Customers in Malaysia boycott U.S. brands, Starbucks almost empty
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Local names that are making their mark in premium and speciality coffee and gaining in popularity include ZUS Coffee, Eight Ounce Coffee, Gigi Coffee, Richiamo Coffee, Bask Bear Coffee and Mukarami Coffee.
Many consumers in Malaysia have been protesting via their wallets since the Israel-Hamas war began in October 2023.
The broad boycott of consumer brands identified with the United States or seen as supporting Israel include coffee franchise Starbucks, and food companies such as KFC, McDonald’s, Domino’s, Burger King and Nestle.
The Starbucks coffee chain took a hit from late 2023, facing a decline in traffic when it became one of the main targets of the boycott, after the American based chain sued a labour union in the U.S. state of Iowa over social media posts supporting Palestine.
Starbucks outlets in Malaysia used to be packed to the brim but are now mostly quiet.
“My local Starbucks used to be bustling with people. Now there are hardly any,†said business owner Ivy Simon, 45, adding that local coffee joints have seen a huge boom instead.
“The other day we wanted to go to a local coffee shop for breakfast, but it was full,†she added. ■