SINGAPORE – Speciality Food & Drinks Asia (SFDA) and Speciality Coffee & Tea Asia (SCTA), trade events dedicated to the artisan, gourmet, and fine food and beverages industries, have come to a successful close after three fruitful days. Held at Sands Expo & Convention Centre in Singapore and organised by IEG Asia, the trade events were part of SIGEP Asia, the first Asian edition of the renowned SIGEP Worldwide – the Italian international artisan gelato, pastry, bakery, and coffee trade show, and was held alongside Restaurant Asia and co-located with takeaway and delivery trade show Food2Go.
SNCC: Singapore’s flagship competition for the coffee industry
The Singapore National Coffee Championship (SNCC), staged by the Singapore Coffee Association at SCTA over three days, saw 70 participants showcase their skills and passion for coffee making and clinch championship titles in four categories: the Singapore National Barista Championship (presented by Santino), Singapore National Brewers Cup (presented by TIMEMORE), Singapore National Latte Art Championship and Singapore Cup Tasters Championship.
The SNCC is the flagship national competitive event for Singapore’s coffee industry and is aimed at raising the profile of the barista profession, promoting best practices in coffee preparation, and encouraging local baristas to continually improve their craft. The winner of each category at SNCC 2024 will go on to represent Singapore globally at the World Coffee Championships, which will be held on three continents in 2025.
Singapore National Barista Champion: Wong Ruoqi (Chris)
The winner of the Singapore National Barista Championship 2024 is Wong Ruoqi (Chris), Head of Coffee from Santino, who will showcase her brewing skills at the World Barista Championship in Milan, Italy, in October 2025. This category requires participants to demonstrate their skills in preparing innovative espresso-based drinks across the espresso, milk, and signature beverage courses.
“The Singapore National Barista Championship sponsored by Santino is a highly technical category, and I’m happy that all my hard work and preparation has paid off. It will be an incredible honour to fly Singapore’s flag on the world stage. I look forward to showcasing the creativity and passion of our coffee scene in Italy next year,” said Wong Ruoqi (Chris), Singapore National Barista Champion.
Singapore National Brewers Cup Champion: Elysia Tan
The winner of the Singapore National Brewers Cup 2024 is Elysia Tan, Director of Homeground Coffee Roasters. Also, the previous champion from 2019 and 2022, she represents Singapore in the World Brewers Cup in Jakarta, Indonesia, in May 2025.
This category highlights the craft of brewing filtered coffee by hand, and promotes manual coffee-brewing and service excellence.
“Winning the Singapore National Brewers Cup is a huge accomplishment as this competition is all about brewing the perfect cup. Singapore’s coffee scene has indeed grown by leaps and bounds, and this win is dedicated to the incredible work baristas do every day, transforming beans into something beautiful. I’m determined to work harder to refine my craft and compete at the highest level,” said Elysia Tan, Singapore National Brewers Cup Champion.
Singapore National Latte Art Champion: Tan Jia Min
The Singapore Latte Art Champion 2024 title was clinched by Tan Jia Min, a barista from The Populus: Coffee & Food Co. She will be heading to Geneva, Switzerland, to compete in the World Latte Art Championships in June 2025.
This competition, as its name suggests, showcases participants’ artistic expression in coffee making, using milk-pouring methods to create intricate latte art designs. It is scored based on symmetry, contrast, creativity and visual impact.
“This was an exciting yet nerve-racking experience, but I’m thrilled to win the title of Singapore’s Latte Art Champion. I’m eager to showcase my latte art skills and creativity on the prestigious international stage in Switzerland next year, and I’ll do my best to make Singapore proud,” said Tan Jia Min, Singapore National Latte Art Champion.
Singapore Cup Tasters Champion: Tan Yi Xin
The winner of the Singapore Cup Tasters Championship 2024 is Tan Yi Xin, a barista from Starbucks Coffee Singapore, and she will be competing at the World Cup Tasters Championship in Geneva, Switzerland, in June 2025.
This category tests one’s ability to quickly and accurately identify subtle taste differences in several cups of speciality coffee.
“Claiming the Singapore Cup Tasters title feels like a dream. Even though I had a throat infection throughout the competition, I decided to let my tongue do the talking and trust my tastebuds. I’m eager to put my palate to the test at the World Coffee Championships in Geneva and see how it stacks up against the best. I’d like to thank the Singapore Coffee Association, my team from Starbucks Coffee Singapore, as well as fellow competitors, for this exhilarating experience,” said Tan Yi Xin, Singapore Cup Tasters Champion.
Putting Singapore’s coffee culture on the world map
Events such as the SCTA and SNCC shine a spotlight on Singapore’s coffee talents and are a true testament to the country’s growing coffee culture.
“The calibre of talent displayed at the SNCC this year was truly remarkable. Each and every participant showcased exceptional technical skills, as well as a deep understanding and appreciation for coffee. Their dedication to their craft is truly inspiring, and we are confident they will represent Singapore proudly at the World Coffee Championships. I’d like to thank our judges, hailing from Singapore, Australia, China, Malaysia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand, for sharing their time and expertise, and my team at SCA for organising the event and ensuring that the four competitions ran smoothly,” said Victor Mah, President of the Singapore Coffee Association.
An array of speciality coffee brands and products, including coffee machines, grinders, pour-over kettles, drippers, beans and pods, were exhibited at SCTA, from local and global brands such as TIMEMORE, DASHER Singapore, Allpress Espresso, Sapori Italiani, Huggs Coffee, Blu Coffee, Beijing Guixia Legend Trading, Glyph Supply Co, MHW-bomber, Prefer and Mii FoodService, and more.
“It has been thrilling to host the SNCC at SCTA within our first-ever SIGEP Asia edition, exposing Singapore’s talents to the world and also showcasing Singapore’s passion for the F&B industry to a global audience. We are proud to have provided a platform where exceptional talent can shine and inspire others. This is truly what SIGEP represents – a world expo for food service excellence – and we look forward to bridging more communities across continents,” said Ilaria Cicero, CEO of IEG Asia and organiser of the events.
SIGEP Asia: a global gathering hub for all things F&B
The first-ever SIGEP Asia, co-located with the 5th edition of Restaurant Asia, SFDA, SCTA, and Food2Go attracted over 11,000 trade visitors and brought together over 320 brands from more than 30 countries and regions. Encompassing the F&B and Hotel, Restaurant, and Catering (Ho.Re.Ca.) industries, the combined events brought together leading global and Asian industry players and hosted fringe events such as the RAS Leadership Symposium and seminars, masterclasses and tasting sessions with Italian Chefs and Boncafe.
A diverse mix of exhibitors, from established global players to exciting homegrown artisanal producers, showcased their F&B products and food service technologies, and country pavilions displayed goods from countries such as Italy, Kuwait, China, Malaysia, Japan and Mexico.
Leading tech companies at the Technology & Innovation Pavilion also showcased their food service technologies that would help the industry boost operational efficiency, enhance customer experience and work towards a more sustainable future.
Looking ahead to 2025
SIGEP Asia, Restaurant Asia, SCTA and SFDA will return in 2025 at the Sands Expo & Convention Centre in Singapore. Stay tuned for updates and announcements at https://sigepasia.com.sg/
