91̽»¨

By Leon Foo, co-founder of coffee-tech start-upÌýÌý(Pictured)

Being connected to theÌýcloud is not what naturally comes to mind when drinking your morning coffee. But when my co-founder and IÌýfirst set upÌýÌýin 2018, we knew we wanted to be different. Our dream? To create the Dyson of coffee machines.

We spotted a gapÌýin the market. Pods were everywhere, butÌýquality capsules were few and far between.Ìý

One brand was dominating the market, butÌýthey only made machines toÌýoptimiseÌýtheirÌýcapsulesÌýand coffees,ÌýandÌýnot necessarily ones created by third-party roasters. We wanted to create an alternative that made speciality coffee more accessible.

My love affair with coffee began in 2009Ìýwhen I becameÌýfascinated with both the art and scienceÌýbehind this incredibly underrated beverage thatÌýunites people from all around the globe.

There’s so much that goes on behind-the-scenes, from growing to roasting that the average drinkerÌýsometimes strugglesÌýto understand. IÌýthenÌýstarted my own coffee roastery andÌýfound great joy in serving and helping people discover their next favourite cup.Ìý

These interactions between customer and barista were incredibly precious but limited to the confines of the coffee shop.

Fast-track to 2018,ÌýmyÌýexperience working in the coffee industry coupled with myÌýco-founder’sÌýbackground in IT consultingÌýhelped us realiseÌýthe value in utilising software and integrated tech to enhance the at-homeÌýcoffee experience. With the mission to make better coffee more accessible, Morning was born.Ìý

The Morning ecosystem consists of three parts: theÌýMorning Marketplace, theÌýMorning MachineÌýand theÌýMorning MobileÌýapp. It is enabled by a wireless cloud server connection to bring incredible value to the end-user.

The first key benefit we wanted to bring to customers was consistency.ÌýThe Morning MachineÌýcontainsÌýprecision-brewing features enabled via automation, borrowed from commercial coffee equipment.

Automation enables convenience and consistency without the need for separate heating and grinding equipment.ÌýSoÌýusers can enjoy quality coffee without the hassle and guesswork.

Secondly, convenience is at the forefront of the Morning ecosystem.ÌýCOVID-19 has reshaped the coffee industry.

With more people now working from home, it is no wonder online coffee purchases and subscriptions for coffee have grown exponentially, the latter saw an increase in 109%. We are seeing home coffee drinkers shifting their spending to better quality coffee or even trying new roasters or coffees.Ìý

TheÌýMorning MarketplaceÌýis a one-stop-shop featuring coffee capsules from the world’s most celebrated specialty coffee roasters.Ìý

Via theÌýMorningÌýMobileÌýApp, users are just one swipe away from accessing any of the recipes developed by our partner roasters. Giving them theÌýability to replicate café-quality coffee in the comfort of their own homes.

Finally, connectedness. This is where the cloud really shines through.ÌýThe Machine is always connected with built-in Wi-Fi, enabling over-the-air software updates for users to enjoy the latest features.

It also connects with theÌýMorningÌýMobileÌýAppÌýgiving users access to a repository of recipes which can be saved directly to the machine.

And it doesn’t stop there.ÌýEven after a user’s first brew, the Machine’s features are still at work.

Data collected from temperature, weight and TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) sensors trigger notifications to extend the longevity of the machine and also informs our development for future updates.

The future holds endless possibilities for us. From a seamless in-app coffee-buying experience integrated into the Morning app, to a community-based recipe review and sharing platform.

Creating a connected coffee experience where users can receive informed choices based on their preferences, and ultimately expand the world’s access to good quality coffee. That’s what happens when coffee meets the cloud.Ìý