Singaporean coffee alternative to launch in Australia – BeanScene

Singaporean startup Prefer has entered a commercial partnership with The Coffee Ferm to bring its bean-free coffee products to Australia and New Zealand.

According to the company’s lifecycle assessment, Prefer’s coffee alternatives have 85 per cent lower emissions than traditional Arabica coffee. It also says its products are 50 per cent more affordable.

The ground “coffee” product is made from food manufacturing byproducts such as rice and soy, which are fermented and roasted to produce a coffee flavour. It is currently available in roast and ground, and ready-to-drink formats.

The partnership with The Coffee Ferm will license Prefer’s flavour IP to scale manufacturing and distribution in Australia and New Zealand. News of the partnership was part of a wider announcement that the company had raised AU$6.5 million in funding for the commercial launch of its new products: soluble coffee and cocoa powders.

“With the support of our new partners, the quality of our new products, and the grit of this team, we’re in a unique position to ensure coffee and cocoa are accessible to the masses while respecting our planet,” says Jake Berber, Co-Founder and CEO.

Prefer was founded in Singapore in 2022 by Jake Berber and Ding Jie Tan. The duo set out to transform upcycled ingredients into climate-resilient alternatives for the food industry.