Shop, sip and stay a while: Japanese retailer makes a splash with cult favourite Blue Bottle Coffee

Straits Times

24-04-2025

BRANDED CONTENT Shop, sip and stay a while: Japanese retailer makes a splash with cult favourite Blue Bottle Coffee Lumine has built upon its relationship with the famous American coffee brand to serve up an artisanal lifestyle experience at Raffles City
As April showers poured outside, dining spots at Raffles City heaved with thirsty, hungry crowds. But even by Singapore standards, the queue for the newly opened Blue Bottle Coffee was unusually long.
The man behind its arrival, Mr Teruyuki Omote, was not surprised. As president and chief executive officer of Lumine, he knew exactly what he was bringing to the table.
He says: 'We're grateful that so many people are coming to Blue Bottle Coffee here. The Singapore store is a key pillar in our global strategy and serves as a launchpad to connect with the rest of Asia and beyond.'
From left: Mr Kester Whitaker, chief growth officer and head of Asia at Blue Bottle Coffee; Mr Teruyuki Omote, president and chief executive officer of Lumine; and Mr Ervin Yeo, chief executive officer, Commercial Management, CapitaLand Investment.
PHOTO: SPH MEDIA
It is a big statement from the Japanese trendsetter that operates 16 locations in Tokyo – including three at Shinjuku Station, one of the world's busiest transport hubs.
Known for curating Japanese fashion and lifestyle brands, Lumine could have easily filled its new around 7,000 sq ft global flagship space itself. But the multibrand retailer is tuning in to what well-travelled Singaporeans want: A stylish destination to shop, relax and catch up with friends over a carefully brewed cup of coffee and artfully made pastries.
And to Mr Omote, there was only one brand that fit that vision – although the partnership almost did not materialise.
Inside Lumine's Blue Bottle Coffee push
Lumine is well-acquainted with the business and cultural value of a collaboration with Blue Bottle Coffee, with several of its Japanese malls housing the US company's cafes, including its newest cafe at Takanawa.
Blue Bottle Coffee had long seen potential in South-east Asia, but was waiting for the right time and place to enter the region. Convinced Singapore was the right fit, Mr Omote took matters into his own hands.
'I flew to San Francisco myself to convince them, as I truly believed that Blue Bottle Coffee was essential to Lumine's new global flagship. It is a partner that shares Japanese values and cultural sensibilities,' he explains.
That meeting in 2023 with Mr Kester Whitaker, Blue Bottle Coffee's chief growth officer and head of Asia, proved decisive.
A curated blend of coffee and culture, Blue Bottle Coffee at Lumine Singapore reflects a lifestyle that resonates with modern consumers.
PHOTO: LUMINE
'Singapore had long been in our top list of cities we have to be in, but the question for us was timing, when it would be right for us to enter South-east Asia,' says Mr Whitaker.
What ultimately swayed the brand was trust and timing. He adds: 'If Lumine and Omote-san were coming to Singapore and South-east Asia and they have a reason to be here, then we could get behind that and align with it.' It was also the right moment in Blue Bottle's growth, following its expansion into Japan, Korea and Hong Kong.
Blending the right cross-cultural ingredients
Blue Bottle Coffee may have been born in Oakland, California, in 2002, but it attributes its growth to the Japanese coffee culture. Its first international foray was to Japan in 2015.
'Blue Bottle Coffee draws inspiration from Japanese cafe culture, uses Japanese-made cups and bottles, and embraces Japanese hospitality in its staff training,' says Mr Omote.
Blue Bottle Coffee's signature minimalism comes through in its Lumine Singapore outlet, creating a calm, open space for conversation and coffee.
PHOTO: BLUE BOTTLE COFFEE
Mr Whitaker says the coffee specialist thinks of itself as an East-West company.
'We espouse the aesthetics, values and hospitality that cross those borders. There's a lot of bringing California and East Asian aesthetics together to create something that becomes Blue Bottle,' he explains.
The two partners also believe in co-creating cultural values with local sensibilities. For Blue Bottle Coffee, this ethos has delivered success not only in Japan but also in South Korea, where it entered in 2019, Hong Kong in 2020 and mainland China in 2022.
What has stood out for Mr Whitaker is the international attraction of Blue Bottle Coffee even as it is established in each local location. Many of the guests to the Blue Bottle Coffee outlets in Japan, Korea and China were not from the three countries, he says.
'They were coming from other markets, from Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore,' says Mr Whitaker.
Inside Lumine Singapore at Raffles City, discerning shoppers will find curated fashion, design and artisanal goods come together in a visually striking retail space.
PHOTO: LUMINE
This prompted the company to more seriously consider entering South-east Asia. The region is also top-of-mind for Lumine, which sees Singapore as central to its expansion strategy.
'South-east Asia is an exciting market for Lumine due to its economic growth and evolving cultural landscape,' says Mr Omote.
For Blue Bottle Coffee as well, Singapore is the right place to start to explore the wider regional opportunity.
'If you consider our brand heat and brand connection with South-east Asia, Singapore has got everything in one place – culturally, interconnectivity, transport and business links – and it's the right place to gain the experience and start a conversation about what's next for Blue Bottle,' says Mr Whitaker.
Why Singapore is just the beginning
While Lumine and Blue Bottle Coffee mull their next steps, CapitaLand – the landlord behind Raffles City – is already thinking ahead.
'We're happy that Raffles City is home to the first global flagship in Asia for Lumine and Blue Bottle Coffee, but we don't want it to be the last,' says Mr Ervin Yeo, chief executive officer, Commercial Management, CapitaLand Investment.
CapitaLand manages Raffles City and 17 other malls in Singapore, like Bugis Junction, Funan and Plaza Singapura.
Mr Yeo adds: 'When a brand comes to Singapore, we want them to succeed – and we want their first store to be the start of something bigger.'
Raffles City has entrusted Lumine with what it considers to be 'a very important' location, which fronts high-profile heritage buildings that resonate with local residents and international visitors alike.
Blue Bottle Coffee's first South-east Asian outlet is nestled within Lumine Singapore at Raffles City – a strategic launchpad for both brands' regional ambitions.
PHOTO: LUMINE
He says: 'The space that Lumine and Blue Bottle Coffee have settled in is very important for us. From a business perspective, it is important that Lumine and the first Blue Bottle Coffee store does well in Singapore, as this will give the partners confidence to expand.'
He adds that expanding into other CapitaLand properties would be a boon for the real estate group that has an extensive retail and commercial ecosystem.
Mr Omote does not see Singapore as just another market. For Lumine, it is a long-term base from which to grow its international presence.
'We do aim to strengthen our global presence from Singapore by collaborating with partners who share our vision – not limited to high-end brands, but also those who align with our values and cultural approach,' he says.
Step into Lumine Singapore and savour a Blue Bottle Coffee moment – now open at Raffles City.
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.