After losing $140k in F&B over 14 years, man starts afresh with home-based kopitiam

While most might have called it quits after failing the first time, one man decided that he'll continue trying again and again, even if it means starting from scratch.

In an interview with AsiaOne on Thursday (Oct 8), Kok Bing Hui, who goes by Anders, said that he had run nine different food concepts over the last 14 years — and they have all shuttered.

These range from crepes and salad stores, to mala xiang guo and korean fried chicken concepts, among others. Most of them were food court stalls.

His total losses over that period amounted to $140,000, the 39-year-old revealed.

The reasons for closure vary. His salad shop, which used to operate at the Singapore Management University, was "doing quite well".

But after increasing prices "due to greed", sales began to decline. It was also difficult sustaining revenue during school holiday periods.

"I find it a pity to close eventually as I was there for seven years," said Anders.

Other of his business closures were due mainly to quality control. He shared that it's challenging to maintain standards at his shops without being physically present.

"If you don't go down to take a look at your own business, the quality and customer service will often be compromised.

"Especially in F&B, it's hard to find good and trustworthy staff," he said, adding that in reality, being a boss often means having less free time than imagined.

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A home-based restart

The multitude of setbacks hasn't deterred the father of two.

He did think of "calling it quits" in June after his lease for a food stall ended, pointing out that the rental and manpower costs in the F&B industry are brutal.

However, he recalls an overseas trip he made with his family to Guangzhou, China last year, which continues to spark something in him to persevere.

While enjoying a beverage there, he was reminded of Singapore's own coffee shop culture and its quintessential items — kopi, teh and kaya toast.

"What if kaya toast could become a drink?" he thought to himself. That idea was the genesis of his current venture Anders' Brew, a home-based drinks stall he started in August.

The home-based kopitiam, as he calls it, offers modern takes on local coffee shop favourites.

There are twists on teh tarik and Nanyang-style kopi, as well as novel creations like a kaya toast drink and a mango pomelo dessert beverage. Prices range from $3.90 to $4.90.

Drinks may come with toppings and add-ons such as pandan foam, soy beancurd and mochi — instead of the usual tapioca pearls found at bubble tea stores.

"I didn't want to open another ordinary home-based coffee shop. I want to build something that connects with where I came from," he explained.

Resourcing was also a factor he considered.

As he felt drained from running commercial F&B businesses for over a decade, and did not have much savings left, Anders thought that starting from his home kitchen would be best.

Other than saving on rent, deposits and fittings, there was also no need to purchase bulky equipment needed for preparing food, as he only sells drinks.

It cost him less than $1,000 to set everything up, including equipment, disposable cups, first batch of ingredients and miscellaneous items like lids and straws.

The added benefit is that he is not bound by traditional operating hours, and has the flexibility to stay home to take care of the house and kids.

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It runs in the family

The itch to start an F&B business has its roots in Anders' childhood, when he was helping out at his father's now-defunct coffee shop, Ju Seng Huat, which began in 1993.

While working there as a teenager, he learned the tricks of the trade — from managing supplier relations and customer service, to prep work and making traditional drinks.

A core memory formed when the aunties and uncles praised him for his well made kopi and teh.

"Since then, whenever somebody gives a good comment on what I am selling, I always have this kind of satisfaction or achievement in my heart," said Anders.

"Vice versa as well. If something is bad I will feel like I have done a bad job. I will be demoralised for a while and I will tell myself to learn from it. So, this passion of mine is still very strong even today."

When he got older, Anders even offered to take over the coffee shop from his dad but was rejected.

"He said that running a coffee shop is very tiring. He doesn't want me to follow in his footsteps," he explained.

Eventually, his father, who also owns the shophouse space where the business was run, sold the building in 2020, ending the venture.

While the duo did attempt to revive Ju Seng Huat at an industrial canteen later on, it was short-lived due to operational difficulties and stagnant cashflow.

A family to feed

The practical realities of life are not lost on Anders, especially since he has a young family of his own to consider.

While his kids are still too young to understand what their father is doing, his wife did question him regarding his decision to continue.

"'Your business become like that you still want to do F&B ah'", recalls Anders on what his wife once told him.

"But to be fair, she is supportive. I told her to give me six to nine months to make [Anders' Brew] work. If it doesn't, I will go find a job."

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And so far, things are looking up.

Open since August, Anders' Brew has sold 500 cups as of Oct 5. This averages out to eight to 10 cups sold per day.

"I think it's ok for a start," said Anders.

"I am neither disappointed nor happy. For someone who doesn't know much about marketing prior to doing this, this figure serves as a starting point for me to want to do even better."

His current customer base mostly come from within a few kilometers of his home near Woodleigh MRT station.

Occasionally, he will do free bulk delivery for customers further away if it's convenient for him to do so. He once engaged a Grab Express delivery for a customer staying in Punggol as she didn't mind paying for the service.

Anders also picked up content creation as a way to create awareness for his business.

He learned to script, film and edit videos, and is posting regularly to engage with his customers-to-be.

"For the next few months, I hope more and more people will come to know who I am, what I am doing and what Anders' Brew is," he said.

Further afield, he intends to share more about the home-based business model as a way to inspire aspiring F&B entrepreneurs, especially for parents like himself who have to juggle between priorities of family and income.

"If anyone is looking to start their own F&B businesses in Singapore, start small," advised Anders, citing his earlier moves into food courts as a calculated risk.

"If I had opened a cafe or a restaurant at the start of my journey, I cannot imagine where I would be today."

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dannon.har@asiaone.com