Former Cafe Barista Now Sells Artisanal Coffee From A Motorcycle Sidecar ‘Mobile Cafe’

But why sell coffee from a motorcycle? Wei Jie says: “I like motorcycles, I like coffee and I like adventures, so that’s where I got the idea of combining the things I like together, to bring specialty coffee to the community”. Prior to opening his biz, he had been biking for around six years.

He adds that “the heart behind this business is to make coffee accessible”, and it doesn’t hurt that “the capital cost of owning a motorcycle sidecar is definitely lower than that of a brick-and-mortar stall.” However, Wei Jie says a special license is needed for him to sell coffee from a sidecar, and it took him a lengthy three years to get approval from the authorities. 

He also has to get permission from landowners to park his bike on their lot. According to Wei Jie, he typically “finds areas where [he] can bring people together, so spaces with some foot traffic, but also where people can hang out and sit around.

His motorcycle sidecar cost him $30,000

In total, Wei Jie invested about $30,000 into buying and customising his motorcycle sidecar, which he designed in collaboration with design studios Bare Metal Co. and Two Wheel Project. His all-silver bike is equipped with a small workspace for his Italy-imported La Marzocco espresso maker, which cost him another $9,000, and a parasol adorned with a ‘Calibrate’ logo to shelter his setup.

Wei Jie’s biz idea was inspired by our local ice cream uncles. “I think every Singaporean kid loves to see the ice cream uncles — growing up in Singapore, that was a common thing,” he comments. 

Though his bike sidecar looks like a somewhat fancier version of the ice cream uncle’s cart, Wei Jie doesn’t consider himself the ‘cooler version’ of the traditional ice cream seller. He laughingly says: “No lah, it’s different. I’m just building on the legacy that the ice cream uncles have built”.

Beans from Humble Origins Coffee Roasters

Though he “wants to bring in different coffee beans from different cafes” in the future, Wei Jie currently uses beans from Humble Origins Coffee Roasters, which imports them from the Shan Hills in Myanmar. He chose Humble Origins in order to “support the producers in Myanmar in light of the political instability” that the country is facing now. 

Wei Jie uses their signature blend, which comprises a mix of Naturals (dry processed beans) from Ga Naing Yar Village, Washed (wet processed beans) from Moe Htet, and Honey processed beans from the female-led Amayar Women Coffee Producer Group.

The menu 

In its soft launch phase, Calibrate Coffee has a straightforward six-beverage menu, consisting of Black or White Coffee ($5 hot, $6 iced), Choc ($5 hot, $6 iced), Mocha ($5.50 hot, $6.50 iced), Matcha ($5.50 hot, $6.50 iced) and Dirty Matcha ($6.50 hot, $7.50 iced). Patrons can top up $1 for oat milk.

Wei Jie says his best-selling drink since launching is currently his Iced White Coffee, but he recommends the Iced Black, as he feels “black coffee can best bring out the characteristics of the coffee bean best.” 

For a quick snack on the go, he also sells Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies ($3 each), sourced from local bakery The Nut Baker. 

Calibrate Coffee’s soft launch phase will end this weekend on Mar 31. For the final weekend, Wei Jie will be stationed outside Red Dot Design Museum at Marina Boulevard, but will switch up his locations in the future as he goes along. Stay tuned to the mobile cafe’s Instagram page for his next stop.

Calibrate Coffee will be stationed outside Red Dot Design Museum, 11 Marina Blvd, S018940 from March 29-31, 2024. Open 9am-4.30pm. Updates on future location stops via Instagram.

Photos: Calibrate Coffee

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