The Daydreamer

Jack Tan founded Penguin Specialty Coffee in 2019 in the Bandar Menjalara neighborhood of Kuala Lumpur, building a combined roastery and cafe where the roasting operation sits alongside the service counter and customers can watch beans being transformed while they wait for their drinks. The roastery produces single origin coffees that have earned a reputation as some of the most accessible entry points into specialty coffee in KL, balancing quality with approachability in a way that invites newcomers rather than intimidating them. Penguin roasts on site and offers a range of single origins alongside the kind of hands on education that Tan considers essential to growing Malaysia's specialty culture, including dedicated barista workshops and latte art training sessions run from the roastery space. The operation also provides mobile coffee bar services for events and corporate occasions, extending the roastery's reach beyond the four walls of the Bandar Menjalara shop and introducing specialty coffee to audiences who might not otherwise seek it out. Since its founding Penguin Specialty Coffee has grown steadily through a combination of affordability, education, and the kind of open, welcoming atmosphere that reflects Tan's belief that great coffee should be for everyone, not just enthusiasts.