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{{coord|1.3|103.8|type:country_dim:60km_region:SG|display=title}}
{{good article}}
{{good article}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2012}}
{{Use Singapore English|date=September 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox company
{{Infobox company
| name = Ya Kun Kaya Toast
| name = Ya Kun Kaya Toast
| logo = Ya Kun Kaya Toast logo.jpg
| logo = Ya Kun Kaya Toast logo.jpg
| image = YaKunOrchardSGP.jpg
| image_size = 280
| image_caption = A Ya Kun Kaya Toast stall in [[Orchard Road|Orchard]], Singapore
| type = [[Private company|Private]]
| type = [[Private company|Private]]
| founder = Loi Ah Koon
| founder = Loi Ah Koon
Line 24: Line 27:
| key_people = Adrin Loi (Executive chairman) <br> Algie Loi
| key_people = Adrin Loi (Executive chairman) <br> Algie Loi
| industry = [[Food and Beverage]]
| industry = [[Food and Beverage]]
| products = [[Kaya toast]]
| products = [[Kaya toast]]<br />[[Singaporean cuisine]]
| operating_income =
| operating_income =
| net_income =
| net_income =
Line 32: Line 35:
| homepage = {{url|yakun.com}}
| homepage = {{url|yakun.com}}
| footnotes =
| footnotes =
| logo_caption = The logo of Ya Kun Kaya Toast contains [[Chinese calligraphy]] of the company name.
| foundation = [[Telok Ayer|Telok Ayer Basin]], [[Singapore]] <br> {{start date and age|df=yes|1944}}
| foundation = [[Telok Ayer|Telok Ayer Basin]], [[Singapore]] <br> {{start date and age|df=yes|1944}}
| location = 237 Alexandra Road, [[Singapore]]
| location = 237 Alexandra Road, [[Singapore]]
}}
}}


'''Ya Kun Kaya Toast'''{{efn|{{zh|s=亚坤加椰面包}}}} is a Singaporean multinational chain of mass-market, retro-ambience [[café]]s selling toast products, most notably [[kaya toast]], soft-boiled eggs and coffee. Founded by Loi Ah Koon in 1944, Ya Kun remained a small family-run stall for decades, but has expanded rapidly since Loi's youngest son headed the business in 1999. The chain has over fifty outlets, mostly [[franchising|franchised]], across 14 countries, and is a [[Culture of Singapore|Singaporean cultural icon]], known for its traditional brand identity and conservative, people-centric corporate culture.
'''Ya Kun Kaya Toast''',{{efn|{{zh|s=亚坤加椰面包}}}} often colloquially known just as '''Ya Kun''', is a [[Singapore]]an [[Multinational corporation|multinational]] chain of mass-market, retro-ambience [[café]]s selling toast products, most notably the country's [[kaya toast]], soft-boiled eggs and coffee.
Founded by Loi Ah Koon in 1944, Ya Kun remained a small family-run stall for decades, but has expanded rapidly since Loi's youngest son headed the business in 1999. The chain has over fifty outlets across 14 countries, and has been considered a [[Culture of Singapore|Singaporean cultural icon]] known for its traditional brand identity and conservative, people-centric corporate culture.

Aside from kaya toast, the chain especially at its overseas outlets also sells dishes of [[Singaporean cuisine]], including [[Hainanese chicken rice]] and [[Katong laksa]].


==History==
==History==
⚫
[[File:SingaporeKayaToast2.jpg|thumb|right|Kaya toast with boiled eggs and coffee is the signature dish of Ya Kun Kaya Toast.]]
In 1926, Loi Ah Koon{{efn|{{zh|s=黎亚坤}}}} emigrated from [[Hainan]] to [[Singapore]], where he worked as a coffee-stall assistant.<ref name="sixty">{{cite news|last=Tan|first=Lei|script-title=zh:60年烘焙出来的商誉|trans-title=Good reputation of brand built over 60 years|work=[[Lianhe Zaobao]]|date=29 June 2003|lang=zh}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|first=Lydia|last=Vasko|url=https://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/travel/a-taste-of-home-abroad|title=A taste of home abroad|work=[[The Straits Times]]|date=18 February 2018}}</ref> He later went on to start his own business with two other immigrants. They sold coffee, crackers and toast at [[Telok Ayer]] Basin,<ref name="war">{{Cite news|last=Teo|first=Pau Lin|title=Kaya war spreads|work=[[The Straits Times]]|date=17 August 2003}}</ref> however, his two partners later dropped out, leaving him to run the stall alone.<ref name="sixty"/><ref name="town">{{cite news|title=Toast of the town|work=[[Business Times (Singapore)|The Business Times]]|date=24 June 2003}}</ref> He married while visiting relatives in Hainan, his wife later settled down with him in Singapore. She worked alongside him and later suggested cutting each slice of bread into half and combining the toast with her homemade [[kaya (jam)|kaya]], this became their signature kaya toast.<ref name="sixty"/><ref name="tophist">{{harvnb|Koh|2010|pp=1–6}}</ref> Registered in 1944 as Ya Kun Coffeestall (Ya Kun being Ah Koon in [[Pinyin|Hanyu Pinyin]]),<ref name="war"/><ref name="sweet">Tan Yi Hui, "Toast to sweet success", ''The Straits Times'', 9 March 2009.</ref> the stall gradually developed a reputation for delicious kaya toast and friendly service.<ref name="sixty"/><ref name="tophist"/> The couple, their eight children and seven other families lived together in a three-storey shophouse across the road, where the [[Hong Leong Building]] now stands.<ref name="charm">"Ya Kun wants to keep the old charm", ''The Business Times'', 5 July 2002.</ref> As the children grew up, they began to help stir the [[Coconut_jam|kaya]], run errands,<ref name="sweet"/> charcoal-grill the bread and eventually, manage the stall.<ref name="sixty"/>
In 1926, Loi Ah Koon{{efn|{{zh|s=黎亚坤}}}} emigrated from [[Hainan]] to [[Singapore]], where he worked as a coffee-stall assistant.<ref name="sixty">{{cite news|last=Tan|first=Lei|script-title=zh:60年烘焙出来的商誉|trans-title=Good reputation of brand built over 60 years|work=[[Lianhe Zaobao]]|date=29 June 2003|lang=zh}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|first=Lydia|last=Vasko|url=https://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/travel/a-taste-of-home-abroad|title=A taste of home abroad|work=[[The Straits Times]]|date=18 February 2018}}</ref> He later went on to start his own business with two other immigrants. They sold coffee, crackers and toast at [[Telok Ayer]] Basin,<ref name="war">{{Cite news|last=Teo|first=Pau Lin|title=Kaya war spreads|work=[[The Straits Times]]|date=17 August 2003}}</ref> however, his two partners later dropped out, leaving him to run the the stall alone.<ref name="sixty"/><ref name="town">{{cite news|title=Toast of the town|work=[[Business Times (Singapore)|The Business Times]]|date=24 June 2003}}</ref> He married while visiting relatives in Hainan, his wife later settled down with him in Singapore. She worked alongside him and later suggested cutting each slice of bread into half and combining the toast with her homemade [[kaya (jam)|kaya]], this became their signature kaya toast.<ref name="sixty"/><ref name="tophist">{{harvnb|Koh|2010|pp=1–6}}</ref>


Ya Kun Coffeestall moved to [[Lau Pa Sat]] in 1972, but high rents and renovation of Lau Pa Sat in 1984 sparked a return to the Telok Ayer Market;<ref name="sixty"/><ref name="town"/> nevertheless, the stall continued to attract "customers who came every day, some from as far as [[Jurong]] or [[Woodlands, Singapore|Woodlands]]".<ref name="war"/> In 1998, the market closed down, so the stall relocated to Far East Square and was renamed Ya Kun Kaya Toast;<ref name="town"/><ref name="sweet"/> the following year, Ah Koon died and his youngest son, Loi Boon Sim Adrin{{efn|{{zh|s=黎文深}}}}, took over the business,<ref name="sweet"/> determined "to keep his father's legacy going".<ref name="sixty"/><ref>{{cite news | last1= Gittleson | first1= Kim | title= Meet Singapore's coffee king Adrin Loi | url= https://www.bbc.com/news/business-26677290 | access-date= 7 November 2016 | publisher= [[BBC]] | date= 6 April 2014 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161107160454/http://www.bbc.com/news/business-26677290 | archive-date= 7 November 2016 | url-status= live }}</ref><ref name="sweet"/> Realising that Ya Kun had a lot of [[goodwill (accounting)|goodwill]] and potential,<ref name="sixty"/> Adrin decided to expand the business, the family opened a second store at [[Tanjong Pagar]] and, in 2000, began franchising the brand.<ref name="sweet"/> Ya Kun were [[incorporation (business)|incorporated]] in 2001,<ref name="tophist"/> and they launched their first overseas outlet (in Indonesia)<ref name="expand">Low Shi Ping, "A toast to expansion in Asean", ''The Edge Singapore'', 3 December 2007.</ref> in 2002 and expanded their menu (adding ice cream toast and the Toastwich),<ref name="charm"/> they have won the 2004 and 2005 [[Superbrands]] Award,<ref name="sweet"/> the 2005 to 2007 SIFST Product Award and the 2008 SPBA-CitiBusiness Regional Brands Award.<ref name="tophist"/><ref name="seas"/>
Registered in 1944 as Ya Kun Coffeestall (Ya Kun being Ah Koon in [[Pinyin|Hanyu Pinyin]]),<ref name="war"/><ref name="sweet">Tan Yi Hui, "Toast to sweet success", ''The Straits Times'', 9 March 2009.</ref> the stall gradually developed a reputation for delicious kaya toast and friendly service.<ref name="sixty"/><ref name="tophist"/> The couple, their eight children and seven other families lived together in a three-storey shophouse across the road, where the [[Hong Leong Building]] now stands.<ref name="charm">"Ya Kun wants to keep the old charm", ''The Business Times'', 5 July 2002.</ref> As the children grew up, they began to help stir the [[Coconut_jam|kaya]], run errands,<ref name="sweet"/> charcoal-grill the bread and eventually, manage the stall.<ref name="sixty"/>
Ya Kun Coffeestall moved to [[Lau Pa Sat]] in 1972, but high rents and renovation of Lau Pa Sat in 1984 sparked a return to the Telok Ayer Market;<ref name="sixty"/><ref name="town"/> nevertheless, the stall continued to attract "customers who came every day, some from as far as [[Jurong]] or [[Woodlands, Singapore|Woodlands]]".<ref name="war"/> In 1998, the market closed down, so the stall relocated to Far East Square and was renamed Ya Kun Kaya Toast;<ref name="town"/><ref name="sweet"/> the following year, Ah Koon died and his youngest son, Loi Boon Sim Adrin,{{efn|{{zh|s=黎文深}}}} took over the business,<ref name="sweet"/> determined "to keep his father's legacy going".<ref name="sixty"/><ref>{{cite news | last1= Gittleson | first1= Kim | title= Meet Singapore's coffee king Adrin Loi | url= https://www.bbc.com/news/business-26677290 | access-date= 7 November 2016 | publisher= [[BBC]] | date= 6 April 2014 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161107160454/http://www.bbc.com/news/business-26677290 | archive-date= 7 November 2016 | url-status= live }}</ref><ref name="sweet"/>
Realising that Ya Kun had a lot of [[goodwill (accounting)|goodwill]] and potential,<ref name="sixty"/> Adrin decided to expand the business, the family opened a second store at [[Tanjong Pagar]] and, in 2000, began franchising the brand.<ref name="sweet"/> Ya Kun were [[incorporation (business)|incorporated]] in 2001,<ref name="tophist"/> and they launched their first overseas outlet (in Indonesia)<ref name="expand">Low Shi Ping, "A toast to expansion in Asean", ''The Edge Singapore'', 3 December 2007.</ref> in 2002 and expanded their menu (adding ice cream toast and the Toastwich),<ref name="charm"/> they have won the 2004 and 2005 [[Superbrands]] Award,<ref name="sweet"/> the 2005 to 2007 SIFST Product Award and the 2008 SPBA-CitiBusiness Regional Brands Award.<ref name="tophist"/><ref name="seas"/>


==Products and stores==
==Products and stores==
⚫
Ya Kun Kaya Toast has over forty Singaporean outlets,<ref name="family">{{cite web|url=http://www.yakun.com/singapore.aspx|title=The Ya Kun Family|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140223164304/http://www.yakun.com/singapore.aspx|archive-date=23 February 2014|url-status=dead}}"</ref> about half of which are franchised,<ref name="seas">{{cite news|last=Hu|first=Yuanwen|script-title=zh:品牌助企业打开海内外市场|trans-title=Branding helps companies crack into overseas markets|work=Lianhe Zaobao|date=10 August 2010|lang=zh}}</ref><ref name="brand">{{cite news|last=Xu|first=Fugang|script-title=zh:品牌就是对客户的承诺|trans-title=Our brand identity lies in our commitment to our customers|work=Lianhe Zaobao|date=14 May 2009|lang=zh}}</ref> and over thirty overseas outlets,<ref name="family"/> all franchised,<ref name="seas"/> across seven countries ([[China]], [[Indonesia]], [[Japan]], [[Myanmar]], [[South Korea]], [[Taiwan]], [[Philippines]] and [[United Arab Emirates]]<ref>{{cite news|title= Opening of Ya Kun Coffee & Toast at Ibn Batuta Mall|url= https://www.mfa.gov.sg/content/mfa/overseasmission/dubai/press_statements_speeches/2013/201309/opening-of-ya-kun-coffee---toast-at-ibn-batuta-mall.html|access-date= 7 November 2016|publisher= [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Singapore)]]|date= 26 September 2013|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161107160927/https://www.mfa.gov.sg/content/mfa/overseasmission/dubai/press_statements_speeches/2013/201309/opening-of-ya-kun-coffee---toast-at-ibn-batuta-mall.html|archive-date= 7 November 2016|url-status= dead}}</ref>); they plan to expand to [[Brunei]], [[India]], [[Malaysia]], the [[Maldives]], and [[Thailand]] in future.<ref name="seas"/><ref name="family"/> The stores have a retro ambiance,<ref name="topplan">{{harvnb|Koh|2010|pp=7–19}}</ref><ref name="heart">Chen Junwei, "咖椰吐司有心 [Toast with a heart]", ''[[Ming Pao]]'', 18 September 2008.</ref> with wooden tables and stools,<ref name="topplan"/> a [[Chinese calligraphy]] of the company name,<ref name="topmgmt">{{harvnb|Koh|2010|pp=81–96}}</ref> posters about their history,<ref name="charm"/> and traditional methods of preparing food and customer service reflecting [[filial piety|Chinese family values]].<ref name="topplan"/><ref name="heart"/>
⚫
[[File:Ya Kun Koya toast, eggs and coffee.jpg|thumb|right|Kaya toast with boiled eggs and coffee is the signature dish of Ya Kun Kaya Toast.]]
⚫
Ya Kun Kaya Toast has over forty Singaporean outlets,<ref name="family">{{cite web|url=http://www.yakun.com/singapore.aspx|title=The Ya Kun Family|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140223164304/http://www.yakun.com/singapore.aspx|archive-date=23 February 2014|url-status=dead}}"</ref> about half of which are franchised,<ref name="seas">{{cite news|last=Hu|first=Yuanwen|script-title=zh:品牌助企业打开海内外市场|trans-title=Branding helps companies crack into overseas markets|work=Lianhe Zaobao|date=10 August 2010|lang=zh}}</ref><ref name="brand">{{cite news|last=Xu|first=Fugang|script-title=zh:品牌就是对客户的承诺|trans-title=Our brand identity lies in our commitment to our customers|work=Lianhe Zaobao|date=14 May 2009|lang=zh}}</ref> and over thirty overseas outlets,<ref name="family"/> all franchised,<ref name="seas"/> across seven countries ([[China]], [[Indonesia]], [[Japan]], [[Myanmar]], [[South Korea]], [[Taiwan]], [[Philippines]] and [[United Arab Emirates]]<ref>{{cite news|title= Opening of Ya Kun Coffee & Toast at Ibn Batuta Mall|url= https://www.mfa.gov.sg/content/mfa/overseasmission/dubai/press_statements_speeches/2013/201309/opening-of-ya-kun-coffee---toast-at-ibn-batuta-mall.html|access-date= 7 November 2016|publisher= [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Singapore)]]|date= 26 September 2013|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161107160927/https://www.mfa.gov.sg/content/mfa/overseasmission/dubai/press_statements_speeches/2013/201309/opening-of-ya-kun-coffee---toast-at-ibn-batuta-mall.html|archive-date= 7 November 2016|url-status= dead}}</ref>); they plan to expand to [[Brunei]], [[India]], [[Malaysia]], the [[Maldives]], and [[Thailand]] in future.<ref name="seas"/><ref name="family"/> The stores have a retro ambiance,<ref name="topplan">{{harvnb|Koh|2010|pp=7–19}}</ref><ref name="heart">Chen Junwei, "咖椰吐司有心 [Toast with a heart]", ''[[Ming Pao]]'', 18 September 2008.</ref> with wooden tables and stools,<ref name="topplan"/> a [[Chinese calligraphy]] of the company name,<ref name="topmgmt">{{harvnb|Koh|2010|pp=81–96}}</ref> posters about their history,<ref name="charm"/> and traditional methods of preparing food and customer service reflecting [[filial piety|Chinese family values]].<ref name="topplan"/><ref name="heart"/> Unlike their main competitors, they have a limited menu that revolves around their core product, kaya toast,<ref name="topplan"/> with cheese, peanut butter and ice cream as alternative spreads for their thin, brown, crispy bread.<ref name="charm"/> To appeal to a wider demographic, Ya Kun also sells [[French toast]] and Toastwiches (their Asian alternative to sandwiches).<ref name="brand"/><ref name="topplan"/>


Unlike their main competitors, they have a limited menu that revolves around their core product, kaya toast,<ref name="topplan"/> with cheese, peanut butter and ice cream as alternative spreads for their thin, brown, crispy bread.<ref name="charm"/> To appeal to a wider demographic, Ya Kun also sells [[French toast]] and Toastwiches (their Asian alternative to sandwiches).<ref name="brand"/><ref name="topplan"/>
⚫
Prices at local Ya Kun stores are slightly higher than those at [[kopitiam]]s, but lower than prices of comparable products at Western [[coffeehouse]] chains operating in Singapore,<ref name="brand"/><ref name="topplan"/> while food at overseas Ya Kun outlets is relatively expensive.<ref name="expand"/><ref name="brand"/> All outlets obtain their ingredients from the same suppliers and some ingredients, notably the kaya and coffee powder, are made at the Ya Kun factory in [[Bedok]],<ref name="t2t">Sandra Leong, "Toast to toast", ''The Straits Times'', 16 April 2006.</ref> using recipes that only a few of the Loi family know.<ref name="sweet"/> The chain are "widely regarded as an institution of good kaya toast"<ref name="t2t"/> and "a Singaporean cultural icon"<ref name="expand"/> that the [[Singapore Tourism Board]] has promoted as a tourist attraction.<ref name="topplan"/> A ''[[Ming Pao]]'' review praised the "crispy but not hard, fragrant but not burnt" toast and fresh kaya,<ref name="heart"/> while a ''[[Straits Times]]'' review described the toast as "evenly sliced" and of "the right texture", the eggs as "cooked to perfection" and the teh tarik as "not too milky and not overpoweringly sweet either".<ref name="t2t"/>

⚫
Prices at local Ya Kun stores are slightly higher than those at [[kopitiam]]s, but lower than prices of comparable products at [[coffeehouse]] chains operating in Singapore,<ref name="brand"/><ref name="topplan"/> while food at overseas Ya Kun outlets is relatively expensive.<ref name="expand"/><ref name="brand"/> All outlets obtain their ingredients from the same suppliers and some ingredients, notably the kaya and coffee powder, are made at the Ya Kun factory in [[Bedok]],<ref name="t2t">Sandra Leong, "Toast to toast", ''The Straits Times'', 16 April 2006.</ref> using recipes that only a few of the Loi family know.<ref name="sweet"/> The chain are "widely regarded as an institution of good kaya toast"<ref name="t2t"/> and "a Singaporean cultural icon"<ref name="expand"/> that the [[Singapore Tourism Board]] has promoted as a tourist attraction.<ref name="topplan"/> A ''[[Ming Pao]]'' review praised the "crispy but not hard, fragrant but not burnt" toast and fresh kaya,<ref name="heart"/> while a ''[[Straits Times]]'' review described the toast as "evenly sliced" and of "the right texture", the eggs as "cooked to perfection" and the teh tarik as "not too milky and not overpoweringly sweet either".<ref name="t2t"/>


==Management==
==Management==
Adrin has an 80 percent share of Ya Kun Singapore and his younger brother, Algie, has a 20 percent share,<ref name="sweet"/> with other members of the Loi family actively involved in daily activities,<ref name="charm"/> while Ya Kun International is fully owned by Adrin Loi.<ref name="tophist"/> Their corporate culture is conservative and people-centric,<ref name="topmgmt"/> with emphasis on preserving their brand identity as their ''chengnuo'' (承诺, "commitment" or "promise") to their customers,<ref name="war"/><ref name="seas"/><ref name="brand"/><ref name="topplan"/> [[sustainable growth]] over actively pursuing new opportunities,<ref name="town"/><ref name="topplan"/> nurturing family-like relationships among staff (they do not fire or retrench workers)<ref name="topmgmt"/> and avoiding aggressive conflict with competitors.<ref name="sixty"/> Although Ya Kun do not publicly disclose their financial figures, a 2009 ''[[Lianhe Zaobao]]'' article estimated that the company had an annual revenue of S$8 million,<ref name="brand"/> while a 2012 article in ''[[The Star (Malaysia)|The Star]]'' stated they had 300 employees.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Toh|first=Yong Chuan|title=Expansion plans a-brewing at Ya Kun|work=[[The Star (Malaysia)|The Star]]|date=29 October 2012}}</ref>
Adrin has an 80 percent share of Ya Kun Singapore and his younger brother, Algie, has a 20 percent share,<ref name="sweet"/> with other members of the Loi family actively involved in daily activities,<ref name="charm"/> while Ya Kun International is fully owned by Adrin Loi.<ref name="tophist"/> Their corporate culture is conservative and people-centric,<ref name="topmgmt"/> with emphasis on preserving their brand identity as their ''chengnuo''{{efn|{{zh|s=承诺}}, which means "commitment" or "promise".}} to their customers,<ref name="war"/><ref name="seas"/><ref name="brand"/><ref name="topplan"/> [[sustainable growth]] over actively pursuing new opportunities,<ref name="town"/><ref name="topplan"/> nurturing family-like relationships among staff (they do not fire or retrench workers)<ref name="topmgmt"/> and avoiding aggressive conflict with competitors.<ref name="sixty"/>
Although Ya Kun do not publicly disclose their financial figures, a 2009 ''[[Lianhe Zaobao]]'' article estimated that the company had an annual revenue of S$8 million,<ref name="brand"/> while a 2012 article in ''[[The Star (Malaysia)|The Star]]'' stated they had 300 employees.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Toh|first=Yong Chuan|title=Expansion plans a-brewing at Ya Kun|work=[[The Star (Malaysia)|The Star]]|date=29 October 2012}}</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Image:YaKunMuralTokyo.jpg|A mural depicting cultural landmarks of Singapore, a common theme its in stalls
Image:SingaporeChickenRiceandKayaToast.jpg|Dishes available at the stalls, including Hainanese chicken rice
Image:YaKunSGTokyo.jpg|A Ya Kun Kaya Toast stall in [[Tokyo]], Japan
</gallery>


==See also==
==See also==
* [[Vegetarian Society (Singapore)]]
* [[Vegetarian Society (Singapore)]]
* [[Cuisine of Singapore]]
* [[Killiney Kopitiam]]


== Notes ==
== Notes ==

Revision as of 12:21, 20 September 2021

1°18′N 103°48′E / 1.3°N 103.8°E / 1.3; 103.8

Ya Kun Kaya Toast
Company typePrivate
IndustryFood and Beverage
FoundedTelok Ayer Basin, Singapore
1944; 80 years ago (1944)
FounderLoi Ah Koon
Headquarters237 Alexandra Road, Singapore
Area served
Worldwide, including aside from Singapore:
  • Cambodia
  • China
  • Hong Kong
  • Indonesia
  • Japan
  • Macau
  • Myanmar
  • Malaysia
  • Philippines
  • South Korea
  • United Arab Emirates
  • Vietnam
Key people
Adrin Loi (Executive chairman)
Algie Loi
ProductsKaya toast
Singaporean cuisine
Number of employees
300 (As of 2012)[1]
Websiteyakun.com

Ya Kun Kaya Toast,[a] often colloquially known just as Ya Kun, is a Singaporean multinational chain of mass-market, retro-ambience cafés selling toast products, most notably the country's kaya toast, soft-boiled eggs and coffee.

Founded by Loi Ah Koon in 1944, Ya Kun remained a small family-run stall for decades, but has expanded rapidly since Loi's youngest son headed the business in 1999. The chain has over fifty outlets across 14 countries, and has been considered a Singaporean cultural icon known for its traditional brand identity and conservative, people-centric corporate culture.

Aside from kaya toast, the chain especially at its overseas outlets also sells dishes of Singaporean cuisine, including Hainanese chicken rice and Katong laksa.

History

File:SingaporeKayaToast2.jpg
Kaya toast with boiled eggs and coffee is the signature dish of Ya Kun Kaya Toast.

In 1926, Loi Ah Koon[b] emigrated from Hainan to Singapore, where he worked as a coffee-stall assistant.[2][3] He later went on to start his own business with two other immigrants. They sold coffee, crackers and toast at Telok Ayer Basin,[4] however, his two partners later dropped out, leaving him to run the the stall alone.[2][5] He married while visiting relatives in Hainan, his wife later settled down with him in Singapore. She worked alongside him and later suggested cutting each slice of bread into half and combining the toast with her homemade kaya, this became their signature kaya toast.[2][6]

Registered in 1944 as Ya Kun Coffeestall (Ya Kun being Ah Koon in Hanyu Pinyin),[4][7] the stall gradually developed a reputation for delicious kaya toast and friendly service.[2][6] The couple, their eight children and seven other families lived together in a three-storey shophouse across the road, where the Hong Leong Building now stands.[8] As the children grew up, they began to help stir the kaya, run errands,[7] charcoal-grill the bread and eventually, manage the stall.[2]

Ya Kun Coffeestall moved to Lau Pa Sat in 1972, but high rents and renovation of Lau Pa Sat in 1984 sparked a return to the Telok Ayer Market;[2][5] nevertheless, the stall continued to attract "customers who came every day, some from as far as Jurong or Woodlands".[4] In 1998, the market closed down, so the stall relocated to Far East Square and was renamed Ya Kun Kaya Toast;[5][7] the following year, Ah Koon died and his youngest son, Loi Boon Sim Adrin,[c] took over the business,[7] determined "to keep his father's legacy going".[2][9][7]

Realising that Ya Kun had a lot of goodwill and potential,[2] Adrin decided to expand the business, the family opened a second store at Tanjong Pagar and, in 2000, began franchising the brand.[7] Ya Kun were incorporated in 2001,[6] and they launched their first overseas outlet (in Indonesia)[10] in 2002 and expanded their menu (adding ice cream toast and the Toastwich),[8] they have won the 2004 and 2005 Superbrands Award,[7] the 2005 to 2007 SIFST Product Award and the 2008 SPBA-CitiBusiness Regional Brands Award.[6][11]

Products and stores

Ya Kun Kaya Toast has over forty Singaporean outlets,[12] about half of which are franchised,[11][13] and over thirty overseas outlets,[12] all franchised,[11] across seven countries (China, Indonesia, Japan, Myanmar, South Korea, Taiwan, Philippines and United Arab Emirates[14]); they plan to expand to Brunei, India, Malaysia, the Maldives, and Thailand in future.[11][12] The stores have a retro ambiance,[15][16] with wooden tables and stools,[15] a Chinese calligraphy of the company name,[17] posters about their history,[8] and traditional methods of preparing food and customer service reflecting Chinese family values.[15][16]

Unlike their main competitors, they have a limited menu that revolves around their core product, kaya toast,[15] with cheese, peanut butter and ice cream as alternative spreads for their thin, brown, crispy bread.[8] To appeal to a wider demographic, Ya Kun also sells French toast and Toastwiches (their Asian alternative to sandwiches).[13][15]

Prices at local Ya Kun stores are slightly higher than those at kopitiams, but lower than prices of comparable products at coffeehouse chains operating in Singapore,[13][15] while food at overseas Ya Kun outlets is relatively expensive.[10][13] All outlets obtain their ingredients from the same suppliers and some ingredients, notably the kaya and coffee powder, are made at the Ya Kun factory in Bedok,[18] using recipes that only a few of the Loi family know.[7] The chain are "widely regarded as an institution of good kaya toast"[18] and "a Singaporean cultural icon"[10] that the Singapore Tourism Board has promoted as a tourist attraction.[15] A Ming Pao review praised the "crispy but not hard, fragrant but not burnt" toast and fresh kaya,[16] while a Straits Times review described the toast as "evenly sliced" and of "the right texture", the eggs as "cooked to perfection" and the teh tarik as "not too milky and not overpoweringly sweet either".[18]

Management

Adrin has an 80 percent share of Ya Kun Singapore and his younger brother, Algie, has a 20 percent share,[7] with other members of the Loi family actively involved in daily activities,[8] while Ya Kun International is fully owned by Adrin Loi.[6] Their corporate culture is conservative and people-centric,[17] with emphasis on preserving their brand identity as their chengnuo[d] to their customers,[4][11][13][15] sustainable growth over actively pursuing new opportunities,[5][15] nurturing family-like relationships among staff (they do not fire or retrench workers)[17] and avoiding aggressive conflict with competitors.[2]

Although Ya Kun do not publicly disclose their financial figures, a 2009 Lianhe Zaobao article estimated that the company had an annual revenue of S$8 million,[13] while a 2012 article in The Star stated they had 300 employees.[19]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Chinese: 亚坤加椰面包
  2. ^ Chinese: 黎亚坤
  3. ^ Chinese: 黎文深
  4. ^ Chinese: 承诺, which means "commitment" or "promise".

References

  1. ^ "Expansion plans a-brewing at Ya Kun". Asia One. 29 October 2012. Archived from the original on 2 March 2014. Retrieved 22 February 2014.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Tan, Lei (29 June 2003). 60年烘焙出来的商誉 [Good reputation of brand built over 60 years]. Lianhe Zaobao (in Chinese).
  3. ^ Vasko, Lydia (18 February 2018). "A taste of home abroad". The Straits Times.
  4. ^ a b c d Teo, Pau Lin (17 August 2003). "Kaya war spreads". The Straits Times.
  5. ^ a b c d "Toast of the town". The Business Times. 24 June 2003.
  6. ^ a b c d e Koh 2010, pp. 1–6
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i Tan Yi Hui, "Toast to sweet success", The Straits Times, 9 March 2009.
  8. ^ a b c d e "Ya Kun wants to keep the old charm", The Business Times, 5 July 2002.
  9. ^ Gittleson, Kim (6 April 2014). "Meet Singapore's coffee king Adrin Loi". BBC. Archived from the original on 7 November 2016. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  10. ^ a b c Low Shi Ping, "A toast to expansion in Asean", The Edge Singapore, 3 December 2007.
  11. ^ a b c d e Hu, Yuanwen (10 August 2010). 品牌助企业打开海内外市场 [Branding helps companies crack into overseas markets]. Lianhe Zaobao (in Chinese).
  12. ^ a b c "The Ya Kun Family". Archived from the original on 23 February 2014."
  13. ^ a b c d e f Xu, Fugang (14 May 2009). 品牌就是对客户的承诺 [Our brand identity lies in our commitment to our customers]. Lianhe Zaobao (in Chinese).
  14. ^ "Opening of Ya Kun Coffee & Toast at Ibn Batuta Mall". Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Singapore). 26 September 2013. Archived from the original on 7 November 2016. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  15. ^ a b c d e f g h i Koh 2010, pp. 7–19
  16. ^ a b c Chen Junwei, "咖椰吐司有心 [Toast with a heart]", Ming Pao, 18 September 2008.
  17. ^ a b c Koh 2010, pp. 81–96
  18. ^ a b c Sandra Leong, "Toast to toast", The Straits Times, 16 April 2006.
  19. ^ Toh, Yong Chuan (29 October 2012). "Expansion plans a-brewing at Ya Kun". The Star.

Cited literature

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