Uncertainty to opportunity: Two men from different backgrounds turn their love of durians into a business

Two young men from different walks of life have found success together in an unlikely setting: a durian specialty store. 

Speaking to AsiaOne, business partners Patrick Chua, 28, and Jay Lee, 29, shared how their durian business, PJ's Fruits, came to fruition after a chance meeting that evolved into a partnership built on a shared passion for durians.

"Patrick originally started a fruit store, and I was one of his customers. We hit it off quite naturally, and because of our shared love for durians, we decided to start a durian business together," Lee said.

Lee added that the name PJ's was also derived from the initials of both founders. Today, the business has gained traction online, with more than 5,000 TikTok followers and videos reaching over 72,500 views.

Before their online visibility, Lee said his early working life was marked by uncertainty. 

"After completing secondary school and national service, I took on various odd jobs but struggled to find direction. I had no idea what I wanted to do in life during that period," he said.

For Chua, who is Malaysian and a graduate of Chinese literature from National Taipei University, the business carries deeper personal meaning. 

Chua told AsiaOne that his father had previously attempted to expand a durian business into Singapore but was unsuccessful.

"My dad had previously attempted to expand his durian business in Singapore although he already had one in Malaysia. In order to continue and fulfil my dad's unachieved dream, I decided to move to Singapore to build a durian business here," said Chua. 

Challenges with inventory and slow sales

However, the journey was not without challenges. In the early stages of building the business, the pair said they had to combine almost all of their savings to get it started, and they also faced slow sales and excess inventory.

"Patrick and I had to exhaust all our hard-earned savings to start this business. It's a gamble for sure, but never know if it will become successful unless we try,” said Lee.

To cope with these difficulties, they turned to livestreaming, sometimes continuing until as late as 3am in an effort to clear their existing stock.

"We once had more than 100 kilograms left at midnight, but those late-night livestreams also brought in customers," Lee recalled.

"It is not easy, but both of us knew the effort we had to put in for this business to work."

When asked if he had any advice for young people starting a business, Chua said it is all about reinventing oneself and being creative.

"Working hard is one thing, but finding something you are passionate about and learning how to make it work is just as important," he said. 

"The people you partner with and work alongside also really matter."

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xingying.koh@asiaone.com