Ghostbird Coffee started in 2015 out of operational frustration. After transitioning from the IT industry to help found The Owls Café, Thomas Ooi and Tiong Hsien Qing realised they wanted absolute control over their most critical supply chain element: their coffee. What began as a small Seputeh roastery built to supply their own shops has scaled into a massive nationwide B2B operation. Growing from roughly RM1.5 million in 2020 to RM7.07 million in 2024, the fully bootstrapped business currently generates between RM600,000 and RM800,000 monthly, with a clear operational target to consistently clear a million a month.

The business now executes across seven distinct revenue streams—spanning roasting, B2B wholesale, e-commerce, a retail coffee bar, co-roasting, roastery consultation, and running major events like the Malaysia AeroPress Championship. Beyond their operational footprint, the founders are making a massive strategic bet on Malaysian Liberica. Traditionally dismissed as a cheap, sea-level filler crop grown in Johor, Ghostbird is working to elevate the bean into a distinct, high-quality Malaysian coffee identity that can command global respect.

Thomas and Tiong talk to us about the realities of building a multi-million ringgit F&B supply company from the ground up. We discuss why being former café operators serves as their greatest strategic advantage in wholesale, and the difficult process of digitising B2B sales in an industry traditionally run entirely on handshakes and salespeople. 

Ghostbird Coffee started in 2015 out of operational frustration. After transitioning from the IT industry to help found The Owls Café, Thomas Ooi and Tiong Hsien Qing realised they wanted absolute control over their most critical supply chain element: their coffee. What began as a small Seputeh roastery built to supply their own shops has scaled into a massive nationwide B2B operation. Growing from roughly RM1.5 million in 2020 to RM7.07 million in 2024, the fully bootstrapped business currently generates between RM600,000 and RM800,000 monthly, with a clear operational target to consistently clear a million a month.The business now executes across seven distinct revenue streams—spanning roasting, B2B wholesale, e-commerce, a retail coffee bar, co-roasting, roastery consultation, and running major events like the Malaysia AeroPress Championship. Beyond their operational footprint, the founders are making a massive strategic bet on Malaysian Liberica. Traditionally dismissed as a cheap, sea-level filler crop grown in Johor, Ghostbird is working to elevate the bean into a distinct, high-quality Malaysian coffee identity that can command global respect.Thomas and Tiong talk to us about the realities of building a multi-million ringgit F&amp;B supply company from the ground up. We discuss why being former café operators serves as their greatest strategic advantage in wholesale, and the difficult process of digitising B2B sales in an industry traditionally run entirely on handshakes and salespeople.

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.