Coffee Break: This Third Generation Hawker Is Giving The Traditional Kopi A Modern Twist

Summary

This video features a family-owned business that blends traditional coffee and tea with a modern twist. The business is known for its signature coffee made from a custom blend of beans, including a robusta variety roasted with butter, sugar, and salt for a unique flavor. They also serve traditional treats like pain routine with homemade Greek and black sesame paste. Despite challenges in the beginning, the business built a loyal following and has gained popularity for creative drinks like the sea salt caramel latte. The owner emphasizes perseverance and hard work as key to success in the competitive food and beverage industry.

Takeaways

• 😀 The business blends traditional coffee and tea with modern twists, staying true to its roots while offering something fresh.
• 😀 Their best-seller is the traditional Hokkien coffee, which is a custom blend of robusta beans with butter, sugar, and salt, creating a unique flavor.
• 😀 The robusta beans are roasted with butter and sugar, giving the coffee a thick, creamy mouthfeel and a hot, bitter taste that locals love.
• 😀 The business is a family-run operation, with the younger generation taking over the legacy while maintaining the quality and traditions of the original setup.
• 😀 Initially, the business faced challenges in gaining acceptance from younger customers, who associated traditional coffee with older generations.
• 😀 The business worked hard to build trust with regular customers, before introducing newer and fancier items like the Sea Salt Caramel Latte, which gained popularity despite initial skepticism.
• 😀 The Sea Salt Caramel Latte became popular thanks to the café’s reputation for high-quality coffee, encouraging customers to try new offerings.
• 😀 One of their signature snacks is homemade Greek Creme Spread with Black Sesame Paste, served on pain roti made with home-baked bread.
• 😀 Perseverance is a key piece of advice for fellow entrepreneurs: tough times will come, but hard work and sincerity lead to recognition and success.
• 😀 The business successfully combines the familiarity of traditional flavors with creative twists, earning a loyal following and gradually attracting a broader audience.

Q & A

What is the business model of the company mentioned in the transcript?

The company is a generation-old coffee business that specializes in selling traditional coffee and tea with a modern twist. They focus on offering unique blends and maintaining high-quality products.

What makes their traditional coffee stand out?

Their traditional coffee, specifically the 'Hopi,' is made using a custom blend of Robusta beans. The Robusta beans are roasted with butter, sugar, and a little bit of salt, giving it a unique bitter taste and a creamy mouthfeel.

How does the company create its unique flavor profile for coffee?

The company mixes two different coffee beans to create a unique flavor. They use Robusta beans, which are roasted with butter, sugar, and salt to enhance the bitterness and create a thick, creamy texture.

What are some challenges the company faced as a family business?

One challenge was the transition to running the business full-time without the presence of the father, which initially caused things to go downhill. The company faced skepticism due to their younger age and the traditional nature of the business.

What is the company's best-selling item?

Their best-selling item is the traditional 'Hopi' coffee, which is particularly popular due to its unique flavor and high quality.

How did the company gain acceptance from the community despite challenges?

They worked hard to build familiarity with regular customers and, over time, ventured into offering fancier items. The reputation they built for high-quality traditional coffee helped win customer trust.

What is the new product that has gained popularity with customers recently?

The Sea Salt Caramel Latte has gained popularity, particularly among younger customers, who were initially hesitant about the idea. The company's reputation for quality helped convince them to give it a try.

How does the company approach food offerings?

The company offers traditional food options, such as pain routine (bread), but with a twist. They use homemade bread and offer unique fillings, such as their best-selling Old Greek Creme spread and black sesame paste, which they make themselves.

What advice does the speaker give to other aspiring business owners?

The speaker advises aspiring business owners to persevere through tough times. Despite challenges, hard work, sincerity, and dedication will lead to recognition and success.

Where are the company's outlets located?

The company has two outlets, one located on Amman Street (second floor) and the other in Cambridge.