06 — Suppliers & Co-Roasting
Info
A directory of who we buy from, how we vet them, and what the relationship terms look like. Update this file as relationships are confirmed.
1. The Supplier Tiers
| Tier | What it means | Review cadence |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 — Locked | Recurring relationship; pricing pre-agreed; primary source | Quarterly |
| Tier 2 — Active | Bought from in last 6 months; secondary source | Bi-quarterly |
| Tier 3 — Vetted | Sampled / spoken with but not yet bought from | Annually |
| Tier 4 — Watched | On the radar; not yet contacted | Annually |
2. CoRoasting KL — Operating Notes
The single most important supplier relationship in year 1. Treat as Tier 1 from day 1.
Quick facts (verify before launch)
- Name: CoRoasting (coroasting.co)
- Location: Kuala Lumpur (verify exact address before booking)
- Format: Shared roasting facility — pay-per-session for roaster time
- Likely machines: Probat L12 / Diedrich IR-12 / Giesen W6 (confirm on intake)
- Booking: Per-session, slot-based
What to confirm with them BEFORE first booking
- Per-session rate (RM/hour or RM/batch)
- Machine specs (drum size, gas vs. electric, software/curve logging)
- Slot availability windows (weekday vs. weekend, morning vs. evening)
- Storage permitted on-site (green / roasted)
- Cupping facility available
- Sample roaster on-site
- Cleaning expectations (BYO brush / cleaner?)
- Waste disposal (chaff, dump beans)
- Photography / IG content allowed?
- Other roasters using same machine — cross-contamination concern?
Operating cadence (year 1)
- Weekly slot booked in advance (every Tuesday 14:00–18:00, e.g.)
- 1-week notice for cancellation
- Auto-renew weekly booking until 4-week ahead override
Estimated cost (assume RM 80–150/hr session × 4 hr × 1×/week = RM 320–600/week)
- = RM 1,280–2,400/month roasting cost
- → amortised cost per kg roasted (at 12 kg/week = ~RM 27–50/kg roasted)
- → per cup (15 g roasted) = RM 0.40–0.75/cup
Backup co-roasting plan
- Identify 2 backup facilities to vet by month 3:
- Roasters who rent excess time (some commercial roasters do this off-record)
- Friends-of-friends with home roasting setup (not for production but for emergencies)
- Maintain a working relationship even if not used (sample lots through them)
Potential alternative facilities to explore
- The Crackpots — established roastery; may rent excess time
- Artisan Roastery — may collaborate
- Discover Coffee — possible co-roast partner
- Independent roasters via Specialty Coffee Association of Malaysia (SCAM) community
3. Green Coffee Suppliers
See full producer evaluation in Green Bean Sourcing & Timeline. This section captures the business relationship terms.
Tier S — Direct producer relationships (target by Q4 2026)
| Producer | Stage | Lead Founder | Min order | Payment | Lead time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frinsa Estate | Tier 3 (vetted) | TBD | 5–30 kg | T/T 30 % deposit + 70 % on shipment | 8–12 wks |
| Klasik Beans | Tier 4 (watched) | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| Aceh cooperative (Permata Gayo / Ketiara) | Tier 4 | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
Tier A — Indonesian exporters (mid-tier, faster turn)
| Exporter | Stage | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Indonesia Specialty Coffee (specialtycoffee.id) | Tier 4 | Web-active; broad menu |
| FNB Coffee (fnb.coffee) | Tier 4 | Indonesian green specialist; some co-ferments |
| Sumatra Coffee (sumatracoffee.co.id) | Tier 4 | Aceh / Sumatra focused |
| Toba Coffee | Tier 4 | Aceh / North Sumatra |
Tier B — International importer fallback (use sparingly for cost reasons)
| Importer | Region | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Apex Coffee Imports | US | Pre-vetted Frinsa lots |
| Falcon Specialty | UK | Some Indonesian micro-lots |
| Trabocca | NL | Strong Java + Aceh portfolio |
| Mercanta | UK | Wide menu |
| Black Gold (Singapore re-import) | SG | Fast freight to MY for emergencies |
→ Detailed vendor outreach plan in Sourcing Calendar.
4. Equipment Suppliers (KL / MY)
Espresso machines & grinders
| Vendor | What they sell | Why use them |
|---|---|---|
| Coffex Specialty Coffee Equipment | La Marzocco, Mahlkönig, Eureka | Authorised dealer; best service network |
| Bean Brothers | ECM, Mahlkönig, used commercial | Used / refurbished options; KL-based |
| Coffee Ritual (coffeeritual.com) | Hario, Comandante, brewware | Manual brewing tools |
| Faema / Nuova Simonelli MY distributor | Espresso machines | Commercial-grade, full service |
| Lazada / Shopee (Hario, Brewista, etc.) | Brewing tools, scales, kettles | Quick turnaround, slightly higher risk |
| Bean Shipper (beanshipper.com) | Beans + accessories | Beans focus, some accessories |
Cart fabrication
- Local metal/wood fabricators in PJ / Klang — quote 3 before committing; need food-safe finishes
- Pre-built cart imports (Cart-King, Caffewerks) — USD 4K+, may exceed budget
- DIY with engineer / architect friend — lower cost, higher iteration risk
- Adapted bicycle cart (e.g. converted Christiania-style) — high brand value, modest cost
Packaging
| Vendor | Product | MOQ |
|---|---|---|
| Pacific Bag (US distributor / SG re-seller) | Degassing valve coffee bags | 100–500 units |
| Local screen printers (Petaling Jaya) | Custom-printed coffee bags + sleeves | 200–1,000 units |
| Lazada bulk (kraft bags, valve) | Generic + add custom sticker | Flexible |
| Hello Print MY | Sleeves, postcards, stickers | 100+ |
Cups & service ware
- PE-coated paper cups (12 oz) — local kraft printer or Eco Plus / Green Pack MY
- Custom cup printing (1-colour stamp) — start at MOQ 1,000 units
- Plant-based PLA lids — slightly more expensive, brand-aligned
- Wood serving trays (for flights) — local wood worker or import via Lazada / Shopee
Milk & water suppliers
- Whole milk: Farm Fresh (preferred — local, A2 option, calm packaging) or Goodday
- Oat milk: Oatly (premium) or local alternatives (Oatside, Mokka)
- Water for cart-day: Dasani / Spritzer 1.5 L bulk for water cups; filtered tap for brewing
5. Marketing & Brand Suppliers
| Service | Vendor type | Budget (RM) Y1 |
|---|---|---|
| Logo / brand identity | Freelance designer (KL or remote) | 1,500–2,500 |
| Photography (cart + product) | Freelance, half-day x 2 | 600–1,200 |
| Cup sleeve / postcard print | Local print shop | 400–700 |
| IG / social automation | Buffer / Later free tier | 0 |
| Website | Self-built on Shopify Lite or Cargo / Squarespace | 200–500/yr |
| Domain | Namecheap / Cloudflare | 80/yr |
| Workshop venue rental (per event) | Cafe / studio sublet | 200–400/event |
6. Logistics & Shipping (online bag fulfilment)
Domestic (within MY)
| Carrier | Use case | Cost (200g bag) |
|---|---|---|
| PosLaju | Default for Peninsular MY | RM 7–10 |
| DHL eCommerce | Better tracking, similar cost | RM 8–12 |
| Lalamove / Grab Express | Same-day Klang Valley | RM 12–18 |
| Ninja Van | Mid-priced | RM 7–10 |
To East Malaysia (Sabah/Sarawak)
- PosLaju — RM 12–18 (200g) — accept slightly slower delivery
Cross-border (year 2 — Singapore exploration)
- Singapore Post / DHL — RM 25–40 per parcel
- Forwarders (Buyandship, ezbuy) — bulk consolidation
Packaging for shipping
- Outer: cardboard mailer with kraft brown finish
- Inner: bag in degassing valve + crinkle-paper void fill
- Insert: brewing recipe card + thank-you note (handwritten in pen, year 1)
- Branding: simple sticker seal in lacquer red
7. Pop-Up Venue Vendor Partnerships
See PJ) for the strategic rationale. This section captures the operational vendor terms.
Tier S venues — target relationships (KL/PJ)
| Venue | Contact lead | Vendor cost (per day, est) | Frequency | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riuh @ APW Bangsar | RIUH (riuh.com.my) | RM 250–500/2 days | Weekend slots, monthly | ⏳ Apply by Q2 2026 |
| Sunny Side Up Markets | sunnysideupmarkets@gmail.com / 012-3656856 | Varies — request quote | Selective | ⏳ Email by Jun |
| Kabut in the Park (klpac, Sentul Park) | klpac / Kabut organisers | TBD | Selective | ⏳ Research |
| Bangsar Sunday Market | TBD | TBD | Weekly | ⏳ Research |
| TTDI Sunday Market | TBD | TBD | Weekly | ⏳ Research |
| Publika Bazaar | Publika Mgmt | TBD (mall-tier rates higher) | Selective | ⏳ Research |
Tier A venues — secondary
| Venue | Notes |
|---|---|
| MyTOWN Shopping Centre pop-up zones | Mall pop-up rates ~RM 600–1,200/day |
| The Gasket Alley (PJ) | Coffee-friendly community space; partner-style approach |
| MAGCV Studio (KL) | Creative co-working with event spaces |
| ZHAN Atelier / Slow Cafe events | Private café partnerships for “guest” pop-ups |
Vendor application checklist (per venue)
- SSM business reg (current)
- DBKL Mobile Hawker licence
- MOH food handler cert
- Liability insurance proof
- Photo of cart setup
- Menu + pricing
- Brand portfolio / IG link
- Past pop-up references (Y2+)
8. Operational Vendor Scorecard
Use this to evaluate every active supplier annually.
VENDOR: ____________________________________________
REVIEW DATE: ______________ REVIEWER: ____________
CATEGORY | SCORE 1–5 | NOTES
─────────────────────────┼───────────┼───────────────────────
Quality | |
Lead time | |
Pricing fairness | |
Communication | |
Reliability | |
Payment terms | |
Volume flexibility | |
Brand alignment | |
─────────────────────────┴───────────┴───────────────────────
TOTAL: _____ / 40
Action: [ ] Continue Tier 1
[ ] Move to Tier 2 (back-up)
[ ] Drop
[ ] Re-negotiate terms
Next review: ___________
9. Negotiation Posture
When negotiating with any supplier, especially producers:
- Lead with values, not price. “We’re a small brand committed to producer-named lots and transparent pricing.”
- Be honest about volume. Producers respect “we’ll start with 10 kg and grow to 30 if it works” more than vague promises.
- Pay deposits promptly. Reputation as a fast payer compounds.
- Don’t over-negotiate on marquee lots. Pay the asked price for the signature lot. Negotiate on workhorse lots.
- Document everything in writing. Even informal deals — recap in a follow-up email.
- Build relationships in person where possible. Year-2 trip to Indonesia is non-negotiable for top producers.
10. Vendor / Supplier Status Board (live tracking)
GREEN COFFEE
Active: ________________________
Sampling: ______________________
Outreach pending: ______________
ROASTING
Primary: CoRoasting KL — slot booked weekly Tue
Backup #1: __________________________
Backup #2: __________________________
PACKAGING
Bags (degassing valve): ________________
Sleeves / labels: ____________________
Cups / lids: ________________________
EQUIPMENT
Espresso machine: ____________________
Grinder (espresso): __________________
Grinder (filter): ____________________
Service contract: ____________________
LOGISTICS
Primary courier: _____________________
Backup courier: ______________________
VENUES (active vendor agreements)
1. ____________________________
2. ____________________________
3. ____________________________
4. ____________________________
My Notes & Thoughts
- The CoRoasting relationship is the single biggest operational dependency. Visit them BEFORE booking. Cup their space’s existing roasts. Make sure the vibe is right.
- Pay vendors fast. The reputation as “they pay quickly” reduces friction on every future negotiation.
- Avoid the trap of “buying from cheapest” on packaging in Y1. The cup IS the brand. Better packaging = better photos = better repeat rate. Spend the extra RM 0.20/cup.
- Build the supplier scorecard habit. By Y2, you’ll have a clear read on which vendors compound vs. which drag.