World of Coffee Bangkok 2026: 3 Specialty Coffee Trends Coming to Every Cup at 787 Coffee
Let’s Connect on Social
Less than 1% of coffee shops in the world own a coffee farm. We do!
That single fact changed everything about how I experienced World of Coffee Bangkok 2026 — the most important specialty coffee event in Asia, and one of the most consequential gatherings in the global coffee industry this year.
We just got back from three days at BITEC in Bangkok, walking the floor of an event that drew more than 10,000 professionals, 600+ exhibition booths, and brands from over 40 countries. I went as the co-founder of 787 Coffee. But I also went as the owner of Hacienda Iluminada, our farm in Maricao, Puerto Rico — sitting at 3,000 feet of elevation, where we grow some of the coffee that ends up in your cup at our 30+ shops across New York, New Jersey, Texas, Puerto Rico, and Mexico City.
That dual perspective — farmer and operator — is rare in the specialty coffee world. It's what allowed me to bring back a clear view of where coffee is heading next, and what it means for the cup you order at 787 Coffee.
Here is what I saw, what the industry confirmed, and what is coming to your local 787 shop and your next online coffee bag.
World of Coffee Bangkok 2026 …
Brought more than 10,000 coffee professionals, 600+ booths, and brands from 40+ countries to BITEC in Thailand — and 787 Coffee CEO Brandon Peña was there as one of the fewer than 1% of coffee shops in the world that owns its own coffee farm. From the floor of the most important specialty coffee event in Asia, this recap breaks down the three trends shaping the future of every cup: biodegradable coffee packaging becoming the new standard, precision filter coffee led by Asia's pour-over wave, and the fusion of Italian espresso engineering with Asian craft.
Each one is already shaping how we serve coffee at 787 Coffee's 30+ shops across New York, New Jersey, Texas, Puerto Rico, and Mexico City — and every single-origin Puerto Rican coffee bag we ship nationwide.
Whether you order our Supremo flagship from Hacienda Iluminada, our rum, tequila, or whiskey infused beans, or start a 787 Coffee subscription, you're tasting farm-to-cup coffee from a brand that grows it at 3,000 feet of elevation in Maricao, Puerto Rico, roasts it in small batches, and serves it across two countries. We proudly also partner with carefully sourced coffee farms in Colombia and Mexico.
What is World of Coffee Bangkok 2026?
World of Coffee Bangkok 2026 was the third edition of World of Coffee Asia, the regional flagship of the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA). The SCA was founded in 1999 in Boston, and World of Coffee is its largest event series, with editions across Europe, Dubai, and Asia.
Quick facts about World of Coffee Bangkok 2026:
Dates: May 7–9, 2026
Venue: BITEC (Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre), Halls 98–99
Exhibitors: 400+ brands from 40+ countries, across 600+ booths
Estimated attendance: 10,000+ coffee professionals
Key zones: Roaster Village, Producer Village, Cupping Rooms, Brew Bars, SCA Community Lounge, SCA Lecture Series
Headline competition: World Cup Tasters Championship 2026 (first time hosted in Thailand)
Previous editions: Busan, South Korea (2024); Jakarta, Indonesia (2025)
Next year (2027): Tokyo, Japan
Bangkok was the first — and likely the only — time this event will take place in Thailand before the series rotates to Tokyo next year. That made being there especially meaningful.
What Industry Coverage Said About World of Coffee Bangkok 2026
This was not just a regional trade show. World of Coffee Bangkok 2026 was framed by industry leaders as a strategic moment for the entire global coffee industry — a $4 trillion market according to event organizers.
A few signals that stood out from the event coverage across publications including the Bangkok Post, Sprudge, the Specialty Coffee Association, and Pattaya Mail:
Asia is no longer just a producer. SCA CEO Yannis Apostolopoulos emphasized that coffee-producing countries like Thailand are now becoming leading consumer markets — a structural shift the industry hasn't seen at this scale before. That dual identity (origin + consumer) is rare, and it is reshaping how the entire value chain operates.
The Thai industry is shifting from price to value. Kijja Wongvaree, Executive Director of Aroma Group, captured the moment well in his event remarks: Thailand is moving from price competition to value creation, driven by storytelling, quality, and innovation. That is a transition we recognize at 787 Coffee, because it is exactly the shift the U.S. specialty coffee market made over the last decade — and it is the philosophy we have built our entire brand around since 2014.
Sustainability is no longer optional. Brands like Boncafe Thailand used the event to spotlight Rainforest Alliance-certified coffee, sustainable sourcing, and certified green coffee. This validates what we have been doing through initiatives like our One Bag, One Tree program — sustainability is not a marketing add-on, it is the new baseline of what specialty coffee means.
AI is entering the coffee shop. Among the 600+ booths, you could see the rapid emergence of AI-powered roasting systems, precision grinders, and café automation technologies. The line between "specialty" and "tech-enabled" is getting thinner every year. The roasters who will lead the next five years will be the ones who use AI to enhance human craft — not replace it.
Three pillars defined the conversation: Connection, Innovation, and Sustainability. These were the framing themes repeated by event organizers and the dominant brands on the floor.
Now let me get to what matters most for you as a 787 Coffee customer.
The 3 Trends From World of Coffee Bangkok That Will Shape Your Cup
Trend #1: Biodegradable Coffee Packaging Becomes the New Standard
One of the most striking developments at World of Coffee Bangkok 2026 was the explosion of biodegradable and compostable packaging solutions, especially for single-serve coffee.
For years, "sustainable packaging" in coffee has been more marketing than substance. The single-serve category in particular — pods, capsules, single-use bags — has generated mountains of plastic waste the industry has struggled to address. What I saw in Bangkok was different. The materials are real. The infrastructure to produce them at scale exists. And consumer demand is no longer a niche request.
This trend lines up with what we have been quietly doing at 787 Coffee for years. Our farm-to-cup model means we are already accountable for every step from soil to bag.
The next chapter is making sure the bag itself is part of the story we are proud of — not a footnote we hope nobody notices.
What this means for you: Sustainability is becoming a buying signal, not just a value-add. When you order a bag of our Supremo Coffee or one of our infused coffees online, you are already part of a supply chain we control end-to-end. The packaging conversation is just getting started, and we are leaning in.
Trend #2: Precision Filter Coffee Goes Global (And Why I Came Back with an Origami Pour Over)
I will be honest. I came back from Bangkok with new gear.
Specifically, an Origami pour over — a Japanese ceramic dripper with a ridged design that changes how water flows through the coffee bed. It has become one of the cult tools of the specialty coffee world, and for good reason. The precision it allows is unlike any standard pour-over device.
But the dripper is not the point. What the Origami represents is.
Asia is leading a global wave of obsession with filter coffee precision. The level of attention I saw in Bangkok — to ratios, grind size, water temperature, pour technique, bloom timing — is the highest I have ever experienced in one place. And that culture is pushing every serious coffee professional in the world to elevate their craft.
At 787 Coffee, this is not new to us. Our baristas already train on the CLASSS framework (Coffee, Leadership, Artistry, Adaptability, Sales, Support, Social) and the 5 Barista Steps. But the energy I felt in Bangkok is telling me the bar is rising globally, and we plan to rise with it.
What this means for you — two ways to experience it:
Order our Supremo Coffee Beans → https://www.787coffee.com/787coffeeonlineshop/p/787-coffeesupremobeans
— single-origin, honey-processed at 3,000 feet on our farm. Brew them as a pour-over at home. The notes of chocolate and fruit come through brighter than any espresso preparation.
Join our V-60 Pour Over Workshop in NYC → https://www.787coffee.com/coffee-brewing-class-nyc — this is exactly the precision filter culture I saw amplified in Bangkok, taught hands-on by our team.
Trend #3: Italian Engineering Meets Asian Craft
One of the first things I did when I arrived at BITEC was find our partners at Sanremo, the Italian espresso machine manufacturer behind many of our 787 Coffee bars.
When you operate 30+ coffee shops, your equipment partners are not vendors. They are family. The Sanremo team is part of why we can consistently pull thousands of espresso shots per week across multiple countries to the same exacting standard. Seeing them on the floor of a major event halfway around the world reminded me why these relationships matter so much.
But there is a bigger pattern here worth naming.
The defining dynamic of specialty coffee over the next five years is going to be Italian engineering paired with Asian craft. Italian machines remain the gold standard — Sanremo, La Marzocco, and others — for a reason. But the execution, the ritual, the attention to detail, the obsession with refining every variable — that is increasingly being redefined by Asian baristas and shop owners. And the equipment manufacturers are listening, adapting, evolving.
We see that fusion every day in our shops. Italian precision in the machine. Puerto Rican soul in the cup. Increasingly, Asian-influenced craft at the bar.
Why This Matters at Your Local 787 Coffee Shop
If you are a 787 Coffee customer — whether you visit our shops in New York City, New Jersey, Houston, El Paso, Puerto Rico, or Mexico City, or you order our coffee bags online — here is what you should expect to see more of:
More single-origin features. We are putting more attention on the specific stories of specific farms, including our own Hacienda Iluminada.
More precision filter offerings. Pour-over, V-60, and increasingly, methods inspired by the Asian precision wave.
More sustainability transparency. From bean to bag to cup, we are making the full story easier to see.
The same partnerships you can trust. Sanremo on the espresso bar. Our farm in Maricao. Specialty-grade beans from partner farms in Mexico and Colombia.
For context: 787 Coffee has been recognized as a Forbes Next 1000 company, named to the Inc. Fastest Growing list, ranked #27 globally on the Real Leaders Top Impact 2026 list, and named one of the World's Best Coffee Shops — #11 in the USA, #3 in NYC, and #32 in North & Central America and the Caribbean. Those accolades do not make a great cup of coffee. The work behind them does.
Taste What We Brought Back From Bangkok
The fastest way to experience what we saw and learned in Bangkok is to put a cup or a bag in your hand.
Top picks to try right now:
Supremo Coffee Beans (10 oz, $40) — Our flagship single-origin Puerto Rican coffee. Grown at 3,000 feet on our farm. Honey-processed. Notes of chocolate and fruit. The bean we are most proud of.
Rum Infused Coffee Beans (8 oz, $50) — Arabica beans soaked in Puerto Rican Don Q Rum for 48 hours. Smokey cinnamon and dark chocolate notes. Non-alcoholic.
Tequila Infused Coffee Beans (8 oz, $48) — From our partner farm in Mexico. Notes of citrus, brown sugar, and dark chocolate.
Whiskey Infused Coffee Beans (8 oz, $48) — Oak-barrel aged for vanilla, berry, and dark chocolate complexity.
787 Coffee Subscription — The freshest coffee, on autopilot. Choose your cadence. We roast in small batches and ship.
LIVE an experience:
V-60 Pour Over Workshop in NYC — Learn precision filter coffee the way I just saw it celebrated in Bangkok.
Bean to Brew Coffee Tasting Adventure (NYC) — A guided tasting of our origin coffees.
Coffee Farm Weekend Experience at Hacienda Iluminada (Puerto Rico) — Spend a weekend on the farm where this all started. Few coffee brands can offer this. We can, because we own it.
Visit a 787 Coffee shop near you — New York, New Jersey, Houston, El Paso, Puerto Rico, Mexico City.
The perfect home barista and baking flavor with our exclusive, top-selling Coquito Latte Sauce. Add a touch of Caribbean flavor to your coquito lattes or baked goods with this Puerto Rican holiday mix from 787 Coffee.
Add decadent coquito flavor into drinks and desserts with this sweet, creamy sauce from 787 Coffee. Our naturally flavored Coquito Sauce features the taste of coconut and cinnamon to a deep amber. Our smooth, rich sauce contains coconut, eggnog and a pinch of coconut flakes for a perfect balance in the texture. Try our versatile Coquito Sauce in a wide range of beverage and culinary applications. Add to coffee, mochas, frappes or hot cocoa for a twist of creamy coconut - Puerto Rican flavor.
Coquito Latte Sauce is Dairy Free, made in New York City at 787 Coffee.
Transform Your Coffee & Baking with 787 Coffee's Coquito Latte Sauce – Authentic Puerto Rican Flavor.
The perfect gift for home baristas, coquito lovers, bakers and coffee aficionados.
The bottle is 200 ml.
FAQ: World of Coffee, Specialty Coffee, and 787 Coffee
Where can I buy fresh Puerto Rican coffee online?
787 Coffee sells fresh, single-origin Puerto Rican coffee online and ships nationwide across the United States. Our flagship Supremo Coffee Beans are grown at 3,000 feet on our farm in Maricao, Puerto Rico, honey-processed, and roasted in small batches. Shop our coffee online at 787coffee.com/787coffeeonlineshop.
What is farm-to-cup coffee?
Farm-to-cup coffee means the same brand owns or directly controls every step from the farm to the cup served to the customer — including growing, harvesting, processing, roasting, and brewing. Fewer than 1% of coffee shops in the world operate at this level of vertical integration. 787 Coffee is one of them, through our ownership of Hacienda Iluminada in Maricao, Puerto Rico.
What coffee shops own their own coffee farm?
Very few. Most coffee shops source beans from importers and roasters; they do not own farms. 787 Coffee is one of fewer than 1% of coffee shops globally that owns its own coffee farm — Hacienda Iluminada in Maricao, Puerto Rico, at 3,000 feet of elevation.
Where are 787 Coffee shops located?
787 Coffee operates 30+ specialty coffee shops across six regions: New York City, New Jersey, Houston (Texas), El Paso (Texas), Puerto Rico, and Mexico City.
Find your nearest location at 787coffee.com/locations-coffeeshops.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was World of Coffee Bangkok 2026?
World of Coffee Bangkok 2026 was the third edition of World of Coffee Asia, the Specialty Coffee Association's regional flagship event. It took place May 7–9, 2026, at BITEC in Bangkok, Thailand, drew more than 10,000 professionals across 600+ booths and 40+ countries, and hosted the 2026 World Cup Tasters Championship — the first time the WCTC has been held in Thailand.
Can I visit a coffee farm in Puerto Rico?
Yes. Hacienda Iluminada, the farm owned by 787 Coffee, offers Coffee Farm Weekend Experiences in Maricao, Puerto Rico. Visitors can see growing, harvesting, processing, and roasting in person.
Book a weekend experience at 787coffee.com/learn-coffee-in-puerto-rico-hacienda-iluminada-weekend-experience.
What is the best Puerto Rican coffee for home brewing?
For pour-over, French press, and drip brewers, our Supremo Coffee Beans are the recommended starting point. They are our single-origin flagship, honey-processed at 3,000 feet, with notes of chocolate and fruit that come through brightly in filter preparations.
Does 787 Coffee offer a coffee subscription?
Yes. The 787 Coffee Subscription delivers freshly roasted coffee at your chosen frequency. You pick the cadence and the beans; we roast and ship.
Start your subscription at 787coffee.com/subscriptions.
Does 787 Coffee offer coffee catering?
Yes — for events in the New York City area. Learn more about 787 Coffee catering at 787coffee.com/coffee-catering-nyc
Can I learn to make better pour-over coffee in NYC?
Yes. 787 Coffee offers a V-60 Pour Over Workshop in New York City, taught by our baristas. The workshop covers ratios, grind size, water temperature, and pour technique — the same precision principles being celebrated at events like World of Coffee Bangkok 2026. Book the workshop at 787coffee.com/coffee-brewing-class-nyc.
Invented in Puerto Rico. Served to the world. ☕🥥
For Humans, By Humans.
Shop our farm-to-cup coffee bags online → https://www.787coffee.com/787coffeeonlineshop
Find a 787 Coffee shop near you → https://www.787coffee.com/locations-coffeeshops
Book a Coffee Farm Weekend at Hacienda Iluminada → https://www.787coffee.com/learn-coffee-in-puerto-rico-hacienda-iluminada-weekend-experience
👉 Order now → 787coffee.com/787coffeeonlineshop
787 Coffee is not a coffee shop that happened to get an award. It is a farm that became a coffee shop, an award, 18 locations in New York City, a movement rooted in Puerto Rican and Latinx culture, and a brand built on one belief — that the humans who grow the coffee should be the ones who serve it to you. From the mountains of Maricao to the sidewalks of Manhattan, every cup of 787 Coffee carries the same story: farm-grown, honey-processed, freshly roasted, and made for the humans who refuse to settle for ordinary. That story is now officially recognized as the #3 specialty coffee experience in New York City and #32 in North America. And it is available — in a bag, shipped to your door, anywhere in the United States — for the same price as a dinner for one.
