Common Man Coffee Roasters

Overview

Common Man Coffee Roasters was founded in 2013 by Australian entrepreneur Harry Grover in partnership with Five Senses Coffee (Australia) and the Spa Esprit Group, building on the success of his 2010 cafe Forty Hands in Tiong Bahru. The Martin Road flagship anchored Singapore's third-wave specialty movement when artisanal coffee was virtually unknown locally; today CMCR operates six Singapore cafes, two Malaysian outlets in KL, and two Manila locations through a partnership with Jollibee Foods Corporation. The CMCR Academy has trained Q-graders and head roasters from staff who started waiting tables.

Known for

• Anchored Singapore's third-wave specialty coffee movement (2013)
• 10 cafes across Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines
• Partnership with Jollibee Foods Corporation for Manila expansion
• CMCR Academy barista training
• Five Senses Coffee partnership for green bean sourcing

Why it matters

CMCR is what scaled specialty looks like in Southeast Asia — an outlet where a 16-year-old student and a 65-year-old parent can both order well-made coffee at the same bar. Grover's investment in long-term staff careers (head baristas with Q-grader certificates who started as waitstaff) is the rare example of specialty coffee that genuinely builds careers, not just brands.

Production

roastery location

Singapore

Café

22 Martin Road, Singapore 239058

Recognitions

• Expatpreneur Award (Singapore, 2017)

Sources

• https://www.thewaytocoffee.com/roasters/common-man-coffee-roasters/
• https://hnworth.com/article/become/trendsetters/harry-grover-forty-hands-common-man-coffee-roasters/
• https://www.thestar.com.my/lifestyle/food/2017/02/25/common-man-coffee-roasters-opens-in-kuala-lumpur
• https://www.backscoop.com/newsletter-posts/common-man-coffee-roasters-the-cafe-chain-that-made-specialty-coffee-easy-to-access
• https://vulcanpost.com/884237/the-rare-honey-company-singapore/