SEREMBAN: Former soldier Mohd Ariff Saharudin never imagined that he would one day turn his love for coffee into a business.
During a one-year stay in Adelaide, Australia, with his wife in 2004, he was exposed to a large variety of coffees.
He also honed his coffee brewing skills.
Ariff, 45, who grew up in a village in Kuala Kangsar, Perak, said he was used to the black “kopi kampung” made by his mother.
“When I followed my wife who had to undergo a year-long course in Adelaide, I started to try a variety of coffees which sparked my interest to learn more about coffee.
“I started to dig up information through the Internet and watched a lot of videos on YouTube to learn how to make a good cup of coffee for my own consumption.”
He said the idea to turn his passion into a small business came after a trip to New Zealand a few years ago, as mobile coffee businesses were making waves over there.
“I was amazed at how they could turn their vehicle into a small mobile coffee shop, making it easier for customers to get their fix of fresh coffee,” said Ariff who retired in 2017.
“I started to envision having that kind of business of my own just to fill my time after I retired from the army.
“Coincidently, I have a multi-purpose vehicle which I rarely use.
“After I returned to Malaysia, I started to repair the vehicle and set it up to get it ready for my first coffee mobile shop.”
He spent about RM50,000 to set up the business which included refurbishing the vehicle to make it suitable for business as well as purchasing a coffee machine and grinder, coffee beans and syrup, among other things.
He also utilised his skills in carpentry to decorate his vehicle, which became an attraction for customers.
He charges RM5 and above for a cup of coffee.
“Honestly, the reason I run the business is because I love coffee and I want to share my coffee recipes with coffee enthusiasts. It is not profit-oriented.
“But, since I ventured into it in 2015, the response has been overwhelming.
“I can sell about 30 cups of coffee every day and, at times, my customers come to my house just to buy a cup of coffee.
“I don’t mind making it because it shows their appreciation for my craft,” he said.
From mocha to latte, Arrif’s Coffee is now a hit among Seremban coffee lovers. Many have become regular customers.
“Some of them even asked me to teach them. I have no problems with that. I believe everyone can be good at what they intend to do if they are hardworking and always have the hunger to learn more.
“I didn’t go to any professional classes to make good coffee.
“I used other media to learn and, Alhamdulillah, my coffee craft has been well accepted by my customers here,” he said.
Ariff operates near Matrix International School in Sendayan on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; in Ampangan on Thursdays and Saturdays, from 7am to 11am, and at Xpark Sendayan on weekends from 6pm to midnight.