The taste of our bakkwa is complex with a rich hint of barbecue aroma that will linger on the palate. This will never change, says its Director of BCHHK, WONG KA LIT, IVAN.
It was 1933 when an enterprising migrant developed an idea to peddle his mobile cart along the street of Chinatown to sell his unique and tasty homemade barbecued meat.
Business was especially brisk during festive seasons for this high quality delicacy which Teo Swee Ee introduced as…‘Bakkwa’.
“With over 80 years of commitment under our belt, our value remains unchanged. We believe in delivering the finest to our customers and their loved ones and for them to experience enjoyable moments in life through the sharing of our products,” says Ivan Wong, Director of the company in Hong Kong.
“The end of Japanese Occupation marked the beginning of a dynamic phase of our history; the first store was opened under Mr Teo’s visionary leadership in Rochor Road during 1945 – one of Singapore’s busiest district.
“Having established as a barbecued meat specialist of repute in Singapore, Rochor Road branch quickly became the place to buy the freshest Bakkwa and finest gifts.”
Turning Point
In those days , the store on Rochor Road was constantly obstructed by large vehicles parked outside the shop entrance. This hindered potential customers from locating the store.
Mr Teo turned the problem around into a brilliant marketing idea by placing the Bee Cheng Hiang brand on the vehicles.
The approach blossomed into strategic brand placement as lorries and trucks could be found with the brand on the road. Bee Cheng Hiang became one of the first in Singapore to use mobile advertisements.
“Being our signature product, bakkwa taste better when it has just been grilled so we make it fresh every day as an unwavering commitment to our customers.
The taste of our bakkwa is complex with a rich hint of barbecue aroma that will linger on the palate. This will never change,” says Wong.
Delighting Hearts
“Bee Cheng Hiang represents the creation of delight that extends to all generations, the breaking of geographic border barriers, and the ability for consumers around the globe to enjoy and share our products,” says Wong.
Today, Bee Cheng Hiang has grown from a humble zinc and wood store at Rochor Road into a thriving enterprise with a presence extending far beyond the shores of Singapore.
Emerging as the market leader in the barbecued meat industry with 42 retail outlets locally, we have broadened our international growth to include over 312 outlets across 10 countries in Singapore, Malaysia, China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand.
The company continues to expand in key locations across our priority markets, employing a mix of ownership models including franchises.
Setting Standards
Since our inception in 1978, the Bee Cheng Hiang Group has evolved from a traditionally labour intensive modus operandi to our very own automated production facilities. This leap in productivity has ensured that the increasing demands from our customers are well catered for, explains Wong.
“Our success rests on our exacting production of our quality product and high standards of hygiene. Our Bakkwa earns its immense popularity because we are able to preserve the traditional flavor whilst employing advance technology.
Our production process has been awarded the ISO9001 certificate and we are also HACCP certified. To cater to an increasing global demand, we have also set up production facilities in Malaysia, China and South Korea.
Hygine First
“The brand’s Bakkwa boasts; 100% natural ingredients, no MSG, no preservatives and no artificial colouring. Our food technologists carry out regular checks to ascertain that our quality standards are maintained when it comes to nutrition and hygiene. Before delivery via our distribution channels, our products undergo rigorous examinations as part of our stringent quality assurance.”
“Our priority lies not only in quality control, but also in continuous product research and innovation. We have since invested more than S$1.2 million to ensure that our research and development is multi-faceted and well-rounded.
With our customers’ interests at heart, our food technologists adhered closely to our product philosophy, where only the best and 100% natural ingredients go into our Bakkwa,” concludes Wong.
For additional information please visit www.bch.com.hk
