Our Brand Story
Introduction
Matthew Poh's introduction cuts through pretence: 'My name is Matthew, and I am a one-time bankrupt, two-time divorcee, three-time addict, and incarcerated four times' (Vulcan Post, 2024). However, from this raw admission emerges one of Singapore's most compelling social enterprises—the Caffeine Experience (TCE)—a café that transforms society's most marginalised individuals into skilled baristas while delivering exceptional coffee.
A second chance, brewed to perfection.
The story begins in an unlikely place: a prison cell in 2015. Matthew, once a millionaire interior designer with political ambitions, had lost everything to two decades of drug addiction (MustShareNews, n.d.). After his drug syndicate partners received sentences of 7 years, 15 years, and death, Matthew experienced an epiphany. Whilst high at home, he took a cab to Bedok Police Station and surrendered (Salt and Light, n.d.).
During his eight-month sentence, living with seven cellmates, Matthew found more than redemption—he found purpose (Frasers Property, 2019). Fellow inmates confided their fears: finding employment after prison seemed impossible. On a small piece of paper, Matthew scribbled a business plan. He approached his supervising officer, Hilary Lo, with a bold proposal: to open a café staffed by ex-offenders. Lo, after 17 years in the Singapore Prison Service, understood the invisible barrier facing released inmates. He quit his career to co-found TCE (Candybar, n.d.).
The social enterprise model
Launched in April 2017 at Tanjong Pagar, TCE operates with an uncompromising commitment: 90% of staff are ex-offenders (SIM, n.d.). This is not charity—it is professional hospitality. TCE baristas compete nationally; one ranks eighth in Singapore's National Barista Championship, with Matthew himself placing twelfth (Social Space Magazine, n.d.). The cafés roast beans in-house, supply offices across Singapore, and maintain rigorous quality standards.
The business model generates triple social returns. Revenue funds barista training, counselling sessions, and staff development (Frasers Property, 2019). Each café empowers managers—many of whom have criminal records—to handle cash flow, thereby restoring trust and dignity. TCE's recently added cat café, which is home to over 30 felines, attracts customers while supporting the social mission financially (SIM, n.d.).
Addressing a critical need
The numbers tell a stark story. Singapore's overall recidivism rate stands at 21.3%, but for drug offenders—TCE's primary employees—it reaches 30.8%, nearly 1.5 times higher than non-drug offenders (Singapore Prison Service, 2024). As Hilary Lo observes, 'With no social acceptance or recognition, and hardly any sources of income, the world outside becomes a prison to them' (Candybar, n.d.). Some ex-offenders deliberately reoffend because prison offers meals and shelter that society denies them.
TCE breaks this cycle through employment, skills training, and unwavering support. When head chef Yeow, who spent 12 years cycling through prison for drug offences, relapsed, TCE welcomed him back (Candybar, n.d.). Today, he works alongside his mother at the café. Head barista Hussain, who served 13 years for culpable homicide, found stability and purpose serving coffee (Candybar, n.d.). Even 'Ted', who left TCE and fell back into drugs, received encouragement letters in prison and will be offered employment upon release (Social Space Magazine, n.d.).
'Seeing our staff grow, find stability, and start families is the most rewarding part of this journey, ' Matthew reflects (SIM, n.d.).
The road ahead requires partnership
TCE's journey demonstrates both impact and resilience. Within one year of launch, the enterprise expanded to five outlets across Singapore (Candybar, n.d.). When COVID-19 forced the closure of all but one location—nearly shuttering that final café—the team survived (Vulcan Post, 2024). Today, TCE operates three outlets serving government agencies, hospitals, and shopping centres, employing 15 individuals who might otherwise face unemployment or recidivism.
However, the enterprise faces a critical juncture. Both businesses were approaching break-even before recent downturns created a deficit (Vulcan Post, 2024). As Matthew explains, 'TCE is run like an SME, and when we want to welcome more ex-offenders under our wing, we do not have the financial capacity and resources to give them that chance' (Vulcan Post, 2024). The vision remains bold: expand to 30 outlets, launch a roasting academy similar to England's Redemption Roasters, and scale the model to serve hundreds of ex-offenders (Social Space Magazine, n.d.).
The Caffeine Experience does not just brew coffee—it brews second chances.
With seed funding, TCE can expand its proven model, train more ex-offenders in marketable skills, and demonstrate that society's 'failures' can become its success stories. Matthew's transformation from inmate to entrepreneur proves that redemption is possible. Now, with the right partnership, TCE can multiply that redemption across Singapore's most marginalised communities.
