Sufficient grounds

The bean-free coffee offers businesses an affordable and sustainable option.

FOR millions around the world, coffee has become an integral part of daily life. With global coffee consumption at 173.1 million 60kg bags within the coffee year 2022/23, according to the International Coffee Organisation, getting people to part with their favourite bean-fuelled beverage may be a tall order.

The co-founders of sustainable bioflavours start-up Prefer, however, are more than up to the challenge. Through innovative use of fermentation technology, Prefer has launched the first bean-free coffee in Singapore, providing a sustainable and more affordable alternative made with repurposed food by-products like soybean pulp and spent barley grains.

Founded in 2022 by food scientist Tan Ding Jie and former neuroscientist Jake Berber, Prefer was born out of a shared desire to formulate food solutions that would address climate change concerns around industries such as coffee.

Better brews

“What made us decide on coffee as Prefer’s debut product is the growing demand of coffee that is being affected by climate change as we speak,” says Berber, co-founder and CEO of Prefer. “Coffee prices are increasing each year and will continue to do so because of the continued decrease in arable farmlands to grow coffee.”

“The other reason is that traditional coffee requires a lot of CO2 to produce. When you add all the steps of cultivation, production and logistics, it requires more CO2 than the equivalent weight of food like chicken, fish and pork,” he adds.

“In short, our mission is to take farming out of the equation for problem crops, with flavours that are sustainable, accessible and delicious!”

Prefer’s goal is to future-proof coffee, with its beanless offering envisioned as the next generation of the commodity in the face of diminishing agricultural land and rising prices.

In addition to doing away with coffee beans, Prefer brings down operational costs and carbon emission by using by-products from local food businesses instead of procuring new ingredients.

These include day-old bread from Gardenia, soybean pulp from Mr Bean and spent barley grains from local breweries. The ingredients, which have flavour molecules similar to that of coffee, are then fermented, roasted and ground in a process requiring only 48 hours. The resulting grounds are caffeine-free, but Prefer also offers options featuring added caffeine derived from tea.

Tan, co-founder and chief technology officer shares that the flavour of the product is similar to coffee varieties with nutty and chocolatey profiles. “The goal here isn’t to create an exact replica of the coffee we know, as there is just too much natural variability. We want to offer consumers an option that works just like regular coffee, with a side of sustainability,” he says.

Bean there, done that

Creating coffee flavours from food by-products, according to Tan, was no small challenge. “The R&D process had us screening hundreds of feedstock and microbes,” he recalls. “We went through at least a hundred different prototypes before landing on our current iteration.”

Prefer’s bean-free coffee can now be found in a number of cafes and F&B establishments around Singapore. Tan notes that the response from consumers and businesses has so far been positive.

“On the business partner end, they like how our grounds can be adapted into regular operations as they can be brewed using the same equipment.” he adds. “It’s a real value proposition that we’re a more affordable and sustainable option for them.”

Recently, it was announced that the start-up raised a US$2mil (RM9.47mil) seed round, which will be used to further production capabilities and expand its reach across South-East Asia. Berber shares that the plan is to develop a line of products that take on flavours of other problem crops such as vanilla, cacao, hazelnut and citrus.

The co-founders are also looking at bringing Prefer’s bean-free coffee to Malaysian shores. “We are currently in talks with some businesses and are seeking partnerships with coffee chains, hotels and distributors,” Berber reveals.

“It makes a lot of sense for us with Malaysia right next door, and even more importantly, we find that the coffee flavours we create suit the local palate, so we’re very excited to explore that.”

This article first appeared in Star Biz7 weekly edition.