Barista Guild Asia

What Barista Guild Asia does

Barista Guild Asia Sdn. Bhd. is a Malaysian specialty coffee education company founded in 2017-2018 by Daniel Liew Ming Ch'ze and David Leong Weng Wai, both Authorised Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) Trainers. The company delivers the SCA Coffee Skills Program curriculum (Foundation, Intermediate, Professional levels) at eight training locations across Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur headquarters plus Penang, Kelantan, Kota Kinabalu, and Kuching chapters) and three international chapters in Pakistan, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Course offerings span beginner modules (Introduction to Coffee, Brewing Methods, Basic Latte Art, Cupping Protocol), professional-level courses (Brewing Science, Barista Skills Course, Advanced Latte Art), youth vocational training (Junior Barista Workshop, Junior Barista Awards in partnership with Persatuan Pandu Puteri Malaysia), and premium masterclasses featuring world champions. Beyond education, BGA operates three distinct adjacent service lines: mobile coffee catering for corporate and private events (50+ clients, 100+ events, 50,000+ cups served), café consultation and coffee machine maintenance training for café owners, and corporate team-building programs. The company also organizes the Malaysia Open Coffee Championship (MOCC), a national competition platform with three tracks — Malaysia Open Barista Championship, Malaysia Open Latte Art Championship, and Malaysia Open Brewers Cup — now in its fifth year.

The business is monetized primarily through per-course unit pricing ranging from RM280 (Introduction to Coffee, 3 hours) to RM3,200 (Barista Skills Course, 4 days), with optional SCA certification exam fees (RM550 Foundation, RM750 Intermediate) charged separately. Coffee catering is sold on a per-event basis with a minimum 100-cup requirement, and café consultation operates as bespoke professional services. Courses are delivered in English, Bahasa Malaysia, and Mandarin to broaden accessibility. Distribution is physical-first across the chapter network, with select courses offering online components. Marketing is conducted through the bga.com.my website, Coffee Talks blog, monthly email newsletters, Facebook, and Instagram. The company is privately held, founder-controlled, with no disclosed external funding, institutional investors, or M&A activity. Customer logos span automotive (BMW, Mercedes, Infiniti), banking (Hong Leong Bank), retail (Adidas, Big Bad Wolf), FMCG (Unilever), energy (Schlumberger), manufacturing (Dulux), and real estate (Gamuda Land), though primarily within the catering line.

Name

Barista Guild Asia

Legal name

Barista Guild Asia Sdn. Bhd.

Website

https://bga.com.my

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Barista Guild Asia is a Malaysian coffee education specialist delivering SCA-certified barista training courses, vocational programs, corporate catering, and the Malaysia Open Coffee Championship across Malaysia, Pakistan, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Barista Training & Coffee Education

NAICS

Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars (722515), Caterers (722320)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Coffee Shops, Cafés & Beverage Programs (EDALADAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Coffee Roasters with Cafe (Roastery Cafes) (THAFADAE), Espresso Bars & Coffee Bars (THAFADAD)

Keywords

• Coffee education
• Barista training
• SCA certification
• Specialty coffee courses
• Vocational training

Headquarters

HQ city

Kuala Lumpur

HQ country

Malaysia

HQ region

Asia

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Course Fees: Revenue from conducting SCA-certified coffee training courses at various levels (Foundation, Intermediate, Professional). Fees range from RM280 to RM3,200 depending on course duration and complexity.
2. SCA Certification Exams: Optional SCA examination fees charged separately from course fees. Foundation exams RM550, Intermediate exams RM750.
3. Coffee Catering Services: Event catering services providing espresso machines, experienced baristas, and minimum 100 cups of coffee for corporate and private events. Also offers coffee appreciation workshops as part of catering.
4. Café Consultation Services: Consulting services for café owners to help with management, operational skills, aesthetics, and coffee quality improvement. Also includes coffee machine maintenance training.
5. Corporate Training: Team-building coffee training programs for companies, helping employees learn and form stronger bonds through coffee education.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Barista Guild Asia is an Authorized Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) training center that delivers specialty coffee education and barista training courses in Malaysia and selected international markets. The company offers SCA-certified curriculum modules (Foundation, Intermediate, and Professional levels), skill-specific workshops (latte art, brewing science, cupping, espresso sensory), vocational programs for youth and marginalized communities, café consultation, coffee machine maintenance training, corporate team-building workshops, and mobile coffee catering for events.

Product overview

Barista Guild Asia is a coffee education specialist offering a comprehensive portfolio of courses, certifications, and services centered around specialty coffee. The core offering consists of SCA Coffee Skills Program modules (Introduction to Coffee, Brewing Methods, Brewing Science, Barista Skills Course) that provide internationally recognized certifications. Additional educational products include skill-specific courses (Basic and Advanced Latte Art, Cupping Protocol, Espresso Sensory) and youth programs (Junior Barista Workshop, Junior Barista Awards under PPPM). The company operates Malaysia Open Coffee Championship (MOCC) featuring three competitive tracks (MOBC, MOLAC, MOBrC). Beyond education, services include Coffee Catering for events (minimum 100 cups), Café Consultation, Coffee Machine Maintenance Training, and Corporate Team Building programs. MasterClasses feature world champions for specialized training. Coffee Talks serves as the company's blog platform for industry content.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Introduction to Coffee A 3-hour foundational SCA module (10 points) covering coffee origins, cultivation, processing, roasting profiles, and brewing evaluation, aimed at beginners seeking to understand specialty coffee.
• Brewing Methods A 4-hour beginner-level SCA module teaching manual brewing techniques, SCA Gold Cup Standards, and parameters affecting coffee quality.
• Brewing Science An intermediate-level SCA course (2 days physical / 6 hours online) for baristas and roasters covering grind size selection, taste differentiation, and scientific extraction calculation using refractometry.
• Barista Skills Course A comprehensive 4-day physical program covering espresso extraction, latte art, equipment maintenance, customer service, and café safety, with optional SCA Foundation and Intermediate certification.
• Advanced Latte Art A 4-hour hands-on workshop for latte artists to refine free-pour techniques, understand milk science, and master advanced design patterns for competition.
• Basic Latte Art A hands-on beginner course teaching milk frothing, free-pouring, and etching fundamentals for creating latte art.
• Cupping Protocol A 2-hour course teaching standardized coffee tasting protocols for evaluating coffee quality, designed for buyers, baristas, roasters, and consumers.
• Espresso Sensory A course focusing on visual and taste evaluation of espresso, covering extraction analysis, milk texture assessment, and beverage preparation techniques.
• Junior Barista Workshop A 6-hour hands-on workshop for teenagers aged 13-17 covering bean-to-cup basics, espresso preparation, milk texturing, and latte art fundamentals.
• Junior Barista Awards (PPPM Program) A three-module vocational certification program (The Tamper, The Latte Artist, The Brewer) for Malaysian youth aged 13-17 affiliated with Persatuan Pandu Puteri Malaysia, providing barista skills and badges.
• Coffee Catering Services Mobile coffee service for corporate and private events providing espresso machines, experienced baristas, minimum 100 cups, and complimentary coffee workshops.
• Café Consultation Professional advisory service helping café owners improve management, operations, aesthetics, and coffee quality to compete with rising industry standards.
• Coffee Machine Maintenance Training Technical training covering mechanical and electrical functions of commercial espresso machines, boiler maintenance, and troubleshooting common issues.
• Corporate Training Programs On-site team-building coffee training programs for companies looking to build team cohesion, motivate staff, or start internal café operations.
• MasterClasses Premium masterclass workshops featuring world champions and industry experts, such as the World Coffee in Good Spirits Masterclass with Martin Hudak.
• SCA Coffee Skills Program Internationally recognized certification program based on Specialty Coffee Association curriculum, offering Foundation, Intermediate, and Professional level certifications across multiple coffee skill modules.

Quantifiable outcome

• Graduates receive SCA certification and Junior Barista Award badges for youth participants
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• International Café and Beverage Show (ICBS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Partner Organiser for Malaysia Open Coffee Championship 2026. ICBS will return to Kuala Lumpur from 7th to 9th May 2026 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre as a recognized business platform for the café industry.
• Bili MalaysiaminorOthers · 1 January 2026Official Hot Water Boiler Sponsor for MOCC 2026, providing reliable hot water solutions for competition.
• Mazzer (distributed by Classic Fine Foods Malaysia)minorOthers · 1 January 2026Official Handbrew Grinder Sponsor for MOCC 2026, supporting the handbrew competition stage.
• Anfim (distributed by Boncafé Malaysia)minorOthers · 1 January 2026Official Espresso Grinder Sponsor for MOCC 2026, supporting the competition stage.
• Kara MalaysiaminorOthers · 1 January 2026Official Barista Coconut Milk Sponsor for MOCC 2026.
• Dutch Lady Professional MalaysiaminorOthers · 1 January 2026Official Barista Milk Sponsor for MOCC 2026, providing barista milk for the championship.
• BreakfastologyminorOthers · 1 January 2026Official Food Sponsor for MOCC 2026, providing food for team, judges, volunteers, and competitors.
• Specialty Coffee Association (SCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBarista Guild Asia conducts SCA's Coffee Skills Program curriculum as an authorized training center. Courses are delivered by Authorised SCA Trainers (ASTs) following SCA's controlled and certified system with industry-updated curriculum.
• United VoiceminorOthersSelf-advocacy group for persons with learning disabilities. Partnered for 3-day basic barista course as part of Barista Guild Asia's social outreach vocational training program.
• Deaf Boleh! MalaysiaminorOthersCommunity of Deaf Malaysians founded by Selina Wing. Partnered for 3-day Barista Training course as part of social outreach program to provide vocational training.
• Persatuan Pandu Puteri Malaysia (PPPM)minorOthersOfficial partner for Junior Barista Awards program. Girl scouts join BGA for vocational training under the etching badge program and Junior Barista Course.
• Martin HudákminorOthersWorld Coffee in Good Spirits 2017 Champion and out-going Senior Bartender at The American Bar, Savoy Hotel London. Hosted Southeast Asia's first Coffee in Good Spirits Masterclass in March 2018.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ona Coffee: Australian specialty coffee roaster and training academy offering SCA-accredited courses and barista competition preparation. Comparable as a vertically integrated specialty coffee operator combining roastery, training, and competition development.
• Common Man Coffee Roasters: Singapore specialty coffee roaster with a training academy offering SCA-accredited programs and latte-art competitions. Comparable as a regional specialty coffee education operator combining roastery, training, and competition formats.
• Papa Palheta: Singapore specialty coffee roaster and academy running SCA-certified courses and barista workshops. Comparable as a Southeast Asian coffee education and roasting operator with overlapping curriculum and target customers.
• Bettr Barista: Singapore-based specialty coffee training social enterprise combining SCA-certified barista education with vocational impact for marginalized groups. Closest peer to BGA's training-plus-social-outreach model in the same Southeast Asian region.
• Yahava Koffeeworks: Australian specialty coffee roaster and training center offering barista courses and coffee education experiences. Comparable as a regional specialty coffee operator with education as a core revenue line alongside roasting and cafe operations.
• Bellissimo Coffee Academy: Italian-origin specialty coffee academy operating internationally with SCA-certified training programs, competition coaching, and masterclasses. Comparable as an established multi-region SCA training center running the same curriculum BGA delivers.

Others

• Coffee Quality Institute (CQI): Global non-profit issuing the Q-Grader credential, which BGA's co-founder Daniel Liew holds. Comparable as an adjacent credentialing body whose certifications complement the SCA pathway BGA teaches.
• Specialty Coffee Association (SCA): Global non-profit body that defines the Coffee Skills Program curriculum and certification standards BGA delivers. Comparable as the credentialing infrastructure provider whose authorization is the foundation of BGA's business model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/BaristaGuildAsia
• Instagraminstagram.com/baristaguildasia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/baristaguildasia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Barista Guild Asia