In just a year and a half, homegrown F&B haunt Big Boss HSP has transformed quite a fair bit. From one outlet on Jalan Tun HS Lee, the team has now grown to four outlets and counting, serving up the growingly popular hot snack packs.
Speaking to us, CEO Roger shared that beyond upping their outlet count, the company has also grown leaps and bounds in terms of their management structure.
“When we started, we had a relaxed, laid-back approach and gave employees a lot of freedom to do things their way,” he told Vulcan Post. “However, as we expanded, we recognised that to sustain high-quality service and keep up with the increasing demand, we needed to establish clearer guidelines and performance standards.”
But refinements to the management aside, the heart of Big Boss HSP’s culture and mission remains unchanged—to introduce Australia’s famous comfort food to Malaysians and redefine the lepak culture in Malaysia, moving beyond the traditional mamaks.
Teaming up with fellow Malaysians
Big Boss HSP is no stranger to going viral, whether it be for their food or their stores.
One thing that brought them recognition is their unique third outlet, which is a collaboration between Big Boss HSP, coffee chain Koppiku, and dessert brand Sugar And I.
According to Roger, the idea for this collaboration emerged during Ramadan this year. Having successfully opened their first and second outlets on their own, the team decided to try something different with the third.
“As a homegrown local brand, we thought, ‘What better way to celebrate our roots than by partnering with other self-made local brands?’” he mused.
The first brand that came to mind was Sugar And I, and through the owner of Sugar And I, they were introduced to Koppiku.
Thus, through this collaboration between three local brands, a one-stop destination was created offering HSPs, desserts, and drinks.
“The business model is straightforward: we sublet space to the other two brands, with each brand covering their own startup costs,” Roger said. “There’s no revenue sharing, as each of us operates with our own POS system.”
It seems like this collaborative hub concept is something that the team may be interested in going forward. It doesn’t even have to be food brands; Roger is open to brands from other industries like a barbershop, just as an example.
Hot, halal, or both?
When we last spoke to Big Boss HSP, we had referred to HSP as a halal snack pack, which is what HSP is typically an acronym for in its birthplace of Australia.
Nowadays, though, Big Boss HSP refers to it as a hot snack pack. Clarifying this with the team, they clarified that it is due to religious sensitivities.
“Growing up in Malaysia, we have a deep appreciation for the influence and importance of the Islamic faith within our community, and we’re committed to respecting those values,” they said.
As Big Boss HSP isn’t halal certified, they settled for the term “hot snack pack”. That said, the company sources all ingredients exclusively from halal-certified suppliers.
“Achieving full halal certification is indeed part of our future roadmap, and we’re committed to aligning with halal standards in every aspect of our operations to provide an inclusive and welcoming experience for all,” Roger said.
Heating it up for the future
Armed with the mission of introducing HSPs to all of Malaysia, Big Boss HSP is first focusing on expanding across the entirety of Klang Valley.
Before even considering expansion, the team’s top priority was to establish solid Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
“Having well-defined SOPs and effective systems in place is the foundation of any successful business,” Roger determined. “We needed to ensure these were stable and consistent before we could confidently scale and replicate our model across multiple outlets.”
Now that they’ve expanded to multiple outlets, the team conducts regular visits to each location, verifying that all systems are running smoothly and equipment is fully functional. They’ve also established clear, measurable KPIs so they can monitor performance remotely.
Big Boss HSP also has a central kitchen now where many of the ingredients are prepared. This approach ensures uniformity in taste and quality across all locations.
With this system in place, it’s no wonder why Big Boss HSP is able to quickly expand to four outlets. There’s already news of its fifth outlet as well, which is estimated to open in January 2025.
Roger hinted, “While we’re keeping the exact location under wraps for now, here’s a hint: east side!”
The team is also ready to replicate their model and open up more outlets within Klang Valley and beyond. They’re open to franchising and have been fortunate to receive a substantial number of enquiries from interested parties.
“At this stage, we’re carefully selecting top candidates from our pool of enquiries to ensure we partner with those who align with our vision and standards,” Roger said.
Staying in the green
A year and a half in, there’s been many great achievements that the team has accomplished.
One of their proudest milestones, though, was when they were able to bring all the founders on board as full-time directors.
It may not seem like an extraordinary feat to some, but as Roger explained, “Readers may not realise that Big Boss HSP is a fully bootstrapped venture. When we started, the three of us had such limited capital that we couldn’t afford to pay ourselves full-time salaries.”
It took them about a year to reach the point where they could comfortably bring everyone on full-time.
Today, they said that Big Boss HSP is operating with “solid profitability”. While keeping specifics under wraps, the team claimed to Vulcan Post that they’re on track to “soon become an eight-figure revenue business annually”.
Advising fellow budding entrepreneurs, Roger highlighted the importance of managing finances carefully.
“Cash flow is crucial in F&B, where costs can be high and margins are often tight,” he pointed out. “Financial discipline can make the difference between success and failure.”
He added that great food alone often isn’t enough. Creating a memorable experience is what sets a brand apart, which is why creating customer experiences should be a priority.
At the same time, Roger said, it’s just as important to never compromise your team’s dignity. “After all, if you look out for your team, they’ll look out for you.”
Finally, Roger believes in adaptability and being open to feedback from customers and peers. With the F&B industry being highly competitive, it’s essential to remain humble and receptive. Believing you have all the answers can quickly lead to setbacks, he said.
These insights, amongst many others, are what has helped Big Boss HSP grow to where they are today, and hopefully, it’ll continue to help them as they set their sights on new horizons.
Featured Image Credit: Big Boss HSP