The Malaysian coffee chain has achieved its goal of reaching 100 stores by the third quarter of 2023, which combined with 120 virtual stores gives the business 220 points of sale
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(From left) Toh Mei Ling, Chief Financial Officer of Loob Holding Sdn Bhd; Ng Yau Chuan, Chief Marketing and Digital Officer of Loob Holding Sdn Bhd; Bryan Loo, Chief Executive Officer of Loob Holding Sdn Bhd; Francis Tan, Chief Operating Officer of Suria KLCC Sdn Bhd and Ameer Thajudeen, General Manager of Suria KLCC Sdn Bhd, officially launching Bask Bear’s 100th store | Photo credit: Loob Holding Sdn Bhd
Malaysia’s Bask Bear Coffee has opened its 100th brick-and-mortar store at the Suria KLCC shopping centre in Kuala Lumpur. The milestone means Bask Bear has successfully reached its third quarter outlet growth target.
Launched in early 2020 by Malaysian food and beverage group Loob Holding, the coffee chain quickly pivoted to a cloud kitchen delivery model to navigate pandemic trading restrictions but is now refocusing on in-person retail.
“With the tremendous support of Malaysians, we quickly became the most delivered virtual coffee during the lockdown… As we come out of the pandemic, we need to re-focus on having physical stores. Last year, we set our goal to achieve our 100th physical store milestone in the third quarter of this year and we achieved it,” said Founder and CEO of Loob Holding, Bryan Loo.
Bryan Loo founded Loob Holding in 2010 and launched bubble tea chain Tealive in 2017, which has since grown to more than 800 stores in Malaysia and is
seeking to reach 1,000 by 2024.
Bask Bear Coffee has retained a strong focus on delivery and digital transactions as Covid restrictions have lifted in Malaysia and has a network of 120 delivery-only ‘virtual stores’, which combined with its physical outlets give the chain a combined 220 points of sale.
In March 2023 Bask Bear Coffee
partnered with Malaysia’s AmBank to open three cafés within bank branches in the Klang Valley, Penang and Kedah.
A key facet of Bask Bear Coffee’s brand is conservation work for Malaysia’s endangered sun bears, which are threatened by poaching, habitat loss and illegal pet trade. The coffee chain is supporting the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC) in Sandakan, Sabah, with its ‘Save Sun Bear Fund’.
In addition to managing the Tealive and Bask Bear Coffee chains, Loob Holding also manages sparkling water appliance maker Soda xpress and ready-to-drink (RTD) kombucha brand Wonderbrew, which is retailed at more than 700 points of sale in Malaysia.