The Malaysian fuel operator is seeking to grow its retail business with plans to extend its recently launched Café Mesra portfolio to 50 stores this year
PetDag has opened an initial 12 Café Mesra outlets attached to Petronas fuel stations in the Malaysian capital | Photo credit: PetDag
Malaysian fuel operator Petronas Dagangan Bhd (PetDag) has announced a target to operate 50 Café Mesra outlets in the country by the end of this year as it seeks to diversify its retail portfolio.
Launched in July 2022, Café Mesra is as an extension of PetDag’s Kedai Mesra convenience store chain based in Kuala Lumpar.
PetDag has opened an initial 12 Café Mesra outlets attached to Petronas fuel stations in the Malaysian capital, including one drive-thru model, and a single Café Mesra in the bordering township of Bandar Baru Nilai.
The café offers affordable barista-made coffee and food with an emphasis on fresh and healthy ingredients, including a new plant-based food concept, SayHeart.
“By year’s end, we are targeting to operationalise 50 Café Mesra nationwide, including our own standalone café and kiosks. We will look to break away from the comforts of Petronas stations to grow the brand along with the ever-growing specialty coffee industry in Malaysia,” said Ian Malcolm Cruddas, CEO, Mesra Retail & Café Sdn Bhd.
PetDag is a subsidiary of Petronas, a government-owned oil and gas corporation in Malaysia. There are currently more than 1,000 Petronas fuel stations and 800 Kedai Mesra stores across Malaysia.
World Coffee Portal research forecasts the Malaysian branded coffee shop market to reach 2,775 outlets by 2025. Project Café East Asia reported that Malaysian industry leaders viewed convenience as key to enabling branded chain growth in the country, with coffee on-the-go increasing in popularity among consumers.