HWC Coffee, a Taiwan-based coffee company, plans to open 40 stores in Malaysia this year and will launch in Brunei next month.

After opening its first Malaysian store last April in collaboration with the e-commerce platform Subplace, the chain has opened 18 more cafes in the country. 

The company says it plans to launch a flagship store and coffee academy in Kuala Lumpur’s Klang Valley in May.

According to HWC Coffee Malaysia CEO Zenda Ng, the flagship store will offer more premium coffee options than in other locations, while the coffee academy will run barista training programs and speciality coffee experiences.

Malaysia appears to offer attractive opportunities for coffee chains, with OldTown White Coffee earlier this year planning to open 50 new locations this year. The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf announced last October it aimed to open 80 stores in Malaysia by 2024, with new drive-thru locations playing an important role in the company’s expansion goals.

Perbadanan Nasional Berhad (Pernas) said in January that it would open 16 Gloria Jean’s Coffees locations this year as part of its efforts to expand franchise opportunities throughout Malaysia.

Further reading: Malaysian bubble tea chain Tealive launches first store in Canada