We're not named after Greek god, ZUS Coffee says amid new boycott call

Popular local coffee chain ZUS Coffee's name was based on a portmanteau of words describing the company's values, said a company official.

The company is facing boycott calls by critics who regard the company's logo - a bearded man - and the name as referring to the Greek god Zeus.

The call came after many opted to switch to ZUS Coffee from international coffee chain Starbucks, which took action against its US worker's union for expressing support for Palestine.

Responding to a question from Malaysiakini at the event in Sunway Pyramid Mall in Selangor, ZUS Coffee vice president Stephy Foong said the company is "deeply saddened" by the boycott call, especially because all its outlets are certified halal by Jakim.

"We tried very hard to get our halal certificate... It's (the certification) not limited to religion. It's for food safety," she said.

‘Zealous, unify and stop at nothing’

Foong added that the brand's name does not refer to a Greek god but was first conceptualised as a portmanteau of the words 'zeal' and 'us'.

Today, it is an acronym which stands for the brand's values - zealous, unify and stop at nothing - she said.

The anniversary event was organised six months ahead and was not a public relations exercise to respond to the boycott call, Foong explained.

The company also decided to push on with the programme to respect agreements it had with its partners.

"We feel like it is not fair for the partners, and it is not fair for our team also.

"We don't want their efforts to be wasted, plus, we have our own community to serve, and I believe the community who support us will understand what we're doing."

ZUS Coffee, which has 197 locations nationwide, was founded in Kuala Lumpur in 2019 by a group of eight local entrepreneurs.

In March, Philippines' billionaire restaurant mogul Frank Lao purchased a 35 percent stake in the company.

Boycott battles

Boycott calls have been raging among consumers against brands perceived to be supporting Israel in the ongoing violence in Israel and Palestine, which started on Oct 7.

Brands targeted include fast food outlet McDonald's and super app Grab - both of which have donated RM1 million each to support humanitarian work in Palestine, in response to boycott calls.

Even though McDonald's Malaysia is Muslim-owned, McDonald's was targeted after the Israel franchise provided free meals to Israel Defence Force soldiers.

READ MORE: As violence continues in Gaza, boycott battle rages at home

Grab, meanwhile, was targeted after founder Anthony Tan's wife Chloe Tong posted on Instagram that she was heartbroken over what was happening in Israel, a country which she fell in love with after holidaying there.

Although the real impact of the ongoing boycotts on Israel or the companies is hard to estimate, some workers and delivery riders told Malaysiakini their incomes have dramatically reduced due to a drop in orders.

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Let's unite for Palestine, skip double standards - PM