People sample coffee during the 2026 China Brewers Cup Taizhou division. [Photo/The official news website of Taizhou]

The 2026 China Barista Championship and the 2026 China Brewers Cup regional qualifiers took place in Linhai, a county-level city in Taizhou, East China's Zhejiang province, from March 20 to 22, drawing top baristas from across the nation.

According to Yang Linyue, the owner of 18Rserva, a local coffee brand, the events drew hundreds of baristas, with about 20 to 30 contestants selected for the finals.

During the China Barista Championship, participants had 15 minutes to prepare 12 drinks, including espressos, milk-based coffees, and creative brews. The China Brewers Cup, on the other hand, involved both prescribed brewing and free brewing rounds, where competitors demonstrated their extraction skills.

Taizhou's growing coffee scene and vibrant entrepreneurial spirit played a key role in bringing such high-profile events to the city. The city's growing number of specialty coffee shops and local businesses blending traditional flavors with modern coffee trends have further cemented its status in China's coffee industry.