Celebrating 10 years of MNCC with Malaysia’s top baristas, brewers and latte artists and a fresh spotlight on café innovation
Malaysia’s most anticipated food and beverage trade event is turning up the heat (and the steam) with a bold showcase of the country’s booming café culture. Taking place from 30 July to 1 August 2025 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, MIFB 2025, in strategic partnership with Malaysian Specialty Coffee Association (MSCA), will be hosting the Malaysia National Coffee Championship (MNCC), now celebrating its 10th anniversaryalongside the launch of the Malaysia Café Expo (MCE), a brand-new exhibition spotlighting the latest trends and innovations in the cafe business.
This milestone edition of MNCC brings together 48 of Malaysia’s finest baristas, brewers, latte artists and sensory judges, all competing for a coveted ticket to the world stage. Visitors can expect live championship showdowns, immersive brewing experiences, and a front-row seat to the evolution of Malaysia’s specialty coffee scene. As Malaysia’s café culture continues to flourish, fuelled by a new generation of coffee professionals, rapid digital adoption, and a vibrant blend of global influence and local identity, MIFB and MCE 2025 are set to capture this momentum like never before.
Marking a major milestone this year, Kelvin Ngow Wai Hng, President of Malaysia Specialty Coffee Association (MSCA) shared their reflections on the journey so far:
“As we mark the 10th anniversary of the Malaysia National Coffee Championship (MNCC), this milestone year reflects a decade of dedication to nurturing Malaysia’s specialty coffee community. Since preparation began in July 2024, we’ve been focused on creating a meaningful platform that celebrates both experience and emerging talent. With the preliminary rounds wrapping up in June 2025, this year’s competition welcomed a diverse mix of seasoned professionals and passionate newcomers, including many from the younger generation who bring fresh perspectives and creative approaches. From evolving brewing techniques to deeper storytelling and sensory exploration, this year’s lineup continues to showcase the professionalism and innovation that define Malaysia’s growing coffee scene. As we head into the semi-finals, there is much to look forward to, not only in the performances but in celebrating how far we’ve come in the past ten years.”
Malaysia’s presence on the global coffee map is already well established. Past champions include:
- Irvine Quek, World Latte Art Champion 2018: Malaysia’s first-ever world titleholder in latte art
- Regine Wai, 1st Runner-Up, World Brewers Cup Championship 2018: For exceptional hand-brew technique and storytelling
- Ryan Liew, 4th Place, World Latte Art Championship 2023: Keeping Malaysia’s artistic coffee legacy alive
A year-long championship journey that began in July 2024 will lead to the Semi-Finals and Finals held over threedays at MIFB 2025, following the preliminary heats held in April and June. Covering areas from latte artistry to taste calibration, the MNCC is Malaysia’s definitive platform for specialty coffee talent, hosting four elite competition categories; Barista, Latte Art, Brewers Cup, and Cup Tasters, as organised by the MSCA and sanctioned by World Coffee Events (WCE). The MNCC remains the launchpad for such world-class achievements, and the MCE, held alongside MIFB 2025 is where the journey begins. From latte artistry to taste calibration, the MNCC remains Malaysia’s definitive platform for specialty coffee talent, a springboard for emerging champions who go on to represent the nation at the prestigious World Coffee Championships.
Coffee lovers, professionals, and curious newcomers can witness Malaysia’s best in action across four categories, which are:
- The Malaysia Brewers Cup 2025
- The Malaysia Barista Championship 2025
- Malaysia Latte Art Championship 2025
- Malaysia Cup Tasters Championship 2025
In tandem with the competition, the Malaysia Café Expo (MCE) debuts as a dedicated hub for café professionals, F&B buyers, and lifestyle entrepreneurs at Hall 7 of the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, with 5,000 visitors expected over three days. Showcasing the latest in equipment, ingredients, concepts, and digital solutions, the MCE offers a future-focused lens into what’s brewing in the café scene, from sustainability and automation to heritage-infused drinks and experiential café design. Attendees can explore a wide range of offerings across coffee and tea, snacks and pastries, non-caffeinated beverages, machinery and tools, packaging and interiors, and payment or franchising solutions, with key exhibitors including 103 Coffee, Berjaya Starbucks Coffee, Boncafe, Coffex Coffee, Dankoff, Dutch Lady Milk | FrieslandCampina Professional, Forest Cloud, Global Coffee Resources, K3, Lamarsa Coffee Machine Company.
From passionate home brewers to seasoned restaurateurs, MIFB 2025 offers a truly immersive journey across the entire F&B value chain, spanning processing, packaging, retail, and foodservice, with the Malaysia Café Expo (MCE) spotlighting the vibrant evolution of café culture as an integral part of the experience. As the F&B revolution continues to reshape how we eat, drink, and connect, there’s no better place to tap into this movement than at MIFB, where over 500 companies from 50+ countries converge across 18,000 sqm of curated exhibition zones. With highlights like the Knowledge Hub themed “Smart, Sustainable, Scalable” and live culinary showcases at the Gastronomic Sensory Hub, the future of F&B comes alive on every front.
Visit Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre from 30 July to 1 August 2025 and be part of Malaysia’s biggest coffee moment. Register online for hassle-free entry with e-badge: www.mifb.com.my/registration.
About MIFB
Organised by Constellar, the Malaysian International Food and Beverage Trade Fair (MIFB) stands as Malaysia’s premier food and beverage trade event, dedicated to facilitating connections at every stage of the supply chain to connect, network, and collaborate from upstream to downstream solutions.
As the name ‘Malaysian International Food & Beverage Trade Fair’ suggests, MIFB brings together international exhibitors to meet local industry players, creating invaluable opportunities for global exporters seeking to establish business connections within the broader Malaysian market. Through MIFB, international and local F&B players converge to explore innovative solutions and drive industry growth.
About Constellar
Constellar is Asia’s preferred partner for convening businesses, curating ideas and creating opportunities for sustainable business growth and global impact. Based in Singapore with a regional footprint in China, India, Malaysia and Indonesia, we curate and develop influential trade and consumer events for key industries and sectors, connecting people, global marketplaces and networks for sustainable growth. We also manage the Singapore EXPO, Singapore’s largest purpose-built venue for Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE).
Our vision is to be a global leader made in Asia, activating impactful networks to enable cross-industry collaboration and innovation through our holistic portfolio of intellectual property (IP) in the MICE industry. Visit constellar.co for more information.
