Bacha Coffee’s CEO spills the beans on changing our coffee scene, teases 2nd M’sian outlet

Bacha Coffee, a Moroccan luxury brand under the V3 Gourmet group, recently announced that it will be opening its first store in Malaysia at KLCC. This is scheduled to take place this month, in July 2023.

Spanning 7,000 sq ft, the new outlet is set to be its largest one outside of Singapore, and will feature a coffee room, boutique, and takeaway space.

There will also be private rooms and an outdoor terrace on the esplanade overlooking KLCC’s Lake Symphony. This allows customers to enjoy KLCC’s nightly musical fountain displays while sipping on the brand’s coffee. 

According to Taha Bouqdib, the CEO and president of V3 Gourmet, the decision to expand into Malaysia is due to its close proximity to Singapore, which also happens to be the HQ of V3 Gourmet and the birthplace of Bacha Coffee’s sister brand, TWG Tea. 

As for its location choice, he told Vulcan Post, “KLCC possesses the qualities we seek when selecting strategic locations for our brands. It is an iconic landmark, globally recognised and occupies a significant presence in the national consciousness of Malaysia.” 

“Additionally, it houses numerous luxury lifestyle brands which is one of our tenets when scouting for locations,” he shared. 

Its other international stores, such as the newly launched Bacha Coffee Fashion Avenue at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, reflect this branding strategy. 

The CEO of V3 Gourmet also believes that it’s the right time and place to unveil a new concept to KL’s “increasingly sophisticated” customers. 

“The Malaysian market has seen the coffee drinking industry evolve from commercial chains to independent cafes. Bacha Coffee represents the next step in coffee appreciation,” he said.

A strong heritage drink & brand

Revived in 2019, Bacha Coffee has a rich history starting from 110 years ago in Marrakech, Morocco. 

After Taha dominated the luxury tea market by co-founding TWG Tea in 2008, he discovered the heritage brand in Morocco’s Dar el Bacha palace. 

What once hosted renowned historical figures like Winston Churchill and Charlie Chaplin later became a time capsule after WW2. Experts spent two years on restoration efforts before Taha rebirthed the Bacha Coffee brand in the palace.

Similar to TWG Tea, Bacha Coffee offers a luxurious experience for coffee aficionados. 

The brand’s catalogue boasts over 200 Arabica coffees categorised in four ways—single origin, fine blended, fine flavoured, and decaffeinated. Each coffee harvest is separately hand-roasted to brew the different beans.

Served in richly coloured coffee cups, customers will be treated to an elegant affair at a more affordable price. This aligns with V3 Gourmet’s vision of becoming a home to brands rooted in attainable luxury retail.

It’s an interesting and bold ambition, as coffee is generally viewed as a quick and affordable drink for a pick-me-up in Malaysia.

However, Bacha Coffee is confident its offerings will make customers repeatedly walk through their doors. “Even if you only drink coffee to boost energy for the day, you will still want that ritual to be enjoyable.”

“We want to provide everyday luxury experiences that invite customers to visit us regularly, to purchase a little something special, and be treated to exceptional quality and service every single time, regardless of how much they spend,” the CEO explained.

This plays into V3 Gourmet’s bigger ethos of creating quality products that are both attainable and consumable and to keep customers coming back for more.

That said, it might take some time to convince the public that coffee is more than just a beverage and, instead, a gastronomical experience that’s worth a heftier price tag.

After all, local brands like ZUS Coffee rose in popularity for providing good quality yet financially accessible coffee to the masses.

But putting aside its products, it seems like Bacha Coffee’s main goal is to offer customers a unique experience, one where you can savour the comfort of a hot cup of coffee while the hustle and bustle of the world go on.

Brewing up more outlets

Along with Bacha Coffee’s expansion, TWG Tea will further expand its outlets in the country. Best known for its luxurious tea salons and boutiques, the brand will launch its first “takeaway tea concept” in Q4 2023 to celebrate the milestone.

On this, Taha said, “The idea is to place small, everyday luxuries within frequent and convenient reach of our customers.”

The takeaway tea concept seems to allow customers to add elegance while on the go. This is reflected in cups that mirror its signature gilded teapots, a sugar stick, and reusable glass straw (for iced tea).

There are currently five TWG Tea outlets in Malaysia, the first being its more recognised one in The Gardens Mall.

Aside from Bacha Coffee’s KLCC opening, its second Malaysian store is already in the works. Speaking to Vulcan Post, the CEO disclosed that its next location will be at The Exchange TRX. 

Customers can expect its opening near the end of 2023 and the launch of its new Malaysian e-commerce site. But for now, orders for its coffee products can be made via its international website, which also ships to Malaysia.

• Learn more about Bacha Coffee here.
• Read articles we’ve written about Malaysian startups here.

Featured Image Credit: Bacha Coffee