Malaysian barista Tan Shing Win has finished second at the 2026 World Barista Championship in Panama City, giving Malaysia its first podium finish at the competition.
The championship was held at the Panama Convention Center from Oct 22 to 25. Tan made it through the preliminary rounds and semi-finals to reach the final six, where China’s Pan Wei took the title and Frederick Ruben of the United Arab Emirates finished third.
Tan studied finance and economics but left the corporate path after a short internship to pursue coffee full-time. Over the past six years he has worked across the specialty coffee industry, from sourcing green beans and working with producers to business development and serving customers. He works with One Half Roastery in Petaling Jaya and green coffee company Tri-Up Coffee SEA.
He earned his place at the world event by winning the 2025 Malaysia Barista Championship, and this was his first appearance at the World Barista Championship.
His 15-minute routine focused on moisture, exploring how it affects coffee from processing and drying at the farm to brewing and extraction. He used a traditionally washed Geisha coffee from Panama to show how controlling moisture can help preserve flavour.
Tan’s result surpasses Malaysia’s previous best at the championship, a fourth-place finish by Jason Loo in 2025. He said coming second brought mixed emotions, as he was proud but knew first place had been within reach, and he credited his coach, mentor and team for their support.