Spilling the beans on Oriental Kopi

Who's behind this multi-million Ringgit kopitiam empire?

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Vulcan Post
February 14, 2025

Say what you want about Oriental Kopi’s food—their RM43 million in profits for 2024 points to a clear demand for what they offer.

But who’s making all this money? Following their recent listing, more details of the brand have emerged through their IPO prospectus.

We went through it, and it seems that Oriental Kopi’s founders are no strangers to running a successful F&B business.

For you today, we have:

  • The deets on Oriental Kopi’s founders and the company’s money moves

  • The low-profile founders behind beloved Malaysian burger brand, KGB

  • The story of a 111-year-old soy sauce manufacturer in Perak that recently shut down

📢 A business primed for success from the start?

💰 Oriental Kopi’s founders know how to run a business. They’re the same names responsible for Black Whale (bubble tea), and have had a hand in growing brands like Cunfry (Korean street food) and Beautea. But safe to say, Oriental Kopi is their most successful business by far.

Grab a coffee, here’s your to-read list:

 🫘 “I have no choice but to close it.” These are the bittersweet words uttered by 72-year-old Tong, who owns this 111-year-old soy sauce manufacturing company in Gopeng, Perak. Desiring to retire but with no one to inherit the business, he made this difficult decision.

🍔 Auditors with a love for American comfort food are to thank for us having KGB (Killer Gourmet Burgers) to enjoy. Steven and Joey left corporate life for a new adventure, and it’s been over a decade since, with KGB’s steady expansion set to continue.

🎂 Crafting complex cakes is the business of choice for this Sarawakian entrepreneur. After burning out as a commercial kitchen chef, she chose to pursue making beautifully intricate kek lapis. It’s not an easy job, but it’s one she enjoys much, much more.

They pioneered the restaurant cafe scene in Taman Paramount

And Awesome Canteen is still going strong 11 years in, even branching out with sister brands Chipta 11a and Waig.

A failed restaurant was just their next success in the making

bröom Artisan Bakery is the result of the founders’ lessons from their first business, which failed from poor market research.

Taking their biz from hawker stall to 2 brick-and-mortar stores

They initially weren’t confident in themselves and the product, but the support they got blew them away.

He’s elevating the patisserie scene in Melaka with his venture

While it’s a smaller market than KL, he sees it as a way to stand out and build a loyal customer base.

Spotlight on GIOIA

🍦 Malaysia already has too many dessert spots, and even gelato isn’t a rarity nowadays. So, why did this team choose to enter a saturated market, and how exactly do they plan to stand out?

The short answer: A premium positioning, and a team of experienced professionals at their craft (30 years’ worth of experience, to be specific).

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Turning passion into profit…

Yes, we do have a TikTok too, where our articles can be watched in bite-sized videos! Click on the thumbnails to watch the videos!

☕ RM50K capital to 9 outlets and counting: When it came time to start his venture, this entrepreneur turned to something that had been by his side throughout his time in uni—coffee. Armed with a loan from his dad, he’s since turned that capital into a cafe chain and roastery, with plans for regional expansion.

🥯 From abandoned house to viral bagel cafe: If you’ve not heard of them, sorry to say, you’ve probably been living under a rock. Grumpy Bagels was started by an ex-flight attendant who loved New York bagels and noticed a gap for such offerings here. So, she did something about it.

🍜 Homemade noods that go for RM100/bowl: It started with the founder recreating a dish for her dad on Father’s Day—his favourite cold capellini. He took one bite and said, “You should sell this.” Kyeli’s noodles aren’t basic by any means, with fresh premium seafood like uni, scallops, and salmon roe being a staple of her dish.