RM120 Digital Pivot Helps Coffee Entrepreneur Hit RM4 Mln Sales
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 31 (Bernama) -- A RM120 investment in a website helped local coffee entrepreneur Mirwan Badri Ahmad Badri turn a pandemic setback into nearly RM4 million in sales within two years.
Mirwan Badri, 41, said his online marketplace, Buna Market, was launched in January 2020 to harness digital technology as Malaysia imposed movement restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The cost of setting up the Buna Market website was about US$29, or roughly RM120. In January 2020, our sales were around RM3,000 to RM4,000 before rising to RM5,000 to RM6,000 in February.
“In March 2020, the government shut down businesses following the outbreak of COVID-19. But our sales jumped to about RM40,000 in April 2020 as people could no longer leave their homes and turned to online shopping,” he said in a recent interview.
The surge prompted him to approach coffee-machine distributors and roasters, inviting them to sell their products through Buna Market.
“Alhamdulillah, Buna Market started with just 20 SKUs (stock-keeping units), but the number of products listed on our website eventually peaked at 2,000. Within two years, our sales had almost reached RM4 million,” he said.
Mirwan Badri said the experience showed that building a successful business did not necessarily require substantial capital, but making the most of existing relationships could open doors.
“I had already known the distributors of machines, grinders and coffee equipment since I started my business. We always maintained good relationships and built trust, which made them comfortable letting us sell their products. Some distributors even offered to place their products with us on consignment.
“This made it easier for us to sell high-value products while also providing servicing and installation for customers,” he said.
FROM SETBACK TO COMEBACK
Mirwan Badri started his coffee business in 2013 after leaving a career in corporate banking. His interest in the food industry was sparked while working at Pret A Manger in London after completing a master’s degree in mechanical engineering.
His entrepreneurial journey was far from smooth. He said he came close to bankruptcy twice, including after the closure of an outlet in Taman Tun Dr Ismail (Kuala Lumpur) in 2019.
The outlet lasted just six months, leaving him with a RM350,000 loss and forcing him to reduce his workforce from 17 employees to three. His coffee-supply business was also hit after several major customers were lost.
“Of course, I can’t lie, there were many times when I felt like giving up. But whenever I felt that way, I would call my mother, talk to my wife and share my problems with my friends.
“Most people, when we share honestly and don’t hide how we feel, genuinely want to help. If they cannot help financially, they may be able to offer words of encouragement,” he said.
Mirwan Badri owns Sprezzatura Sdn Bhd and Sprezzatura Coffee in Phileo Damansara, Petaling Jaya, Selangor. He also runs Coffee Marketplace, which focuses on trading green coffee beans, and Utan Kopi, a premium brand featuring locally grown coffee.
His story is among 69 micro-entrepreneur stories featured in Bank Simpanan Nasional’s (BSN) ‘Cerita Mereka, Jiwa Malaysia’ campaign in conjunction with Malaysia’s 69th National Day celebrations.
Mirwan Badri also received RM50,000 in financing under BSN Micro-i MADANI, which he applied for during the pandemic to help revive his business.
The financing helped him introduce new products, buy furniture, upgrade coffee machines and strengthen working capital.
He said the financing played an important role in keeping his business afloat during a difficult period.
Meanwhile, BSN chief operating officer Zarir Mohd Rawi said more than 5,000 micro-entrepreneurs had benefited from BSN Micro-i MADANI so far this year, bringing the total number of recipients to 180,000 since the scheme was introduced in 2007.
“The scheme offers financing ranging from RM2,000 to RM100,000. In general, it aims to help micro-entrepreneurs grow their businesses, whether by starting a new venture or expanding an existing one,” he said.
-- BERNAMA