If you’re someone who often visits night markets and bazaars, chances are you’ve come across Broti.
The stall is known for drawing long queues, with people (myself included) lining up for their massive one-litre servings of Thai milk tea.
Behind the venture is 33-year-old Syed Uzair Alqadri, who has now expanded the brand to a permanent physical location at Busorrah Street.
He didn’t have F&B experience
Launched in 2015, Broti initially sold ciabatta sandwiches with Thai milk tea as a side drink at Ramadan Bazaars. However, the overwhelming response for their milk tea soon made it the focal point of the business.
“Customers were returning for my Thai milk tea more than my sandwiches, so we decided to focus on just drinks the following year.”
At the time, Syed claimed that there weren’t any businesses selling Thai milk tea in Singapore, and with little to no competition, this also contributed to the strong demand for the business’s offerings.
But Syed’s journey was not without its challenges. Without any “formal F&B training,” he made several mistakes during the business’s early days, including scaling production without proper systems in place.
As we grew, I struggled with batch consistency. Some drinks tasted slightly different from batch to batch, and I soon realised the importance of standardising recipes and creating clear SOPs.
Syed Uzair Alqadri, founder of Broti
There were also instances where the business sold out too early—other times, they were over-prepared and had wastage. “It took time to figure out the right balance,” he added.
After a few years of running the business, Syed eventually learned to refine his processes and went on to participate in a multitude of trade events and night markets, including Artbox and Celebfest.
A better long-term solution
Throughout the years of running Broti, Syed was content running his business as a pop-up stall. With lower overheads and a “steady stream of customers” at Broti’s various locations, it seemed like the ideal business model compared to opening a physical location.
“[If we set up a permanent store], it will be a challenge to recoup the initial overhead costs, and we will be stuck in one location,” he explained in a previous interview with The New Paper.
However, when COVID-19 struck, night markets were among the hardest-hit sectors. As events—Broti’s primary source of revenue—dried up, Syed and his team recognised the need for a more stable way to sustain their business.
Initially, we rented a central kitchen for a few months to keep operations going. But when it became clear that events weren’t coming back anytime soon, we realised a brick-and-mortar store was the better long-term solution.
Syed Uzair Alqadri, founder of Broti
Thus, Broti opened their first brick-and-mortar store in 2020 at 21 Baghdad Street.
Four years later, in 2024, Syed decided to relocate the business after their lease ended due to high rental costs. He now runs Broti alongside Offday Coffee—a coffee venture started by his brother-in-law and former employee, Ilihalhakim Nasli Bin Achnas (Hakim), 29.
Co-existing in a single space
Hakim first started working for Broti back in 2015, and after seven years as an Operations Manager at Broti, he decided to branch out and start “a brand that he could call his own” together with his wife, Finna Tan Mei, 30.
Like Broti, Offday Coffee also began out as a pop-up stall, offering live coffee stations at events and night markets like the Kampong Glam Ramadan Bazaar.
But “opportunities weren’t always consistent” with an events-based business model, so Hakim approached Syed with an idea for a pop-up at Broti’s former location.
What was initially planned as a one-month pop-up eventually turned into a shared outlet at 34 Busorrah Street—Broti’s new home.
But co-existing in a single space comes with its own set of challenges, including logistics, branding, space management and menu coordination.
“We had to establish workflows that allowed both teams to function smoothly without stepping on each other’s toes,” Syed shared. Both brands had to “carefully balance inventory and storage,” a process they fine-tuned over time to keep operations running seamlessly.
Sometimes, customers would also mistake the two brands as one business. To prevent this, Syed and Hakim had to channel their efforts to ensure clear branding and messaging while maintaining their distinct identities.
Despite the overlap in operations, one positive aspect is that both teams can rely on each other for support, especially during peak hours. According to Hakim, they are also able to keep costs lean as compared to opening a standalone cafe.
What’s next for them?
When asked about their sales and revenue figures, both businesses chose to remain tight-lipped about their financial growth. However, Hakim shared that Offday Coffee has seen “steady growth” in daily sales.
Fuelled by this growth, both brands are gearing up to scale their operations in the future.
For Broti, Syed is focused on refining its current food concepts and introducing more diverse offerings—his long-term vision is to create a multi-concept brand that spans beyond drinks, providing a broader food and beverage experience.
Meanwhile, Hakim’s goals for Offday Coffee include refining operations, expanding the menu with seasonal items, and strengthening the brand’s presence.
He is also open to the possibility of expanding into new locations or even introducing bottled products in the future.
At the core, the goal is to continue serving great coffee and growing our community.
Ilihalhakim Nasli Bin Achnas, founder of Offday Coffee
- Find out more about Broti here and Offday Coffee here.
- Read other articles we’ve written on Singaporean startups here.
Featured Image Credit: Broti/ Offday Coffee
