UNCERTAIN economic times call for an inventive mindset. People are finding it tough to make ends meet with increasing costs of living and the job market is still sluggish from the lingering effects of the pandemic.
As the saying goes, ‘when the going gets tough, the tough get going’, which is certainly the case with 31-year-old Mohamad Hazreel Mazlan.
During the day, Hazreel works at a trading company but by night he operates a coffee kiosk out of his family car boot to supplement his income.
Open from 8pm until midnight daily except Sundays, Hazreel’s enterprising business at Wangsa Melawati has built a steady following thanks to his own blend of freshly ground Ethiopian and Colombian coffee beans.
Taking inspiration from similar barista-on-the-go setups, Hazreel invested RM15,000 to buy a coffee maker, espresso machine, coffee grinder and a small generator. It has been money well spent as he has built up a steady following of coffee lovers who like his concoctions and the simple, open ambience of his roadside café.
Patrons can order to go or enjoy their brew on plastic chairs while watching the world zoom past them.
“I used to go café hopping and that was when I happened to meet the owner of Kopi Rumah who sold coffee from his car boot. I then embarked on doing some research and looked for similar businesses operating throughout Malaysia.
“I also spent a night at a certain location to study how they operated their business out of their car boot,” news portal Bernama quoted him as saying.
Armed with the valuable tips given to him by the owner of Kopi Rumah, Hazreel gorged on Youtube videos as well as relevant reading materials. Endlessly digesting tutorials on how to make that perfect brew has earned him a loyal following among coffee connoisseurs.
Moreover, the enterprising barista admits there are various challenges to his business model, not least finding suitable locations and dealing with rainy conditions.
His car boot design was totally a DIY project with neat shelves holding all the necessary equipment and raw materials, all placed at a height for comfortable ergonomics when preparing the brews.
Having endured stints as an e-hailing driver, Hazreel finds great satisfaction from running his night café, saying that the money earned is going towards his wedding plans next year.
Enterprising smallholders like Hazreel should be applauded for taking the initiative to build their own businesses. Perhaps the government can have some form of incentive scheme to help them with their business ventures rather than endless handouts.
The establishment of cooperatives selling barista equipment would be a good start. Similarly, an easy hawker licence application process coupled with subsidised fees will go a long way towards legitimising their efforts. – Sept 13, 2023
Main photo credit: The Malaysian Reserve
