The Coffee Academics founder Jennifer Liu on what to expect at its cafe in Singapore

SINGAPORE — The opening of the Singapore outlet of Hong Kong-based coffee speciality store The Coffee Academics (TCA) on Nov 30 — located within Pedder On Scotts at Scotts Square — has been a long time coming.

After all, its founder Jennifer Liu is a frequent visitor here and has always found Singapore interesting. Since starting The Coffee Academics in 2012, expanding into Singapore was a natural progression, she said.

“The Coffee Academics is not just a one-city player,” Liu explained. “The vision has always been to grow. We’re lucky to have a strong presence in Hong Kong even though it’s competitive there. And there’s a global demand for intimate, personal experiences at coffee places especially in crowded and small cities like Hong Kong and Singapore.”

This explains why the entrepreneur is confident bringing TCA here despite there being a speciality coffee joint everywhere on the island these days, whether it’s in the hipster ’hoods or the heartlands. Interestingly, Liu sees this “treasure-hunting” aspect of discovering a new cafe as fueling the cafe culture boom in cities.

“It’s not just about a good cup of coffee. There is the joy and fun of finding your little spot,” she said, adddin it’s why she’s opened distinctly different outlets in Hong Kong, a couple of them off the main street including its much lauded flagship at Yiu Wa street at Causeway Bay. For instance, TCA’s Johnston Road outlet is decked in shades of bronze and white for a luxed up industrial chic look compared to its summery family-friendly outlet Repulse Bay. So it wasn’t an easy decision to open TCA’s first overseas outlet on Orchard Road – and in a mall, for that matter.

“We were so close to signing a lease for a shophouse in the Duxton area,” she revealed. In the end, she went with Scotts Square because she liked its innovative approach in opening the lifestyle-centric Pedder On Scotts store, and she is familiar with the management as she worked with them for TCA’s Harbour City outlet in Hong Kong.

The 3,000 sqf TCA space at Scotts Square will feature several highlights that make TCA’s cafes so popular in Hong Kong. One such highlight is the decor.

Liu’s great eye for design — something she attributes to studying architecture at Cornell University — means that while TCA’s Singapore outlet will be different and reflective of its location, it will still feature some signature TCA touches such as textured brick walls and a laidback vibe.

In terms of coffee, customers can look forward to a Custom Blend Bar where you can make an appointment to create your very own blend, a Japanese tea-inspired Hand Brew Bar. To spice things up, TCA offers a total of 12 coffee drinks inspired by cities around the world: For example, December’s offering is a German cookie-flavoured latte called the Berlin Polar Express.

Chief operating officer Justin Lam let on that he is looking to add an exclusive Singapore-inspired coffee just for the outlet here.

Food-wise, Lam promised the menu will consist of substantial meals as well as salads and cakes. Singaporean food might also be on the menu.

There will also be activities such as cupping sessions and coffee appreciation classes. Workshops are in the pipe-line and possibly community-centric projects, once operations stabilise. (In Hong Kong, TCA participates in upcycling activities such as the Weekend Upcycling Workshop.)

After Singapore, Liu is gearing up for TCA’s first China outlet opening in Shanghai early next year.

“There is a human touch and co-operative culture in the speciality coffee scene even as we grow,” mused Liu. “Perhaps I want TCA to be a Starbucks 2.0 of sorts. An indie version of it.”