Indonesian chain TOMORO COFFEE has arrived on Singaporean shores, debuting its first local store at the National University of Singapore Business School Hon Sui Sen Memorial Library on February 28.
This follows the arrival of other foreign coffee chains in the country in the past year, including Chinese giant Luckin Coffee, Indonesia’s Kenangan Coffee and Fore Coffee, Taiwanese chain Louisa Coffee, and even Canadian brand Tim Hortons.
Of all these brands, TOMORO is notably newer, having been formed in 2022. The next youngest brand would be Fore Coffee, which was established in 2018.
Despite its newness, TOMORO, whose name references “tomorrow”, is not lacking in ambition.
The chain—which already has over 400 stores in Indonesia and China—was founded by Star Yuan (also known as Xing Wei Yuan), whose impressive track record includes co-founding delivery company J&T Express and Imoo, an electronics appliance company.
In 2021, Star had returned to university, completing an Executive Master of Business Administration at NUS.
At the time, he spoke to investors, asking: “What’s the best type of business in the world? What’s the one product that can have longevity and make people happy?”
Apparently, some told him to consider soft drinks and milk tea-based businesses, but one convinced him to go the coffee route due to brand loyalty and lifetime value.
This would be Fish Sun, TOMORO’s co-founder and Vice President.
Now bringing the chain to his alma mater, Star’s strategy with TOMORO is to “democratise specialty coffee” and “revolutionise Southeast Asia’s coffee scene”.
Joining a crowded pool
However, why join the crowded market in Singapore to do this?
“Singapore has always been an important market for us, with matured coffee drinkers and the vibrancy of the coffee culture, from independent coffee shop owners to coffee chains,” Star said to Vulcan Post.
Establishing his point, TOMORO shared that Singapore’s coffee sales are set to increase at a compound annual growth rate of 3.2% from 2022 to 2027 based on a Global Data report.
On the topic of numbers, it’s worth mentioning that in July 2022, a survey conducted in Singapore showed that almost 55% of respondents said they bought coffee in the week prior to the survey.
A similar February 2022 survey in Indonesia resulted in lower percentage at about 43.9%. And while coffee is the most purchased beverage in Southeast Asia according to the ‘Most purchased beverages in a week’ study, that number is only 40.6%.
That goes to show that in the region, Singapore is one of the most mature markets when it comes to coffee.
As for TOMORO’s competitive edge, Star believes that it comes down to affordability. “TOMORO is confident in its ability to thrive in Singapore’s coffee market by offering high-quality coffee at affordable prices, addressing a gap in the market.”
Regarding the decision to launch TOMORO in Singapore at NUS, Star said he believes there’s a missing gap in good quality coffee available on campuses.
“College students have a characteristic that is very suitable for our brand, full of enthusiasm and vitality,” he added. “We hope to bring this feeling to all consumers.”
And of course, another reason is because Star himself graduated from NUS, and thus hopes to make his own contribution to the campus.
Catering to the island
Launching in Singapore, TOMORO has kept to a roster of its best sellers, which has resulted in quite a diverse menu.
There are classic coffee options such as a Caffe Latte (S$4.90) or a Cappuccino (S$4.90), as well as the signature TOMORO Aren Latte (S$5.90). These prices are slightly cheaper compared to Fore Coffee and comparable to Kenangan Coffee.
They’re also offering their OATSIDE series that features creations like the Manuka Oat Latte (S$5.90) and Matcha Oat Latte (S$5.90).
Dessert drinks like the Strawberry Jasmine Smoothie (S$6.50) and the Strawberry Coconut Frappe (S$5.90) are also available.
The team confirmed that they’re looking to localise the flavours to the Singaporean palate, though there have already been some adjustments made to the recipes. In particular, the sweetness has been lowered in Singapore compared to in Indonesia.
A democratised experience
The brand ethos, TOMORO told Vulcan Post, has always been to offer good quality coffee at an affordable price, making their coffee accessible to all.
“Maintaining quality standards without compromising or passing the buck back to the consumers means we have to work more efficiently and having good partners for our collaborations,” they elaborated.
Going forward, TOMORO aims to foray into other Southeast Asian countries such as the Philippines. With the goal of opening more than 1,800 stores in the region, TOMORO aims to become an international coffee chain brand.
“Our R&D lab in Singapore will be opening soon to fuel this aspiration,” Star hinted.
As for whether the coffee chain will make good on its aspirations, we will have to wait and see what TOMORO has in store for us.
Featured Image Credit: TOMORO COFFEE
