Since an early age, I’ve always been so impressed with the world of third-wave coffee.
Around a decade back, while window shopping with my family in a mall in Kuala Lumpur, we stopped by to purchase a few cups of coffee. While looking at the menu, the word Siphon caught my eye, and I decided to give it a try without really knowing what it means. The barista proceeded to prepare my order at the siphon coffee corner where a set of siphon and halogen can be seen. That was my first time looking at such a sophisticated way of preparing coffee.
Images Credit: Iqbal Sukor
The coffee journey begins
Jumping forward to recent years when the world was hit by the pandemic, I’ve found myself joining a major coffee enthusiast group to what I believe was to pursue more of my passion for coffee and as well looking into a new hobby to fill the social activities missing during the covid lockdown. From there, I’ve been a silent reader for quite some time before posting my first-ever review of a Siphon coffee making at a well-known coffee chain.
It all started with the first post
The post received many engagements from other coffee enthusiasts and sparks an inner reviewer that has been hiding in a quiet place deep in me just waiting to come out. From there, I’ve been café hopping around Malaysia in looking for the most interesting coffee place and sharing my reviews.
Being a decent photographer and writer, I’ve gained some positive feedback from many including café owners and enthusiasts for my reviews. The reviews written are mainly to help those cafés get the attention they deserve and as well to play my part in helping the coffee community around me. Time goes by and I gained a lot of new knowledge and friends during the journey I believe it was time to move on to the next phase.
Selling coffee using a Moka pot
Many might not know that I once started selling bottled coffee using a Moka pot right before the surge in coffee trends around Malaysia. The business was not doing really well and had to be indefinitely paused. More than a year had passed and the passion to pursue my own coffee business once again burning bright within me.
Without too much thinking, bought me a new espresso machine and grinder that’s suitable for higher volume outputs. Doubts were always there but I shove them to the back of my head and just go ahead with them.
Why the name Average Coffee?
After a few days of brainstorming, I came up with the name Average Coffee. Why Average Coffee? Well, I believed that I’ve gained some sort of reputation within the coffee community and with reputation comes some sort of expectation as well. Ironically, I know what good coffee tastes like, but preparing it is not an easy task. Hence, the name is, in fact, to lower people’s expectations and as well an interesting wordplay when people discover that my coffee is “beyond average” (if it goes to that level).
Average Coffee Sakura Bottled Latte Coffee
Average Coffee Rosy Mansi Bottled Black Coffee
Average Coffee Ros Bandung Bottled Latte Coffee
Average Coffee Lavender Bottled Latte Coffee
Images Credit: Iqbal Sukor
Sales grew steadily
We’ve started off with bottled coffee first since that was the only thing that makes sense for a full-time corporate zombie working around the clock and as well coming from someone lacking funds to rent a place. The initial sales were great and it continues for about a month and a half or so. During this time, we deliver our coffee to nearby places and as well to our colleagues in the office.
Sales multiplied fast
After that period, we received an invitation to join a local coffee fest. Thinking this will be a great platform to introduce Average Coffee to the local market, we’ve proceeded with it. The fest was great and the turnout was beyond anyone’s imagination. The expected sales tripled from what I expected. The sales greatly help with the funding we lacked and hopefully able to help in the future.
We continue selling bottled coffee for a couple of weeks until we found an awesome roadside stall for rent. Without much hesitation, we’ve gone for it and here we are today. Due to our own careers, we are only able to operate our humble roadside café during weekends. Bottled coffee is still ongoing as well for those looking to recharge their caffeine during weekdays.
Images Credit: Iqbal Sukor
A dream fulfilled
My journey in the coffee industry has just started but the fire of passion has been burning for a very long time and opening this roadside café has been a stepping stone that I hope becomes a spark to my dream in the coffee world. Many obstacles had been overcome and many more to go but as the Malay saying goes “Bukan senang nak jadi senang dan bukan susah nak jadi susah” which means that achieving your goal is not easy but it is also easy to become a failure.
We might not know where the journey will take us, but I believe a step at a time will bring us closer to our dreams and even if the path is hard, the destination will be worth it!
