Fore Coffee, Tahilalats turn cat friendships into an interactive pop-up

Fore Coffee has teamed up with Indonesian comic brand Tahilalats to take its ‘The unexpected fweends’ campaign from digital content into a physical experience, launching an interactive pop-up at fX Sudirman, Jakarta.

The Pop Up Fore x Tahilalats, located at the shopping centre’s pedestrian access, runs from 24 September to 23 October. The activation brings Tahilalats’ characters into Fore Coffee’s world through interactive installations, collaborative merchandise, limited-edition collectibles and new menu items.

At the centre of the experience is the idea of unexpected friendships in everyday life, particularly the relationship between people and cats. Visitors can explore the pop-up through experiences including Meow Mail, where they can write messages to their cats, as well as photo opportunities featuring Tahilalats character Bubu.

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The collaboration grew from Fore Coffee’s ‘Setiap Fore punya cerita’ campaign, which gathered stories from baristas about their everyday experiences, including interactions with cats that frequently appear around Fore outlets.

“From there, we saw that cats are not just adorable characters; they have genuinely become part of our everyday stories, as well as those of our customers, which we want to share with more people,” said Matthew Ardian, chief marketing officer, Fore Coffee.

For Tahilalats, the activation provides a way to extend its digital comic universe into a physical environment while retaining its everyday humour.

“Tahilalats has always grown from small moments that are close to everyday life, including how adults can suddenly become incredibly enamoured and revert to being like children when they encounter cats. Through our collaboration with Fore Coffee, we are bringing that world out of the comic panels and into a real-life experience that can be seen, played with and shared together,” said Nurfadli Mursyid, founder and creator, Tahilalats.

The partnership also expands into a merchandise collection comprising two tumbler designs, a cat-shaped bottle, a mug, two oversized T-shirt designs and five tote bag series.

Adding a collectible element, Fore Coffee is offering a Fore Coffee x Tahilalats mystery pouch with purchases of Fore Coffee products. The brand said the campaign has also generated participation online, with consumers sharing stories and tagging friends in campaign-related content.

Alongside the activation, Fore Coffee has introduced two new drinks under its The Unexpected Twist series: Salted Spanish Latte and Crunchy Cereal Latte. The brand has also added two Fore Deli Tempeh Chips flavours, Sea Salt and Truffle.

The new menu items have been available across Fore Coffee outlets and online delivery platforms since 16 September.

Discover what's next in Indonesia's fast-moving digital landscape at DMA Indonesia 2026 on 13 October in Jakarta, where marketing leaders will explore how AI, creator ecosystems, social commerce, and omnichannel strategies are reshaping customer engagement and business growth.

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