Global Coffee Awards crown the best roasters in Asia

Estimated reading time: 13 minutes

Key takeaways

• The Global Coffee Awards (GCA) honour the world’s best roasters and the producers behind their coffees.
• The Asia edition was held on 17 June 2026.
• The overall winner of the Asia edition is All Day Roasting Company from Taipei, Taiwan.
• The top-scoring coffee was Strawberry Cheesecake Catuai Cultured Yeast Process in the Filter Single Origin Experimental subcategory.
• All Gold, Silver, and Bronze category winners are invited to compete in the 2026 GCA World Championship.

The Asia edition of the Global Coffee Awards (GCA) took place on 17 June 2026. Roasters from a number of countries, including South Korea, India, the Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam, China, Japan, Kazakhstan, Hong Kong, and Thailand, submitted their best coffees across multiple categories and subcategories.

A head judge and at least three additional judges assessed each sample in a double-blind process. All judges are Q graders with experience at competitions such as the World Barista Championship and Cup of Excellence, and an expert panel interviewed and selected each one prior to the competition.

The judges used an objective scoring system to give every entrant actionable feedback, helping them refine their roast profiles.

Read on to find out who won and to learn more about the GCA’s upcoming competitions.

Learn more about the GCA here.

Awarding excellence in Asia’s diverse coffee market

The GCA runs its competitions on a regional basis. Roasters of all sizes can enter, from small-batch independents to large-scale national brands, and each submits their most exceptional coffees across defined categories.

“The Global Coffee Awards acknowledge roasting excellence all over the world, but the Asia edition is particularly notable,” says Mark Zhou, founder of MTPak Coffee, a leading global supplier of custom-printed coffee packaging and the Global Coffee Awards Gold Sponsor.

“Asia has quickly become the coffee industry’s new centre of gravity, and it’s an incredibly diverse market,” he adds. “As part of our focus on exceptional coffee packaging, we selected one roaster whose design stood out as the most creative, eye-catching, and forward-thinking.”

The GCA expanded into Asia this year after successful editions in the US & Canada, Europe, and Origin Roasted countries (any coffee-producing country) in 2025.

“It’s one of our most exciting competitions to date,” says Emi Rueda, Sales and Relationship Manager at the Global Coffee Awards. “We are incredibly excited for this year’s competition, which features an elite panel of high-profile judges, including former Cup of Excellence (CoE) experts. In fact, some are even stepping away from World Barista Championship (WBC) judging duties specifically to bring their expertise to the Global Coffee Awards.”

Originally scheduled for Dubai, the competition was hosted at Balzac Brothers.

“Asia is arguably the most dynamic and rapidly evolving specialty coffee market in the world right now, driven by a unique blend of tradition and hyper-modern innovation,” says Eurie Chen, Sales & Marketing at GCA Equipment Partner Hiroia. “Seeing entries from both established and emerging markets reveals just how much passion there is in coffee right now.

“The GCA offers a blind, expert-led evaluation of your work. It’s an invaluable opportunity to get unbiased feedback on your roasting profiles and see how your coffees stack up on a global stage.”

Breaking down the GCA judging process

All judging at the Global Coffee Awards follows a strict double-blind protocol. None of the judges and coffee professionals involved in the process, including the Sensory Judges and the barista team preparing the samples, receive any identifying information. 

As a result, judges assess every coffee on quality alone rather than a roastery’s reputation.

“A strict double-blind protocol is the only way to judge fairly. When you remove a roastery’s name from the process, you can only judge the coffee itself,” says Sun Huang, a GCA Head Judge and a Taiwanese coffee professional with over a decade of experience. Sun has served as a judge at the 2025 Nicaragua Cup of Excellence (CoE), the 2025 Peru CoE, the 2020 Taza Dorada Ecuador, the 2019 regional Australia Brewers Cup, and the 2022 PromPeru Taipei Creative Coffee competitions.

The judging panel consists of a Head Judge, a certified Lead Sensory Judge, certified Q grader Sensory Judges, a Head Barista and a barista team. At least three judges and a Head Judge assess every sample.

Before judging begins, each judge completes a one-day calibration session to align on scoring categories and criteria. Real-time check-ins then maintain this consistency throughout the judging process.

Every submitted coffee receives written feedback in accordance with defined assessment protocols. Judges evaluate entries purely on sensory quality, giving roasters clear, actionable insights into their roasting styles and how to improve them.

Categories at GCA Asia

The Asia categories were Filter, Espresso, Flat White Dairy, Flat White Plant-Based Milk, and Specialty Drip Bag. Each category included several subcategories, such as Single Origin Experimental, Gesha, Co-Fermented, and Robusta.

The team prepared all coffees as a consumer would experience them in a café, using specific brew parameters and brewing protocols to maintain consistency and ensure fair, accurate judging.

Equipment Partner Hiroia provided Hikaru automated pour over systems. Equipment Partner GH Grinding + Brewing Solutions provided specifically modified Bentwood Vertical 75 grinders. Water purification and remineralisation systems were provided by Water Sponsor Bluewater Group.

Each category had its own separate objective scoring system. All judges used a judging form to assign a numerical score across multiple criteria, including aroma, flavour, aftertaste, acidity, body, balance, sweetness, and mouthfeel. 

You can find detailed information about the judging criteria here. 

The winners of the 2026 Global Coffee Awards Asia

The winners of the 2026 GCA Asia edition are:

Overall winner: All Day Roasting Company from Taipei, Taiwan

Category winners

• Filter – All Day Roasting Company
• Espresso – oma Coffee Roaster from Tai Hang, Hong Kong
• Flat White Dairy – Kopikina Coffee Roaster from Jakarta, Indonesia
• Flat White Plant-Based Milk – All Day Roasting Company
• Specialty Drip Bag – Addicto Coffee from Bangkok, Thailand

Here are the gold winners of each sub-category (roaster and producer, exporter, or co-operative). Entrants who received identical scores in a subcategory both placed first, ensuring the results stayed fair.

Filter

• Gesha – Gesha Natural Calas from oma Coffee Roaster and Estela Pitti at Los Cenizos in Cerro Punta, Panama
• Single origin – Garden Fairy Heirloom from Hidden Coffee from Yau Ma Tei, Hong Kong and Pebble Coffee in Yirgacheffe, Ethiopia
• Single origin experimental
  • Strawberry Cheesecake Catuai Cultured Yeast Process from The Coffee Circus from Chikmagalur, India and Ashok Patre at Ratnagiri Coffee Plantations in Bangalore, India
  • Rio Negro Papayo from Nyawang Langit Roastery from Jawa Barat, Indonesia and Jhon Rodriguez in Colombia
• Washed – Oasis Heirloom (Dega, Kurume, and Wolisho varieties) from Mobydick Coffee Roasters from Shanghai, China and Faysel A. Yonis at Suke Kudensa in Guji, Ethiopia
• Co-Fermented – Colombia Yeast Washed Apricot Castillo from Kakalove Café from Chiayi City, Taiwan and José Posada at Capilla del Rosario in Antioquia, Colombia
• Natural – N791 and 74158 from All Day Roasting Company and Niguse Gemeda at Karamo Coffee Export from Sidama, Ethiopia
• Honey – PHISATE-FH1 Java from Phisate Coffee Roaster from Phetchaburi, Thailand and Coffee De Mhong in Nan, Thailand
• Experimental blend – Blueberry Night Blend (Castillo, SL28, and SL34 with Kenyan Yellow Honey and Colombian Yeast Washed coffees) from Bean Barn from Taipei, Taiwan (various producers undisclosed)
• Liberica – Liberica M’Drak from Every Half Coffee Roasters from Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam and Vietnam Coffee Cooperative from Daklak, Vietnam
• Robusta – Robusta from Curve Coffee Collaborators from Manila, the Philippines and Reyjohn Basco in Sultan Kudarat, the Philippines 
• Barrel aged – Reserve barrel aged washed SLN-795 from Beanrove Coffee from Bengaluru, India and D.M. Shanker from Kalledevarapura Estate in Aralaguppe, India
• Blend – Angel Fruit House Blend from Artigiano Jikabi Coffee Roasters from Kaohsiung City, Taiwan and multiple producers
• Classic roast profile – SLN-795 from Roastery Coffee House from Hyderabad, India and Hamsini Appadurai at Sangameshwar Coffee Estates in Bengaluru, India
• Decaf – Tumbaga Sugarcane Decaf (various arabica varieties) from Massimo Coffee from Almaty, Kazakhstan and various producers at Sucafina in Colombia (Cauca, Tolima, Antioquia, and Eje Cafetero)

Espresso

• Blend
  • Kalledevarapura Classic Blend (90% SLN 795 and 10% SLN 13) from Beanrove Coffee and D.M. Shanker from Kalledevarapura Estate
  • Mr. Tommy Gayo and Bourbon from Doi Tung from Chiang Rai, Thailand and Alongkorn and Panumas in Thailand
  • Prima 74158/Heirloom from Hidden Coffee and Tamiru Tadesse at Pebble Coffee
• Classic roast profile – Catuai Washed from oma Coffee Roaster and Marcus Duran at Adaura Finca Lorayne in Boquete, Panama
• Experimental blend – Soft Pop (Catimor and Typica) from Addicto Coffee and multiple producers
• Single origin
  • Koke Shalaye 74110, 74112, and 74165 from All Day Roasting Company and Abreham Mengiste at Primrose Coffee in Yirgacheffe, Ethiopia
  • Raro Washed G1 from D23 Coffee Roasters from Taipei, Taiwan and multiple producers from Wolisho, Dega, and Kurumi in Guji, Ethiopia
• Single origin experimental – Imunika Red Blue Mountain Typica from Imunika Korea from Seoul, South Korea and undisclosed producers from Marawaka in Papua New Guinea

Flat White Dairy

• Blend – Million Dollar Brew (Catimor, Typica, and Mokka) from Henry & Sons from Manila, the Philippines and Elma Serna at Sitio Hartwell in Cordillera, the Philippines
• Classic roast profile – Aceh Gayo Semi Washed Classic Roast Mix from Kopikina Coffee Roaster and DeGayo in Indonesia
• Experimental – Madame Parodox (40% natural, yeast, and pichia fermentation Typica and 60% washed double anaerobic thermal shock Sidra) from Paco Coffee from Singapore and multiple undisclosed producers from Huila, Colombia and Kamala, Bali, Indonesia
• Single origin
  • Koke Shalaye 74110, 74112, and 74165 from All Day Roasting Company and Abreham Mengiste at Primrose Coffee
  • Bagan Ningrat natural liberica from House of Kendal from Selangor, Malaysia and various undisclosed producers from Bagan, Batu Pahat, and Johor in Malaysia

Flat White Plant-Based Milk

• Blend – All Day Blend from All Day Roasting Company and various undisclosed producers
• Classic roast profile – Midnight Chocolate (50% robusta and 50% liberica) from Every Half Coffee Roasters and Vietnam Coffee Cooperative
• Experimental – So Nomad (Yellow Bourbon, Red Catuai, Papayo, Ombligon, Castillo, Obatan, and Yellow Catuai) from Hidden Coffee and Nestor Lasso at Finca Diviso in Huila, Colombia, Julio Madrid at Café Uba in Dosquebradas, Colombia and various undisclosed producers in Cerrado Mineiro, Brazil
• Single origin – Caballero Catuai from Terasaki Coffee from Yamanashi, Japan and Marysabel Caballero and Moises Herrera at Finca El Puente in Honduras

Specialty Drip Bag

• Blend – DT Blend (Gayo and Typica) from Doi Tung from Panumas Chermue in Thailand
• Experimental – Soft Pop (Catimor and Typica) from Addicto Coffee and multiple producers
• Single origin – Sidra and Bourbon from Common Man Coffee Roasters from Singapore and Nestor Lasso at Finca El Diviso

MTPak Packaging Award winner: Roemah Koffie in Surabaya, Indonesia

The top three highest-scoring coffees were:

• First: Strawberry Cheesecake Catuai Cultured Yeast Process in the Filter Single Origin Experimental subcategory
  • The coffee was produced by Ashok Patre at Ratnagiri Coffee Plantations and roasted by The Coffee Circus on a 25kg roaster
• Second: Phisate-FH1 Java in the Filter Honey subcategory
  • The coffee was produced by Coffee De Mhong and roasted by Phisate Coffee Roaster on a 1.8kg roaster
• Third: Million Dollar Brew (Catimor, Typica, and Mokka) in the Flat White Dairy Blend subcategory
  • The coffee was produced by Elma Serna at Sitio Hartwell and roasted by Henry & Sons on a 50kg roaster

All participating roasters received detailed feedback forms for each sample submitted. For example, for a Liberica entry in the Filter category, the judges suggested extending the roast or development time to build more body, while increasing airflow could highlight acidity and floral characteristics.

Roasters also received digital Certificates of Achievement and Global Coffee Awards seals in Gold, Silver, and Bronze. These are distinctive marks of excellence that they can display on their packaging, marketing materials, websites, social media channels, and menus.

You can find all the GCA Asia category and subcategory winners here.

Upcoming Global Coffee Awards editions

The full 2026 GCA schedule includes:

• US & Canada: Judging will take place at Copan Trade in Houston, Texas, US. The entry kit is here, and all samples must be received by 5 August 2026.
• Latin America & Caribbean: Judging will take place at Copan Trade. The entry kit is here (available in English and Spanish), and all samples must be received by 3 August 2026.
• Europe: Judging will take place at Belco in Bordeaux, France. The entry kit is here, and all samples must be received by 21 October 2026.

For roasters based in coffee-producing countries, there will be a separate Origin Roasted category. This means that if roasters are located in a producing country, such as Bolivia, Ecuador, or Panama, and submit a coffee grown in their home nation, they receive automatic, free entry into the Origin Roasted category.

Upcoming webinar

The Spanish-language How to Compete in the Global Coffee Awards webinar, taking place on 15 July, is designed for roasters considering the upcoming Latin America & Caribbean competition. The webinar will provide an overview of the competition process, including coffee selection, submission strategy, judging, scoring, and category selection.

Confirmed speakers include Adriana Villanueva from four-time GCA Origin Roasted Gold winners Café Cultor (Bogotá, Colombia) and Norberto Vásquez from GCA Origin Roasted Cabra Negra (Quito, Ecuador), which won Gold in the GCA Origin Roasted Flat White Alternative Single Origin Traditional subcategory. 

You can register here to attend the Spanish webinar.

The 2026 GCA will be the biggest edition yet, featuring more roasters from around the world than ever before.

Through its international competition circuit, the GCA identifies the best roasters across regions and pits them against one another in the World Championship to find the World’s Best Roaster.

Contact info@globalcoffeeawards.com and the GCA Sales and Relationship Manager, Emi Rueda, via WhatsApp here for more information.

Apply to compete in the GCA here.

Photo credits: Global Coffee Awards, All Day Roasting Company, Roemah Koffie, Paco Coffee, Every Half Coffee Roasters, oma Coffee Roaster, Kopikina Coffee Roaster,  Roastery Coffee House

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