The Names Behind 5 F&B Franchises in Malaysia.
The food and beverage (F&B) industry is an ever-growing one. Firstly, food is a necessity: people need to eat! Not everyone enjoys cooking and those who do may not have the time to do so. Next point would be that people in general enjoy indulging in food and desserts. The Klang Valley offers a wide arrange of local and international food served in restaurants, cafes, Indian-Muslim stalls, the list goes on! As our country is very much a diverse one, our choice of food is far from limited. Gone were the days when coffee used to be the only 'in' thing - whoever thought tea would make the world go equally as crazy? Many Malaysians seek opportunities in the F&B industry, and not many make it out alive. Regardless, there are those who seized the golden opportunity when the time was right. Here are 5 F&B franchises owned - some founded - by Malaysians, to inspire future entrepreneurs across the nation.
PappaRich was founded in 2005 by Rich Tan, a 51 year-old from Negeri Sembilan. He ventured into the "Malaysian Delights" trade after tinkering with different businesses and eventually opened his first outlet in Selayang Mall, Batu Caves. He hasn't looked back since. Today, there are close to 100 PappaRich outlets across Malaysia and PappaRich has triumphantly expanded internationally to destinations such as Australia, China, Singapore, Brunei, and the USA. Rich Tan believes in sharing his success with enthusiastic like-minded people through the magic of franchising. It is through this that they are able to share Malaysian food culture with all the world.
Source: www.papparich.com.my
In 1999, founders Goh Ching Mun and Tan Say Yap concocted their own blend of 3-in-1 instant white coffee and began manufacturing said coffee at White Café coffee shop in Ipoh Old Town. It wasn't until later when Lee Siew Heng joined Goh and Tan as Managing Director that they established Old Town White Coffee. In 2005, Old Town White Coffee opened their very first café outlet in Ipoh. Today, they have more than 200 cafe outlets throughout Asia. Within a short time of eight years, the company's worldwide reach stands at 15 countries, crossing most of South East Asia including Hong Kong and Taiwan. The secret to their success is simple: they re a trusted Brand, their prices are Affordable, and everyone can Enjoy their coffee!
Source: www.oldtown.com.my
Datuk Steven Sim trusts that cakes are easily relatable in general and are known throughout the world. It also belongs to a product category which brings enjoyment and which most find pleasure in. Hence, the opening of the very first Secret Recipe cafe in SS2, Petaling Jaya by Datuk Steven Sim and his nephews in 1997. To date, Secret Recipe Cakes and Café has become one of the region's fastest growing lifestyle cakes and cafés chain with over 300 outlets. They have also expanded to neighboring countries such as Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Brunei and even China. Although there are many other cafés out there who have copied their concept, Datuk Steven Sim says he is fine with it, as this pushes them to strive forward.
Source: www.secretrecipe.com.my
In Malaysia, Starbucks is a name familiar to the young and old alike. Besides being a destination for coffee enthusiasts, the coffeehouse is patronized by students and working adults as well on busy weekdays. So, who is the one responsible for opening the first Starbucks coffeehouse in Malaysia? Well, none other than the founder of Berjaya Group, Tan Sri Vincent Tan. Ranked #14 in Forbe's Malaysia's 50 Richest (2015) and #1533 Forbe's World Billionaires (2015), he has a net worth of $1.21 Billion (as of 28th April 2015). It was in the year 1998 when the very first Starbucks outlet was opened in Kuala Lumpur. They have been growing ever since. As of March 2015, there are over 190 Starbucks stores across Malaysia, with many more to come. Besides making great coffee for thousands each day, they also give back to the community via a number of projects. As of July 2014, Starbucks is now wholly owned by Berjaya Food.
Source: www.starbucks.com.my
Chatime is probably every tea-lovers's haven. A common mistake would be that Chatime is founded by Perlis-born Bryan Loo. In actual fact, Chatime is a Taiwanese franchise founded in 2005 which was interested in expanding their business worldwide. In 2010, Bryan managed to get hold of Chatime HQ and after much persuasion, was put through to the CEO. The very next day, Chatime's CEO flew down to see Bryan and two months later opened his first Chatime Malaysia outlet in Pavilion, Kuala Lumpur in October 2010. Close to 5 years later, 116 outlets nationwide are home to over 800 tearistas who individually prepare each and every drink for their precious customers. The 29 year-old believes that it is important for young entrepreneurs to have a clear picture of what their dreams about, which would guide them to where they want to be.
Source: www.chatime.com.my
Needless to say, these are only a few of the the many, many food and beverage franchises in Malaysia. As fellow countrymen, I think it is fairly important for us to possess knowledge on the history and founders of these giant F&B companies. It may come in handy one day. Anyway, if reading this has made you thirsty but you can't seem to - for whatever reason - leave your house or office, check out the infamous food delivery service, Foodpanda. They will deliver your orders right to your doorstep! Foodpanda delivers for all the franchises mentioned above except for Old Town White Coffee. AND if you're hungry for discounts, well, do check out our Foodpanda Malaysia Voucher Codes for more savings! Have a great week ahead everyone!
April 29, 2015 | Brands
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