How HarriAnns grew a pushcart biz into a cafe chain

Singapore is thought to be an epicentre for native delights and cuisines. Even at the moment, we nonetheless have many eating places and cafes that provide tastes from the previous. 

HarriAnns Nonya Desk is one such cafe chain that has grown along with Singapore over time. It’s a family-run enterprise that sells conventional nonya kueh and different genuine Peranakan one-dish meals.

HarriAnns has very humble beginnings as a pushcart stall within the Forties. It will definitely opened its flagship outlet within the Fifties, within the type of a market stall situated on the Tiong Bahru Meals Centre.

Over time, they determined to additional develop the enterprise by opening their very first Peranakan-themed cafe in Bugis again in July 2014.

“We wished to revolutionise the notion of nonya kueh and elevate it from an merchandise present in a market and appeared upon as very conventional to one thing extra unique and fashionable,” mentioned Alan Tan Thuan Yong, CEO of HarriAnns. 

Being the primary in Singapore to pair native kopi and kueh as a retail idea, HarriAnns has managed to remain related amidst altering instances, whereas conserving its F&B heritage alive. 

Right now, they’ve since expanded to develop into a mini chain of cafes in Singapore, with retailers in Suntec Metropolis, Ocean Monetary Centre in addition to the Keppel Bay Tower.

A mom’s love within the type of a pushcart stall

HarriAnns’ origins dates again to the time when Madam Chia Nga Eng misplaced her husband to a freak accident within the Forties. 

To make ends meet and to lift her two youngsters, she relied on her cooking abilities. Peddling her personal sticky glutinous rice and a few forms of nonya kueh in a pushcart, one may at all times discover Madam Chia promoting these native delights within the Tiong Bahru space, regardless of rain or shine.  

Ultimately, she managed to save lots of up sufficient cash to hire a stall within the Tiong Bahru Market at Seng Poh Street, which was a crucial step since hawkering on the streets turned unlawful. 

Madam Chia, who has contributed to the native meals scene in Singapore via HarriAnns and whose love saved her household going over time handed away in 2019, leaving the enterprise to her son and daughter-in-law Harry and Annie, therefore the title ‘HarriAnns’.

Challenges over time

Taking the reins was no straightforward job, for working a pushcart enterprise will be very totally different from working a bodily retailer.

Alan factors out {that a} pushcart enterprise primarily is dependent upon one particular person, whereas a bodily retailer relies upon rather a lot on the footfall of the mall the shop is situated in. 

“Numerous different elements additionally come [into] play in a bodily retailer like rental, manpower points and so forth”, he provides.

Nonetheless, reconceptualising a conventional market merchandise and selling out of the market right into a mall setting was the principle problem for HarriAnns. 

Alan, who beforehand served because the CEO of Certis Cisco Malaysia, highlights that he and his spouse Sharon needed to regulate to rigorous hours of a hawker. Making nonya kueh and manning the Tiong Bahru Market stall whereas additionally constructing a group was a protracted and tiresome course of. 

In the end, all these hardships they went via to proceed the household’s legacy and a dying commerce in Singapore have been all price it. The initially empty area alongside Victoria Avenue was remodeled right into a bustling walkway with the institution of HarriAnns there.

Being a one-stop cafe providing all issues Peranakan handmade from scratch, their meals menu which presents savoury meals comparable to Curry Rooster, Nonya Laksa and Fish Soup, to native truffles and pastries comparable to Ondeh Ondeh Cake, Pandan Kaya Fudge and Pandan Chiffon.

These gained common acclaim amongst shoppers, with vacationers from all around the world additionally coming all the way down to attempt what they needed to supply.  

In addition to their best-selling Ondeh Ondeh, Kueh Salat and Kueh Rainbow Lapis, their signature artisanal Nonya Kueh stays the important thing attraction.

“We nonetheless, to today, serve Grandma’s sticky white glutinous rice, and we’re one of many previous couple of meals outlets in Singapore to cook dinner the glutinous rice the way in which we do”, shares Alan.

Adapting comes naturally 

Having a menu symbolic of the Peranakan tradition, Alan emphasises that HarriAnns helps to maintain the native Peranakan tradition alive in a “fast-moving world”.

HarriAnns and Singapore have grown and advanced collectively. We’ve got amassed a following for the reason that Forties of people who find themselves discerning connoisseurs of native delicacies, clients who admire the handmade artisanal high quality of our Nonya Kueh in addition to the value-for-money Nonya meals.

– Alan Tan Thuan Yong, CEO of HarriAnns

Having tailored to altering instances, HarriAnns managed to do the identical in the course of the pandemic when lockdowns have been imposed.

Regardless that their gross sales plummeted since they weren’t allowed to function their dine-in shops, HarriAnns was fast on their ft to pivot to on-line methods comparable to promoting on Fb’s “Hawker United” pages or having livestreams to achieve out to a wider viewers. 

Alan recollects that additionally they took orders by way of WhatsApp even within the wee hours of the evening and made use of group purchase platforms to push their gross sales. Furthermore, additionally they produced ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook gadgets to cater to individuals who labored from house in the course of the pandemic. 

Since then, operations have stabilised, permitting HarriAnns to pursue additional targets and plans.

Alan shares that apart from creating a brand new vary of ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook genuine Peranakan merchandise for native and abroad exports, HarriAnns is trying to develop their manufacturing area and transfer into a brand new central kitchen in Bedok Meals Metropolis. 

“We’ll proceed to carry our good Peranakan meals to the heartlands by participating in additional pop-up kiosks in addition to have plans to open extra Peranakan cafes within the heartlands”, he provides.

As well as, to contribute to the household’s legacy, Ethan Tan, Madam Chia’s great-grandson and Alan’s son, printed a e-book titled “Happiness is Handmade – a Peranakan Meals Legacy in Singapore” that highlights the heartwarming snippets of the 4 generations of the Tan household which have saved HarriAnns booming over time.

Featured Picture credit score: HarriAnn’s Pte Ltd