How Maxx Coffee is disrupting Indonesia’s cafe scene with new Terrace concept

Maxx Coffee is redefining the café experience with the launch of Terrace, its latest concept store situated in the vibrant Kemang Village in South Jakarta. 

This innovative venture not only highlights Maxx Coffee’s commitment to quality and community but also introduces an immersive environment where guests can connect, collaborate, and enjoy an elevated selection of artisanal beverages and freshly prepared food. 

In an exclusive interview, Mehdi Zaidi, CEO of Maxx Coffee, shares insights into the inspiration behind Terrace and the brand’s vision for fostering meaningful social interactions in modern coffee spaces.

The story so far

“We took a three-pronged approach to Terrace that coincides with changing consumer lifestyles, brand design and brand values. As a progressive brand, born in Indonesia, we were able to communicate and get quick feedback from our consumers and incorporated their inputs into our new offering,” he told Inside Retail.

Zaidi said Maxx Coffee’s vision has always been to be the most loved coffee and social choice, a place that connects people around memorable moments and rewarding experiences. Hence, Terrace as an extension of the brand fits perfectly with this narrative.

“Being part of a vibrant community and patronised by our loyal base of customers, we took into account their aspirations and needs in the overall development of this concept. Maxx Coffee’s approach has always been as a customer-focused brand by engaging with our loyal customers via multiple channels, including focus group discussions,” he added.

He said the challenging task was to create an offering that would fit multiple profiles of its customers. 

“From a busy mom catching up with friends, mom and kids for special treats that are not fast food, students looking for a small bite and a good ambience to quickly compare notes, corporates looking for a quick Brunch meeting,” he noted.

From a design perspective, Zaidi said that the team was able to incorporate a small space with indoor booth seating, an outdoor terrace with individual tables and a cosy outdoor lounge, an indoor private meeting space, and a mezzanine smoking section segregated smartly within the store. 

The Indonesian customer

“Indonesians love their coffee and it is an integral part of every household with almost all having experienced that home-made coffee from sachets. Locally grown coffees from local manufacturers are abundant in traditional and modern trade,” he explained.

Coffee shop culture is not new, however, as chains, both domestic and international are now a common sight. Zaidi said that Maxx Coffee’s knowledge and expertise in sourcing and roasting local and international coffee beans already offer an edge to the chain. 

“A strong culinary team producing freshly made artisanal sandwiches, pastries, and brunch items coupled with personalised service makes each Maxx coffee store an integral part of its surrounding community,” he pointed out.

Furthermore, he added that Maxx Coffee has been a pioneer in creating stores that offer unique customer touchpoints such as meeting rooms with operable walls, which also serve as communal and private spaces to connect over coffee.

“The work-from-home trend has been a home run for these stores, which allow our guests to both work and connect with friends, co-workers and clients outside their traditional spaces. With free wifi and multimedia facilities, these stores enhance the overall customer experience and hence become the second place for most of these mobile consumers,” he stressed.

Evolving consumer preferences

Zaidi said that Maxx Coffee is a constantly evolving brand with innovative drinks, blends, mocktails and food. 

“Our monthly specials reflect seasonal and regional flavours that keep the menu refreshed and our consumers in for a delight. With the introduction of Nitro coffees and teas a few years back, we have worked in collaboration with some of our frequent guests and continued to extend our offerings,” he added.

Being a predominantly Muslim country, mocktails offer a bold alternative for a coffee shop yet reflect the local values and consumer needs during both daytime or early evening drinks. 

“Although still early days, we are seeing a positive shift in our consumer’s acceptance of these new beverage offerings,” he noted.

Maxx Coffee started in 2015 and currently operates 53 stores in 18 cities across Indonesia. Zaidi reiterated that the company is big on ‘consistency’ and is committed to providing a warm and intimate service style across Indonesia.

“From the supply chain to rigorous training and knowledge sharing across stores, the key is to offer the same welcoming hospitality across the country. Maxx Coffee is devoted to serving the community around it and as such, it is proud to stand true to its Indonesian warmth and welcoming nature,” he said.

According to Zaidi, expansion plans include strategically acquired new locations to fortify existing markets and further personalization of its product offerings both online and offline. 

“This includes working with our partners to introduce new coffee origins and creating unique blends to enrich and elevate the coffee experience,” he concluded.

Further reading: Beyond Starbucks: Three specialty coffee retailers taking Australia by storm

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