Coffee culture on the rise among Malaysian youth
The differences between old and new coffee drinkers lie in their choices of coffee varieties and flavours.
ALFIAN TAHIR
Fast forward to 2025, and things have changed rapidly. Coffee culture in Malaysia has evolved alongside the internet and social media.
From Kopi Kampung or Kopi O, we turned to international coffee brands, and popular coffee chains that are "good for the 'gram". Trendy coffee names such as Pink Latte, Dark Mocha Chip, Asian Dolce Latte captured people's attention.
Even with 'classics' like Americano, Ice Latte and Caramel Macchiato, most of the under-35 crowd are asking for plant-based alternatives, leading to a surge in cafes using oat milk and almond milk in their brews.
While mamak restaurants survived the pandemic and many are still thriving, it's clear that Gen Zs prefer to socialise at the best-looking cafes in town for very obvious reasons.
A GOOD PLACE TO HANG OUT
"The atmosphere is calmer, the background music soothes your ears and the place is much pleasant. You can have a meaningful conversation with whoever," said 26-year-old Anis Syahirah Agus Salim.
"On top of that, you enjoy good coffee with reasonable price. It's not that I don't enjoy going to mamak restaurants, but I think people my age go [there] just to eat and then leave.
"Artisan coffee shops are where you sit and chill for a good catch up."
Her points were echoed by Fatin Adiba Abdul Malik, a recent graduate who works at Petronas. "People my age are now hunting for cafes [as a] 'healing' space," Fatin said.
"There are many cafes these days using camping tents and outdoor stool chairs [for a] unique ambience."
OLD COFFEE CULTURE VS NEW COFFEE CULTURE
Despite the relatively recent cafe culture trend in Malaysia, our country is no stranger to coffee beans. We have been drinking coffee since before the nation gained its independence in 1957.
The differences between old and new coffee drinkers lie in their choices of coffee varieties and flavours.
Traditional types of Malaysian coffee include Kopi O, Kopi C and Kopi Kosong. It was purely about having a cup of refreshing black coffee with a rich aroma served in a medium-sized ceramic or glass cup.
In contrast, the younger generation go for aesthetic cafes with fancy latte art and a high speed internet connection.
MALAY KAMPUNG IS A HAVEN FOR INDIE CAFES
It is no surprise to see numerous appealing cafes in Taman Tun Dr Ismail or in Mont Kiara. The coffee culture in those areas started around 2010 when Millennials returned home after studying abroad, realising the opportunity to set up a new trend.
Today, the hype has reached the suburbs. Forty kilometres away from Kuala Lumpur, the predominantly Malay village of Meru is the latest epicentre of coffee culture.
The kampung is now home to around 50 independent cafes run by semi-professional baristas who used to brew coffee for giant coffee chains.
One of the local players in Meru is Akhlaken Coffee, a popular street coffee operator.
Akhlaken Coffee marketing director Mohammad Nasrullah Mohd Noor told Sinar Daily that there was a huge demand for special locally-brewed coffee following the end of the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said locals are no longer afraid to try and enjoy the bitterness of brewed coffee, unlike a decade ago when the market was mostly controlled by giant coffee chains.
"You do not need to have a lot of capital to open your own coffee shop. There are good coffee machines that you can purchase from China," Nasrullah explained.
"There are also many local suppliers that can supply you good beans, affordable coffee-making utilities and there are many classes these days.
"Therefore, many young entrepreneurs wanted to try this concept. You don't just sell coffee, but you sell the ambience; you create your own identity and you can create your own menu."
Akhlaken has been in business for the past two years and recently opened up a new branch. Asked if youths are his main customers, Nasrullah said that Gen X parents are slowly adapting to the artisan coffee concept.
"The Gen Zs will come with their parents who were born in the early '70s. These parents grew up with traditional coffee as they mostly lived in the kampung neighbourhood, [but] they are now adapting to change."
"These parents are also internet savvy, they have TikTok, Facebook or at least Instagram. They do post up pictures on social media. That is why we now see families of young adults spending time together at trendy cafes," he said.
COFFEE CULTURE IS HERE TO STAY
Indeed, coffee culture in Malaysia has a very long history. It has witnessed major changes across the country's political and cultural landscape — the flavourful beans have lived through it all.
As mamak restaurants and Chinese kopitiams thrived from one generation to another, these modern cafes continue to gain momentum.
It is no longer just about drinking a cup of coffee, it has evolved into how you understand your coffee and how you present yourself with it.
In our unique multicultural community, there is a flavourful future for our coffee culture. Combined with old traditions and robust innovation, we may see the trend continue to brew for many years to come.
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