TO SEE SPECIALITY COFFEE SITUATION IN SOUTH EAST ASIA

Talking about myself, I have been brewing my coffee for more than 45 years. Not exactly every morning but in average, almost more than 6 days a week. I have tried several method but major one is hand drip using paper.

And I think Japan is one of the most coffee-loving country, even though it is not the top consumption in the world. You see so many coffee beans shop where coffee beans are roasted at the shop. There are a lot of communication between customers and shop clerk (expert) about the preference of coffee taste.

Then, suddenly, I got interest how about in South East Asia ?

I had visited several countries in Asia many times on business and private. My impression there about coffee was always “too sweet!” or “taste of machine” (sorry…).

Probably it would be the old memories. Young generations should seek for the updated.

I got a chance to visit several countries next month. Therefore, taking this opportunity, I have decided to make some survey, even though not so enough.

-Hong Kong

-Shenzhen

-Penang

-Singapore

-Ho-Chi Minh

I have been checking WEB sites information for those areas. And so far I got some targets to visit. Most probably all of them are trying hard to develop their coffee culture. Maybe it should be COMMON in the world !!

For reference, coffee history in Japan roughly pointed;

1st wave: it is complicated but roughly “before Starbucks”. “Large production, Large consumption” (But it is interesting in Japan there is long history of individual coffee shop culture…)

2nd wave: 1st Starbucks was open in Ginza in 1996. It was a cultural movement by younger generation spread in all over the world together with other Seattle type coffee shops like Tally’s.

3rd wave: “Blue Bottle Coffee” was open in 2015. Most clear concept is “See the farmer’ face (traceability)”. There are some definition of the 3rd wave, but for me, “most carefully brewed”.

I am excited to have chances to visit such “speciality” coffee shops shortly, to compare the culture in Japan!

For reference, some statistics of coffee production volume ranking in the world;

Vietnam: No.2 (16.5% in the world)

China: No.14 (1.1%)

Malaysia: No.46 (0.04%)

from Food and Agricultural Organization of United Nations in 2020.