Detail

Jinjja Chicken, founded in 2015 by Singaporean Bernard Tay, who kept the brand’s local roots under wraps for nearly a decade, now has eight outlets in Singapore, generating about $10 million annually and employing 170 staff. It also has franchise outlets in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei. Tay, now 45, is finally embracing the brand’s Singaporean identity, hoping to inspire support for local entrepreneurs who venture into non-local cuisines. Many had assumed the brand was Korean — even Tay’s friends and business contacts — and he did not correct them early on. Backed by his experience at his family’s food business, Molly’s Nonya Kuehs, Tay left to start his own venture, taking a $250,000 bank loan and adding over $100,000 of his own savings to open the first outlet at Bugis Village. He also ensured halal certification to widen the brand’s appeal. Tay holds a Diploma in Mechanical Engineering from SP and a bachelor’s degree in administrative studies from York University in Canada. 

[The Straits Times]