It even had shops in South Africa
In Singapore, few snack manufacturers are as ubiquitous as Outdated Chang Kee. Chances are high, you’ve grabbed a curry puff, sotong head, or fried rooster wing from them in some unspecified time in the future.
In any case, the model operates greater than 80 shops throughout Singapore, and almost 30 extra abroad—a scale that cements its standing as one of many nation’s most recognisable homegrown F&B manufacturers.
However what many may not know is that the corporate’s worldwide ambitions haven’t all the time gone in response to plan. After tasting failure in its earlier abroad push, it took years earlier than Outdated Chang Kee determined to enterprise out once more—this time, extra cautious and much more calculated.
So what went mistaken the primary time round? And what’s it doing in a different way now to keep away from repeating historical past?
An aggressive enlargement push
Outdated Chang Kee initially started modestly in 1956, when Hainanese immigrant Chang Chuan Boon arrange a small curry puff stall at Koek Street. After stints at Albert Avenue and later Mackenzie Street close to Rex Cinema, its puffs, offered at S$0.35 every, turned affectionately often known as the “Rex curry puffs.”
The turning level for the enterprise got here in 1986, when Chang retired and offered the enterprise to Han Eager Juan. With S$70,000 pooled from traders, Han took over the Mackenzie Street stall and set about modernising what had been a humble hawker operation.
He rebranded the enterprise with a brand new emblem and the tagline “Outdated Chang Kee—it’s a greater puff,” standardised recipes, mechanised manufacturing, and slowly expanded throughout Singapore.
By 1991, the corporate had 12 shops and income had greater than doubled to S$1.6 million. A manufacturing facility in Ubi was additionally arrange, churning out over 10,000 curry puffs a day.
Then got here the model’s aggressive abroad push.
Between 1993 and 1997, Outdated Chang Kee quickly expanded by franchises into eight nations, together with Malaysia, Indonesia, China, Japan, India and even South Africa. Gross sales in Indonesia and Malaysia alone surpassed S$1 million by 1994.
Declining gross sales & mounting high quality complaints
Whereas the expansion was fast, it was sadly tough to maintain.
Abroad franchisees started going through declining gross sales and mounting complaints over product high quality and consistency.
The model’s CFO, Tune Yeow Chung, advised Vulcan Put up that in its first abroad push, Outdated Chang Kee exported solely curry powder, leaving franchisees to organize the remainder of the spice combine on their very own, a mannequin that led to variations in style throughout markets.
Model familiarity was one other problem.
Tune famous that within the Nineteen Nineties, worldwide journey was far much less frequent than it’s right now. Shoppers in abroad markets have been largely unfamiliar with Outdated Chang Kee and had little prior publicity to its merchandise or model identification.
By 2002, the abroad shops had ultimately grow to be unprofitable. Han made the choice to terminate all 24 franchises, incurring losses of round S$50,000.
Doubling down on Singapore
Whereas its worldwide ventures faltered, Outdated Chang Kee doubled down on its Singapore development, recording S$14 million in gross sales that yr.
At this time, the model operates 77 Outdated Chang Kee shops, alongside two sub-brands, together with Curry Instances, a curry‑themed restaurant idea, and Dip N Go, a seize‑and‑go idea centered on snack objects paired with sauces, bringing its whole footprint in Singapore to round 82 shops.
Consistency is on the coronary heart of its technique. The curry puff recipe—a core trademark—has remained unchanged through the years, a lot in order that it’s locked in a protected, inaccessible even to the CFO.
Whereas the curry puff stays the model’s flagship product, Outdated Chang Kee has additionally progressively diversified its choices and expanded its menu.
“We now have merchandise just like the steamed curry bao, massive curry buns, and we’ve collaborated with different gamers to introduce a curry sandwich. We’re attempting to innovate past the core product, however not transferring too distant from it,” defined Tune.
Seasonal ranges, just like the rooster mushroom puff, are examined in small batches. In the event that they resonate with clients, they’re added completely to the menu. The model leverages its massive central kitchen, able to producing as much as 50,000 curry puffs day by day, to run these experiments.
“It’s a fixed collection of small experiments,” Tune mentioned. “The experiments don’t value us loads, and are simply reversible in case they don’t work out.”
These efforts earned Outdated Chang Kee the General Winner Award within the Product Excellence class on the Singapore Manufacturing Federation’s inaugural Singapore Innovation and Manufacturing Excellence Awards (SIMEA) 2026, recognising its dedication to high quality, innovation, and pushing boundaries within the manufacturing sector.
A extra measured abroad technique
The identical strategy now guides the model’s abroad technique.
When the corporate formally re‑entered worldwide markets in 2005, it prioritised strict high quality management, establishing regional factories to make sure its curry puffs tasted constant throughout borders.
As an alternative of transport curry powder, the corporate now sends ready-made curry paste, decreasing preparation steps for franchisees. Merchandise are additionally tailored for native tastes, with roughly 70% of choices sustaining the core identification and 30% customised.
Markets are additionally chosen extra strategically, with a deal with nations like Malaysia and Indonesia, the place fried meals are widespread, and curry flavours resonate with native palates. The corporate operates round 30 shops in Indonesia, run by a grasp franchisee, and three in Malaysia.
London is one other market the corporate has focused. Whereas it could appear unconventional, the transfer into the nation in 2017 is a part of Outdated Chang Kee’s technique to experiment internationally whereas leveraging Singapore’s culinary status.
The transfer appears to have labored out: the corporate has been in London for almost a decade, interesting to shoppers with a style for curry.
However not all worldwide experiments have been as profitable for Outdated Chang Kee, resembling its enlargement into Perth.
Whereas the market was initially chosen for its massive inhabitants of Malaysians and Singaporeans, the particular outlet location—a suburban procuring centre with restricted footfall—in the end failed to draw sufficient clients, resulting in its closure.
The corporate is now exploring whether or not relocating to a city-centre location might make the enterprise viable.
Rising within the retail & non-retail area
As a homegrown F&B model with a long time of expertise, these classes have performed an essential position in shaping Outdated Chang Kee’s technique, guiding its selections each at dwelling and overseas.
When requested about future abroad ventures, the corporate stays open to new alternatives—albeit with a extra cautious and calculated strategy.
On the similar time, sustaining and rising its Singapore footprint stays simply as essential, notably in a aggressive and ever-changing F&B panorama.
“At present, we’ve got 82 shops in Singapore,” Tune mentioned. “For comparability, Starbucks has round 140 shops and McDonald’s, over 150. So there’s nonetheless leeway for us to develop to 140 or 150 shops—there’s promise in Singapore for additional enlargement.”
Past simply retail, Outdated Chang Kee can be exploring different income streams to drive development.
Whereas over 90% of income nonetheless comes from its shops, the model’s non-retail segments, together with supply, catering, and occasion companies, are increasing “a lot quicker,” and are seen as key areas for future development.
Supply and packaged meals enable the corporate to achieve extra clients with out the constraints of storefront manpower, whereas catering ranges from small workplace orders to full-scale company occasions. The model’s O’ My Darling meals truck additionally participates in nationwide initiatives, such because the Nationwide Day Parade, providing free snacks to individuals whereas boosting model visibility.
Tune famous that these non-retail initiatives are supported by Outdated Chang Kee’s robust model recognition and Halal certification.
“Companies already know and belief Outdated Chang Kee, so that they’re keen to order our bento meals or catered snacks. Being Halal-certified additionally means our merchandise might be served to everybody, which is a giant benefit for company purchasers.”
- Learn different articles we’ve written on Singaporean companies right here.
Featured Picture Credit score: Outdated Chang Kee/ @eileen_eats_alot by way of Instagram
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