6 Singapore Food Brands That Have Gone Viral Around The Globe
From BreadTalk to Ya Kun Kaya Toast, these Singapore brands are proudly waving our flag globally
By guoxiongho -
There is an old Chinese adage that goes, “to open a business is very easy, to keep it open is very difficult.” Anyone who has ever tried opening their own business would definitely agree with this statement. Yet there are a few Singaporean food brands which have not only gone beyond staying open and grown to become beloved within the confines of our nation, but have also achieved international success with their expansion abroad. Without further ado, here are six Singaporean food brands worth celebrating this National Day, which are proudly waving our flag globally.
The humble combination of toasted bread slathered with kaya and margarine, paired with soft-boiled eggs and a kopi or teh, has remained a popular breakfast of choice among Singaporeans for many years, and Ya Kun Kaya Toast is the brand which has become most synonymous with the dish overseas.
Like many of our forefathers, Loi Ah Koon was a Chinese immigrant who immigrated from China (Hainan Island, to be specific) to Singapore in search of a better life. He later founded the coffee shop with fellow Chinese immigrants before managing it on his own with his wife. The brand remains under the control of the family and continues to grow in strength. Besides being available islandwide, Ya Kun Kaya Toast can also be found in many parts of Asia, including Indonesia, China, Japan and Thailand.
Said to be home of the world’s first-ever Michelin-starred hawker meal, Hawker Chan started from humble beginnings. At the helm is chef Chan Hon Meng, who came to Singapore from Ipoh to find work.
After learning the ropes from a Hong Kong chef, he created his own soya sauce chicken recipe and a hawker stall that would later attain the Michelin star in 2016. Together with Hersing Culinary, Hawker Chan quickly grew into a restaurant label, and now even maintains a presence in countries as far and wide as Australia, Kazakhstan and the United Arab Emirates.
Most of us know Janice Wong for her dessert restaurant 2am:dessertbar, founded in 2007. Her brand has since expanded to include Janice Wong Singapore and Janice Wong Pure Imagination. The former retails various items of confectionery, chocolates and desserts made into edible artworks, while the latter focuses on bean-to-bar chocolate. Outside of Singapore, Janice Wong has outposts across Japan and London, with another opening in Sydney in October 2023. The brand has also done overseas collaborations everywhere, from Macau to Berlin.
With the way TWG Tea has branded itself, it wouldn’t be a surprise if you’ve mistaken the luxury tea label as an overseas heritage brand. In fact, TWG, which stands for The Wellness Group, was co-founded in 2008 by Taha Bouqdib, who was inspired by his travels and encounters with the beverage. The year 1837 found on TWG Tea packaging is a nod to the year that Singapore first became a trading post for tea and other goods. Now, TWG Tea cafes have sprouted up all across Asia, as well as Europe, Australia, Canada and the United Arab Emirates.
Whether you go for their signature curry puffs or many of the fried snacks that they offer, Old Chang Kee is a well-known stop to refuel yourself. The label began as a hawker stall in 1956 near the now-defunct Rex Cinema along Mackenzie Road. Thirty years later, there was a change of management with Han Keen Juan at the wheel. Under his charge, Old Chang Kee expanded islandwide, evolving into the brand we know today. And of course, their expansion eventually went beyond our borders, too – Old Chang Kee can be found in Perth, Johor Bahru, London and Indonesia.
In just a short span of three years, George Quek went from opening his first BreadTalk location in Bugis Junction to being listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange in 2003. That same year, he also opened his first overseas location in Jakarta. Armed with experience launching food businesses abroad, George Quek returned home with the idea of opening high-quality bakeries akin to what he saw in Japan and Taiwan. Since 2000, BreadTalk has transformed itself into a group managing other recognisable brands such as Toast Box, Din Tai Fung and more. Meanwhile, the bakery itself continues to be successful with 40 outlets dotted across Singapore and over 400 stores in 13 international markets.
This article was originally published on Harper's Bazaar Singapore.