Introduction:From honing his skills by selling coffee from a tricycle in 2008, to becoming China's first World Barista Championship winner in 2016, and then opening a flagship store on the 88th floor of Taipei 101, Wu Zeling’s coffee journey is nothing short of legendary. This article delves into how he rose from the streets to the international stage, explores his dedication to coffee quality, team development, and the unique recipe behind his “Sky Blend” blend, offering inspiration and practical insights for specialty coffee lovers.
Wu Zeling is China’s first barista to win the World Barista Championship (WBC). His professional journey began in 2008 after watching the WBC competition in Copenhagen. Deeply moved, he decided to ride a tricycle through markets, brewing pour over coffee on the spot to refine his technique and flavor control abilities.
By 2011, he opened his first café, “Simple Kaffa,” located in Taiwan. Initially unremarkable, the shop served only a modest number of cups per day. Unlike many new brands eager to expand and gain exposure, Wu chose to focus inward, dedicating himself to the quality of each cup and the customer experience.
From bean selection and roasting to the final extraction, he was hands-on, always standing behind the bar crafting coffee for customers. He believed that only by personally interacting with each guest could he truly understand market needs and taste preferences—an approach that became a key foundation for his later success on the competition stage.
Starting in 2013, he won the Taiwan Barista Championship for three consecutive years, and finally, at the 2016 WBC international competition, he claimed the world title with solid technique, stable performance under pressure, and precise control over flavor layers, becoming China’s first barista to earn this honor.
After Simple Kaffa’s brand gradually stabilized, he opened branches in bustling commercial areas in Taipei and other cities. In 2019 and 2020, it was ranked No. 1 on the global travel website Big 7 Travel’s list of “The World’s 50 Best Cafés.” Even as the brand’s reputation soared, his commitment to quality remained unwavering, and he set very high standards for selecting baristas.
According to customer feedback from on-site visits, Simple Kaffa’s baristas often have competition backgrounds. Not only are they knowledgeable about coffee, but they also offer an almost “one-on-one” personalized service at the bar. They explain details such as the bean origin, roast level, and brewing methods, and adjust based on customers’ tastes to create a customized coffee experience. This thoughtful and professional interaction makes Simple Kaffa not just a café, but a sacred place for many coffee enthusiasts.
Even amid the challenges brought by the pandemic to the food and beverage industry, Simple Kaffa continued to expand steadily, backed by long-standing reputation and customer loyalty. In mid-January this year, the brand reached a new milestone by opening “Sky Simple Kaffa,” a flagship store on the 88th floor of Taipei 101, bringing the coffee experience into the clouds.
High above the city, with a panoramic view of Taipei and a thoughtfully designed comfortable space, “Sky Simple Kaffa” is more than just a place to enjoy coffee—it’s a dual feast for the eyes and palate. To perfectly capture the unique atmosphere of the high-altitude environment, Wu Zeling specially developed a medium-dark roast blend called “Sky Blend.”
This blend uses washed Ethiopian and washed Honduran beans, roasted to a medium-dark profile. It delivers distinct citrus notes, subtle floral aromas, the sweetness of ripe dried fruit, and a lingering hint reminiscent of oolong tea. The overall flavor is richly layered, smooth on the palate, and has a long finish—perfect for savoring slowly in the sky-high setting, like being in a coffee paradise above the clouds.
From the streets to the international stage, from market stalls to a flagship store atop a hundred-meter tower, Wu Zeling’s coffee journey is not just a accumulation of personal achievements, but also a manifestation of his relentless pursuit of coffee excellence. His success shows us that every detail—from techniques behind the bar, to bean selection, to respect and service for customers—is key to achieving greatness.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
