LeJiu, grab-and-go cocktail & drinks cafe in Petaling Jaya

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You’ve heard of cafés with attention-grabbing ideas. You’ve probably additionally seen some fairly distinctive speakeasies or cocktail bars pop up through the years.

However have you ever encountered a mix of each?

LeJiu is a brand new “café” in Petaling Jaya the place “cocktails develop into your informal”. Briefly, as an alternative of your traditional coffees and teas, this spot serves them spiked, in addition to different alcoholic concoctions.

In accordance with its Instagram, the model is by Le Wine Group, which runs Le Wine, a gifting enterprise centred round wines.

However earlier than the times of promoting wine present containers, the workforce was a advertising company. Edison, Zenn, Jia Jia, and Max labored with shoppers throughout numerous industries reminiscent of F&B, retail, property, manufacturing, and extra.

“The sudden flip in the direction of wines unfolded in the course of the quietude of the MCO,” the workforce shared with Vulcan Submit.

Round this time, a co-partner launched a singular idea—personalised wines carrying heartfelt messages.

Seeing the potential on this concept, Le Wine was shaped in 2021.

To take the enterprise a step additional, the workforce considered making a bodily offline retailer to showcase their customised merchandise to clients.

As they delved into this concept, in addition they recognized a major hole within the beverage business, which was dominated by drinks like bubble tea and occasional, with few choices for a lot else.

Greedy onto the idea of “cocktails on the go”, LeJiu was created.

A contemporary take for the Malaysian crowd

Impressed by the extra informal strategy to ingesting discovered overseas, LeJiu’s opening hours is perhaps stunning to some—8AM to 7PM.

With this, the workforce immediately challenges the stereotype that ingesting is one thing reserved for the nighttime.

“LeJiu isn’t about getting individuals drunk; it’s extra about creating an area to unwind and revel in a drink to get a bit tipsy,” they reasoned. “Impressed by the extra laid-back ingesting tradition noticed in Western international locations, the place an informal morning wine is embraced, we sought to deliver the same vibe to our model.”

The café is located in an office-heavy space as properly, so it made sense to not open until late, no less than for now. As they proceed to realize recognition, they may think about extending their hours.

On high of that, the workforce seen these sorts of ideas are an enormous hit in locations like China, the place Luckin and Moutai created a buzz with espresso and alcohol mixes.

“Even earlier than this collaboration, we sensed a shift occurring within the drinks scene due to the saturation of tea and occasional,” the workforce identified.

Nonetheless, as pioneers within the scene in Malaysia, it looks like there’s a whole lot of danger in venturing into this enterprise.

To that, they shared, “We consider in taking daring steps, in doing issues others may hesitate to attempt. In spite of everything, it’s the fun of exploring the uncharted that makes the journey really thrilling. Why not enterprise into the unknown and see the place our braveness takes us?”

Choose your poison

Should you’re not into the idea of day ingesting however suppose LeJiu’s drinks and ideas are intriguing, you’ll be blissful to know that the menu isn’t just about alcoholic drinks.

Whereas there are coffees and lattes with a particular contact of alcohol, LeJiu additionally affords common espresso, chocolate, and different drinks you’d discover in a café.

To create the cocktails on their menu, LeJiu partnered with skilled mixologists.

Desirous to craft a menu that’ll attraction to the plenty, they really requested the mixologists to skip the heavy-duty cocktails and deal with creating drinks which can be simple to get pleasure from, refreshing, and simply sufficient to get you a bit tipsy.

“We wish to break the stereotype that alcoholic drinks are at all times too robust,” they mentioned.

With that, they shared that many purchasers who don’t sometimes drink alcohol find yourself having fun with their creations.

Drinks apart, LeJiu additionally affords a collection of gentle meals objects. At the moment, a key meals merchandise they’re specializing in is freshly baked bagels, that are outsourced from a “trusted pastry supply”.

Nevertheless, the fillings are crafted in-house by the LeJiu workforce to make sure that the flavours complement the drinks completely.

LeJiu’s drinks begin at RM7.90 (specifically, the espresso drinks), and may go up for RM22.90 for his or her blended concoctions.

A brand new tackle drinks

Though it looks like LeJiu is cautious to not serve heavy-hitting drinks that can get patrons drunk, the very fact of the matter is that the drinks nonetheless have alcoholic content material.

Particularly given the timing the shop is open, we have been involved that the shop may give rise to behavior reminiscent of ingesting and driving.

That concern is one thing that LeJiu recognises. They defined that since they’re centred round workplace buildings, although, there’s much less danger of that as clients can simply drop by within the afternoon and stroll again to their workplaces.

“No want to cover your drink in a glass anymore,” they shared. “It’s about giving individuals the choice to get pleasure from a top quality drink with out the chance of getting drunk at work.”

Nonetheless being very new to the scene, reception for LeJiu is a bit gradual for now. Nevertheless, the suggestions they’ve obtained about their concepts and drinks has been actually constructive, the workforce shared.

“In lower than a month since we opened, some clients have been coming again two or 3 times a day, which is fairly superior,” they mentioned.

With the model providing a model new idea, a gradual begin is perhaps given. That mentioned, the workforce thinks that the grab-and-go idea for alcoholic drinks is one thing that’ll achieve much more recognition sooner or later.

“Given the pricing of espresso and bubble tea, persons are in search of higher and extra numerous drink choices,” they shared.

If that’s really the case, LeJiu being the primary mover in such a market will likely be a bonus. However recognising that being first doesn’t assure all the eye, the workforce goals to persistently craft distinctive alcoholic drinks.

For now, their focus is on guaranteeing clean operational circulation and optimising workforce roles, whereas additionally introducing a wider vary of drink varieties.

Within the greater image, growth into different areas can be within the plans.

Whereas LeJiu stemmed from the need to be an extension of Le Wine, we see the potential of it rising into one thing greater. Might grab-and-go cocktails be the subsequent large pattern?