1) Coffee consumption in Malaysia has grown 24% with younger generations preferring Western-style coffee. Local roasters face issues importing high quality beans. 2) Starbucks and Coffee Bean introduced cafes and influenced Malaysian coffee culture, which now includes socializing in cafes. 3) A survey of Starbucks customers found most drink coffee daily, preferring commercial over traditional coffee. While aware of coffee, few know about local beans.

1. TRACKING THE EVOLUTION OF
MALAYSIAN
COFFEE CULTURE
MAAR DISSERTATION 1 CH 1-4
MUHAMMAD DEENNI HAKKIM BIN ZAINUDIN | G2111707
COORDINATOR : ASST. PROF. DR. ALIYAH NUR ZAFIRAH SANUSI
SUPERVISOR : ASSOC. PROF. DATIN AR. DR. NORWINA BINTI MOHD
NAWAWI

2. ISSUES
● The Malaysia Green Coffee Domestic consumption
shows that there is 24% growth rate of coffee
consumption in Malaysia (Rahman, 2010)
● Today, coffee is popular among the younger
generation in Malaysia specially the Western
style of coffee (Lee et al., 2018)
● The local roasters face issues in buying high
quality coffee beans as they have to import
beans from other countries, which is costly (
Nashath Ali & R. Ramanathan, 2021)
● Domestic interest for specialty liberica still
remains low as the challenges of picking the
cherries, removing the tough pulp, and dialling
in the right roast profile mean that even when
quality liberica is picked, processed, and
sold, it is expensive.

3. LITERATURE REVIEW
HISTORY OF MALAYSIAN
COFFEE CULTURE
Butcher (1979),
“Coffee planters had opened estates as early as
the latter part of the 1870s. Most of the early
planters came from Ceylon, where the coffee
industry was being destroyed by a fungus. By
the early 1890s the main centre of coffee
planting was the area between Kuala Lumpur and
Klang; in this area planter and could take
advantage of the railway line both to bring in
supplies and to transport their produce.”
This statement proves that coffee once being a
major crop in Malaysia, with Kuala Lumpur and
Klang being involved in coffee marketing which
known as the most important town in local
economic role, before the fall of coffee price
worldwide and the British started planting
rubber massively instead of coffee.
01
OUTSIDE INFLUENCE ON
MALAYSIAN COFFEE CULTURE
Cited from Wilson and Khor Yoke Lim, (2008)
“Identities are a function of frequent perception.
Regularly visited global landscapes are eventually
seen as local. ‘Cafes mushroom everywhere in KL's
trendiest spots, and big names such as Coffee Bean
and Tea Leaf and Starbucks made their presence
felt. With these cafes, KLites often lepaked (hung
out) way into the wee hours and now it has become
a part of our pop culture.’”
This text suggests that coffee culture which
brought by Starbucks and Coffee Bean has develops
fast growth of food and beverage industry as well
enhance Malaysian social needs of acceptance and
as one escapism.
02

4. LITERATURE REVIEW
COFFEE AND CAFE HOPPING
TREND IN MALAYSIA
03
COMMERCIAL COFFEE &
SPECIALTY COFFEE
04

5. METHODOLOGY
QUANTITATIVE APPROACH will be used
as most of the data collection would be based
on surveys and observations. Research would
begin with gathering documentation, which
extracted from national archive, internet
source and journal or research paper by
previous researcher. Survey will be hand out,
and synthesis of data would achievable after
all survey is done.
The methodology would be based on research
questions as guidelines which are;
1. When was the beginning of Malaysia
coffee culture?
2. How does outside brands influence
Malaysian coffee culture?
3. Is this evolution of coffee culture
good for the society?
4. What is next for the malaysian coffee
culture?
PRIMARY DATA
SURVEY
Random sampling location :
Starbucks Coffee Company, in the
Klang Valley. Starbucks Coffee
Company is chosen as a case
study: prominent coffee brand that
started the coffee revolution in
local coffee culture scene.
Face to face survey is done in
order to collect data efficiently.
15 items were asked in the
questionnaire on Six Sections;
Respondents’ Background, Coffee
Drinking Habit, Knowledge On Local
Coffee Culture, Experience &
Preference, Coffee Place
Selection, Malaysia Opportunity In
Coffee Industry.
SECONDARY DATA
DOCUMENTATIO
N
Using this method, the origin and
possible date of local coffee
culture is founded based on
documentation and records kept
under Arkib Negara, and based on
observation of previous research
on local culture in timeline
before and after independence of
Malaysia.
Other than Arkib Negara, Public
libraries also provides most of
the books for gathering literature
reviews.

6. Handed out QUESTIONNAIRES

7. FINDINGS
Data collection is base on pilot outlet of western coffee shop act as controlled sample
and population.
Questionnaires are given by strata of occupation, which is working and student.
Required sampling number is 10% out of average customer 549.9 per day which is
resulting 54 persons requires and divides by two strata - working or student, which
will be 27 correspondents for each stratum. Next paragraph will explain every finding
that can be summarized from the survey.
All 54 correspondents randomly selected in targeted sampling area, and all the results
will be extracts in the next segment of data analysis.

8. 1. Respondents’ Background
Most of the correspondents that visit coffee
places are income-secured and are in the middle
class society, by looking at their average monthly
income

9. 2. COFFEE DRINKING HABIT
Most of the correspondents drinks coffee
for productivity that keeps them energised
and focused throughout the day and coffee
is consumed on a daily basis. More than 50%
of the respondents consider coffee and a
need. However not much people aware of the
health benefits of coffee.

10. 3. KNOWLEDGE ON LOCAL COFFEE CULTURE
The younger generation has a very little
knowledge on the local coffee brands, and
none of them knows anything about the
coffee beans that Malaysia has been
producing
Older generation on the other hand is
really familiar with the local coffee
brands, and a few also does know about the
coffee beans behind the local coffee brand.

11. 4. EXPERIENCE AND PREFERENCE
Instant coffee and branded commercial
coffee are famous among students and
workers. A very small number of the total
respondents had the traditional Kopi Kaw.
The change or evolution of the Malaysian
coffee culture is seen on the second table
as people have shifted their interest
towards specialty coffee, while branded
commercial coffee are still popular due to
its accessibility and consistent quality.

12. 5. COFFEE PLACE SELECTION
People does consume coffee everyday, the
data shows that only 21 out of the total
respondents goes to coffee place to get
their drinks. The same amount of people
only come to coffee place 2-4 times a week,
and 12 people just come once a week.
This is closely related to the reason for
them to go to coffee place which stated
that socialise is the main intention, while
still a lot also come for work stuff and
just dine in.
As socialise is the most popular reason, it
can be seen that ambience is the most
important factor in choosing a coffee
place.

13. 6. OPPORTUNITY IN COFFEE INDUSTRY
77 % of the respondents agrees that coffee
culture is more about selling space and the
quality of it. And 90 % of the respondents
agrees that there is potential for
malaysian coffee culture to grow more and
step up as it is not merely a trend, but a
great lifestyle.