M’sians not willing to give up daily cuppa despite it getting pricier by the day
PETALING JAYA: Prices of coffee beans may have been increasing over the years, but not many Malaysians are willing to give up that daily cuppa.
“Coffee is my daily pick-me-up. I must have it at least once a day. I will not change this habit even if it gets pricier,” said Richole Tan, a yoga teacher from Sabak Bernam.
With her love ranging from the local brew to specially handcrafted ones, the 42-year-old said she spends RM70 to RM100 a week on average on the beverage.
“I visit some of my favourite coffee chains or cafes every week. That’s why I have to work hard for my coffee,” quipped Tan.
Former journalist Fida Ruzki said she used to brew herself about a litre of coffee a day, which is now reduced to a cup a day.
“I buy roasted beans to enjoy varieties from independent roasters and chains.
“I prefer my cup of joe slightly sour or what is often called smokers’ coffee ... black and sugar-free.
“Usually, I buy the 250g to 500g packs of different varieties from local roasters to last me about two months,” she said.
Fida said there may have been a marginal increase of RM2 to RM3 for beans over the years.
“Price changes at coffee outlets are also likely too small to be noticed,” said the coffee lover.
“Brand loyalty isn’t a priority for me, though I do have preferences. I still value unique seasonal beans even with higher prices, but as an occasional treat.
“With more independent roasters offering similar beans, there are many choices available,” she added.
Since Malaysia has its unique varieties such as single-origin beans, Fida said retailers should promote local beans to support local farmers.
According to international reports, global coffee bean prices were near-record highs in mid-April, mainly due to rising transportation costs following geopolitical tensions and poor harvest as a result of bad weather in key-producing countries like Brazil and Vietnam.
The price of robusta bean futures hit US$4,472 (RM21,200) per tonne on the London markets this week, up 32% from US$3,369 (RM15,969) in January.
In New York, arabica bean futures recorded US$5,274 (RM25,000) per tonne this week, a rise of 18% on US$4,473 (RM21,200) in January.
While Malaysia imports most of its coffee beans from Vietnam, Indonesia and Brazil, data from the Statistics Department shows that the average Malaysian consumed 2.2kg of coffee in 2022, a 5.2% increase from 2017.
The market is evolving as Malaysians increasingly seek higher-quality beverages.
Dzulkhairi Ahmad, who is behind the Albatross Coffee Roastery in Seri Kembangan, Selangor, said prices of coffee beans have been steadily rising every year and Malaysia should revive and go big with local coffee farming.
“Malaysians of all walks of life consume much coffee daily. Instead of relying heavily on imports, it’s time we focused on growing our coffee beans as part of the effort to secure our food needs,” he said.
Dzulkhairi, whose family roastery has been operating since 1968, said the robusta and liberica beans commonly used for local coffee have cost 50% more over the years. He also said 70% of his arabica beans are sourced from Brazil, Colombia and Ethiopia.
“There are two harvest seasons a year, which is also the time we get our stock. The price has gone up every harvest season,” he said.
While the price of robusta beans has risen 100% over the years, he said other beans have been consistently increasing by between 10% and 15% every year.
To address price and cost increases, Dzulkhairi said having his own farms and roastery has allowed for better cost control and enabled him to keep his prices stable.
“We revised prices once last November, with an increase of RM1 per cup, due to the exorbitant ingredient costs.
“Now that we are more stable, we give back by offering promotions to maintain our customer base,” he said.
At his cafe, Dzulkhairi offers local coffee at RM5 per cup, Americano or long black using arabica beans at RM8 per cup, and other milk-based coffee at up to RM10 per cup.
“Other cafes that purchase from distributors may face higher costs. That’s why there are cafes closing every month due to financial challenges.”
Dzulkhairi also said he would need to consider currency fluctuations, government policies and minimum wage regulations when dealing with future pricing strategies.
