Heineken Malaysia Berhad (HEINEKEN Malaysia) has crowned Cora Jean Cantwell from Langkah Syabas Beach Resort, Sabah during the recent 2025 Star Academy National Finals. This historic achievement has made Cora as the first female National Champion in Star Academy history.
The victory has secured her to an exclusive trip to the Home of Heineken—Amsterdam, where Cora will experience the brand’s heritage and innovation firsthand, brewing the Joy of True Togetherness.
HEINEKEN Malaysia’s Star Academy programme, now in its seventh edition, aims to uplift the services sector by training local bartenders and setting high standards in hospitality and tourism.
The 2025 edition introduces “Tap Into The Future,” an immersive Virtual Reality (VR) experience that transforms skill learning. This innovative module engages multiple senses and uses a gamified approach to improve memory retention, product knowledge, and pouring techniques, creating an enjoyable and unique experience for participants.
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 raise the bar for service excellence nationwide.”
The 2025 Star Academy National Finals continues bringing fierce competition, with finalists hailing from KL/Selangor, Sarawak, Sabah, Penang, Perak, and Johor respectively.
Jimmy Ding, Sales Director of HEINEKEN Malaysia, said, “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 and dedication are what drives the industry forward. This year, we are especially excited to introduce our pioneering VR training, which enhances the programme with hands-on, immersive learning.”
The competition also featured a distinguished panel of judges, including Cian Hulm, Commercial Quality Manager and Wayne Wong, Commercial Quality Lead of HEINEKEN Malaysia, with special guest judge Jason Dennis D’Cruz, 2024 HEINEKEN Global Draught Champion.
National Champion Cora Jean Cantwell expressed, “I feel amazing winning this competition, and I am so proud to represent Sabah at this year’s Star Academy National Finals! Thank you, HEINEKEN Malaysia for this incredible opportunity. I am excited to go to Amsterdam!”
For more information on HEINEKEN Malaysia and the Group’s initiatives, please visit www.heinekenmalaysia.com.