Some of the coffee and cakes available at Cardio Brew
Cover Some of the coffee and cakes available at Cardio Brew

Three local doctors start up a Petaling Jaya cafe with the aim of helping the less fortunate

It all started when young doctors Tan Pheng Hian, Wong Kian Boon and Ashvin Nair were taking a break after conducting a medical procedure. The three started talking, wondering how they could do more to help their patients besides providing medical care.

Through conversations, the friends realised they had another thing in common—all three were huge coffee lovers. This led to a wild-sounding idea: Why not start a café together, and use its proceeds to help the less fortunate?

See also: 5 Of Our Favourite New Cafés For Catching Up With Friends After Lockdown

Several months later, this idea became a reality. The three came together as business partners, opening their café, Cardio Brew in Mahsa Avenue, Petaling Jaya, in September this year.

“We want to do more for our patients, and we think that helping them through the profits from our business is the sustainable way to go. Also, we want to empower coffee lovers to help people who require surgery, which led us to the idea of setting up this café,” says Tan.

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Tan Pheng Hian, Ashvin Nair and Wong Kian Boon
Above Tan Pheng Hian, Ashvin Nair and Wong Kian Boon

They insist on only the best quality coffee beans. “We use premium imported coffee beans from Brazil for our espressos, and single origin beans from Brazil and Ethiopia for our pour-over coffee and cold brews. For our espresso tonics, we use fresh orange juice,” says Tan. RM0.20 from every cup of coffee sold will be channeled towards helping patients unable to afford the costs of surgery.

Despite being founded by doctors, Cardio Brew does not have an outright medical theme. However, the cafe has a good selection of healthy and plant-based options to encourage a more mindful lifestyle. “Studies have proven that a healthy dose of caffeine boosts cardiovascular health. It promotes heart contractility, or in other words, improves the pumping action of the heart, as long as it’s taken in a reasonable amount,” says Wong.

See also: Coffee News In Malaysia: % Arabica, Happy Stan And Nespresso

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Cardio Brew's fizzy mocktails
Above The Yuzu Fizz and Espresso Tonic

Apart from coffee, there are also mocktails, with the Espresso Tonic and the Yuzu Fizz being its signatures. For bites, the premium chocolate and houjicha cookies by home baker Blisspointbaker sound irresistible. 

How do the trio find the time to manage this café, while still maintaining busy medical careers? “It’s all about efficient time management. It’s a question of effectively dividing your time between your career and your social life. We delegate duties as we see fit. Also, when you’re pursuing your passion, you go all the way in,” Ashvin says.

 

Response has been good so far, and the three intend to unroll a new line of cold brews. “Our dream is a world where no one ever has to have a bad cup of coffee. And that everyone can have a happy, healthy life,” Wong quips.

Cardio Brew |  Block B, Level 3, Kedai KL, MAHSA Avenue, Jalan Ilmu, Off Jalan Profesor Diraja Ungku Aziz, Kuala Lumpur | +6016 608 1838

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