Why is the Hock Kee elephant coffee factory in Ipoh closing?

Hup Kee, the Ipoh coffee powder factory known for its elephant trademark, is closing after eighty years in business. Founder Fu Hechang started roasting coffee beans there in the 1930s, and the shop supplied many local tea houses that make white coffee. The third-generation operator is aging, manpower is scarce, and the fourth generation has other careers, so the family decided to shut down.

Longtime customers responded by stocking up, and some traveled dozens of kilometers for a last taste of the flavor they remembered. The factory will pass into history after completing its final batch of orders. Its closure removes a supplier that many Ipoh tea houses relied on, showing how succession problems can end long-standing names in the coffee trade.

In Ipoh, Malaysia, the rich aroma of white coffee owes much to the support of local coffee powder factories, and the Hup Kee (Elephant Brand) Coffee Powder Factory, which has been in business for a full eighty years, is one of the most representative old brands among them. This coffee powder factory, founded in the 1930s by Hainanese Fu Hechang, roasts coffee beans using semi-traditional methods, and has won the trust of three generations of locals with its pure, rich quality. Many tea houses in Ipoh have long purchased its coffee powder to make white coffee. However, as the third-generation operator grew older and manpower became scarce, and the fourth generation each had their own careers and no intention of taking over, the family finally decided to close the business. After the news spread, longtime customers rushed to stock up as keepsakes, with some even traveling dozens of kilometers just to taste the flavor they remembered. This old factory with the elephant trademark will officially pass into history after completing its final batch of orders.

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When it comes to "Nanyang coffee," many friends first think of Malaysian white coffee, and OldTown White Coffee is especially a representative tea house spot that tourists must visit in Ipoh to check in and try.

The streets and alleys of Ipoh are filled with the aroma of coffee, and you can walk into any tea house at random and drink rich white coffee. Much of the coffee powder used by these shops comes from a local old factory that has operated for eighty years—Hup Kee (Elephant Brand) Coffee Powder Factory.

Hup Kee Coffee Powder Factory is located in the Menglembu industrial area of Ipoh, with its storefront on Teli Zhe Street. Before you even step through the door, the aroma of coffee greets your nose. Old photos of the founder and his wife hang on the wall, and neatly stacked along the wall are tin cans printed with the iconic elephant trademark. Customers can buy by package or weigh loose coffee powder by the catty.

Because the coffee powder has a pure taste, stable quality, and fair price, this shop has accumulated a group of loyal fans, and many local tea houses in Ipoh also make special trips to buy it in bulk for making white coffee.

It is said that this time-honored coffee powder factory was founded in the 1930s by Hainanese Fu Hechang, relying on his excellent skill in roasting coffee beans. Later, through the joint efforts of the second-generation successor and employees, it gradually developed to its current scale.

In its early years, the factory used firewood for roasting, and later switched to gas, always retaining a semi-traditional method of making coffee powder. Although mechanized production has long become the mainstream of the industry, this old brand still insists on its own standards for flavor and craftsmanship. As a result, the production process requires a great deal of manpower and is quite a test of employees' physical stamina.

Now the third-generation successor, who manages the factory's production and operations, is getting older and no longer physically able to keep up, and the factory also faces a shortage of manpower. At the same time, the fourth-generation young people have each achieved success in their own careers, and no one is willing to take over the coffee powder factory. After repeated discussions, the family finally made the decision to close the business.

At present, the shop has entered the final stage of closure. However, considering that some longtime customers want to order more coffee powder so they have time to find new suppliers, the factory is still rushing to produce orders for these customers. The person in charge said that once the existing coffee beans are used up, it is expected to officially close in another week.

After the news spread that the time-honored coffee powder factory was about to close, many longtime customers felt deeply regretful. Coffee powder bearing the elephant trademark not only carries the inheritance of three generations, but also remains in the memories of three generations of locals. Upon hearing the news, some did not hesitate to drive dozens of kilometers to the shop and buy several kilograms of coffee powder, just to relive that familiar taste.

There are also some young customers who come attracted by its reputation. In addition to buying coffee powder, they also casually buy Hup Kee Elephant Brand coffee cans as souvenirs to collect.

The person in charge of the storefront said that after the shop's coffee powder inventory is cleared, it will no longer operate, but this old house is an ancestral home passed down by the family. The family will still continue to live here, and will also keep the commemorative coffee cans and elephant ornaments, though there are currently no further plans.

Image source: Internet

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