Open For Business

Today on Open For Business, we’re melting into the world of Chocolate Concierge, a brand redefining chocolate by showcasing Malaysia’s rich cacao heritage and crafting bold, unforgettable flavours. Founded by Ong Ning Geng, it’s more than just a chocolatier — it’s a quest to create meaningful experiences through sustainable practices and local innovation. We'll explore how Chocolate Concierge is becoming the go-to brand for thoughtful gifting and indulgence.

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With so many fast-growing beverage brands crowding the market, is there really room for one focusing on juices and smoothies? The former CEO of Foodpanda Malaysia and Brunei certainly thinks so, having raised USD 1 million in seed funding from 500 Global and BEENEXT to fuel his new venture, Being Juice.

In this episode of Open for Business, we explore how this Malaysian startup is tapping into the booming “to-go” market by blending nutrition with convenience. Founder and CEO Sayantan Das shares how Being Juice aims to reshape consumer snacking, positioning fruit-based drinks as healthier, between-meal options.

With 8 outlets launched since April 2023—including one in the Philippines—and a fresh USD 1 million seed round, the company highlights the pivotal roles of technology, data, and lean operations in driving rapid expansion.

Drawing on lessons from his previous leadership role at Foodpanda, Sayantan discusses the challenges of building an authentic, service-driven experience, maintaining cost-efficiency, and ensuring speedy turnaround times. He also outlines ambitions for cross-border growth, aiming to build a new wave of beverage culture across Southeast Asia.

Listen in to learn more about:

- The rationale for positioning juices and smoothies as “healthy snacking”

- Balancing rapid expansion with operational sustainability

- Improving margins through lean store formats and data insights

- Lessons from a major food-tech venture and how they apply here

- Approaches to scaling across Malaysia and the Philippines

- Building a service-first culture for top-notch customer experiences

- Using product R&D to keep offerings fresh, natural, and sugar-free

- How a million-dollar seed round powers future growth and potential cross-border partnerships

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Collektr in 2025: 10X revenue, raise Series A funding, push regionally, hire right. In this episode of Open for Business, we explore how Malaysian startup Collektr is tapping into the booming collectibles market, blending nostalgia with investment potential. From trading cards and comics to sneakers and beyond, Collektr wants to transform how enthusiasts trade, value, and showcase collectibles.

With over 40,000 users and $1.3 million raised in Pre-Series A funding, Founder and CEO Adlin Yusman shares the platform’s journey, highlighting the pivotal roles of AI, technology, live streaming, and community. Drawing on lessons learned from the failure of his previous venture, BeMalas, Adlin, discusses the challenges of ensuring authenticity, facilitating high-value transactions, and navigating a high-value collectibles market. He also highlights Collektr’s impressive growth since its launch in April 2023 and the company’s ambitious plans for regional expansion and achieving 10X revenue growth by 2025.

Adlin also shares his preference for an M&A exit strategy to deliver liquidity for investors and reveals that the company is actively raising its Series A round to capitalise on the growing collectibles boom.

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Discover the journey of Double C, a wellness brand focused on handmade remedies and aromatherapy, with a holistic approach to enhancing physical and emotional well-being. From crafting unique therapeutic products to overcoming entrepreneurial challenges and fostering a community through education, this conversation with certified aromatherapist and Founder of Double C, Christine Looi, discusses the art of balancing passion, creativity, and sustainability.

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How can home renovation become both more affordable and more environmentally friendly? In this episode of Open For Business, we spotlight a Malaysian startup that’s transforming surplus and overstocked building materials into savings for homeowners while cutting down on construction waste.

Founded in 2017, HOMA is now an 8-figure revenue business that runs an online marketplace that reintroduces “new but unsold” supplies back into the renovation ecosystem, helping customers save money and reducing unnecessary landfill waste. We delve into its founding story, uncover how the platform serves both suppliers and end users, and examine the importance of sustainability in its business model.

We also explore the venture’s growth trajectory, including a successful Pre-Series A fundraise of US$1.5 million that’s powering expansions beyond Malaysia. Plus, discover why the team wants to tap into an M&A first and an IPO later to grow the business in the longer term.

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Today, we explore the story of a café that’s redefining the art of artisanal baking. Set in a warm, inviting atmosphere and with carefully crafted baked goods, Dou Dou Bake combines sustainability, mindfulness, and impeccable design to create a unique sensory experience. Keith Koay, the Founder of Dou Dou Bake, shares his journey, from the inspiration behind this iconic café to the challenges of scaling an artisanal business, and uncover what makes it stand out in both taste and experience.

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From supplying kopitiams to launching grab-and-go kiosks, this 81-year-old Penang coffee roastery is determined to modernise its Nanyang heritage and scale nationwide, and maybe take on ZUS. In this episode, we explore how a fourth-generation CEO balances family legacy with modern strategy—preserving artisanal roasting methods while introducing newer product lines like instant coffee and Nitro-infused local brews.

We delve into the rationale behind concept stores, the challenges of bridging tradition with innovation, and how these shifts cater to evolving consumer tastes. We also discuss why the company is seeking equity funding to fuel its ambitious expansion—while keeping an ACE Market listing in view.

Along the way, discover how it manages rising coffee bean prices, invests in equipment upgrades, and pioneers a kiosk model to bring old-world flavours to new generations of coffee lovers across Malaysia.

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A pregnancy craving launched an online sourdough bakery that now wants to be the homemade alternative to Subway and O’Briens. In this episode, we explore how this husband-wife duo shifted from online to B2B and B2C retail—testing cloud kitchens, kiosk models, and central production to carve a niche in Malaysia’s competitive F&B space. DIve into how they balance product quality, branding, and expansion plans as they strive to become a go-to local sandwich chain.

Here are some AI-generated highlights of key areas covered in the conversation:

- Pandemic Beginnings: What started as a personal sourdough craving in Kota Bharu led to an online store and unexpected demand, fueling the move into the Klang Valley.

- Cloud Kitchen Trials: To minimise overhead, the business initially relied on a cloud kitchen model, offering a lower-risk way to test the market in Kuala Lumpur.

- B2B to B2C Pivot: After supplying major retail marts, the founders realised that consignment-based sales lacked control, steering them to build their own brand presence via brick-and-mortar outlets.

- Focus on Sandwiches: Adapting to local breakfast and lunch habits, they are shifting to a sandwich-centric model—blending artisanal sourdough with grab-and-go convenience to meet Malaysia’s F&B needs.

- Scaling with Central Kitchens: Centralising production ensures consistent product quality while reducing costs, allowing for multiple retail kiosks and expansion into mature neighborhoods.

- Balancing Costs and Margins: They share insights on navigating overhead challenges, from refining kiosk concepts to adjusting product offerings, in pursuit of healthier profit margins.

- Sights on Expansion: Future plans include opening more sandwich outlets, securing potential funding through equity sales, and leveraging strategic partnerships while maintaining control of product quality.

- A Homegrown Vision: Aiming to become a recognised local sandwich brand—on par with global chains—the founders remain committed to artisanal quality and a distinctly Malaysian identity.

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Today on Open For Business, we speak to Edwin Wang, Co-Founder and CEO of Signature Market, a brand that’s making nutritious meals and healthy snacking more accessible to Malaysians. From its humble beginnings to becoming a household name both online and in stores, Signature Market’s journey is one of resilience and growth. We uncover the story behind its success, explore the challenges faced, and discover the exciting plans that lie ahead for the brand.

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Why and how did a B2C storage company pivot into a B2B e-commerce fulfillment platform, now supporting over 38 local and international brands and managing fulfillment for more than 100 online stores across platforms like Shopee, Lazada, TikTokShop, and Shopify? In this episode of Open For Business, we uncover the story of FlyBear, a Malaysian e-commerce fulfillment company, with Co-Founder and Managing Director, David Buri.

FlyBear’s mission is clear: to help businesses focus on growth while it handles the complexities of warehousing, picking, packing, and delivery.

Join us as we dive into FlyBear’s origin story, its spin-off from Storage Bloc in 2021, the journey from storage to fulfillment, and the pivotal milestones along the way. We’ll also discuss the challenges of building a logistics business, key areas of growth ahead, and whether an M&A or IPO could be in FlyBear’s future.

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