Global Coffee Awards is looking for Asia’s best roaster

Estimated reading time: 9 minutes

Key takeaways

• The Global Coffee Awards (GCA) recognise the world’s best roasteries and the producers who supply their coffees.
• Global Coffee Awards Asia will take place on 17 June 2026 in Charleston, South Carolina, US.
• Asia’s coffee consumption has jumped by more than 14% since 2018, surpassing North America and Europe.
• In 2026, the GCA will also host regional MENA, Africa, the US & Canada, Latin America, Europe, and Origin Roasted competitions.

The Global Coffee Awards (GCA) recognise and celebrate the best roasters from around the world. Throughout 2025, the competition hosted US & Canada, Europe, and Origin Roasted (roasters based in coffee-producing countries) editions. 

The 2025 GCA World Championship was recently held at Producer & Roaster Forum (PRF) in El Salvador, where Lithuania’s Huracán Coffee was named the world’s best roaster.

This year, GCA will expand into Asia, the world’s fastest-growing coffee market. Not only will this build on the competition’s explosive growth, but it will result in one of the most exciting editions to date.

Learn more about GCA here.

Why Asia?

GCA is structured around regional competitions, inviting roasters of all sizes, from small-batch independents to national brands, to submit their best coffees across defined categories. The awards recognise the company as a whole rather than any individual, giving roasters a platform to reinforce their branding and marketing.

“We saw how committed roasters were to taking part in the World Championship, and there was huge interest from outside the US & Canada, Europe, and Origin Roasted countries last year, including Japan and Taiwan,” says Emi Rueda, Sales and Relationship Manager at the Global Coffee Awards. “This enthusiasm has driven us to expand into different regions in 2026, including the Middle East & North Africa, Africa, and Asia.

“More roasters than ever will have the opportunity to showcase their most exceptional coffees this year.”

GCA’s move into the Asian market, in particular, is notable. Coffee consumption across Asia is growing faster than in North America and Europe, rising by more than 14% since 2018 as specialty brands and chains expand across the region.

“Asia is an incredibly diverse region for coffee,” Emi explains. “We’ll see roasters from highly sophisticated, mature markets like Japan and Taiwan compete with those in countries like China, India, and Kazakhstan, where specialty coffee consumption is booming.”

Japan is one of the world’s biggest coffee consumers, with roasters often paying hefty prices for competition-winning lots. Shanghai, meanwhile, recently earned the title of the “world’s most compelling coffee city”, with over 9,000 coffee shops – more than London, New York City, or Tokyo.

In emerging specialty coffee markets like India and Indonesia, for example, innovative roasters are driving consumption. By 2030, India’s coffee market is forecast to double in value, with specialty coffee accounting for nearly 18% of this growth.

“India and Asia are seeing rapid growth in specialty coffee, with consumers becoming more interested in origin, brewing, and sensory experiences,” says Marc Tormo, founder of Coffee Ideas (under the brand Marc’s Coffee), the India National Winner at the 2025 Global Coffee Awards Origin Roasted competition. “The region is also producing exceptional coffees, offering strong potential for innovation and growth.”

Indonesia, meanwhile, is now the world’s fifth biggest coffee consumer, making it Asia’s fastest-growing coffee market.

“GCA Asia will bring all these markets together, culminating in a regional champion to represent Asia on the global stage in March 2027,” says Emi.

Supporting roasters to sell more coffee

The GCA focuses on roasted coffee rather than green beans, providing a comprehensive quality assessment that encompasses a wide range of coffee appealing to diverse consumer preferences. Roasters gain international visibility and media coverage, and their coffees are highlighted in ways that also celebrate the producers.

“The coffees in each category are prepared as a consumer would experience them in a café, using specific brew ratios and brewing protocols,” Emi explains. “This real-world assessment ensures that coffees are judged as accurately as possible.”

Each coffee is evaluated through a two-stage blind tasting: judges first conduct a two-minute quantitative sensory assessment to score and describe the coffee, followed by a three-minute discussion led by a coordinator to refine and align qualitative feedback. All comments are intended to be constructive and encouraging, offering clear insight without unnecessary technical detail.

Every roaster receives feedback on the way they interpret and roast their coffees. This feedback is geared towards marketing, helping roasters sell their coffees more effectively to the right customers.

“The GCA allows roasters to benchmark their coffees internationally while gaining visibility in the specialty coffee community,” Marc says. “It also encourages learning, dialogue, and recognition of quality and craftsmanship.

“The competition has helped Coffee Ideas strengthen its focus on quality and innovation, gain international exposure, and connect with industry professionals, and it has also supported the global promotion of Indian coffees.”

MTPak Coffee, a leading global supplier of custom-printed coffee packaging, is the Global Coffee Awards Gold Sponsor 2026. Hiroia, a coffee equipment manufacturer, is the GCA Official Equipment Partner, and Blue Water, a water purification company, is the GCA Asia Official Water Sponsor.

“Coffee is 98% water. For too long, water has been the least controlled ingredient in the cup, and Bluewater changes that,” says , President of Bluewater USA Inc. “Water built for coffee means control: same coffee, same recipe, same taste profile – whether you’re brewing in Sydney, Stockholm, or Seattle.

“We remove the guesswork. We purify the water, remove what should not be there, and remineralise with intention.”

On 17 June 2026, GCA Asia will be hosted at green coffee importer Balzac Brothers in Charleston, South Carolina, in the US, where all samples will be sent for judging and analysis. The event was originally scheduled to be held in Dubai, the UAE, but was rescheduled following conflict in the Middle East.

Why roasters should take part in Global Coffee Awards Asia

Some of the roasters who have already submitted coffees to GCA Asia include:

• Japan’s Philocoffea Inc, Filter Supply, and Terasaki Coffee
• Common Man Coffee Roasters in Singapore
• Vietnam’s Every Half Coffee Roasters
• Curve Coffee Collaborators in the Philippines
• Taiwan’s Kakalove Cafe and All Day Roasting Company
• South Korea’s Alegria Coffee Roasters
• PT. Kopi Kina in Indonesia
• India’s Roastery Coffee House
• Hidden Coffee in Hong Kong

In addition to judging feedback, all participating roasters will receive digital Certificates of Achievement, and winning roasters will receive Gold, Silver, and Bronze Global Coffee Awards seals. These are distinctive marks of excellence that they can display on their packaging, marketing materials, websites, social media channels, and menus to help drive sales.

You can find the 2025 GCA World Championship Gold winners here.

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 and submit a coffee grown in their home nation, they receive automatic, free entry into the Origin Roasted category.

“We’re spotlighting roasters in producing regions, often less recognised on an international level, who are supporting and representing their country’s coffee sector,” says Emi.

The full 2026 GCA schedule also includes:

• MENA (Middle East and North Africa): 15 June 2026. Judging will take place at Balzac Brothers
• Africa (excluding MENA countries): 16 June 2026 at Balzac Brothers
• US & Canada: 10 August 2026. Judging will take place at Copan Trade in Houston, Texas, US
• Latin America: 12 August 2026 at Copan Trade
• Europe: 12 October 2026. Judging will take place at Belco in Bordeaux, France

For the 2027 edition, GCA aims to expand into Oceania for full international coverage.

In line with judging and roaster feedback, there will be new categories and subcategories at the 2026 GCA events. These include:

• Espresso – Experimental Blend and Classic Roast Profile
• Filter – Experimental Blend, Classic Roast Profile, Liberica, Gesha, Co-Fermented, and Barrel Aged
• Flat White Dairy and Flat White Plant-Based Milk (renamed for clarity) – Experimental and Classic Roast Profile

“The new categories and subcategories are based on what we’re seeing in the coffee market, including in Asia,” says Emi. “Roasters in this region are sourcing more experimentally processed lots, for instance, and more young people are drinking RTD and cold coffee.”

Category availability will be determined based on regional participation levels, market relevance, and product popularity. This ensures that each competition reflects the realities of its local and regional market while maintaining global consistency in judging standards.

How can I apply?

Roasters must first choose their entry package before submitting samples. All coffees submitted for the GCA Asia must be received by 10 June 2026. The entry kit, which includes judging forms, is available here.

The winning regional roasters will be invited exclusively to compete in the 2027 GCA World Championships, to be held at PRF 2027, with the location to be confirmed in the coming months. This will include the GCA Awards Ceremony and Annual Dinner, giving roasters and producers the opportunity to network with industry leaders and experts.

To learn more about how to apply to the GCA and how the competition works, you can watch these videos.

For those looking to take part in other capacities, there are two Sensory Judge spots and two Competition Barista spots available. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to an interview. Sensory Judges can apply here, and Competition Baristas can apply here.

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

Through its international competition circuit, the GCA is designed not only to identify the best roasters across regions but also to pit them against one another, culminating in a global champion.

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.

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