Singapore’s social enterprise scene has been growing steadily, with businesses finding innovative ways to marry profit-making with social impact. One standout example is Bettr Barista, a certified B Corporation and award-winning social enterprise that blends specialty coffee education with social empowerment.
The Mission: More Than Just Coffee
Founded in 2011, Bettr Barista isn’t just about brewing great coffee—it’s about creating opportunities for marginalised individuals. Their flagship Holistic Training Programme provides vocational training in specialty coffee for disadvantaged women and at-risk youth, equipping them with not only barista skills but also life skills, mental resilience training, and emotional development.
Beyond training, Bettr Barista integrates sustainability into its business model. They actively source ethically traded coffee, ensuring fair wages for farmers, and operate on sustainable business principles, reducing waste in their supply chain.
Impact and Effectiveness
Bettr Barista’s impact is tangible. Since its inception, it has trained and empowered hundreds of individuals, many of whom have gone on to secure stable employment or even start their own coffee ventures. The programme boasts an 80% job placement rate, demonstrating its effectiveness in equipping trainees with marketable skills.
Beyond its immediate trainees, Bettr Barista engages the wider community through public workshops, corporate training, and advocacy for sustainable coffee consumption. Their mobile coffee carts and retail cafes offer trainees hands-on experience while generating revenue to sustain their social mission.
Challenges and Areas for Growth
While Bettr Barista has been largely successful, its impact is still limited by its scale. Expanding its training programmes to include more marginalised groups—such as low-income elderly individuals or differently-abled persons—could broaden its social reach. Additionally, increasing corporate partnerships may help provide more job placements and funding support.
Final Thoughts: A Model for Social Enterprises
Bettr Barista exemplifies how businesses can drive both social impact and financial sustainability. By balancing quality coffee with meaningful social change, they set a benchmark for what a socially conscious business can achieve in Singapore. As the local social enterprise ecosystem matures, Bettr Barista’s success offers valuable lessons for future ventures aiming to make a difference.
