Bettr Coffee, the specialty coffee brand known for its impact-driven mission and dedication to sustainability, has proudly announced the opening of Bettr Coffee @ The Foundry, its first sit-down cafe location since being founded in 2011. Located in the heart of Singapore’s Prinsep District, Bettr Coffee @ The Foundry marks a significant milestone for the Bettr Group, which became Southeast Asia’s first certified B Corporation in 2015, as it expands its commitment to conscious consumption, community building, and social impact. 

The new cafe, situated within The Foundry, Singapore’s social impact hub recently launched on 28 November 2024, extends Bettr’s mission of making ethically sourced coffee more accessible to the local community, offering craft cocktails, natural wines, and small plates, all anchored in a deep respect for provenance and environmental stewardship. Bettr Coffee @ The Foundry invites guests to discover how every sip and bite can contribute to positive change through small yet incremental lifestyle adoptions, showcasing innovative approaches such as upcycled ingredients and direct-trade partnerships with global farmers.

Building a conscious community space

More than being a new cafe, Bettr Coffee @ The Foundry has been designed as a gathering space for those who appreciate not only good coffee but also the story behind every sip. Building on 14 years of experience as a provider of specialty grade coffees, equipment, full-service mobile coffee bars, and in-house solutions for corporate offices, Bettr has crafted its first sit-down location to foster community building, with a work-friendly setup, a lush backyard garden, and pet-friendly spaces. 

“In setting up our first location, we wanted Bettr Coffee @ The Foundry to surpass what most people expect of a cafe so as to contribute something truly new and meaningful,” said Pamela Chng, Founder and CEO of Bettr Group. “We wanted to invite the local community and visitors to be part of a bigger movement, one that respects the provenance of the food and coffee we consume on a daily basis.” 

“From our relationships with farmers in Asia and Latin America to the spent coffee grounds we repurpose into cocktails, we hope that this new cafe will be a germinator of thought and conversations around how every single decision in the coffee value chain, and by extension our everyday lives, can create ripples of positive impact,” added Pamela.

Bettr Coffee @ The Foundry features a wide selection of natural wines and cocktails using upcycled spent coffee

Since its founding in 2011, Bettr has built a reputation as a business that uses coffee as a catalyst for change. Having been minted as Southeast Asia’s first B Corporation in 2015, Bettr operates through two core arms: Bettr Coffee and Bettr Academy. Bettr Academy, the largest Specialty Coffee Association Premier Training Campus in the region, has trained more than 15,000 individuals in professional barista skills, including at-risk youth, prison inmates, and individuals from marginalised backgrounds. The academy offers Workforce Skills Qualification (WSQ) certified courses and participates in the SkillsFuture Career Transition Programme, enabling learners to upskill or pursue new careers in the F&B industry using SkillsFuture credits.

Alongside its training and social impact initiatives, Bettr Coffee continues to champion responsible sourcing practices through long-standing partnerships with coffee farmers across Asia and Latin America. By working with producers who share its commitment to ethical labor practices, environmental stewardship, and direct-trade relationships, Bettr Coffee ensures that every cup served supports not only the end consumer’s enjoyment but also the livelihoods of those who grow and harvest the beans.

With approximately 50 seats spread across its cozy indoor area and breezy outdoor patio, Bettr Coffee @ The Foundry invites guests to slow down, connect, and savour each cup with intention in an environment where sustainability meets comfort. Designed with the modern, socially conscious consumer in mind, power outlets have been thoughtfully integrated into the space to make it a convenient spot for remote workers and creative professionals in search of a productive yet relaxed atmosphere. The backyard features an herb garden that showcases Bettr Coffee’s commitment to fresh, traceable ingredients while offering a playful touch for pet owners and their furry companions. 

Bettr Coffee @ The Foundry offers a pet-friendly space for meaningful connections and shared meals with loved ones, both two-legged and four-legged

“We’ve tried to find ways of reducing waste and prioritising sustainability in every element of the cafe, without compromising the guest experience,” said Pamela. “Our herb garden, for instance, helps us cut down on transport emissions while giving our team and guests a tangible connection to the ingredients we use. When it comes to garnishes, we always ensure that it heightens the drink instead of just serving an ornamental purpose.”

A menu rooted in provenance and impact

Bettr Coffee’s ethos of conscious consumption comes to life most vividly in its coffee programme. Traditional espresso blends can be found alongside innovative creations like Prefer, a bean-free decaf alternative made from upcycled bread, soy, and barley. Developed in response to the impact of climate change on coffee-growing regions, this malty, caffeine-free option offers a glimpse into the future of sustainable coffee consumption. 

The cafe’s beverage programme brings these principles to life using innovative techniques, such as upcycling coffee grounds into creative drinks. One standout is the Black & Cola, a refreshing combination of organic Madagascan cola and Bettr’s Eureka blend, which won the Best in Class and Gold Medal in the Best Alternative Milk Coffee category at the Royal Melbourne Australian International Coffee Awards (AICA) 2022. Another highlight is the Coconut Russian, consisting of a light, full-bodied iced white with brown sugar syrup, coconut milk, and cream top, which has quickly become a crowd favourite. 

The backyard herb garden, highlighting Bettr Coffee’s commitment to fresh, traceable ingredients; a cup of latte at Bettr Coffee @ Foundry, featuring Finca La Valentina Geisha Natural, a single-origin coffee from the foothills of Panama’s Baru volcano, paying homage to Bettr Coffee’s first direct trade partnership

The cafe’s cocktail programme provides further testament to how craft and conscience can complement each other to create exceptional drinks while minimising waste and championing sustainable practices. The cocktail list features inventive combinations that challenge traditional ideas of what a drink can be. The Bettr Old Fashioned takes a beloved spirit-forward classic and gives it a sustainable twist by using fat-washed, spent coffee grounds. Instead of discarding leftovers from the espresso bar, the spent coffee grounds are steeped overnight with blended malt whisky sourced from ecoSPIRITS, a low-waste, closed-loop packaging system that significantly reduces carbon emissions. 

The White Negroni offers a lighter take on the traditional aperitif, with delicate notes of chrysanthemum, dry vermouth, and wildflower honey. The Gin & Teanic presents a house-made twist on the gin and tonic, using dried lemongrass and rooibos tea, slowly infused through the sous vide process to intensify the flavours. Those seeking a tropical touch will enjoy the Junglebird, which balances the brightness of pineapple and lime with aromatic betel leaf sourced directly from the cafe’s herb garden. 

The same ethos applies to the cafe’s wine list, showcasing a carefully curated selection of natural wines from innovative winemakers around the world. Crafted with minimal intervention, these wines use wild yeast for fermentation with little to no added sulfites, resulting in a collection of bottles that are often unfiltered, vibrant, and alive. Guests can expect to encounter bright, fruit-forward wines like the 2022 Loveblock Sauvignon Blanc Tee from New Zealand, with tropical notes of mandarin, sweet basil, and ripe yellow star fruit, as well as the richer, creamier profile of the 2019 Bledsoe Family Wines ‘JOI’ White Chardonnay from the United States, which balances pineapple and guava with a cool, smooth finish. 

The culinary offerings at Bettr Coffee @ The Foundry follow the same guiding principles of provenance, sustainability, community, and connection, designed with an emphasis on small plates that complement the beverage programme while showcasing high-quality ingredients. Herbs like basil and mint, often used in garnishes and sauces, are sourced from the cafe’s backyard garden, while fruits are supplied by Ponthier, a certified B Corporation company known for its pesticide-free, 100% traceable purees. 

“We’ve placed a huge emphasis on sustainability, but we are not here to lecture anyone about it,” said Pamela. “Rather, we want to show through our cafe that small shifts can contribute to a larger, positive impact, down to the way we source, serve, and even savour the things we consume.”

With its laid-back atmosphere and inventive drinks, Bettr Coffee @ The Foundry invites guests to slow down, stay curious, and discover how a good cup of coffee can be the first step towards a better world. Bettr Coffee @ The Foundry is open from 9 am to 5 pm on Mondays and Saturdays, 9 am to 9 pm from Tuesday to Friday, and is closed on Sundays.