VIKA BAMBARA, Staff Writer—
When we take a sip of coffee, we hope to feel good. If we’re lucky, we can be transported back to a memory that changes our mood instantly. As the taste of the coffee lingers, so does the memory, and just for a moment, we are in a better place. Senior Alan Phung is transported back to the times he drank coffee with his dad.
Although Phung can’t remember if he always liked coffee, he mentions drinking coffee with his dad was always fun. It felt almost like a ritual even. Now all he wants to do is to keep that ritual going and share it with others. He says, “There’s no day where you can’t drink a cup of iced Vietnamese coffee.” First and foremost, Phung mentions that Mai Coffee and business in general should always be about the people and what is best for them. But more than anything, he wanted to make his vision a reality.
The idea of Mai Coffee came to Phung towards the end of high school and grew even more once at Denison. He started product testing in his freshman year and was happy to share his samples of coffee with his fellow Denisonians. While still trying to figure out what makes a good cup of Vietnamese coffee, he wanted to find out ways to put the coffee on shelves, but he wasn’t there yet. This led Phung to go to several street markets in attempts to sell his product. He realized that people liked his Vietnamese coffee, knowing that he would have to follow through with the business.
At the Red Frame Lab, Phung began learning how to get clients, how to approach efficient ways of selling, and the rest of the logistics. They were a major help Phung says in helping his idea further. Learning how to prepare, organize and how to settle down on decisions for Mai Coffee would take some time. There were multiple decisions to be made and he wanted to make sure he made the right ones. Even though Phung’s business was still in its early stages, it wasn’t until his first client that he knew that Mai Coffee was not just an idea anymore.
It wasn’t long before Mai Coffee would be on the shelves. He felt a sense of privilege to work on his business along with meeting new people. Starting Mai Coffee would be a turning point for Phung. Everything started falling into place and his vision was now a reality. It was never just about the coffee, but remembering old memories. A business takes more than just a passion but a real persistence and motivation from someone. Alan Phung shows all of these traits. He is not only an entrepreneur, but a coffee enthusiast and someone who shows a great deal of dedication.
There was a moment where Alan didn’t know what to name his business. With the help of his friends, he found his title. He and his friends remembered the mai flowers commonly seen during celebrations, such as the Lunar New Year. And that is what Vietnamese coffee is for Phung, a celebration of memories. A celebration with other people.