championship 2016 (Berg Wu of Taiwan) and 2024 (Mikael Jasnin of Indonesia); World Brewer's Cup 2016 (Tetsu Kasuya of Japan), 2017 (Chad Wang of Taiwan), 2019 (Du Jia Ning of China), 2022 (Shih Yuan Hsu Sherry of Taiwan) and 2025 (George Jinyang Peng of China); World Latte Art Championship 2017 (Arnon Thitiprasert of Thailand), 2018 (Irvine Quek from Malaysia), 2023 (Liang Fan of China) and 2025 (Chen Zhuohao of China); World Roasting Championship 2013 (Naoki Goto of Japan), 2014 (Yu-Chuan Jacky of Taiwan),  2023 (Taufan Mokoginta of Indonesia) and 2024 (Liu Tai Yang of China); and World Coffee in Good Spirits Championship 2025 (Georgius Audrey Teja of Indonesia).

China’s dominance extends to manufacturing as well. Roughly 45% of the world’s home espresso machines are produced in China, along with other essential coffee apparatus. Accelerated by post-COVID government subsidies, the country's domestic market and global footprint have only expanded further.

According to Asia Business Outlook, the region is growing at 6% annually - twice the global average. China, in particular, has overtaken the United States in the number of coffee shops, a feat achieved in under a decade. For Yannis Apostolopoulos, CEO of SCA, expanding into Asia is not just strategic but essential. European coffee events are also pivoting eastward, recognizing that any credible global strategy must now include Asia.

Meanwhile, ACF continues to lead regional efforts through its education arm, the ASEAN Coffee Institute (ACI). After three years of research, ACI released the ACF Coffee Appreciation Protocol (ACAP) in May 2025. Distinct from Western evaluation models, ACAP emphasizes appreciation over grading or evaluation, embracing a culturally resonant, Asian perspective on coffee quality.

Supporting the protocol are several innovative tools: the ACF Coffee Flavour Sphere with regional descriptors; Scentible, a sensory kit for consumers; and Cpin (pronounced “spin”), an app that facilitates ACAP-aligned cupping, roasting, brewing, and competition tracking. Through these efforts, ACF aims to uplift the quality and global perception of ASEAN-grown coffee.

Since 2019, ACF has hosted the ASEAN Barista Team Championship (ABTC), a competition that now attracts international teams. Inspired by this success, ACF is developing new competitions for roasting and home brewing. In parallel, it is exploring initiatives in regenerative farming and farmer income to ensure a sustainable future for coffee in the region. Taking a 360-degree perspective on coffee, ACF and ACI strive to create holistic and lasting impact across the coffee value chain.

The strengths of ACF and CCL are complementary and both organizations are now exploring collaborative possibilities. As Asia cements its position at the heart of the coffee world, such regional partnerships are expected to shape the industry’s next chapter.

What began as a spark in the early 2010s has grown into a blazing flame. Once viewed as a Western import, coffee is now a regional obsession. In the years ahead, Asia - led by powerhouses like ASEAN and China - will not only participate in the global coffee story. It will write it.

- Dave Lim

Afternote:
This article is the personal opinion of Dave Lim (co-founder of Parchmen & Co and technical director of ASEAN Coffee Institute), and shall not be taken as the official position of Parchmen & Co or any of the organisations mentioned within the article. 

He invites readers to write to Parchmen & Co to share opinions or provide information on other developments that he might have missed