Over the years, many coffee chains have mushroomed across Malaysia. In one mall alone, we could have three, four, or even more coffee brands to choose from.
In short, we’re spoilt for choice.
So, to help consumers make an informed decision when it comes to choosing their brews, we’ve come up with this list of 20 coffee chains, breaking down their pricing and accessibility.
Do note that this article doesn’t consider taste as it’s very subjective. This article instead aims to benefit those who go for convenience and affordability.
We will be focusing on grab-and-go options, not sit-down cafes. We’re defining “major” coffee chains as having at least three locations, and being available on delivery platforms. This means they’re relatively accessible, at least in the Klang Valley area.
To judge the pricing, we’ll be looking at how much a standard hot Americano costs, as well as how much the brand’s “signature” or speciality drink is priced at. For consistency’s sake, we’re using the pricing found on Grab.
Malaysian brands
1. ZUS Coffee
Dubbed the “tech-driven coffee chain”, you’ll recognise this Malaysian brand by its blue and white logo.
Price of americano: RM7.90
Price of signature drink: The Spanish Latte is RM11.90.
Loyalty incentives: The ZUS Coffee app allows users to collect points and redeem rewards.
Number of outlets: 368, according to COO Venon Tian
Vegan milk options: Yes, they offer soy milk, oat milk, almond milk, and OATLY milk.
2. Gigi Coffee
Founded in 2019, Gigi Coffee has become a prominent coffee brand in Malaysia with a focus on affordability.
Price: RM8
Price of signature drink: It’s RM12 for their Buttercream Latte.
Loyalty incentives: The Gigi Coffee app lets users collect points and redeem drinks.
Number of outlets: 132, according to their website.
Vegan milk options: Yes, they offer soy milk and oat milk.
3. San Francisco Coffee
A brand that many might not know is Malaysian, San Francisco Coffee is one of the oldest coffee chains in Malaysia, founded in 1997.
Price of americano: RM11.50
Price of signature drink: The current speciality drink is a Strawberry Lychee Pudding Frappe, which is RM17.90.
Loyalty incentives: None that we could find.
Number of outlets: 53, according to a count we did on their website.
Vegan milk options: Yes, they offer soy milk.
4. Bask Bear Coffee
With a branding that takes inspiration from the Malayan Sun Bear, Bask Bear Coffee is Tealive’s sister brand. It prioritises affordability and convenience.
Price of americano: RM6.90
Price of signature drink: The Aren Caramel Latte (previously known as the Aren Signature Latte) is RM10.90.
Loyalty incentives: There is a Bask Bear app that appears to have a point collection system, which was only launched last year.
Number of outlets: 100 outlets, as of September 2023.
Vegan milk options: Yes, oat milk is available.
5. Richiamo Coffee
Established in 2016, Richiamo Coffee brands itself as a “chained premium coffee shop” that focuses on “product, service, and atmosphere”, according to its website.
Price of americano: RM9.90
Price of signature drink: The Ice Blended Caramello Cappuccino, which was listed as one of its bestsellers on Grab, is priced at RM14.90.
Loyalty incentives: None that we could find online.
Number of outlets: Around 150, according to a count we did on their website.
Vegan milk options: None that we could find.
6. Kee Nguyen
Kee Nguyen is a Vietnamese coffee chain established by two Malaysian founders whose goal is for “customers to feel like they are back in Vietnam” through their drinks.
Price of americano: RM6
Price of signature drink: The Regular Condensed Milk is RM8.
Loyalty incentives: None that we could find.
Number of outlets: 52 stores, according to its Instagram.
Vegan milk options: None that we could find.
7. Kopi Saigon
Another Vietnamese coffee specialist, Kopi Saigon has been bringing its drinks to Malaysians since 2021, using quality and halal-certified Robusta beans.
Price of Americano: (Kopi Hitam) RM8
Price of signature drink: Their Kopi Saigon is RM11.
Loyalty incentives: None that we could find.
Number of outlets: 39, according to its website.
Vegan milk options: None that we could find.
8. Koppiku
Koppiku is a relatively new player in the coffee scene. According to Tech In Asia, it’s backed by prominent angel investors including Fave’s founder and ex-CEO, Joel Neoh.
Price of americano: RM6
Price of signature drink: Their Iced Koppiku Latte is RM9.
Loyalty incentives: None that we could find.
Number of outlets: Three, according to its Instagram.
Vegan milk options: Yes, they have Oatside oat milk and almond milk.
9. Mukarami Coffee
With branches in Shah Alam, Subang Jaya, and Setia Alam, Mukarami Coffee was founded in 2021 by a couple.
Price of americano: RM10.40
Price of signature drink: Their Gula Apong Latte is RM15.80.
Loyalty incentives: None that we could find.
Number of outlets: Three, according to its Instagram.
Vegan milk options: None that we could find.
International brands
10. Starbucks
At the time of writing, Seattle-founded brand Starbucks still reigns as the biggest coffee chain in Malaysia.
Price of americano: RM10.49
Price of signature drink: There isn’t really a signature Starbucks drink, but a frap like Caramel Frappuccino is RM17.49.
Loyalty incentives: The Starbucks Rewards programme lets users collect STARS for rewards.
Number of outlets: 356 stores as of June 2022.
Vegan options: Yes, they have soy milk, almond milk, and coconut milk.
11. The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf
Originally from Los Angeles, California, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf has been in Malaysia since 1997.
Price of americano: RM11.80
Price of signature drink: Like Starbucks, we’re not sure what the signature drink would be, but a popular higher-end drink such as Vanilla Cookies & Cream Ice Blended is RM18.70.
Loyalty incentives: None that we could find. There’s something called My Coffee Bean Card, but it only offers rewards for the user’s birthday and doesn’t otherwise incentivise loyalty.
Number of outlets: 150, as of April 2023.
Vegan milk options: Yes, they offer oat and almond.
12. Dunkin’
Dunkin’ started in Massachusetts in 1948 and is now known for their doughnuts as well as drinks.
Price of americano: RM8
Price of signature drink: A unique drink like the Iced Gula Melaka Latte (Medium) is RM13.00.
Loyalty incentives: None that we could find.
Number of outlets: 90, according to a count we did on their website.
Vegan milk options: None that we could find.
13. Kenangan Coffee
Known as Kopi Kenangan in Indonesia, where the brand is from, Kenangan Coffee entered Malaysia in late 2022.
Price of americano: RM7.90
Price of signature drink: The Kenangan Latte is RM11.90.
Loyalty incentives: The Kenangan Coffee app lets users collect points for rewards.
Number of outlets: 22, according to a count we did on their website.
Vegan milk options: Yes, they offer oat milk.
14. HWC Coffee
Hailing from Taiwan, HWC Coffee has a presence in over 20 countries, with Malaysia being one of them.
Price of americano: RM11.13
Price of signature drink: Their Brown Sugar Caffe Latte is RM14.73.
Loyalty incentives: The HWC Coffee app allows members to collect points. They also have a Coffee Hunter 2.0 subscription model where customers can get monthly vouchers and discounts.
Number of outlets: 50, according to a count we did on their website.
Vegan milk options: Yes, they have soya milk, coconut milk, oat milk, and almond milk.
15. Coffea Coffee
Coffea Coffee was founded in Korea by an award-winning barista.
Price of americano: RM11
Price of signature drink: A signature latte such as the Triple Mocha Latte is RM17.50.
Loyalty incentives: None that we could find.
Number of outlets: 16, according to its website.
Vegan milk options: Yes, they have oat milk.
16. Gloria Jean’s Coffees
Headquartered in Sydney, Gloria Jean’s was founded in 1979 and has been operated in Malaysia by Malaysia International Franchise Sdn Bhd since November 2006.
Price of americano: RM12.30
Price of signature drink: A specialty hot drink such as the Very Vanilla Latte is RM19.50.
Loyalty incentives: None that we could find.
Number of outlets: Nine, according to its website.
Vegan milk options: None that we could find.
17. Costa Coffee
Founded in London in 1971, Costa Coffee can often be found at petrol stations here in Malaysia.
Price of americano: RM12.11
Price of signature coffee: Specialty drinks such as the Iced Salted Caramel Cappuccino is RM19.50.
Loyalty incentives: The Costa Coffee App allows users to collect points.
Number of outlets: 11 standalone ones, according to its website.
Vegan milk options: Yes, they have soy milk, almond milk, and oat milk.
Fast food chains, convenience stores, or kiosks
18. McCafé
McDonald’s is a brand that doesn’t need an introduction. Its McCafé began in 1993 in Australia and is now a staple in most McDonald’s branches.
Price of americano: RM7
Price of signature coffee: Limited time drinks such as the Ice Blended Lotus Biscoff is RM15.09.
Loyalty incentives: The McD app can be used to collect points which can be used to redeem rewards.
Number of outlets: More than 320, according to a count we did on their website.
Vegan milk options: None that we could find.
19. Family Mart
Alongside hot foods, Japanese convenience store Family Mart also sells freshly brewed drinks.
Price of americano: RM7.10
Price of signature coffee: Unique drinks like the Mocha Cookie Latte is RM10.70.
Loyalty incentives: The Family Mart app can be used to collect points.
Number of outlets: Around 400, based on a quick count of their online map.
Vegan milk options: None that we can find.
20. Kopi Dua Darjat
Typically operating as kiosks or roadside stalls, Kopi Dua Darjat focuses on offering Malaysians “kopi kampung”.
Price of americano: The Kopi Melayo (Kopi O Ais with syrup) is RM5.80.
Price of signature coffee: The Kopi Warisan is RM8.40.
Loyalty incentives: None that we could find.
Number of outlets: 17, according to its website.
Vegan options: None that we could find.
A handy table for you:
Some of us prioritise prices, while others might care more for other things like alternative dairy options. So, here’s a table where you can sort the brands according to your preferences.
| Brand | MY or International | Price/americano (RM) | No. of outlets | App | Vegan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ZUS Coffee | MY | 7.90 | 368 | Yes | Yes |
| Gigi Coffee | MY | 8.00 | 132 | Yes | Yes |
| San Francisco Coffee | MY | 11.50 | 53 | No | Yes |
| Bask Bear Coffee | MY | 6.90 | 100 | Yes | Yes |
| Richiamo Coffee | MY | 9.90 | 150 | No | No |
| Kee Nguyen | MY | 6.00 | 52 | No | No |
| Kopi Saigon | MY | 8.00 | 39 | No | No |
| Koppiku | MY | 6.00 | 3 | No | Yes |
| Mukarami Coffee | MY | 10.40 | 3 | No | No |
| Starbucks | International | 10.49 | 356 | Yes | Yes |
| The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf | International | 11.80 | 150 | No | Yes |
| Dunkin’ | International | 8.00 | 90 | No | No |
| Kenangan Coffee | International | 7.90 | 22 | Yes | Yes |
| HWC Coffee | International | 11.13 | 50 | Yes | Yes |
| Coffea Coffee | International | 11.00 | 16 | No | Yes |
| Gloria Jean’s Coffees | International | 12.30 | 9 | No | No |
| Costa Coffee | International | 12.11 | 11 | Yes | Yes |
| McCafe | International | 7.00 | 320 | Yes | No |
| Family Mart | International | 7.10 | 400 | Yes | No |
| Kopi Dua Darjat | MY | 5.80 | 17 | No | No |
To each their own, but…
At the end of the day though, since taste is subjective, you may very well choose to stay loyal to a brand because it matches your palate, or just because you don’t like change.
But, based on our data, our top three all-rounders would be:
- Gigi Coffee
- ZUS Coffee
- Bask Bear Coffee
These three are value for money, have non-dairy alternative options for our lactose intolerant friends, have a relatively high number of outlets, and reward you for shopping there.
In any case, we’re especially excited to see the growth of Malaysian brands, from the big dogs like ZUS Coffee to the greener but very promising names like Koppiku.
- Read other articles we’ve written about F&B here.
Featured Image Credit: Gigi Coffee / ZUS Coffee / Kenangan Coffee