In 2009, JWC started as a small café in Johor with just 16 seats. Today, it has grown into an eight-figure, multi-company coffee group with retail outlets, a coffee academy, a roastery, and a fast-growing wholesale business. In this episode, we speak with Nelson Lai, Founder & CEO of JWC Global, and Michael Tan, Wholesale Director of JWC Roastery, about this company's journey from bootstrapped beginnings to building an integrated coffee ecosystem.



We dive into:


How JWC grew from a café into an 8-figure, multi-vertical business.


The surprising profitability of their coffee academy.


Their wholesale growth strategy, from five to seven figures.


How JWC tackles supply chain risks through direct sourcing.


Expansion ambitions, including exports, regional markets, and future fundraising.



Discover how JWC balances coffee craft, business scale, and people development to grow Malaysia’s homegrown coffee presence at home and abroad.

In 2009, JWC started as a small café in Johor with just 16 seats. Today, it has grown into an eight-figure, multi-company coffee group with retail outlets, a coffee academy, a roastery, and a fast-growing wholesale business. In this episode, we speak with Nelson Lai, Founder &amp; CEO of JWC Global, and Michael Tan, Wholesale Director of JWC Roastery, about this company's journey from bootstrapped beginnings to building an integrated coffee ecosystem.We dive into:<ul><li>How JWC grew from a café into an 8-figure, multi-vertical business.</li><li>The surprising profitability of their coffee academy.</li><li>Their wholesale growth strategy, from five to seven figures.</li><li>How JWC tackles supply chain risks through direct sourcing.</li><li>Expansion ambitions, including exports, regional markets, and future fundraising.</li></ul>Discover how JWC balances coffee craft, business scale, and people development to grow Malaysia’s homegrown coffee presence at home and abroad.

The flagship entrepreneurship show on BFM, featuring personal business stories from early stage start-ups, all the way to billionaire octogenarians in Malaysia and abroad. Notable guests include Martin Cooper (father of the mobile phone), Julian Assange (founder of WikiLeaks), Ralph Henry Baer (father of video games), Tony Buzan (Mindmap Guru), Isaac Tigrett (Hard Rock Cafe founder), Robert Kiyosaki (Financial Guru), Nick Vujicic (motivational speaker) and more. Tap into this valuable resource of shared experiences for the SME industry, which also touches on news, issues and trends affecting the business community and beyond.

Open For Business

Discover fresh concepts, tackle obstacles, and unleash growth - Open For Business is the dynamic show where BFM engages with entrepreneurs, business leaders, and industry trailblazers, igniting inspiration, sparking success, and exploring new business models.

From 1 Cafe to 12 Co’s: JWC’s Coffee Ecosystem Play

How does a homegrown, 20-year-old beverage brand survive the influx of massive foreign competitors like Mixue? Coolblog CEO Sueli Lew joins us to unpack the company's evolution from a founder-led business to a private equity-backed franchise empire generating RM70 million in revenue. We discuss their hypermarket strategy, the unit economics of their 300+ stores, and Archipelago Capital Partners' ultimate exit strategy.



Founded in Johor Bahru in 2005, the brand aggressively scaled its initial footprint by targeting hypermarkets and secondary towns, quietly building a massive loyal customer base while bigger competitors fought over expensive, premium urban storefronts.



To sustain that scale and defend its market share in today's brutal F&B environment, Coolblog had to grow up. Now backed by Archipelago Capital Partners, the company has professionalised its operations, overhauled its supply chain, and dialed in its franchise economics to prepare for its next major financial milestone.



Learn More About:




The 50/50 Playbook: Why maintaining an even split between corporate-owned and franchisee-owned stores gives the headquarters vital "skin in the game" for product testing and operational empathy.


Franchise Economics: A breakdown of the numbers behind their 300-store network, from the initial setup cost to the financial mechanics.


Supply Chain as a Moat: The strategic necessity of running an in-house distribution center to rapidly fulfill unexpected demand surges for viral items, like their Kunafa Pistachio Chocolate drink.


Institutionalising the Business: How the private equity buyout led to the establishment of dedicated business development, Halal compliance, and quality control teams, replacing legacy systems like manual punch cards with biometric scanners.


The Private Equity Endgame: Archipelago Capital Partners' midterm ambition for Coolblog, including potential exit strategies like a strategic merger, a listing, or an acquisition by a foreign entity within the next 12 to 24 months.

How does a homegrown, 20-year-old beverage brand survive the influx of massive foreign competitors like Mixue? Coolblog CEO Sueli Lew joins us to unpack the company's evolution from a founder-led business to a private equity-backed franchise empire generating RM70 million in revenue. We discuss their hypermarket strategy, the unit economics of their 300+ stores, and Archipelago Capital Partners' ultimate exit strategy.Founded in Johor Bahru in 2005, the brand aggressively scaled its initial footprint by targeting hypermarkets and secondary towns, quietly building a massive loyal customer base while bigger competitors fought over expensive, premium urban storefronts.To sustain that scale and defend its market share in today's brutal F&amp;B environment, Coolblog had to grow up. Now backed by Archipelago Capital Partners, the company has professionalised its operations, overhauled its supply chain, and dialed in its franchise economics to prepare for its next major financial milestone.Learn More About:<ul><li>The 50/50 Playbook: Why maintaining an even split between corporate-owned and franchisee-owned stores gives the headquarters vital "skin in the game" for product testing and operational empathy.</li><li>Franchise Economics: A breakdown of the numbers behind their 300-store network, from the initial setup cost to the financial mechanics.</li><li>Supply Chain as a Moat: The strategic necessity of running an in-house distribution center to rapidly fulfill unexpected demand surges for viral items, like their Kunafa Pistachio Chocolate drink.</li><li>Institutionalising the Business: How the private equity buyout led to the establishment of dedicated business development, Halal compliance, and quality control teams, replacing legacy systems like manual punch cards with biometric scanners.</li><li>The Private Equity Endgame: Archipelago Capital Partners' midterm ambition for Coolblog, including potential exit strategies like a strategic merger, a listing, or an acquisition by a foreign entity within the next 12 to 24 months.</li></ul>

20 Years, 300 Stores: Inside Coolblog's Post-Founder Era

BateriHub doubled from 100 to 200 branches in a year, promising roadside battery support within the hour. But what does it really take to scale reliability across Malaysia?


With over 800,000 vehicles sold in 2025 alone, breakdown scenarios are no longer rare inconveniences. They’re part of everyday mobility. In this conversation, Stanly Ng, General Manager of BateriHub, explains how the company built a fully direct-owned nationwide network covering 500+ service areas across 11 states and why control, not franchising, underpins its growth strategy.



We explore the operational strain behind rapid expansion, what healthy unit economics look like for each branch, and how the next phase toward 300 outlets and East Malaysia will be funded. As volumes grow, so does responsibility. We also discuss how used batteries are handled, and what accountability should look like in Malaysia’s automotive aftermarket.

BateriHub doubled from 100 to 200 branches in a year, promising roadside battery support within the hour. But what does it really take to scale reliability across Malaysia? With over 800,000 vehicles sold in 2025 alone, breakdown scenarios are no longer rare inconveniences. They’re part of everyday mobility. In this conversation, Stanly Ng, General Manager of BateriHub, explains how the company built a fully direct-owned nationwide network covering 500+ service areas across 11 states and why control, not franchising, underpins its growth strategy.We explore the operational strain behind rapid expansion, what healthy unit economics look like for each branch, and how the next phase toward 300 outlets and East Malaysia will be funded. As volumes grow, so does responsibility. We also discuss how used batteries are handled, and what accountability should look like in Malaysia’s automotive aftermarket.

Beyond Dead Batteries: The Business Of Roadside Rescue

Most digital agencies sell rankings and traffic. Growth.pro sells visibility within AI systems.



Founder and CEO, Alvin Koay, has built an AI-first SEO agency designed for a world where search engines are no longer the only gatekeepers. Instead of focusing purely on keywords, the company helps brands structure their digital presence for AI citations and measurable commercial outcomes.



In this conversation, we explore how Growth.pro makes money, how they are different in a crowded agency market, the operational challenges of running an AI-driven marketing business, and what’s next for the business going forward.

Most digital agencies sell rankings and traffic. Growth.pro sells visibility within AI systems.Founder and CEO, Alvin Koay, has built an AI-first SEO agency designed for a world where search engines are no longer the only gatekeepers. Instead of focusing purely on keywords, the company helps brands structure their digital presence for AI citations and measurable commercial outcomes.In this conversation, we explore how Growth.pro makes money, how they are different in a crowded agency market, the operational challenges of running an AI-driven marketing business, and what’s next for the business going forward.

From 1 Cafe to 12 Co’s: JWC’s Coffee Ecosystem Play

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