Five family bizs in S’pore to get time-honoured delicacies this CNY

Because the Chinese language New 12 months (CNY) festive season attracts nearer, have you ever secured the best delicacies to your celebrations?

In the event you haven’t, fear not- these family-run companies provide an array of delectable CNY items that you just can not miss. With generations of experience, they’ve mastered the artwork of crafting conventional treats that tantalise the style buds and seize the essence of CNY.

From mouth-watering pineapple tarts to sweet-savoury bak kwa, listed below are some must-get items from 5 family-run companies in Singapore.

1. KELE

Consuming pineapple tarts is taken into account auspicious throughout Lunar celebrations. Pineapples are referred to as “ong lai” in Hokkien and Cantonese, which immediately interprets to “fortune come,” representing good luck and fortune.

KELE‘s artisanal pineapple tarts have captured the hearts of Singaporeans for over 4 a long time. The story behind the model dates again to 1983, to a small household confectionary based mostly in Jurong West that served a number of conventional goodies and the model’s signature pineapple tarts. 

Beforehand referred to as Kele Confectionery, the bakery was run by Adrian and Gordon Ang’s dad and mom. Within the Eighties, the Ang household perfected their pineapple tart recipe by collaborating with a specialised chef.

Quick ahead to 2012, Adrian stepped as much as take over the household enterprise after finishing his Grasp’s Diploma in the USA.

Seeing potential within the F&B area on the time, he began to construct the corporate’s imaginative and prescient to grow to be the “Singapore model for pineapple tarts”, by rebranding the corporate to KELE and scaling up the enterprise’ operations past the confectionary housed in Jurong. 

Joined by his youthful brother in 2015, the duo has efficiently opened three retailers because the rebrand. The enterprise has additionally achieved a number of milestones all through the years, together with being featured within the Michelin Information 2017.

Make your technique to KELE’s retailers and bask in a pleasant array of artisanal pineapple tarts and pastries.

2. Tai Chong Kok

Other than pineapple tarts, rejoice the brand new 12 months with Tai Chong Kok’s conventional and delectable nian gao.

Tai Chong Kok was based in 1935 by Tham Kai Chee, who emigrated from Guangzhou to Singapore throughout a tumultuous interval in Chinese language historical past. Again within the day, lengthy queues would kind on the enterprise’ stall at Sago Road, Chinatown, hoping to get their arms on freshly baked items.

Kai Chee’s legacy was then handed right down to his 4 sons, making certain that the custom of Tai Chong Kok remained within the household. In the present day, the Chinese language baked items enterprise is helmed by Ham Weng Seng, Kai Chee’s grandchild.

Wee Seng, who joined the household enterprise after finishing his nationwide service, has managed to develop it from a mom-and-pop stall to 9 retailers throughout Singapore, with a ten,000-square-foot central kitchen.

Though Tai Chong Kok is famend for its freshly baked mooncakes, its enterprise additionally affords an array of conventional Chinese language pastries, resembling kueh bangkit and pineapple balls. You’ll be able to order these time-honoured items by way of Tai Chong Kok’s web site or go to considered one of its retailers to style its delicacies in particular person.

3. Lim Chee Guan

Bak Kwa is a CNY staple, and among the many array of choices in Singapore, homegrown model Lim Chee Guan takes the highlight. Lim Kay Eng first based the family-run enterprise in 1938, who emigrated to Singapore within the Nineteen Twenties.

Kay Eng hadn’t deliberate to enterprise into the bak kwa enterprise initially. Nonetheless, a profound sense of homesickness prompted him to arrange a pushcart at Chin Chiew Road, in any other case referred to as “Tou Fu Kai”.

Again dwelling, his mom usually made bak kwa in the course of the war-stricken days because the meat may very well be preserved. He would make bak kwa for himself at any time when he missed his mom, ultimately main him to ascertain Lim Chee Guan after saving up cash from odd jobs.

In 1956, the entrepreneur moved his stall to a shophouse alongside New Bridge Street, and later opened a second outlet at Chinatown’s Folks’s Park Advanced within the Nineteen Seventies.

In 1988, Kay Eng handed over the reins of his enterprise to his son Rod Lim. Over time, Rod’s two sons — Jerre Lim and Benny Lim — joined the household enterprise to proceed their grandfather’s legacy. From a humble pushcart, Lim Chee Guan has grown to grow to be a famend bak kwa model with 4 retailers in Singapore. 

Though on-line preorders for Lim Chee Guan’s bak kwa merchandise at the moment are closed, you may nonetheless head right down to their retailers (aside from the quickly closed Folks’s Park Advanced outlet) to get your arms on this delectable Lunar New 12 months deal with.

4. New Moon

It’s usually believed that consuming abalone throughout CNY would deliver ample luck for all the 12 months. And relating to the best abalone selections, look no additional than New Moon — the model has constantly topped the ranks for 13 consecutive years because the best-selling abalone model in Singapore. 

With origins relationship again to 1959, New Moon is managed by Goh Joo Hin Pte Ltd, which began off as a provision retailer alongside Singapore’s Rochor Street, promoting varied meals and important objects. 

Goh Joo Hin, initially named Joo Hin Wholesalers, was purchased over by businessman Goh Yeow Gek within the Forties as he noticed potential within the enterprise. After the acquisition, Yeow Gek renamed it Goh Joo Hin. He was later joined by his members of the family, who helped handle the availability retailer and expanded its enterprise into imports and exports. 

Within the Eighties, the corporate acquired New Moon and additional expanded its product choices. In the present day, the enterprise is helmed by CEO Goh Kai Kui (the grandson of Yeow Gek), alongside their household shareholders and 4 different senior managers. 

Other than abalones, New Moon is providing a wide range of hampers, and reward units for CNY this 12 months, together with well being and sweetness choices resembling chook’s nest, yu sheng, and pineapple tarts. Elevate your festive celebrations with New Moon’s 2024 CNY choices right here.

5. Bengawan Solo

Bengawan Solo is considered one of Singapore’s most profitable bakery chains, famend for his or her Nyonya-styled desserts and pastries.

The bakery chain was based by Indonesia-born Anastasia Tjendri-Liew after she emigrated to Singapore in 1970. Anastasia initially began making butter, chiffon desserts, and kueh lapis at her four-room flat in Marine Parade.

She bought these desserts to her associates and acquaintances, and the recognition of her confections grew by phrase of mouth — a lot in order that she started to provide them to supermarkets and retailers, with one division retailer in Fortunate Plaza even establishing a retail counter to showcase her items.

Nonetheless, in 1979, officers from the Ministry of Well being instructed Anastasia to cease supplying retailers from her dwelling kitchen as she didn’t have a meals manufacturing licence. She then ceased operations from dwelling, however as folks nonetheless demanded her bakes, she arrange the primary Bengawan Solo outlet at Marine Terrace just a few months later.

Because the enterprise grew and registered income, the variety of Bengawan Solo retailers elevated yearly because the enterprise reported income and turnover grew yearly. In the present day, the bakery chain operates over 40 retailers in Singapore.

Anastasia’s son, Henry Liew, joined the corporate as a advertising and marketing government instantly after graduating with a enterprise administration diploma from the Nationwide College of Singapore in 2002. Presently, he serves as Bengawan Solo’s director, persevering with the legacy of this thriving bakery chain.

For CNY 2024, the enterprise is providing a wide range of reward hampers and baked items to rejoice the festive season. Skip the inconvenience by ordering immediately from their web site.

Honourable point out: Golden Moments

Golden Moments was based by Josiah Jeremy in 2017, who constructed the model on the thought of “bringing collectively households and family members by the shared love of durians”.

Their very first product — the Signature 100% Mao Shan Wang Snow Pores and skin Mooncake — obtained an amazing response, with the product being bought out in a single month and the model attaining a six-figure digit.

If this isn’t a testomony to their distinctive high quality, I don’t know what’s. Though the model began with mooncake merchandise, they’ve shortly expanded past this conventional delicacy to incorporate a wide range of items, resembling the Signature Mao Shan Wang Galaxy Cake and Golden QQ (durian balls which are ‘mochi’-like).

For CNY specifically, Golden Moments has launched artisan honey bak kwa and pandan pineapple tarts, which may be ordered individually or as a bundle. Head to their web site to position your order and savour Golden Moments’ delectable choices.

Featured Picture Credit score: KELE/ New Moon/ Lim Chee Guan/ Tai Chong Kok