Originally from Gua Musang, Kelantan, Mok has grown a deep interest in entrepreneurship over the years. Specifically, he’s interested in areas of it that celebrate local culture and community.
This passion is what led him to start Kutip.
Not just your usual durian brand, Kutip prides itself on its sourcing, working closely with durian farmers to distribute their quality harvests.
And of course, another big draw of the business is the cute trailer it’s based in.
Prior to Kutip, Mok has been involved in trading and plantation businesses, including rubber and palm oil.
“This is one of my many entrepreneurial ventures, and my confidence to pursue it stemmed from my passion for durians and the desire to create a unique and authentic experience for others,” he said.
Kutip is not currently his full-time job, but he expressed that he’s committed to growing it.
Picked with pride
Kutip started in 2023, after a casual chat got Mok thinking.
“The whole idea is about connecting durian lovers with the best local produce, but also making the experience special,” he said. “What really sets Malaysian durians apart is how we only pick them when they’re fully ripe, and that’s where the pride comes in.”
“Our farmers put their heart and soul into making sure each durian is perfect,” he shared. “So when we say ‘we pick with pride’, it’s about honouring that care and tradition.”
Indeed, Kutip’s “we pick with pride” tagline is not just a slogan but actually reflects the fact that each Kutip durian is carefully handpicked by their team.
Kutip supports local farmers by giving them more exposure, increasing sales of their durians, and expanding their distribution.
“By doing this, we’re helping bring more visitors to their farms and getting their amazing durians out to a wider audience. It’s a community effort,” he said.
On top of that, the team is also striving to educate people about where their durians come from and what makes them special by interviewing local farmers and sharing what goes on behind the scenes at the farms.
Durians galore
Over the past year, Kutip has worked on refining their selection process and expanding their product range.
One big focus has been on Kelantan durians because they believe they offer better quality and flavour.
“Our durians are sourced from Gua Musang, Kelantan—the birthplace of the famous Musang King, known for its premium quality,” Mok said.
Kutip offers a range of durian varieties, including Raja Kunyit, Musang King, Black Thorn, Udang Merah, Tekka, IOI, and Kampung durian.
The founder said the pricing is competitive, reflecting the quality of their produce while still being accessible to a broad audience.
And of course, all these varieties are being offered on Kutip’s very own trailer.
“The trailer concept came from our desire to create a mobile, flexible, and eye-catching experience, especially since durians are seasonal,” Mok said.
The trailer was sourced from Ireman Malaysia and is customised to fit Kutip’s needs. Mok said it’s been a hit at corporate events and parties—people love having the truck around.
Judging by Kutip’s branding as well as the fact that it travels between Mont Kiara and Sri Petaling, it feels like the target audience is more towards expats and youngsters.
To that, Mok said the idea is to make Kutip fun, educational, and approachable for all durian lovers, not just younger folks and expats.
“We’re here for durian lovers who don’t want to compromise on quality and who want to support local farmers,” he said. “When you choose Kutip, you can be sure you’re getting good durians that are good for you and great for the community.”
A seasonal offering
While Kutip started last year, it had paused its retail front for a while during the off-season.
This year, the reception for Kutip has been overwhelmingly positive, Mok said.
“Compared to last year, we’ve received a lot of great feedback from both previous and new customers,” he said. “Although we faced some losses last year, we’ve turned things around this year and are on a positive trajectory.”
This year, Kutip also intends to take a break during the off-season to maintain the quality of their offerings.
This includes activities like fertilising and taking care of their trees to ensure good durian quality.
“We also use this time to strategise, explore more locations, and prepare for the next year,” he said.
For 2024, Kutip intends to be active until October.
“We’re exploring options to make Kutip a year-round event, such as introducing a permanent store that offers durian-based products and other local fruits,” Mok added.
More than durians
With durians being the so-called King of Fruits, it’s a given that there are plenty of sellers tapping into the market.
“The competition is fierce, but we focus on differentiating ourselves by educating our community,” he said.
That means helping customers understand the value of high-quality durians, so they know they’re paying a fair price for good produce.
Through these efforts, Kutip aims on stabilising their operations and ensuring stable revenue.
Mok is also looking into developing durian by-products. So far, it seems like Kutip has already offered things like durian cendol and durian ice cream potong.
These all go towards the ultimate goal of making durians more accessible to locals. This effort will also involve opening more pop-up locations, maintaining high quality, and eventually, international expansion.
“At Kutip, it’s not just about selling durians,” Mok reminded. “It’s about the experience and the connection between the farm and the consumer.”
“We take pride in working closely with our local farmers to uphold these standards and share the incredible durians from our hometown with more people.”
It’s inspiring to see how the Gua Musang native is uplifting his local community, one proudly picked durian at a time.
Feautured Image Credit: Kutip