Not Your Average Joe

KURASU AT ODEON Towers is often packed with white collar folks and creatives. A kopi o kosong nearby will set them back about S$1.20, yet they willingly fork out S$8 for a shot of Ethiopia Gesha Village Oma Natural. Roasted in Kurasu's flagship store in Kyoto, it is delicately brewed by the hand drip method and served in an Arita-yaki ceramic cup.

At Homeground Coffee Roasters, the roastery-cum-café draws a steady crowd with Haru Suke, an Ethiopian single origin boasting notes of strawberries and milk tea. Its S$6 price tag is no deterrent to regulars or curious passers-by in Joo Chiat.

"Are people willing to pay more for better coffee? Yes," says coffee consultant Tim Chew, while nursing a cold brew (S$6) he had spent two years developing. The 29-yearold began his coffee journey in 2011 and has since developed the beverage programme for restaurants such as Five Ten (now The Salted Plum), the now-defunct Crackerjack, and, today, his latest venture, Cheeky. "There is definitely a growing interest, with customers wanting to learn more about where their coffee is from."