Love the coffee, stay for the ambience

 

(Photo: Surasak I Dreamstime.com)

 

COFFEE is no doubt a beloved beverage among Asians, and savoring the experience at a café is a typical pastime. Yet cafés today are more than places to buy coffee, and have become hubs for both productivity and social connection.

 

According to Marketing LTB’s Coffee Shop Marketing Statistics 2026 report, customers stay for an average of 38 minutes per visit; during weekends café traffic rises by 40%; about 29% of customers visit cafés for remote work, while 31% choose them for study‑friendly environments. Whether for quiet time or group meetings, coffee shops now remain central to social and work life. And as more cafés rise in neighborhoods, the challenge for owners is how to ensure customers return.

 

The World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops 2026 held earlier this year, reveals even more. A benchmark for the industry and professionals, the ranking highlights coffee shops that not only serve exceptional coffee but also create unique coffee experiences. DaVinci Gourmet, the brand under Kerry Foodservice, supported this industry‑recognized list as global title sponsor.

 

In this feature, we interviewed Jane Veraworawet, owner of Fika & Co. Café (Thailand), rank 61; Shaun Liew, co-founder of the Story of Ono (Malaysia), rank 8; Andre Chanco, co-founder, Yardstick (Philippines), rank 34; and Sylvia Tan, owner and Sam Tan, co-owner of the Coffee Stain (Malaysia), rank 84.  Each represents the evolving face of Southeast Asia’s coffee scene today.

 

 

Story of Ono, Malaysia

 

 

How would you describe your café?

Jane Veraworawet: Fika & Co. started with the idea of “comfort coffee” and “everyday coffee.” We simply wanted to serve good coffee that people can enjoy every day, especially since our first shop is located in an office area with lots of working professionals.

 

After competing in the World Barista Championship and World Coffee in Good Spirits in 2023, we brought back many techniques and ideas to develop our drinks further. That’s how our signature coffee mocktails came to life: non-alcoholic drinks inspired by cocktails and designed to give a similar kind of experience. For example, we have Coffee Manhattan, inspired by alcoholic classics like the Manhattan and Old Fashioned, and Coffee Craft Beer, which takes inspiration from tropical IPAs.

 

Shaun Liew: The Story of Ono is the world's first specialty coffee and matcha café. Additionally, we also offer a variety of Japanese-fusion food on top of our curated coffee and matcha beverage menu. What differentiates us is that we serve specialty coffee and matcha at the same level and we also incorporate these products into our desserts as well.

 

Andre Chanco: Yardstick is a Manila-born specialty coffee roaster and café that focuses on clarity, warmth, and accessibility. We design each store differently depending on how people actually use the space and the neighborhood. It is less about a fixed concept and more about responding and adding value to coffee drinkers in the vicinity. 

 

Sylvia Tan / Sam Tan:  At Coffee Stain, we aim to create the feeling of returning to a warm, familiar place for our customers. We take pride in connecting people and communities through every cup of coffee, bringing together those who enjoy it and those who cultivate it.

 

 

Yardstick, Philippines

 

 

On a personal level, what is it like to run a café, especially one that has now earned a top ranking?

Jane Veraworawet: First of all, I want to thank all our customers and friends who have supported us for almost seven years. Everything we have today is because of them and the value they see in what we do through every cup of coffee. This recognition feels like a confirmation that we’re on the right track. It motivates us to keep doing what we do—maintaining quality, taking care of our service—and to keep improving step by step.

 

Shaun Liew: It is an exciting journey. Every day is different as we meet many people from different countries and backgrounds. I am truly grateful and humbled to earn this top ranking. We could not achieve this without the efforts of my amazing team and also the support of our customers, friends and family. Even with this achievement, the team and I will continue pushing ourselves to do better and prioritize quality and consistency in our products and service.

 

Andre Chanco: It still feels very hands-on and close to the ground despite running the business for 12 years now. The recognition is something we are grateful for, but it also raises the standard we hold ourselves to. At the end of the day, it is still about getting each cup and each interaction right. At this point, it's also more about the team; the recognition goes to them as they make magic happen daily. 

 

Sylvia Tan / Sam Tan:  It is a milestone for us as it shows that our passion and hard work towards coffee is recognized by people around the world. That our passion means more than just serving exceptional coffee. We’re more motivated than ever to share with our customers how they are part of this journey, and to pass on the stories behind farmers.

 

Tell us about the quality of your beverages. What makes each cup a winner?

Jane Veraworawet: For me, beyond creating a great and unique experience, what really matters are the small details. Every cup has little things that we need to pay attention to, to make it the best it can be. Sometimes it’s something simple people might overlook; for example, adjusting the brew variables —understanding how today is different from yesterday, and adjusting to bring out the best in that coffee for the customer.

 

Shaun Liew: When creating a beverage or even calibrating coffee and matcha, we always seek for a balanced cup. All our beverages are curated with that in mind to ensure our customers enjoy a beverage that is smooth and easy to drink.

 

Andre Chanco: We spend a lot of time making sure our drinks are both high quality and easy to enjoy. In the Philippines, people lean towards comforting and familiar flavors, so we build around that while keeping the coffee expressive. The goal is to offer something customers can come back to every day. We recently tightened our menu using a lot of data analysis to make it more efficient in the backend, while keeping the variety, quality and speed for our customers. 

 

Sylvia Tan / Sam Tan:  We ensure that our team is well prepared every day. We send them on training to go back to our roots, vision, and mission so that they can make consistently good coffee all the time.

 

 

Fika & Co.

 

 

Do global trends or local cultural influences impact your menus significantly?

Jane Veraworawet: Definitely. Both global trends and local culture have a big influence on what we serve. Our coffee mocktails, for example, connect with current preferences for sobriety and mindful drinking. On the local side, matcha was a huge trend in Thailand last year; as such, we expanded into ceremonial-grade matcha and trained our team to really understand the differences between each type, so they can pass that experience on to customers in a meaningful way. In short, we adapted by learning and going with the flow while still focusing on delivering a great experience,

 

Shaun Liew: I would say not significantly. However, in the past, we did not have many options for vegetarian food in our cafe and with more people focusing on health and wellness today, we decided to incorporate more vegetarian and healthier options into our menu. One example, our Portobello Mushroom Katsu Sando.

 

Andre Chanco: We pay attention to global trends, but we always adapt them to how people here actually consume. Manila is very social and experience-driven, so drinks need to be both interesting and approachable. If it does not fit our customers, we do not push it. It's also important to look at the backend supply chain to be able to serve something consistently across all our stores. We have seasonal drinks every quarter that allow us to introduce something new while gathering feedback and preferences.

 

Sylvia Tan / Sam Tan: Compared to when we first started 14 years ago, over time we are seeing a trend among customers where they know how to appreciate black coffee. Of course, our black and white coffees continue to be staples.

 

In what ways do you incorporate regional flavors or ingredients into your coffee offerings?

Shaun Liew: We usually create beverages with regional or local ingredients during festive seasons. For example, we added mandarin orange and Sarawak pineapple into our signature drinks during Chinese New Year.

 

Andre Chanco: We take inspiration from familiar and complex flavors and translate them into coffee in a subtle way. Rather than pushing a singular flavor profile, we aim to offer a spread that allows for discovery and accessibility. Drinks like our Sea Salt Latte come from that idea of comfort with a twist.

 

Sylvia Tan / Sam Tan: We incorporate mixology into our menu as well, such as our Orange Espresso — rich espresso over zesty orange that delivers a smooth and bright finish.

 

Which brewing methods best showcase your café’s approach to coffee?

Shaun Liew:  We use the Hario V60 to brew our filter coffees to accentuate flavor clarity and vibrancy.

 

Andre Chanco: Espresso-based drinks are still the backbone because that is what most of our customers connect with. Batch brew allows us to serve filter coffee in a more approachable way. Filter brewing is there for guests who want to explore further. We are constantly exploring new technologies and equipment to serve our customers better while elevating each drink that we serve. 

 

Sylvia Tan / Sam Tan: The Espresso machine. It best showcases our house blend — Cheerfruit, which has gotten numerous praises from customers. It has a sweet and fruity note that reflects the passion and enthusiasm of our baristas.

 

Please tell us about some of the key sustainability practices in your business.

Shaun Liew: We try to source and work with local producers for some ingredients to be incorporated into our dishes and signature beverages.

 

Andre Chanco: We focus on building long-term relationships with producers, especially within the Philippines. On the operations side, we try to be disciplined with sourcing, inventory, and waste. Sustainability for us is about making the business viable for everyone in the chain.

 

Sylvia Tan / Sam Tan: We produce our plant milk (Oat + Almond) and kombucha in-house.

 

Coffee Stain, Malaysia

 

 

 

Are there behind-the-scenes routines that keep the quality of your service and team motivation high?

Jane Veraworawet: We really care about details. Every team at Fika & Co., both front and back of house, tries to find new ways to improve and elevate what we do. Competitions are also a big part of how we develop and grow as a team. After each competition, we share what we’ve learned internally and bring those ideas to our daily operations to enhance the overall experience for our customers.

 

Shaun Liew:  We usually have weekly team meetings to ensure everyone is in-check and align with the company’s vision and standards. Occasionally, I have my one-to-one sessions with some teammates to ensure their wellbeing, and give advice and motivation when required. 

 

Andre Chanco: We spend a lot of time on training and calibration, but also on culture. Our teams are encouraged to take pride in what they do and to connect with customers. Small habits done consistently are what keep standards high. Our induction training lasts 15 days, and we recently introduced new processes like internal audits and a Head Barista development program for those who are high performers. 

 

Sylvia Tan / Sam Tan:  We begin each day with a daily briefing and consistent check-ins, ensuring our team feels supported, motivated, and confident in their craft. We remind our baristas of our shared mission: to leave a beautiful, personal, and lasting “stain” on everyone we meet: farmers, baristas, and coffee lovers alike. We also listen closely to every voice. Whether praise or critique, customer feedback is welcomed with gratitude.

 

How do you manage the logistics of sourcing, roasting, and inventory?

Shaun Liew: For our coffee, our sister company Curate Coffee Roasters handles the roasting for ONO’s coffees. We usually liaise with green bean traders in Malaysia to purchase our green coffee or directly with coffee producers. As our current roastery is not a big space, we usually set a decent inventory to ensure it is sufficient to run for in-store coffee service, retail and wholesale.

 

Andre Chanco: We roast centrally in our San Juan headquarters and plan closely around demand from our cafés and wholesale partners. We use real sales data to guide production, not just forecasts. Fortunately, we have a talented roasting team while having a back-office that supports the daily ops. Each café also does their own store-level forecasting to ensure we have variety and fresh beans in the stores. 

 

Sylvia Tan / Sam Tan:  We source our coffee directly from the origin since 2016 and we will select sea freight instead of air to reduce cargo carbon footprint.

 

Looking back to the time you started the café, to becoming a world-class brand, what would you change to become better?

Jane Veraworawet: There are many things we would change, but the most important is mindset. Not holding on to past success and always wanting to improve a little every day is what got us here. Change doesn’t have to be big — it can be small, daily improvements. What matters is having the discipline and commitment to keep going.

 

Shaun Liew:  To be a strong trainer in service and hospitality so that my team will be able to deliver top notch service and hospitality to our customers. Even though we have been ranked among the Top 10 in the World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops two years in a row, I always believe we can do better, to continuously improve. Like I always say to my team, no matter how delicious your coffee, matcha or food, service and hospitality should always be top priority. 

 

Andre Chanco: I would have built systems earlier and documented more from the start. It took time to realize that consistency comes from structure, not just passion. That would have helped us scale more smoothly.

 

Sylvia Tan / Sam Tan:  We would continue maintaining the consistency and source for the good ingredients.

 

Any encouraging words for those who want to make it to your level?

Jane Veraworawet:  For us, everything started from simply loving coffee and wanting to make one cup better. We kept refining details and stayed committed to giving people a great experience. Everyone’s journey is different, some people succeed faster, some take longer. But in the end, the people who reach their goals are the ones who never stop moving forward.

 

Shaun Liew:  Be humble, have an open mind and be open to constructive feedback. This will help you grow as a person, and eventually your business too. Also, focus on quality and consistency in both products and service and never forget to put yourself in the customer’s shoes. 

 

Andre Chanco: Stay focused on your foundations and be patient with growth. Build something that fits your community, not just what you see online. Over time, that authenticity compounds. Also, people are our main asset. Attract, hire and retain those that embody your culture and values. 

 

Sylvia Tan / Sam Tan:  To truly engage and understand your customers and the evolving needs of the market, it is essential to consistently prioritize both service and product quality. Every interaction should be intentional; listening closely to customer feedback, observing changing preferences, and adapting accordingly. At the same time, maintaining high standards in every cup served ensures that trust is built over time. When service excellence and serving quality work hand in hand, they create a meaningful customer experience that fosters loyalty and long-term connection.