CALL them the new breed of coffee drinkers. The brew that they prefer are those which claim to do more than just keep them awake

Yes, there's a growing male clientele abandoning the good old kopi and opting for new brands which supposedly enhance sexual performance.

Young or old, these people are getting hooked to the new brands.

Most seem to believe and some even endorse the claims that such coffee have the potency to increase sexual desire and performance.

The more popular brands are Tongkat Ali, Kopi Jantan, Ali Cafe, Superbest and Radex, although the list is much more extensive.

Most of these coffee brands, some of which are imported, purportedly contain herbs which have aphrodisiac elements.

The claims include improved physical vitality and energy. There are even catchy phrases and sometimes graphic displays on cardboard advertisements.

These coffee brands are easily available at mamak stalls or restaurants.

The pre-mixed coffee powder, packed in sachets, is usually displayed on cardboards next to cash counters of the outlets.

Customers can also opt for drinking such brews in the shops for between RM2.50 ($1.02) and RM3.50 depending on the brand.

The supposedly 'uplifting' coffee can be found at coffee shops in cities and also in remote areas of the country. It is just a matter of variety and price.

One such outlet, Kelana Food in Section 16, Shah Alam has flamboyantly decorated a section of its wall with the cardboards laden with the various brands of coffee.

Manager Diauddin Abdul Putus said his outlet sells more than 50 varieties.

Most of his customers, he said, were youngsters adding that his shop serves between 70 and 80 glasses of coffees each day.

"The customers claim that they get some kind of sexual satisfaction but personally, I'm not so sure about it," he said.

Another coffee shop Sri Panglima at Kampung Pendamar, Port Klang serves an average of 50 drinks per day.

Its operator H.D. Lasantha said many of his customers were in their 40s and 50s.

He said customers were certain that the coffee helped to improve their sexual performance. Most of the drinkers seem to know what works for them.

"They enjoy it like any other drink and we are happy to able to cater to their needs," he said.