It feels like everyone wants to open up a coffee shop nowadays, but they don’t necessarily have the barista skills to back it up. That doesn’t have to be a bad thing, though, as what they lack in coffee making they may make up for in other aspects.
But for NOff Coffee in Cheras Selatan, that’s not the case. 26-year-old founder Kent has been working in the industry as a barista for six years, having participated in the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) classes for barista, roaster, and sensory skills, which earned him three SCA certificates.
From 2019 to 2022, he worked at an establishment called Slow Coffee. During this time, Kent met his former employer, who invited him to collaborate on opening CO2 Coffee Bar and put him in charge of setting up the bar.
“The concept of a specialty coffee plus cocktail (Cofftail) intrigued me, making CO2 Coffee Bar my first entrepreneurial collaboration,” he elaborated.
“This collaboration broadened my horizons and deepened my understanding of running a coffee shop. However, over these six years, I encountered many customers and couldn’t always satisfy their curiosity and taste preferences, which became a regret of mine.”
Thus in 2023, he left CO2 Coffee Bar to start his own venture, NOff Coffee. This way, he could create a place where every customer can find their favourite coffee and extraction method.
“Specialty coffee is usually quite complex, and everyone has different preferences,” Kent reasoned. “Through NOff Coffee, I hope to simplify this complexity, allowing customers to easily understand their preferred coffee beans and brewing methods, and thus enjoy a perfectly balanced cup of coffee.”
Beliving in this mission, a capital of approximately RM800,000 went into starting up NOff Coffee.
Unique combinations
But what truly sets NOff Coffee apart is its unique coffee pairing offerings.
By chance, while making cold brew coffee, Kent had tasted a seaweed-like flavor. This, combined with the natural spice notes of some beans, inspired him to explore how these flavours might pair with soy sauce, which is often used in dishes like braised pork rice and Japanese cold noodles.
“These dishes sometimes include spices and seaweed, which complement the coffee’s flavour profile,” he said. Meanwhile, these sort of flavours are harder to highlight in drinks.
At NOff Coffee, Kent is also joined by his partner, who is passionate about cooking, which further led to their coffee pairing offerings.
“Through our discussions about flavours, we discovered that coffee and food flavours can be perfectly combined, leading to the concept of coffee pairing,” he said. “Coffee, like wine, has a wide range of flavours and aromas that can be paired with various foods.”
Unlike wine pairings, though, NOff Coffee’s coffee pairing involves directly blending coffee with food.
Kent believes this experience serves as an educational tool, helping customers understand the different flavour profiles of coffee and how these flavours can complement various foods. This knowledge can enhance their overall coffee-drinking experience.
“We hope that through coffee pairing, even those who are afraid of caffeine can truly understand and fall in love with the unique aspects of specialty coffee,” he said.
NOff Coffee’s first coffee pairing was cold brew soba. At first, they were uncertain whether the idea would be accepted by the market, and even paused the development and promotion of their coffee pairing.
“However, we didn’t want our passion for coffee and culinary arts to be overshadowed by mere commercial success,” Kent said. “We also understood that running a typical cafe selling food and coffee would be an easier and more sustainable path, but without coffee pairing, the soul of NOff Coffee would be lost.”
Over the past six months, feedback from many customers has helped the team grow from one coffee pairing to four. Kent shared that the responses they’ve received have only strengthened their resolve to continue on the path of coffee pairing.
On and NOff
Currently, the team comprises Kent, his partner chef, and two other employees—overall, a small team.
However, reception for the business has been generally positive, especially their brunch offerings.
That said, some of the unique menu items, like the cold brew soba, have sparked mixed reviews.
“Despite this, our coffee pairing, especially the bread and coffee butter, has become quite popular among our customers,” Kent assured.
But Kent is aware that being overly idealistic can lead a coffee shop to fail. “Initially, we focused too much on the uniqueness of our offerings, neglecting customer needs. Our overly intricate and complex products weren’t well-received by the market,” he pointed out.
Through the past six months of exploration, he has learnt to present the team’s intricate and refined coffee and food in a simpler way that customers can easily appreciate. Gaining customer recognition and repeat business, along with their referrals, have been his proudest achievements.
The team hopes to increase awareness and appreciation of specialty coffee, which will hopefully be aided by the establishment of their own roastery to introduce customers to a wider variety of beans.
“We are committed to enhancing Malaysia’s coffee culture, improving the salaries and professional skills of specialty baristas,” he elaborated. “This includes not only latte art but also hand brewing, calibrating coffee, and roasting coffee beans.”
Featured Image Credit: NOff Coffee