A look inside the specialty coffee scene in Malaysia
Delve into the rise of the local specialty coffee.
There was a time when many Malaysians would scoff at the idea of a RM10 cup of coffee — inevitably, some still do — yet, it is now an almost common sight to see a specialty coffee shop brimming with the crowd on weekends, while serving as an urban oasis for remote workers on a weekday. That, however, doesn’t signal the death of traditional kopitiams which kick-started Malaysia’s coffee culture back in the colonial era. It is not a rare occurrence to stumble upon a row of shops boasting both kopitiams and specialty coffee cafes, showing that both old and new-wave coffee have their pull.
Kopitiams typically serve Robusta coffee, dark roasted with margarine and sugar, giving it its distinctive, bold flavour profile. Meanwhile, the specialty coffee movement prioritises quality over quantity (coffee scoring 80 points or above on the Specialty Coffee Association’s 100-point scale), emphasising the entire seed-to-cup process. This entails knowing exactly where the Arabica beans of the coffee we are drinking comes from, down to the farm name and location, as well as its varietal and process. Coffee professionals are then tasked with learning and exploring precise brewing techniques, bringing out the best flavours of the coffee. Single-origin coffees, which highlight unique attributes of beans from specific regions, have especially grown in popularity as of late.
In between old-school coffee and high-end specialty coffee lies value-focused Malaysian branded coffee such as Zus Coffee, Bask Bear and Gigi Coffee, which make Arabica coffee more accessible than ever before. World Coffee Portal data shows that Malaysian-branded coffee grew a whopping 28 percent over last year. This reflects a growing middle class, brought about by economic growth, whose higher spending power and penchant for premium products are fuelling the rise of specialty coffee.
While the initial ripples in Malaysia’s coffee culture cascaded in the 1990s with the arrival of international chains, the specialty coffee scene took off in the 2010s, with the well-travelled, more globally connected younger population spearheading the movement back then. Many new cafes are founded by passionate individuals who dipped their toes and eventually deep-dived into specialty coffee abroad, bringing back their expertise and increasing emphasis on high-quality, ethically sourced coffee, one cup at a time.
The rise in specialty coffee hasn’t just seen an influx of local cafe establishments, but also specialty coffee roasters and even coffee farms. Artisan Roast humbly began as the first specialty coffee roastery in Malaysia back in 2010. Till today, it remains steadfast as a go-to coffee hub for its loyal community — its cosy TTDI spot is ever bustling even after all these years.
Many roasters have popped up since then, particularly in the Klang Valley. A notable mention is One Half Roastery, founded by three-time Malaysia Barista Champion Keith Koay. While its cafe counterpart nestled in Taman Paramount has been around for a while now, the roastery was just established last year. Yet, Koay’s experience in the industry and intentional focus on seasonality, harmony and accentuating the origin character of coffee has catapulted it straight into Roastful’s Top 100 Roasters of 2024, tied at the 49th position with Botz of Indiana, USA, raising Malaysia’s profile in the international specialty coffee arena to greater heights.
Despite being in the Bean Belt, Malaysia isn’t yet as renowned as an origin compared to our neighbours Thailand and Indonesia, whose thriving specialty coffee scenes are forces to be reckoned with. However, that is changing, slowly but surely. Malaysia mainly cultivates Liberica coffee, and while Liberica is the third most popular species of the Coffea genus, it comprises less than one per cent of coffee grown in the world.
Cultivating Liberica comes with a set of challenges. It takes longer to pick because the plants are arboreal rather than shrub-like; the cherries have a very thick, tough pulp around their seeds, making it difficult to depulp; and dialling in the right roast profile is a whole other challenge to tackle. But when roasted right, it can wow with a bold body, intense sweetness and distinctive flavours. It recently saw a surge in popularity when Australian barista champion Hugh Kelly used it on the world stage, where a collaboration between Kelly and Jason Liew of My Liberica, Johor, contributed to the former winning 3rd place at the 2021 World Barista Championship.
Also quickly climbing the local coffee growers chain is Sabarica, a local coffee producer in Sabah. The name is a fun portmanteau combining the Malaysian state and Arabica coffee — yes, Malaysia grows Arabica too! Located at the foothills of Mount Kinabalu at 1,200 to 1,500 m, Sabarica came about from founder Jackz Lee’s mission to support and educate the local farmers, and at the same time cultivate an appreciation for Malaysian Arabica coffee at the consumer level. His efforts have proved fruitful as Sabarica coffee has attained specialty coffee grade with scores of 83 to 87. Local roasters have also observed a growing consumer demand for Malaysia-grown specialty coffee, a positive sign for the industry.
There is nothing wrong with the old ways of coffee, but the new and seemingly endless possibilities that specialty coffee offer is exciting, to say the least. If you’d like a taste of some of the best that the local specialty coffee scene has to offer, we have rounded up a string of roasteries with a coffee bar in Klang Valley where you can sip on a good cuppa, and if you’re lucky, witness the magic of roasting in the background.
CONTOUR
Home to four-time Malaysia Barista Champion Jason Loo, Contour is PJ Old Town’s latest bakery-roastery. In addition to great coffee, a plethora of delicious fresh bakes as good as the caffeinated offerings await — a testament to Loo’s vast experience in F&B — he started in the industry in pastry making, rather than coffee.
55, Jalan 1/12, Pj Old Town, 46000 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
ONE HALF ROASTERY
You already know by now that One Half Roastery is internationally recognised. There is no better way to experience its quality than at the coffee bar itself where the menu spans accessible everyday coffees to exquisite competition-level geishas.
19, Jalan Bukit 11/2, Seksyen 11, 46200 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
GHOSTBIRD COFFEE
A hidden gem housed in an old bungalow, Ghostbird Coffee has been on the scene since 2015. Almost a decade in, their mission to have better coffee together as a community has remained. Here, take comfort in a bold blend or indulge in their ever-rotating seasonal beans in a relaxed, homey ambience.
9, Jalan Seputeh, Seputeh, 58000 Kuala Lumpur
TOOTHLESS COFFEE
A tiny but mighty roastery based in PJ, Toothless Coffee sets itself apart from the pack with its unique coffee omakase experience. Book yourself a slot and enjoy thoughtfully crafted coffee in three courses — fine dining, the coffee way.
Lot 5, Jalan 13/2, Pjs 13, 46200 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
