How Southeast Asia’s coffee chains are brewing cross-border success
Home-grown brands such as Zus Coffee are betting on cultural fluency, halal positioning and digital tools to make further inroads
“I really like Kenangan’s range of drinks, especially how they balance classic coffee flavours with unique local and Asian-inspired options,” said the digital content and marketing designer.
“I feel that it combines flavour, creativity and reliability better than many other brands … It strikes a balance between quality, convenience and price, which makes it an easy and reliable choice.”
Analysts say that while these regional brands inevitably command less capital to scale at speed, they often edge global competitors by resonating more deeply with local consumers.
“I’d say [Kenangan] is my go-to coffee shop, especially since I prefer to have coffee at Muslim-owned or halal cafes as a Muslim,” Shah said.