zus coffee assignment

The secret sauce behind ZUS Coffee's growth and success.

Learn from the VP of Marketing from ZUS Coffee on how they scaled their retail business and successfully entered different market segments.

Stephy is the VP of marketing and growth behind the proudly local coffee brand, ZUS Coffee.

But this is not her first rodeo. Stephy has successfully contributed to the amazing growth of startups like SoCar, Sonno Malaysia and now ZUS Coffee. Her superpowers lie in performance marketing, but she often adopts an integrated marketing approach to scaling these businesses.

In this episode, Reuben chats with Stephy to learn how ZUS Coffee scaled its retail business to more than 200 outlets in a short span of 2 years, the marketing strategies they adopted to enter different market segments, and the advertising efforts towards converting and retaining their customers.

🎤 Learn more from Stephy as she shares more actionable insights at the Underdog Ad Con happening very soon: https://underdog.dailycmo.net/

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Zus vs Gigi: The Great Coffee War of the 21st Century

I don’t remember a time when I wouldn’t crave for the bittersweet taste of coffee to start my day ☕

When was the last time you woke up and didn’t look for a cup of coffee?

The first time I took my first sip of a 3-in-1 coffee, it opened my eyes to a new world and little did I know, there were more combinations to try, more beans to roast, and more brand reviews to post!

And so began my journey as a self-proclaimed coffee connoisseur 😎✍🏼

Before we jump to the top trends of coffee brands in 2022, let’s take this chance to applaud the brands that set the bar high in our hearts and minds.

☕ Honouring the Classics ☕

1. malaysian classics.

‘Boss, kopi o satu!’

We all have a favourite store in mind when we crave for local coffee.

No matter the brand of coffee we use, Malaysians just know how to make heart-warming and fulfilling cuppa coffee.

Be it kopi o, kopi o peng, kopi o kosong, neslo (nescafe + milo), our local Malaysian classics will always be in our hearts.

Image credit: Chai Wai Foong Jason

Would you consider Malaysian coffee a brand on its own despite being a combination of different beans and flavours?

2. Starbucks

When Starbucks launched their first branch in Malaysia, the popular culture of having coffee with your name on the cup went off the roof.

People loved the concept of it, and it was the ideal justification to take pictures for social media aesthetics!

Yes, I’m guilty of going to Starbucks to get my name written on a cup and to shoot photos for my Instagram too 🫣 It’s not a crime!

Did you know, in the early years, there were conspiracy theories going around that said Starbucks baristas intentionally misspell common names like Amy and Bianca?

The owner of these misspelt coffee drinks would often take to social media to express their dissatisfaction but unknowingly to them, Starbucks gets free marketing just 👏🏼 like 👏🏼 that 👏🏼

People rushed over to their nearest Starbucks excitedly to see how baristas would spell their names and it was the curiosity that kept them coming back for more.

Starbucks’s marketing skills are hands down one of the best and you simply can’t deny it.

3. The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf

This old but gold rivalry between Starbucks and The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf (CBTL) is said to still run behind closed doors 👀

Taking ports not too far from each other, CBTL is known to serve beverages with richer flavours compared to Starbucks.

The other clear difference between CBTL and Starbucks lies in their overall branding personality.

Starbucks is known for their adventurous, independent and aesthetically pleasing identity like the Explorer that they are.

Meanwhile, CBTL is known for their warm, approachable and welcoming nature, portraying themselves as the perfect Regular Guy.

And CBTL have stood by this brand archetype for decades, marketing their high quality coffee beans and tea leaves using heartwarming taglines to promote relatability.

Jan 2022 & July 2014

Image credit: The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf

These classics will always be in the pits of our hearts for years to come but with growing demand for affordable and trendy coffees, Malaysians began to venture new brands with new looks.

Some of the trendiest cuppa coffee you can get in town now are Zus Coffee and Gigi Coffee, or better known as their shorter names, Zus and Gigi.

Image credit: Zus Coffee & Gigi Coffee

They seem alike but little did you know, these two brands differ in many ways! Let’s take a deeper look into their brand identities, target audience and their marketing strategies that led to their growth and healthy competition.

Brand Identity 😲 💡

To better understand the workings of each brand and their marketing strategies, we must first look into their brand identities.

Knowing that Malaysians constantly wish for coffee that is delicious, affordable and Instagrammable , the founders of Zus made it their mission to fulfil this unspoken public outcry. Hence, the creation of;

A Necessity, ⚡ not a Luxury

This tagline from Zus has been the driving force for the brand to approach customers who strive to belong in the ‘coffee all-day everyday’ community.

From this single line, consumers would automatically feel reassured that the coffee they offer is affordable and the goal to be part of the community is indeed achievable 🥰

And from the looks of their coffee cups, the aesthetically pleasing interior designing of their cafes, getting the Instagram-worthy updates is not a problem 📸

By making coffee affordable and the concept relatable, Zus truly embodies the Regular Guy brand archetype.

But it’s not the only one 😆 It’s common enough for brands to combine different brand archetypes, giving more depth to their identity.

Aside from promoting affordability and approachability, Zus is also emphasising on their innovative technology.

Their order and delivery system via the Zus mobile app is definitely a commendable aspect that shows how much they value the importance of being physically available for customers whenever and wherever.

Even their delivered drinks come with a protective layer that avoids any spillage throughout the delivery.

The Magician in them thrives alongside their Regular Guy approach, giving the brand a boost in their identity.

But isn’t Gigi approachable and affordable too?

Yes! Gigi Coffee also embodies the Regular Guy archetype with the easy-going notion of their copywriting and visuals.

What differentiates them from Zus is that they aspire to inspire their consumers.

Your inspiration to do great in life, starting with “Everyday Great Coffee”

As you can see in the tagline, Gigi brings the message that with great coffee, you too can achieve great things in life, just like the Creator in them.

Even Gigi’s menu is a source of inspiration for people to think outside the box and try something new 💡

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by GIGI COFFEE (@gigicoffeemy)

It’s also not a wonder for Gigi to have a specialised cafe with a specialised interior that moves to inspire their customers – Gigi Coffee Home Barista.

Image credit: Gigi Coffee

They’ve provided an open space that promotes freedom for creatives to create, students to meet up and discuss for assignments, and overall inspire each and everyone of their consumers.

What better way to have coffee right?

Quick recap, we’ve gone through how both Zus and Gigi are both Regular Guys but they combine with two other different archetypes.

Zus is a combination of Regular Guy with the visionary Magician while Gigi is a combination of the Regular Guy with the inspiring Creator.

Now, let’s look into the next aspect of what makes them different; target audience.

👨🏼‍🤝‍👨🏽 👩🏻‍🤝‍👨🏼 Target Audience 👩🏻‍🤝‍👩🏼 👨🏼‍🤝‍👨🏽

While you can say every coffee connoisseur is happy at the sight and scent of a coffee shop, Zus and Gigi targets different groups of people.

Zus is known to have much more physical stores as compared to Gigi, which also indicates that they are targeting to attract people who have access to their own transportation.

With the growing flexibility of working styles nowadays, people of the working class would often head to cafes that are accessible and affordable, making Zus one of the top brands in mind.

Statistically speaking, stand alone cafes like Zus often have less disturbances and are quieter compared to malls, where Gigi takes the front.

And to add to that, you’ll find that Zus chooses locations that are close to offices and factories for their cafes. Not too hard to find affordable coffees nowadays, right 🫣🤭

Like I mentioned above, Gigi is much more often found in malls rather than stand alone cafes.

Do you remember walking around in malls after class when you were in college?

There wasn’t any particular reason to be there but the idea of window shopping with friends was the best way to spend time while waiting for the next class.

I certainly do ☺️💭

Back then, it was the boba craze, and now it’s coffee!

What’s even more apparent that Gigi targets university and college students is that their coffees are sweeter than Zus.

It’s no surprise that Gigi’s Buttercream Latte was one of the most famous drinks when they first started out.

Their social media is quite the epitome of ‘target the young with sweet and fun!’.

Speaking of which, let’s jump into the last category of the Zus vs Gigi Coffee War 🏃🏽‍♀️

🎯 Social Media Marketing Strategies 🎯

It doesn’t take a pro-marketer to notice that the marketing trends have shifted to digital platforms ever since the pandemic.

Both Zus and Gigi are taking advantage of it!

Their presence on Instagram (one of the top reasons why their coffees are so Instagrammable) is impeccable!

Up till December 2022, Zus has 61.7 thousand followers while Gigi has 12.3 thousand followers 🤯

For Zus, their social media posts are catered to the working class, with emphasis on ‘work hard, play hard’ 💃🏻🕺🏻

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by ZUS COFFEE® (@zus.coffee)

Even their giveaway prizes are more suitable for the working class.

They sure know how to attract us 😍🥹

Meanwhile, since Gigi targets young university students, their captions and posts focus a lot on new menus to try, collaborations and new Gigi branches.

Their latest collaboration with Coach is a definite eye-catching campaign.

The feeling of posh and exclusive yet still affordable is exactly what students love 👏🏼

Plus, Gigi even got some of the most famous Malaysian TikTokers to join the campaign!

Who else knows them better than university students 😆

Spot Imran Bard, Johanis and other top TikTokers in this video 🔍

Key Takeaway 🔑

Here’s a quick recap of what we’ve covered in this article.

All in all, Malaysia is evidently pro-coffee all day everyday! Despite the differences, we each have our preferences in terms of flavour and menu.

But with distinct marketing and brand strategies, each brand was able to get their message across and bring satisfaction to their consumers.

If you haven’t tried these two brands, pick up their latest addition and let us know how you’d rate them (from the marketing perspective of course!).

To read more on brand wars, head to our Chatime vs Tealive where we spill more tea on the brands 🫣🫢

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Stellar Fresh Coffee Beans

Welcome to Cosmic Coffee Co! Bringing you small batch freshly roasted coffee beans. We only sell coffees that we personally roast. We think you deserve the very best in specialty coffee. Don’t you? So why not take a chance on a small independent business? We are committed to quality over quantity and would like to thank each and every one of you for your support, patronage and just for being here! With much gratitude, Carlos and Jolynn, the Founders and Co-Owners of Cosmic Coffee Company.

The best freshly roasted coffee possible!

Coffees sold at supermarkets sit on the shelves for weeks and even months growing stale and rancid. As consumers we insist on fresh products like fresh milk, eggs, meat, fish, fruits and vegetables. Don’t you deserve freshly roasted coffee beans? Don’t prioritize long-term shelf life over freshness.

Freshly roasted coffee beans offer peak flavors and nutrition. If you’re a coffee lover, discovering our stellar fresh coffee beans will be one of your life’s most memorable tasting experiences! Our goal is to provide you with the best freshly roasted coffee possible!

Fresh Roasted Coffee Beans

Sustainable specialty coffee.

Cosmic Coffee Company started in 2008 in Honolulu, Hawaii. Relocated to California in 2012. All raw coffees are ethically sourced and specialty graded green coffee roasted at our roasting facility in Santa Clara, CA. We seek out responsibly grown coffees from farmers who care for our mother Earth, their communities and the quality not quantity of their coffees.

• Rainforest Alliance
• Friendly to Birds
• Shade Grown

Fresh Original Teas and Tisanes

In addition, we offer stellar organic teas and tisanes handcrafted and sustainably sourced. Seriously fun, fresh and innovative teas and herbal tisane blends. All blends are original creations by our inhouse tea expert Jolynn. She is a World Tea Academy Certified Tea Specialist and has a Professional Culinary Arts Certificate with over 20 years experience in the culinary field.

Organic Teas and Tisanes

ZUS Coffee | Malaysia #1 Tech-Driven Coffee Chain

a Necessity, not a Luxury

Are you someone who

Absolutely adores coffee, are you someone who absolutely adores coffee, then we have good news for you, we're looking for passionate individuals to be a part of the ever-growing zus family. the more the merrier; be ready to #getzussed, build your future with zus.

The Admin department supports leaders and departments to ensure efficient task handling, using expertise in problem-solving, project/office management and prioritization. They act as the organization’s backbone, providing essential assistance and expertise to guarantee seamless operation and successful team performance.

The Business Development department is responsible for driving organizational growth by identifying new opportunities and building strategies for new outlets and countries. They research market trends, identify customers, negotiate deals, and ensure smooth outlet openings, while building strong relationships with potential clients.

The Design & Build department is responsible for ensuring that all projects meet industry standards, from design to construction. They ensure that every detail is carefully considered and implemented to achieve the desired outcome.

The Finance department ensures the financial health and sustainability of the organization through planning, budgeting, forecasting, risk management, and identifying growth opportunities. They work cross-functionally to provide support for strategic decision-making, making it a fast-paced environment.

The Internal Audit department ensures the organization operates efficiently, effectively, and in compliance with laws and regulations. They provide independent assessments and recommendations to identify areas for improvement, reduce risks, and enhance overall performance.

The HR department ensures a strong and engaged workforce that contributes to organizational success. They recruit and retain top talent, provide training and development opportunities, and foster a positive work environment to achieve strategic goals and maintain a competitive edge in the market.

The Learning & Development (Academy) department constantly improves the knowledge, skills, and abilities of employees through training programs and development initiatives. They provide opportunities for employees to thrive and achieve their full potential.

The Growth & Marketing department identifies and satisfies customer needs through effective marketing strategies. They manage the organization’s reputation, build and maintain relationships with customers, and analyze market trends and consumer behavior to stay ahead of the competition.

The Customer Happiness department ensures customer satisfaction and builds positive relationships by providing exceptional service. They enhance the organization’s reputation, increase customer loyalty, and drive growth and profitability.

The Operations department ensures efficient and effective physical retail outlet operations, providing positive customer experiences and driving sales growth. They manage all aspects of the retail operation, maintain the organization’s reputation, increase customer loyalty, and drive profitability.

The Brand & Product Development department drives innovation and growth by creating new, competitive products. Through research, idea generation, prototyping, testing and refinement, we ensure that products meet customer needs and market trends. Our ultimate goal is to launch successful products and maintain a strong position in the market.

As the Project Management Office, we oversee the entire project life cycle, from initiation to closure. We lead project teams, foster collaboration and teamwork, and implement best practices and methodologies. Our goal is to ensure that the organization runs efficiently and effectively by providing training and support.

We ensure that our products or services meet established quality standards and customer expectations. Our department is responsible for implementing effective quality control measures to maintain the organization’s reputation and increase customer satisfaction. Our focus is also on halal management to ensure that our products meet halal requirements.

The Supply Chain department optimizes the organization’s supply chain for efficiency, quality, and cost-effectiveness. Policies and procedures are developed and implemented to ensure optimization in all stages, from sourcing and procurement to production, transportation, and distribution.

As a tech-enabled company, we implement new technologies to improve the organization’s mobile application, website, and operations. By staying ahead of emerging technologies, we maintain the organization’s competitiveness and increase efficiency.

How to Apply?

• [email protected]

Retail Career Journey

Testimonial from ZURISTA

Amanda Teoh

“Working here is honestly really fun to the point where I’m excited to go to work everyday! I have really learnt and grown a lot not only in my barista skills, but management knowledge as well. I can also say that I have made long lasting friendships here at ZUS. We learn a lot from each other.”

Muhammad Hafizin Bin Abdul Rahman

“I really like working at ZUS Coffee because they have given me many great opportunities to enhance my skills and I am happy when working with my incredible team. They have taught me a lot and given me advice on how to become the best. Even though this is my first job as a barista and I have no experience working for other coffee shops, I believe that ZUS works hard at improving their systems and bettering the equipment used by baristas for our convenience.”

Afrina Ariesya Binti Azlan

“All the laughter, side jokes, smiles on their faces mean a lot to me.☺️” [on teamwork] 

Hiew Tian Fu

“The environment is very positive in comparison with the other coffee shops that I’ve been to.🤗” 

Hanim Binti Azman

“I can handle my stress and right now I’m an outlet supervisor trainee! I’m very happy for myself and appreciate this company very much.☺️” 

Azdwannie Azman Binti Abdullah

“ I started our as a mere barista and currently, I’m supervising for the Plaza Pandan Malim outlet. That’s what I like about ZUS, they provide a path for anyone to grow and excel in their career. And for that, I am thankful to ZUS for the opportunity. 😁 “

Abdul Rahman Bin Azmy

“I have learnt a lot. From knowing how to conduct my team and knowing the outlet inside out, to managing my time properly. And the most important thing is communication. Tell when you think somebody is doing something wrong so that they can learn and also say something if you do not understand instead of doing it yourself, because everybody is here to learn. Communication is the best solution for all problems.💪” 

Sharon Richard

“To me, there are always going to be times where we are super busy and struggle coping with the many orders, but I believe that as long as you enjoy your work, it will always be fun especially with a great team behind me.”

Ingredients