Seattle, Washington – May 2026 – Podium Coffee Club announced that Wenbo “Joe” Yang, winner of the 2026 United States Coffee Roasting Championships, will be its head roaster in May 2026.
Yang won the national title in early March 2026 after competing against some of the most prominent coffee professionals in the country. The competition tests roasters on their ability to evaluate green coffee, develop roast profiles and produce exceptional quality cups under strict judging standards.
Yang’s victory at the U.S. Coffee Roasting Championships adds to an unprecedented portfolio of victories that also includes the 2024 U.S. Latte Art Champion and the 2023 U.S. Brewers’ Cup Champion.
For Podium Coffee Club, which offers only coffees from roasters who have stood on the podium in major coffee competitions, the timing couldn’t be more appropriate.
“Podium was created to uplift people through coffee,” said Podium Coffee Club co-founder Sam LaRobardiere. “Behind every exceptional cup is someone operating at the very top of their craft. Wenbo Yang’s championship victory is a celebration of this truth and a reflection of the standard podium that is maintained with every coffee we send to our subscribers.”
Every month, Podium Coffee Club delivers freshly roasted whole bean coffee from the most successful roasteries in the United States. The company has gained recognition from publications such as Bon Appétit, Forbes, Wired and CNN, which named it the best coffee subscription of 2025.
Yang’s May appearance is a sporadic opportunity for Podium subscribers to taste coffee roasted by the reigning national champion shortly after his victory.
The Specialty Coffee Association organizes the U.S. Coffee Roasting Championships as part of the broader U.S. Coffee Roasting Championships. The competition is widely considered one of the most prestigious demonstrations of roasting skills in the American specialty coffee industry.
Podium Coffee Club’s mission is to highlight the craftsmanship and excellence of these elite roasters, while bringing their coffees to discerning coffee drinkers throughout the United States.
“Our goal is elementary,” LaRobardiere added. “We want to facilitate more people experience championship-winning coffee and roasting science.”
Coffee from Yang’s Cozy Monster roastery will be shipped to all dynamic Podium Coffee Club members in May 2026.
More information about Podium Coffee Club can be found on the website podiumcoffeeclub.com.
