What challenges does Afloat face in hiring and training baristas?

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Afloat says manpower shortages after the pandemic make it harder to hire baristas, and many applicants still need deeper coffee training to meet its standards.

Afloat Coffee Roaster, led by Loo Choy Leng and Jimmy Leong, faces manpower supply issues in the food and beverage industry since the start of the pandemic, even though many baristas have sent in resumes. The couple says that while brewing skills and customer service may look sufficient from the outside, many applicants lack deeper coffee knowledge, including understanding flavour notes, developing a discerning palate, and having a broader grasp of the field. To address this gap and maintain consistent quality, they emphasise constant education and run daily tastings while tracking customer feedback.
Manpower supply issues since the pandemic affect hiring
Afloat is not immune to the wider manpower supply issues that have hit Malaysia’s F&B industry since the pandemic began. Loo points out that despite numerous baristas submitting resumes, not many are able to meet the bar needed to work at the café.
Many applicants lack deeper coffee knowledge beyond basic brewing
The challenge is not only about availability but also about fit for the role. Loo says many people may view baristas as an “easy” profession, assuming decent brewing skills or customer service is enough, yet Afloat has found that many eager applicants do not have deeper knowledge of coffee, from flavour notes to developing a discerning palate and understanding the field as a whole.
Afloat compensates with continuous team education and daily tastings
To keep delivery consistent and improve quality, Leong says the business has learned it must constantly educate the talents in its team. They also run tastings on all the coffees every morning and keep track of customer feedback, using this routine to support the quality they aim to deliver.
High standards make training an ongoing requirement
Afloat sets a high internal benchmark for delivering “the best cup of coffee” to customers, which raises the level of training required for new hires. With their approach centred on in-house roasting and careful attention to coffee profiles, the couple’s daily tasting and feedback tracking become part of the training rhythm that helps staff align with those standards.

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What challenges does Afloat face in hiring and training baristas?

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