← Back to Briefings
June 16, 2026
SARNIES
You heard Flash Coffee fled Singapore for Indonesia. But did you hear about Sarnies Group ?
Privately owned, non VC backed, Sarnies is one of Singapore's most loved coffee names.
Its flagship store opened in 2019 in Bangkok. But the brand started on Telok Ayer, Singapore in 2011.
Founded by Benjamin Lee, and co-founder Eric Chan who started as a barista and bartender, joined in 2012. Both made the decision to pivot from Singapores harsh F&B market and start in Bangkok.
Singapore's rents, labour costs, and density make it one of the hardest places in the region to scale a cafe. So understandingly, the founders thought of positioning themselves in another country, and they thought, of Bangkok, Thailand.
The total Thai coffee market in 2018 was about 1.1 billion USD, growing to 2 billion USD by 2025. With the specialty segment Sarnies competes in, it's growing at 25% annually.
And with 11 stores in Bangkok, Sarnies, definitely chose well to reposition. But does this mean, Singapore is no longer where F&B operators choose to grow?
Let's see who's next.