KUCHING: Drive-thru food services have become somewhat of a norm in today’s fast-paced world, providing people with a convenient and quick and easy way to get food.
And most of these drive-thru chains feature Western brands and cuisine.
The sight of Malaysian foods being offered through the drive-thru concept is a rarity, often leaving locals to visit physical stores to satisfy their cravings.
However, this changed not too long ago, with locals now able to conveniently purchase their local cuisine through a drive-thru brand called Kejap Food.
In 2020, Kejap Food made history as the pioneering Malaysian local food drive-thru, establishing its first drive-thru outlet at Caltex Setiawangsa.
The Sibu mum who started it all
Betty Ting from Sibu was a corporate worker who could not do without breakfast but she was always rushing in the morning and often resorted to the convenience of McDonald’s drive-thru breakfast to save time.
The 35-year-old studied architecture and worked in the building and construction industry for 10 years, and had no Food and Beverage (F&B) background.
She was working with one of the top developers in the nation, and found herself resorting to the same solution whenever she had to rush from one place to another, due to endless meetings and life commitments.
However, she left her job to care for her son, who has autism, and found herself immersed in therapies and courses to support her son’s growth.
It was then when Ting had the idea of merging local food and a drive-thru operating model.
She said all existing drive-thru in Malaysia are western fast-food chains, and wondered why are there is not a drive-thru that serves local comfort food to cater to a different appetite.
Malaysian cuisine, she said, is a national pride, and Malaysians should not be shy of promoting it.
A Leap of Faith
Ting said she took a leap of faith and participated in the Dream Factory Startup Contest which is where her ideas became a reality.
In the competition, she made it to the top ten and raised an impressive RM55,000 through crowdfunding.
Subsequently, Betty raised funds from family and friends, whom she referred to as ‘Angel Investors’ for another RM500,000 to set up the first outlet at Caltex Setiawangsa.
The journey did not stop there,as by 2021, she had raised another RM500,000 from Mystartr through equity crowdfunding, and managed to set up the second drive-thru outlet at Petron Mile 3 Federal Highway.
“The business accelerated and then it attracted a frozen food listed company – Kawan Food to acquire 32.5 per cent of Kejap Food in 2022.
“This acquisition allowed the establishment of our headquarters and a new drive-thru outlet at Petronas Technology Park,” she said, adding that the cost of setting up one drive-thru is around RM450,000.
She added Kejap Food’s continuous effort to grow the company then led them to the second equity crowdfunding this year which resulted in an impressive RM5 million with total 390 investors.
The name ‘Kejap’, concept and menu
The name Kejap, Ting said, derives from the Bahasa word meaning ‘a while’ or similar to ‘fast’.
“We want to be a brand that offers convenient Grab and Go local comfort food. And using Bahasa words to relate our brand better to Malaysia,” she said, adding that the colours of the corporate identity are the Jalur Gemilang colours.
She said the set menu ranges from RM8.90 to RM15.90, as well as ala carte from RM4.50 to RM12.90.
“Our signature dishes are Kebab Ayam Sambal Pedas, Nasi Ayam Sambal Pedas, Karipap, Popper Udang, Roti Ais Krim and authentic Teh Tarik or Teh Tarik Float,” she said.
Thus far, she said Kejap Food has achieved the highest record of 225 transactions per day per outlet.
“Our most memorable comments from customers is that they said, ‘Finally a Malaysian Drive Thru!’. And some of them say they wanted it for a long time but nobody is doing it’.
“Another story is a Grab food rider who signed up for our meal subscription plan, he loves how it is convenient and affordable for him, and stopping by at Kejap Food has become his routine,” she said.
Achievement and future plans
Setting up a business has its own challenges, and for Ting, it was to master how to serve fresh and serve fast.
“We have improved a lot compared to the first day, but we still have a lot more to improve,” she said.
Building upon the success of its first outlet, Kejap Food expanded to the second drive-thru at Petron Mile 3 Federal Highway and third drive-thru at Petronas Technology Park.
“We then had our dine-in outlet at PJ State in Petaling Jaya, which is also our headquarters, and another one at Ikea Batu Kawan located in Penang,” she said.
Looking ahead, she said Kejap Food’s ambition is to expand into petrol stations nationwide, with a target of 238 outlets by 2028.
“Sabah and Sarawak are also part of our five-year plan. We wish to export our business model to other countries as well, and this is after we have established a strong supply chain and system,” she said.
She said Kejap Food’s ultimate aspiration is to become one of the most influential Malaysian fast-food brands, showcasing the rich flavours that Malaysian cuisine has to offer.
