Coffee champions
For Jetro, Hải, Seven, and Noina, coffee is life.
“I never get tired of coffee. Even on my days off, I brew coffee and enjoy it,” said Jetro, a Starbucks Philippines shift supervisor and district coffee master and one of the four finalists of the Starbucks Asia Pacific Regional Barista Championship.
It’s the 10th anniversary of the regional championship and it’s also the first time that the Philippines was hosting it.
"This competition gives our partners the chance to shine. We set the stage and they bring their passion, craft and skill to the stage. We have some of the most talented baristas at Starbucks and our customers expect it from us,” said Laura Elphick, director, Coffee Excellence, Starbucks International.
“Our baristas are where coffee craft and human connection come together,” said Chanda Beppu, president of Starbucks Asia Pacific. “For 10 years, the Regional Barista Championships have given partners a stage to push the boundaries of their craft, showcase their extraordinary talent and inspire one another to reach new heights."
Meet the finalists
It was the day after International Coffee Day and we had gathered at the Starbucks Reserve at the Arya Residences in Bonifacio Global City to meet the four finalists who had already bested 21 other competitors.
We began the day with a coffee tasting, trying the Sejati Blend, which was created for the Asia Pacific region to celebrate the 10th regional championship. It brings together coffees from Sumatra, Papua New Guinea, Sulawesi and Java and has notes of calamansi, white pepper and marigold.
The road to the 2026 championship was a long one for all the finalists. Jetro, who has been a barista for four years, was the 1st Runner-Up in the Starbucks Philippines Barista Championship in 2024 before finally winning the Market Finals in 2026. Hải, a shift supervisor from Starbucks Vietnam, competed in the Starbucks Vietnam Barista Championship in 2024 and returned to become the Vietnam champion in 2025. Seven, a store manager and district coffee master from Starbucks Hong Kong and Macau, has been competing since 2018, making it to the top 6 that year and then becoming a finalist in 2019 before being awarded the Hong Kong market champion in 2023. Noina, a shift supervisor from Starbucks Thailand who has been with the company for four years, had also competed in the Starbucks Thailand Barista Championship in 2024 and got second place before becoming the Thailand champion.
Hải, whose Starbucks journey began over three years ago when he was still a university student, said, "We had to try many times to get here. It’s not easy at all to make it to this stage. It's not just passion and knowledge, it's also determination and perseverance and believing in what you can do.”
Seven, who became curious about coffee because of latte art, has been with Starbucks for a decade now. "My competition journey started in 2018. In 2023, I finally became our market champion and I represented Hong Kong in Bali. I was nervous then. This time, I think I'm ready."
Three-day competition
The three-day competition, held at Shangri-La The Fort in BGC from Sept. 30 to Oct. 2, included challenges in pour-over, latte art and signature beverage. Competitors were scored on sensory, technical skills, storytelling and presentation skills.
For Jetro, who works at Starbucks in Greenhills Mall, the competition was a full-circle moment. His coffee journey began as a customer at a Starbucks Reserve back when he was in college. “What sparked my interest in coffee was an encounter with a store manager who brewed a pour-over for me. Since then, I’ve been hooked on coffee. Years later, he’s the one coaching me. We met when I was a customer and now he’s training me.”
Jetro’s background is in culinary arts and he enjoys playing with flavors. It shows in the signature drink he presented at the championship. “It’s called Sirendipity, a wordplay on ‘siren’ and ‘serendipity.’”
He used his favorite Starbucks Veranda Blend. “My signature beverage has five ingredients—it has a clear coconut cream milk, cold brew coffee syrup, fruit extract, tonic water and the Veranda Blend espresso. The fruit extract is LuzViMinda—it’s mangoes from Guimaras, pineapples from Davao and strawberries from Baguio all infused into one with water and fermented. I really wanted to feature flavors of the Philippines.”
Hải presented a drink called The Nexus. “It’s the connection between craft and technology and how we use both of them with intention to elevate the customer’s coffee experience. My drink has pineapple clarified milk. I made it by mixing pineapple juice, whole milk and condensed milk and I filtered it to get a very clear liquid with a smooth texture. My second ingredient is hibiscus tea and the last one is palm sugar syrup. The coffee I used is the Starbucks Reserve Rwanda Abakundakawa.”
The 10th Starbucks Asia Pacific Regional Barista Championship was about skill, creativity, connection and the people behind every cup.
Noina’s drink is called Tamarise. “It represents Thai food. I used tamarind, it’s the heart of Thai food—it’s in pad thai and tom yum. I wanted to celebrate that and represent my roots. I used ginger, kaffir lime, coconut sugar, salt and honey and Starbucks Signature Espresso shots. I also created a homemade ginger ale to pair with it. On the rim of the margarita glass, I put a mix of toasted rice, coconut sugar, chili and salt.”
Seven used the Starbucks Colombia Finca Potosi Black Honey blend to create Citrus Horizon. “It’s all about continuity. I saw during the Starbucks Origin Experience in Sumatra in 2024 that no barista can make coffee special alone. From farmers to roasters, everyone plays a role. My signature drink has different ingredients and every ingredient has a role. The espresso represents our farmers. I made yuzu pomelo juice. It represents the Starbucks Coffee Trading Company, which sources quality coffee from across the world. My next ingredient is floral orange juice—I cold-brewed jasmine flower and water and combined it with orange juice. It represents our Green Coffee Quality team which ensures coffee quality from green beans to roasted coffee. The last is us, the baristas. We push the boundaries of our craft through creativity and innovation. I put the same jasmine water as a mist on top to make this drink special.”
Winners
In the end, Seven emerged victorious, claiming the title of 2026 Asia Pacific Regional Barista Champion. The store manager and district coffee master at MGM Cotai Reserve in Macau said, “I was absolutely thrilled and so grateful when I heard my name announced as champion... This achievement belongs not only to me, but to our entire Hong Kong and Macau market and every partner who has supported and encouraged me along the way. I’m excited to carry this passion forward and continue sharing outstanding coffee craftsmanship and warmth with partners and customers."
Jetro won second place.
The 2026 championships also introduced a new category—the Ultimate Barista Team Challenge. Seven teams from different markets competed in a series of coffeehouse scenarios that were designed to reflect the rhythm of a busy Starbucks store. The Philippine team won the inaugural title. Team Craft It Up, composed of Charles, Zine and Brix, was crowned the Ultimate Barista Team Champion.
“Winning the first ever Ultimate Barista Team Challenge is a dream come true for us,” said Charles.
Zine added, “Trust and communication were our foundations coming into the challenge. We constantly checked in on each other, gave help without asking and adjusted to situations like we would do during a store rush hour. We know each other’s strengths, allowing us to rely on one another. That’s how we worked as one.”
“We’re so proud to have made history for Starbucks Philippines, and we can’t wait to bring this experience back to our other partners. We want to carry the same clear communication and teamwork, so that even on our busiest days, customers can still feel connected and cared for,” said Brix.
The Regional Barista Champion and the top two teams of the Ultimate Barista Team Challenge will enjoy an International Roastery Experience, where they can deepen their knowledge of coffee.
Winning was, of course, the goal. But listening to the finalists talk about the championship, it was clear that the experience was not just about competition.
Hải said, "The Regional Barista Championship is a huge opportunity for baristas like us to showcase our skill and talent... It's also a good chance to connect with people who share the same passion."
Noina added, "It's a chance to showcase our skills, our country, and to meet a lot of people. It's like meeting friends and getting to enjoy this moment together."
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