Coffee Culture Festival, the 2026 China Coffee Cup Testing Competition (Shanghai Minhang Zone) kicked off at the Hongqiao Libao Center. 108 coffee practitioners and enthusiasts from all over the country will compete for 8 tickets to advance to the national finals in a two-day event.
The core competition of this event is the triangle cup test, with three cups of coffee arranged in a triangle for each group, totaling 18 cups in 6 groups. Each group has one cup with different flavor and quality, and players need to taste it to find the difference cup. Two people compete on the same stage in pairs, with accuracy as the priority and time as the secondary ranking rule. The one with all pairs and shorter time is ranked higher.
Dry aroma, wet aroma, flavor, aftertaste, acidity, mellow thickness, sweetness, cleanliness, consistency, balance… These terms in professional cup testing tables may be unfamiliar to ordinary consumers, but they are the "textbook" for evaluating coffee quality in the industry.
It is reported that among the contestants, there are "veteran" Yi Yang who has reached the finals for three consecutive years, Hu Juan who has won the national championship, and industry newcomers who have stood on the professional stage for the first time.
Unfortunately, I got the wrong cup. The newcomer is very strong. "Liu Xingyuan, a contestant who won sixth place in 2025 and has participated in competitions for three years, completed the triangle cup test in 2 minutes and 51 seconds. He said that the triangle cup test is one of the lowest threshold coffee competitions, and ordinary consumers and beginners can participate. As long as they have a keen sense of taste and smell, they can complete the challenge by tasting. But to achieve good grades, one must undergo professional training and possess solid sensory abilities. For ordinary consumers, cup testing is also a practical method for selecting their favorite flavors
At the event site, unlike coffee competitions that focus on performance such as latte art and brewing competitions, cup testing competitions have weaker viewing value but faster pace and stronger competition. The process of competing in speed and accuracy is very exciting. In the past two years, the attention to the competition has continued to increase.
It is reported that since its first edition in 2022, the competition has covered 28 provinces (cities) and 126 cities, with a total of 130 events held and over 5500 baristas participating.
Starting from noon on May 16th, 108 contestants will compete in the cup test according to their groups. On the afternoon of the 17th, the 8 outstanding contestants will compete in the final, and the 8 finalists will also receive tickets to the national finals.
In the eyes of Chen Zhoufangyuan, an outstanding contestant in the 2022 finals, the China Coffee Cup Testing Competition has witnessed and participated in the standardization process of China's coffee industry for five years. "No matter who among us ultimately wins those eight tickets, they are already peers on the road to standardization of Chinese coffee, paying tribute to professionalism and investing in the future of the industry
In 2026, the Chinese coffee market is at a critical juncture. Coffee has shifted from "social luxury" to "essential consumption". As of now, there are over 263100 coffee related enterprises in China, and the rapid expansion of the industry has brought about a strong demand for talent.
The cup testing competition has established a relatively unified method for evaluating coffee quality, providing an operational path for industry standardization. "Zhan Yingqin, the supervisor of the Chinese Coffee League, took out a photo of the national finals from previous years." When the contestants judge the flavor, acidity, and richness of coffee under the same standards, they are actually jointly building industry consensus
As one of the core activities of the 2026 Hongqiao International Coffee Culture Festival, the Cup Testing Competition has entered a deeply integrated part of the "Cultural, Business, Sports Exhibition". As one of the representatives of the industry side activities, the Cup Testing Competition undertakes the function of showcasing the professionalism of the industry. "The relevant person in charge of Xinhong said that while the consumer side activities are lively, professional competitions also remind everyone that coffee is not just a beverage, but also a discipline that requires rigorous attitude and professional skills.
Reporter: Mao Haiping
Material: Xin Hongyue
Reviewed by: Wang Tingting and Fang Yubin
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