Heineken Malaysia Raises The Bar As Star Academy Crowns Its First Female National Champion

 

     

HEINEKEN MALAYSIA RAISES THE BAR AS STAR ACADEMY CROWNS ITS FIRST FEMALE NATIONAL CHAMPION

Cora Jean Cantwell triumphs at the 2025 National Finals, celebrating skill, service excellence, and HEINEKEN Malaysia’s commitment to elevating the nation’s hospitality sector

At the highly anticipated 2025 Star Academy National Finals, Heineken Malaysia Berhad (HEINEKEN Malaysia) crowned Cora Jean Cantwell from Langkah Syabas Beach Resort, Sabah, making history as the first female National Champion in Star Academy’s seven-year journey.

Her remarkable victory earned her an exclusive trip to the Home of Heineken® in Amsterdam, where she will experience the brand’s rich heritage and brewing innovation firsthand—bringing to life the Joy of True Togetherness.

Now in its seventh year, HEINEKEN Malaysia’s Star Academy continues its mission to elevate Malaysia’s services sector by empowering and upskilling local bartenders. Through structured training and industry-leading standards, the programme consistently sets new benchmarks for excellence across the hospitality and tourism industries.

This year also marked the debut of “Tap Into The Future”, a groundbreaking immersive Virtual Reality (VR) training module. Designed to redefine skill mastery, the multisensory experience allows bartenders to engage sight, sound, and touch through gamified, scenario-based learning. The innovative approach enhances memory retention, deepens product knowledge, and refines pouring techniques—transforming complex concepts into an engaging, accessible, and one-of-a-kind learning experience by HEINEKEN Malaysia.

Martijn van Keulen, Managing Director of HEINEKEN Malaysia, said,

“With over 11,000 bartenders trained to date, Star Academy reflects our commitment to elevating the services industry, strengthening the capabilities of our local F&B sector, and supporting a vibrant hospitality ecosystem. As one of HEINEKEN Malaysia’s flagship programmes, we are incredibly proud to see Star Academy continue raising the bar for service excellence nationwide.”

The 2025 Star Academy National Finals saw intense competition among finalists representing Kuala Lumpur/Selangor, Sarawak, Sabah, Penang, Perak, and Johor.

Jimmy Ding, Sales Director of HEINEKEN Malaysia, added,

“We are grateful to our trade partners for their unwavering support and to the dedicated bartenders who continue to challenge themselves and uphold the highest standards. Their passion drives the industry forward. This year, we are especially excited to introduce our pioneering VR training, which enhances the programme through immersive, hands-on learning.”

The competition was judged by a distinguished panel, including Cian Hulm, Commercial Quality Manager, and Wayne Wong, Commercial Quality Lead of HEINEKEN Malaysia, alongside special guest judge Jason Dennis D’Cruz, the 2024 HEINEKEN Global Draught Champion.

National Champion Cora Jean Cantwell shared,

“I feel amazing winning this competition, and I am incredibly proud to represent Sabah at this year’s Star Academy National Finals. Thank you, HEINEKEN Malaysia, for this life-changing opportunity. I am excited to go to Amsterdam!”

For more information on HEINEKEN Malaysia and its initiatives, please visit www.heinekenmalaysia.com .

-ENDS-

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