How this S’porean set up an Oyster bar biz with a S$200 IKEA trolley, now sells 28K oysters/mth
When he was 25 years old, Singaporean Adam Loo decided to set up an oyster shucking and delivery business, The Oyster Cart.
“It happened that I received a batch of good oysters that I really enjoyed so ideas went running wild with setting up an oyster bar. Back then, there weren’t really many oyster bars around. Most would actually hit buffets for oysters,” said Adam, who is now 33 years old.
The former executive from the maritime industry wanted to start an oyster bar then, but he lacked capital and felt that he was inexperienced to jump head in to start a business fully.
At the time, Adam was also tied to a scholarship bond and it would have been costly if he quit his job, as he would have to pay liabilities if he broke the bond.
“So I drew on my experience backpacking in Venice in Italy, where you could see little “oyster carts” along the street selling oysters, and thought that it could be a good idea to bring a similar set-up to homes and offices. That way I don’t only save on overheads but I could manage my time by taking up events only in the evenings after my day job.”
With the limited funds he had, Adam went to IKEA to buy a S$200 trolley cart and refitted it with a drainage system.
Unafraid of getting his hands dirty, he then designed and printed tons of flyers and later hopped on his bicycle and cycled around private estates to hand out his flyers.
The idea was a hit to the community he reach out to, and he clinched his first event to serve clients on Christmas Eve 2013, the same year he started this side business.
A profitable business
The company has been profitable since 2019, when Adam entered the business full-time.
“I’ve basically bootstrapped the business all the way and we do not rely on debt for growth.”
The business currently sells about 20,000 to 28,000 pieces of oysters a month.
Observing the prices of the oyster sets, the most basic Crown Flagship type with 12-piece oysters costs S$58 a set. This would translate to selling over 2,000 sets, which adds up to over S$100,000 of revenue on a monthly basis.
The founder and Managing Director of The Oyster Cart claim that the company is the first to offer a mobile oyster bar concept and delivery service in Singapore. “Our belief in serving quality live oysters and service has gained much support from clients. Most of our clients have been repeated clients since the start of the business.”
Besides focusing on private clients, The Oyster Cart also supplies to businesses on occasion.
The firm launched its oyster online delivery service five years ago, and that according to Adam, has helped it capture regular customers, especially so in this period.
“I have always believed that only deliveries can help the business to scale. That acceleration came earlier than expected with the pandemic, and being in a digital mode right from the start allows us to ride on the digital trend.”
For example, on a peak period like Father’s Day, the startup served about 250 plus families via online.
Covid-19
Ever since the start of the pandemic, about 80 per cent of sales comes from deliveries, while workshops take up 15 per cent and the Mobile Oyster Bar at about five per cent.
The most recent private event The Oyster Cart served onsite was for a five pax birthday celebration, said Adam.
“We used to be focused on onsite serving at events but with Covid-19 we pivoted to deliveries. It is challenging with existing measures but we do at times be onsite for selected clients.”
“We are not only serving home environments but corporates as well. Of course, subject to existing Covid-19 measures,” he said.
Quality over quantity
The Oyster Cart’s shuckers are strangely well dressed, and Adam said that these are details thought of by the company to carry out the brand image. “The oyster shuckers aren’t only representing the brand but also critical to an experiential event in relation with our luxurious oysters,” he said.
For clients who like oysters, it would mean that these food lovers probably have exquisite taste buds and maybe more critical of quality food.
“Oysters served have been a reflection of our clients’ status. Our clients typically prefer oysters that are non-creamy but briny with depth of flavours. We rely greatly on feedback from our clients for the choices of oysters to serve.”
When asked about what the founder’s favorite oysters are, he highly recommended the Crown Series premium oysters from Ireland Carlingford. “They are briny at the start with a full-blown sweetness towards the end at the center of the meat. Very refined and slight mineral flavour. They are exclusive for our clients only.”
How about finding a pearl in an oyster? Chances of that are 1:70,000, said Adam. “Rarely do we find a pearl in an oyster, but when we do find one, we pack it separately in a small container for the lucky client,” he said with a smile.
The Oyster Cart also sells other underwater delights, like New Zealand littleneck clams, Wild Alaskan snow crabs, and cocktail shrimps, which are also popular with returning clients.
Strict hygiene standards
The oysters are kept in special chillers in the shop, said Adam, and all food is prepared in an SFA-approved establishment.
“The oysters are flown in every Monday and Friday, and at times on Wednesday during the peak season. Stocks are always available for deliveries unless there is an unexpected sudden surge in demand.”
The business offers same-day delivery as well but currently, there’s often a manpower crunch for this service hence there are limited slots. “That’s because I’m the primary shucker and could get overwhelmed at times and have to shut off the same day service,” said Adam.
When asked if the oysters are sustainably sourced, Adam commented that oysters are actually one of the most sustainable seafood around. He said that they help to improve water quality and restore marine ecosystems and do not affect wild stock populations.
Other than handling frequent shipments per week, a challenge that Adam faces is the task of serving the oysters fresh upon shipment arrival.
Another challenge that he faces is finding the right person for the job.
“The nature of our clientele and the risk of raw food (contamination) makes it difficult for me to hire, you can say that I’m particularly selective with shuckers that can join me in shucking and serving.”
Beyond oyster carts
Sometimes, there’ll be oysters that will end up not fitting the standards criteria, like oysters that are dead, for example.
Being a millennial himself, the need to follow sustainable methods while running his business is also an important part of the job.
The solution: Transforming them into art pieces.
“By turning them into art pieces, we hope to bring more awareness to supporting non-profits and charities’ missions and at the same time contribute the proceeds to support various causes.”
Meantime, the business has also placed more focus on oyster shucking workshops. It’s a concept thought of two years ago but customers are now getting more receptive to the idea.
“Workshops have been popular as customers are looking for interesting activities to do and gain new knowledge, especially when traveling is still quite restricted. Most clients are not only here to learn but also to celebrate a special occasion like a birthday or a wedding anniversary,” shared Adam.
“Workshops also allow participants to know more about us and how we operate. It’s particularly important as we are almost a full online business right now and having physical interactive events helps us to understand our clients and build trust.”
The Oyster Cart is currently in the midst of transforming its current shop for dining in. It wants to transform it into a “mini” oyster bar for clients to go to visit and enjoy their time, subject to Covid-19 regulations of course.
Adam still looks forward to returning to his first love – setting up oyster carts at events, when the pandemic situation improves.
“Workshops will also be a key focus at our second space, along with building new carts ready for future events.”
The company is also on the lookout for individuals to join its growing team.
“We are an inclusive employer. I have two full-time colleagues and one part-timer now. We are expecting two other new colleagues to join us in November.”
Looking for more delicious treats to indulge in? Shop our F&B brands on VP Label now:
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Featured Image Credit: The Oyster Cart
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These S’poreans want to show who’s ‘boss’ in the coconut shake scene, opened 6 stores in 7 mths
The Covid-19 virus outbreak has been merciless for many businesses, especially the hospitality sector.
Leo Tan was in the hotel tech industry, dealing with contactless guest experience for hotels to automate guest experiences. Today, the company is servicing hotels in Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines for domestic travel.
On the other hand, Benjamin Liu is in the fintech industry, dealing with automated currency exchange machines in over 100 hotels in Singapore.
Since their respective jobs were heavily involved with hotels, they were inadvertently affected by the pandemic.
The 34-year-old pair, who have been friends for 16 years, decided they should explore other opportunities and start up their own business called CocoBoss.
“Seeing the growing trend of coconut shakes, we decided to give it a go and recreate our own version of coconut shakes. After many rounds of taste test, we managed to craft our own coconut shake recipe,” said Leo, co-founder of CocoBoss.
They want to be the “Starbucks of Coconut Shakes”
Despite zero F&B experience, they took the leap of faith to open the first-ever CocoBoss store at Space @ Kovan.
It was a steep learning curve for the duo, and Leo admitted that their lack of experience posed many challenges for them.
When they were setting up their first outlet, there were faced with a lot of teething issues and operational challenges.
“Covid-19 has affected our normal operational procedures due to safety measures put in by the government which we must adhere to. As these safety measures are constantly changing, we have to adapt and train our crew accordingly,” said Leo.
He added that the global pandemic has caused shipping delays wells, which resulted in a “logistical nightmare”.
He also cited the idea of building a lifestyle brand around CocoBoss as one of the key business challenges. In particular, they want to position themselves as the “Starbucks of Coconut Shakes”.
CocoBoss was born from the love of coconut shakes by two people who want to share their twist of coconut shakes with others. What makes us different is that we pride ourselves on using the freshest of ingredients to create the ultimate coconut shake.
But a great shake is only complementary to the experience you will get at any CocoBoss outlet, as we aim to deliver the personalised experience as part of our lifestyle approach.
– Leo Tan, co-founder of CocoBoss
Beyond offering ‘regular’ coconut shakes, CocoBoss wants to stand out from the rest with their specially crafted coconut blends.
According to Leo, their best-selling drinks are their Signature Roasted Coconut Shake and Salted Caramel Coconut Shake. Other interesting flavours that they offer include Matcha Coconut, Cookies & Cream Coconut, Avocado Coconut and Hazelnut Coconut.
The price of their coconut shakes range between S$5.80 and S$6.90. It’s not exactly one of the more affordable drinks in the market, which might be a deterrent, but their sales have proven otherwise.
In fact, Leo shared that they “sell hundreds of cups per day per outlet.”
Their marketing efforts via social media marketing and creating hype through word-of-mouth also helped to gradually build a strong and loyal following for the brand.
“Building loyalty among our customers and hearing their positive feedback gave us even more confidence in growing CocoBoss as a coconut shake lifestyle brand,” said Leo.
They took only four months to break even
The co-founders have invested “a portion of their savings” into starting CocoBoss, and it took them three to four months to break even.
Leo proudly shared that CocoBoss has recently launched its sixth store at Peninsula Shopping Centre in a short span of seven months.
“Our sixth store is the first-ever coconut shake concept store in Singapore. We wanted to execute a hole-in-the-wall concept, bringing both the old and new together.”
“We also made sure that our concept store is Instagram-worthy by featuring not one, but three ‘Instagram walls’ for customers to go crazy with their cameras and snap the best shots.”
At the back of this strong growth, the founding duo don’t intend to slow down and have plans to open more outlets across Singapore in the future.
It’s worth noting that the business capital required to open a single outlet is “in the range of six figures and up”, according to Leo.
Commenting on the local F&B landscape, Leo acknowledged that there is an existing coconut shake craze, which has helped to propel sales.
When asked if it will last as long as the bubble tea hype, Leo simply said that people are constantly looking for alternatives to bubble tea.
“(Like) with any trend, there will be ups and downs, but we are confident that the coconut shake trend will be here to stay.”
With an increasing number of coconut shake players in the scene, Leo admits that it is indeed getting saturated and competitive, but they remain unfazed by this.
Instead, they choose to focus on consistency and delivering the best-quality coconut shakes to their customers.
Featured Image Credit: CocoBoss
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This Ipoh-born biz grew from a small printer & PC supplier to creating its own IT brand
[This is a sponsored article with SNS Network.]
Not everyone gets fired up and excited about ICT (Information and Communications Technology), but Kelvin Pah, the Sales and Marketing Director of SNS Network founded a business based on a more niche interest.
“When you’re passionate about something, you want to share it with others, so this is how we keep our business growing by sharing technology to demonstrate what technology means to us,” said Kelvin.
He makes up one half of the co-founding team of SNS Network alongside Ko Yun Hung, the Managing Director of SNS Network. The duo started the company in Ipoh back in 1999.
Building the brand name from scratch
During the first 10 years of the company’s existence, Kelvin said they could only focus on customers in Ipoh as they lacked the manpower to diversify and expand. They had just 40 staff members on their payroll. Thus, they honed in on providing IT solutions to the B2B and B2C markets in that region.
Like any other business, they were a relatively unknown name when they started. But through tireless networking, the duo onboarded brands such as Intel and Compaq (which merged with HP in 2000), and some of these partnerships have lasted till today.
In their 21 years of operation, they’ve supplied IT equipment to schools, SMEs, government services, corporates and the like. They even provided services such as cabling work, networking services and broadband installation to their customers.
But as time went by, they’ve shifted their focus to concentrate on 3 core segments in the business:
- B2C: Running and managing omnichannel outlets such as GLOO, and mono-brand outlets such as iTworld and Mi Stores.
- B2B: Providing IT solutions to corporates and enterprises
- Services Business: Providing broadband services, cabling work, networking services and software installation.
“We started from the small town of Ipoh, which is situated right in the middle between Penang and Kuala Lumpur. But when you have a smaller city, you also have a smaller market,” said Kelvin. However, it was that strategic location in between 2 hubs that allowed the business to expand to Klang Valley and neighbouring cities in 2009.
Kelvin revealed that 2021 is poised to be the breakthrough year for the company, as they’re hoping to breach the RM1 billion mark by the end of the fiscal year. The company also ships around 300,000 units of laptops and PCs yearly to customers nationwide.
Working closely with big-name brands
While SNS Network does have a host of brands under their umbrella, one of their mainstays is Hewlett Packard (HP). Kelvin told us that while they previously dealt with Compaq which was subsequently merged with HP, they only began working closely together 14 years ago.
As one of HP’s main partners locally, they’ve brought products ranging from laptops to printers from HP into the local market. Kelvin said that working with the brand has always been a breeze and he believes that HP has great products that can fit the needs of many.
For example, one of the products that SNS Network is bringing in under the GLOO store is the HP Color Laser MFP 179fnw.
It is an all-in-one printer that can print, scan and copy. The printer can also be set up easily using a mobile device and you can even print pictures and documents straight from your phone, as it is built with wireless and mobile printing functionalities.
This means you don’t have to go through the hassle of finding a USB plug and wasting time connecting software and the likes to just print a document. If you wish, you can also print directly from a USB device plugged into the printer. The printer is also one of the smallest from HP, measuring at 421.9 x 422.9 x 344.1mm.
SNS Network also has a dedicated support and service team to handle any HP enquiries that come their way.
Providing affordable solutions for local consumers
While providing IT services and solutions proved to be a fruitful endeavour for the company, they felt that Malaysia lacked an affordable solution that caters specifically to the needs of the locals. Thus, SNS Network decided to create their own brand of devices all the way back in 2014, launching their first mobile tablet for under RM500.
To date, they’ve created several devices such as smart boards for classrooms, all-in-one devices, mobile tablets and many more.
On top of distributing their own brand locally, SNS Network relies on strategic partnerships to provide competitive offerings in the local market. Kelvin then told us that they’ll be working closely with HP to bring in a variety of products from the brand.
Fuelled with a passion and a team that is now 300+ strong, Kelvin hopes he can continue to provide more options and choices for Malaysians of all walks of life for their IT solutions.
He also plans to expand their B2B network, so they can cater to more companies and enterprises with their solutions. For example, one of the B2B-centric solutions they’ve come up with is called SNS OnePlan. It is a DaaS (Device as a Service) which allows companies to obtain ICT products through a monthly subscription, which can be a more affordable option without the need for heavy initial investment.
- You can find what other HP printers that SNS Network has in store here.
- Find out more about SNS Network here.
Also Read: 9 facts about personal loans in M’sia you should know to borrow responsibly in a pandemic
Featured Image Credit: SNS Network
Moom Health: This S’pore startup offers personalised health supplements from S$1/day
“Women’s health seems to be this magical abyss that lacks conversation, personalisation, and a true sense of community”, Maya and Mili Kale of Moom Health tell me over email. Indeed, the realm of women’s health is still very shrouded in mystery and stigma.
While there have been strides to clear those muddied waters and normalise these conversations, such as Ferne Health or Ease Healthcare, there is still much to be done, and we are only at the starting line.
For starters, Moom Health is a personalised supplement platform that aims to transform women’s health from a one-size-fits-all to tailor-made one. Your Moom journey starts with their expert-backed questionnaire to discover how to uniquely support your mind and body.
The questions range from your current health concerns to your sleeping habits, to how many veggies you eat in a week.
After that, you get personalised recommendations packed into daily sachets and delivered monthly to your doorstep.
Currently, Moom has a total of nine supplements that vary from long-time favourites such as B-complex, to stars of Ayurveda such as Ashwagandha.
Tailor-made healthcare vs a one-size-fits-all solution
For Maya and Mili, Moom Health was an idea that was years in the making. After all, the duo has always been exposed to traditional healing modalities as their parents grew up in India.
Even in their formative years, inklings of Moom have been making small appearances.
During their schooling days, supplements were given to them, sort of like a side dish during meal times. When they both went to college, their mother would pack some of their supplements into individual daily bags —repurposed jewellery bags were the early prototype of Moom.
Not to mention, the road to Moom has a more personal route for Maya. Having battled with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) since she was 15, she struggled to find ways to best support her unique symptoms.
After years of research, countless appointments, and spending too much money, she found a solution in natural medicine and holistic healing. She could confidently say that this worked for her but cautioned that this is not a blanket solution for all those suffering from PCOS.
The importance of a tailor-made solution had never been more clear. Moom is a culmination of years of our experiences and the conversations we have had with countless women. The issues seem to be unanimous, but the solutions can’t be.
There are some many platforms and medical/wellness practitioners that have ‘hero’ products, or believe that there is one solution to a host of issues. But we struggled to find anything targeted specifically to women, and even more specifically, to each woman in a unique way.
– Maya and Mili Kale, co-founders of Moom Health
Creating a ritual with Moom
When it comes to women’s health or anyone’s health personalisation matters, Moom understands best.
“Personalisation allows you to make sure that what you are consuming is tailored to your needs and goals”, explained the founders.
For example, let’s take someone who is concerned about their skin health as opposed to someone else who might want to focus on their pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS), the supplement Super Curcumin might be an overlap.
To ensure the best results, someone targeting skin health should pair their Super Curcumin with a Synbiotic or Super Amla. Then, for someone targeting PMS, they should pair it with Magnesium instead.
It’s a delicate dance, but one that Moom can help you with. This is why the quiz at the beginning of your journey with Moom is especially important.
No, it’s not a fluffy personality quiz. In fact, it’s a rigorous questionnaire that took Moom over a year to develop.
We worked with eight medical experts from traditional and non-traditional medical fields to develop the quiz to ensure that it was a holistic and true representation of our customer’s wellness history and goals.
– Maya and Mili Kale, co-founders of Moom Health
The quiz takes about five to six minutes to complete. It starts with questions about one’s diet and lifestyle, then moves into women’s health issues (such as PMS, menopause), and finally ends with general health questions and health goals.
While Moom Health is targeted and developed for women who menstruate, Maya and Mili asserted that their supplements are for anybody, be it men, women, trans or non-binary.
“We believe that the more specific we are about what we do, the greater the impact we make,” they added.
The wild, wild, West of supplements
In this age of Covid-19, health and wellbeing are on everyone’s minds and supplements are still very much a nebulous topic for many. Should you take supplements? Are supplements necessary? What kind of supplements is good for you?
These are the kinds of questions that one has when approaching the vast world of supplements for the first time.
Maya and Mili second these worries. “Our biggest concern was whether or not people would resonate with our product and story. Supplements are like the wild, wild, West for most people”.
We wanted to make sure that we were creating a product that people could easily understand and educate themselves about, something that was accessible, and something that didn’t break the bank.
– Maya and Mili Kale, co-founders of Moom Health
With Moom’s subscription service, the vitamins start from as low as S$1 a day and nothing above S$2 — this is a stark difference from those giant bottles of pills you purchase off iHerb.
The affordable pricing makes it a low barrier of entry, making it easier for you to take charge of your health. Not to mention, every part of Moom’s ritual is thoughtful and intentional.
Moom’s sachets are made with Reverte® additive, a biodegradable material that keeps your supplements fresh. At the same time, those Insta-worthy tie-dye boxes are made with sugarcane pulp, a rapidly renewable material.
Given all the multitude of benefits that come with daily supplements, Maya and Mili stress that they are not magical cure-alls.
Supplements, like all good things, take time and ultimately, they work to help support your body in the same way that good, healthy food does, or a new serum that supports your skin. It takes months before you feel and see results, and some results are more visible (when your skin improves) while others are more of a feeling (when your gut starts to heal).
– Maya and Mili Kale, co-founders of Moom Health
The two have also worked hard to ramp up their educational content by thoroughly engaging their community.
“We try to provide as much information to a consumer as they need to feel comfortable with the product, and we are always there to respond to DMs (direct messages) and emails.”
They also credit social media as an invaluable tool for education about supplements and overall wellbeing.
“Whether it’s relaying information from our advisory board, sharing reviews, or providing infographics on a particular supplement, these are all concepts that allow you to become a more educated user and advocate.”
The future of wellness in Singapore
Wellness has often been associated with either copious amounts of exercise or nibbling on salad greens.
While there is nothing wrong with that, it does create a lot of pressure to conform to a certain idea of what healthy looks like. Maya and Mili hope to change that notion with Moom and their approach to healthcare.
“To us, it’s all about making choices that help us feel our best selves. Sometimes, that means picking the extra vegetable instead of fried chicken for our lunch, (and) sometimes, it’s the other way around.”
Like their company values, there is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to your health and wellness.
For the month of October, to commemorate Mental Health Awareness Month, Moom is launching an initiative that prioritises mental health and how you are feeling while acknowledging your complete mind-body connection: Rest is for the Strong.
They are launching a limited edition series of T-shirts, where all of the proceeds will be donated to Samaritans of Singapore, to help with their efforts around access to crisis support and counselling.
In a time when everything is in constant flux, a simple ritual like Moom is enough to bring some grounding to your day.
“We see rituals as something that you enjoy doing every day, and Moom is one of the many (hopefully easy) rituals you can incorporate into your day.”
Featured Image Credit: Moom Health
Also Read: No Stigma, No Shame: This S’pore Startup Delivers Birth Control Pills To Your Doorstep
MAS gives green light to DBS Vickers and Independent Reserve for crypto licences in S’pore
The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has awarded Major Payment Institution licences to DBS Vickers (DBSV), a brokerage arm of DBS Bank, as well as Australia-based crypto exchange Independent Reserve, to provide digital payment token services here.
MAS has received 170 licence applications from digital payment token service providers including global crypto exchanges such as Coinbase and Kraken. 30 applications were withdrawn after engagement with MAS and two have been rejected.
Licence applicants were subject to an examination by MAS to review its policies and procedures regarding customer protection mechanisms, transaction screening, and compliance structures, as well as the robustness of its information technology services.
The first licence was issued to Singapore fintech firm Fomo Pay last month.
Now, DBS Bank is the first bank to obtain a Singapore licence to offer digital payment token services, while Independent Reserve is the first foreign entity to be granted one.
This license approval means that DBSV, as a member of DBS Digital Exchange (DDeX), will be able to directly support asset managers and companies to trade in digital payment tokens through DDeX.
“Having received formal regulatory approval from MAS, DBSV is now in a better position to support institutional and corporate investors in tapping into the growing potential of digital assets as an investment class. This marks another significant milestone in our ability to provide integrated solutions across the digital asset value chain, from deal origination to tokenisation, listing, trading and custody,” said Eng-Kwok Seat Moey, Head of Capital Markets at DBS and Chair of the DBS DDeX.
“We believe that DBSV’s licence, coupled with recent enhancements to DDEx such as round the-clock operations since August, could add to DDEx’s volumes in the coming months and accelerate growth momentum for DBS’ digital asset ecosystem.”
Since its launch last December as a members-only bourse, DDEx has seen good demand from clients, including corporate and institutional investors, accredited individuals, and family offices.
It expects to double the number of participants on DDEx to 1,000 and to grow its base by 20 to 30 per cent annually for the next three years as investments in digital tokens gain greater acceptance.
Independent Reserve one of the first VSAPs to get license under PSA
Following the license approval, Independent Reserve will operate as a regulated provider for Digital Payment Token Services, and is one of the first virtual asset service providers to obtain full licensure approval under the Payment Services Act in Singapore.
CEO Adrian Przelozny said that Singapore’s well-regulated environment would thoroughly address investor protection concerns including the safe custody of assets, KYC requirements, and market manipulation, making it easier to provide cryptocurrency services to financial institutions that wish to trade digital assets.
A well-regulated environment will benefit both investors and crypto industry stakeholders. With tailormade rules for the crypto industry, Singapore currently has the clearest and most detailed licensing requirements of any jurisdiction in Asia.
And now, Independent Reserve is one of the first fully licensed crypto exchanges available to the Singapore population, enabling them to quickly and securely use their SGD to get in and out of crypto. Independent Reserve offers trust, world-class security and deep global liquidity, and now our doors are wide open to other businesses that are looking for a gateway into crypto.
– Adrian Przelozny, CEO of Independent Reserve
Established in Australia in 2013, Independent Reserve embarked on its international expansion plans in late 2019, setting up its first overseas operations in Singapore to provide digital asset exchange and OTC trading services to people and institutions.
Independent Reserve provides SGD, AUD, USD and NZD fiat-to-crypto trading pairs. This is a major step forward for individuals and companies in Singapore that are looking for an easy and trusted onramp into cryptocurrency.
It had received an “in-principle approval” from MAS in August and since then, the company has seen an influx of retail and institutional investors.
Featured Image Credit: DBS Bank / Independent Reserve
Also Read: Grab CEO on navigating the Covid-19 crisis, IPO plans, conquering SEA’s competitive landscape
Tesla sets up 3 EV charging points at Millenia Walk, its second Supercharger station in S’pore
Tesla’s V3 Superchargers are now available at Millenia Walk. There are three V3 charging stalls offering rates of up to 250 kW.
This is the second of such Supercharger Stations in Singapore, following the unveiling of the first one at Orchard Central in July.
The Tesla V3 Supercharger, which is only for Tesla owners, is expected to shorten the electric vehicles’ (EV) charging time to 15 minutes. Normal chargers typically take several hours for a full charge.
The new Supercharger is close to office spaces like Suntec City, Millenia and Centennial Towers as well as hotels like The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore, and Conrad Centennial Singapore. Malls in the area include Suntec and Marina Square.
Some early Tesla fans went on the Tesla Motors Club forum to post pictures of their supercar and the EV charging stations.
The sneak preview was shared by Christopher Bousigues, Tesla’s Singapore Country Manager in a Tweet on Thursday (Sept 30), at 11.48pm.
Tesla Model 3 prices in Singapore start at S$112,845. According to Tesla North, the models are made in China at Tesla’s Gigafactory Shanghai before being shipped to Singapore – among other markets.
The company is setting up its presence in Singapore amid the country’s EV push and is hiring workers to support its business.
Featured Image Credit: Tesla Owners Singapore
Also Read: Tesla sets up 3 EV charging points in S’pore’s Orchard, to add more points in coming months
Full-time lecturer takes the plunge and launches an AR bar in KL during the pandemic
Dom’s Bar & Kitchen (Dom’s), launched on New Year’s Eve 2020, was Jennifer Stephen’s first F&B venture. At the time, she had thought the pandemic was getting better, hence why she went for it.
Unfortunately, the reality was that it would be closed for almost 6 months in 2021, particularly as the pandemic worsened and Malaysia went into a state of emergency.
“It was hard and very demotivating, and I honestly thought there wasn’t a light at the end of the tunnel, and that it was about time to let [Dom’s] go and find a seller to take over,” Jennifer recalled.
What made it worse was that this was a venture that fulfilled a long-time ambition—to use her IT knowledge for F&B experiences.
Fortunately for her, she had a good support system that also motivated and encouraged her to pull through it. During the downtime, Dom’s underwent various improvement processes to prepare for future dine-ins, but more on that later.
Bringing paintings to life
Previously, Jennifer had experimented with creating QR codes for ordering food in-store and online, but she felt it was something old and common. She craved something different.
To brainstorm ideas, she roped in her good friend and social media manager at the time, Noeline Annabell (Noel), who founded Pink Matrix, an augmented reality (AR) marketing and branding agency that specialises in AR filters.
Before we arrive at what they ended up doing, we have to rewind the story a bit. Jennifer personally designed the interior of Dom’s without a professional’s help, and when it opened, she received some feedback.
Some guests pointed out that a long stretch of wall in Dom’s felt empty despite its abstractly painted design.
“And we were back to the drawing board discussing and I knew I wanted to hang some pictures. But the question was what pictures?” Jennifer recalled.
The aha! moment came when one of her team mentioned moving art. Ultimately, the decision was made to hang famous classical images like the Mona Lisa and the Girl with a Pearl Earring up.
While they would look ordinary in person, they would be transformed with just a phone and the power of AR filters, created by Noel and her team at PinkMatrix.
“As per my knowledge, while the painting itself may be owned by a particular person or agency, the image depicted on the painting is not protected under copyright,” Jennifer assured.
“I have also used an image that has been recreated by graphics of the famous painting instead of the real photograph of the image,” she clarified.
Aside from the artwork, Dom’s incorporates AR in its menu, whereby guests can scan it to see 3D models of their drinks and food instead of just pictures.
Dom’s also offers an AR game called “Game Night” to guests to replace card games during social meetups, but that was created prior to the artwork and menu filters.
All these make Dom’s the first AR bar in KL, Jennifer believes. She may be right, as a Google search for something similar only brings up an old experimental reel for a VR café ordering system by Agmo Studio, and AUGMENU, a mobile app prototype made by UTM students in 2017, both of which do not seem to have materialised into a substantial F&B business as of today.
More interactive dining experiences, please
Themed restaurants are by no means a new concept, even in Malaysia. From Dining In The Dark to the roster of novel dining experiences brought by TwoSpicy Entertainment such as Le Petit Chef, Dinner in the Sky, and Plane in the City, you could say that we are not found wanting.
Yet the majority of these experiences are dependent on one’s surroundings and aren’t exactly interactive in nature. Perhaps what comes closest thus far is Le Petit Chef, which I had personally tried in 2019.
It was an enjoyable time, but the experience consisted largely of watching a tiny 2D chef go on adventures, played out on your table by projectors on the ceiling. You couldn’t actually do anything with him or to him.
On the other hand, Dom’s AR requires you to put in some work to reap the rewards, and you can freely move from one experience to another, or replay them. By definition, that’s interactivity.
While I haven’t been able to visit Dom’s myself yet to see its offerings for myself, it’s a welcome addition in the world of entertainment tech blended with F&B.
Perhaps it could even pave the way for more interactive restaurants in Malaysia down the road, but it’s important that they each find a concept that actually sticks.
More than just entertainment and F&B
Being an F&B business first and foremost, however, means that there still has to be an emphasis on the food too.
Having AR elements could draw in crowds (mainly younger ones that are active on Instagram), but if the food isn’t decent, it’s likely they won’t come back just for the entertainment.
To that end, Dom’s utilised its closure during MCOs to invite industry experts in food and cocktails to upgrade their menu and sharpen their staff’s skills via training.
“We also had a supplier come in and educate our staff on wine etiquette and all the products that are served in Dom’s,” Jennifer added.
In terms of cuisine, Dom’s offers a familiar Western menu befitting its Publika location with average prices to match, making it an option even for those who don’t come for the AR fun.
“A lot of times, we have seen millennials and Gen Zs bring in their families for celebrations and dinners too. Some of our not so tech-savvy customers come in just for food and drinks [without even being] aware of the AR elements,” Jennifer mused.
In the long run, she wants Dom’s to be more than just an F&B brand, as she sees potential in expanding into e-commerce and YouTube content too.
A YouTube channel is actually already in the works to display Dom’s AR filters, and Jennifer wants to do fun, interactive interviews with female leaders in Malaysia.
“I’m a women empowerment enthusiast, hence why female leaders,” she said. The full-time IT lecturer at Sunway College added, “Hopefully, this would encourage the younger generation [of women] to pick up occupations that are in a male-dominated industry like I did.”
You could say that Dom’s Bar & Kitchen is just the start.
Also Read: Laptop subscription services exist, but this M’sian company added on software and IT support
Featured Image Credit: Jennifer Stephen, Director of Dom’s Bar & Kitchen
10 special hotel experiences in M’sia to be enjoyed exclusively by the fully vaxxed
With 85.1% of Malaysia’s adult population fully vaccinated as of September 30, 2021, it seems that our economy is slowly but surely on its way to recovery.
To that end, more businesses have opened themselves up to the vaccinated public, and people are beginning to travel again.
The desire is real as many of us have suffered from cabin fever over the past 2 years of the pandemic. In terms of options, we have all kinds of Airbnbs for date nights or family outings, but those who aren’t keen on planning itineraries would probably prefer leaving it up to hotels and their packages.
There are multiple hotel offerings on the market right now aiming to provide the best bang for your buck, one of them being Marriott Bonvoy.
Its fully vaccinated members can enjoy exclusive discounts across Marriott Bonvoy’s portfolio of hotels around Malaysia and get rewarded for stays.
Without further ado, here are the unique packages up for offer, split according to whether it’s aimed at families or couples.
Fun for the family
1. Aloft Langkawi Pantai Tengah
Called Happy Tummy, Happy Kid, this package gives your family a well-deserved beach break in Langkawi with planned activities for your little ones so they stay entertained. In that downtime, parents can probably sneak off to the beach for some alone time.
What’s included:
- Buffet breakfast for 2 adults
- Free kids’ meals (up to 2 kids per room)
- Access to Kids Club
- Batik painting for kids
- Return transfer from the airport or jetty
Rates start at: RM302/night
Promo code: MAJ
Book Happy Tummy, Happy Kid here.
2. Courtyard by Marriott Penang
Dreaming of exploring a world heritage site for some adventure after a long lock-in? The Family Escape package lets you do just that, as its location along Jalan Macalister allows you to conveniently explore the George Town UNESCO World Heritage Site.
What’s included:
- A Deluxe Room with 50% off on the second room
- Daily breakfast at Penang Kitchen
- Kids under 12 eat for free
- Late checkout until 3PM
Rates start at: RM500/night
Promo code: ZE2
Book Family Escape here.
3. Element by Westin Kuala Lumpur
While we’re able to travel now, some would prefer not to stray too far. This hotel offers the Escape! Family Staycation package so you can rediscover what KL has to offer. If not, staying in the hotel itself is enough of a treat, especially with access to OMBAK, its indoor heated saline pool overlooking the Petronas Twin Towers skyline.
What’s included:
- Room inclusive of breakfast for 2 children and 2 adults
- Complimentary one junior hideout/rollaway bed in the room
- Complimentary late check out at 2PM
Rates start at: RM333/night
Promo code: ZJ5
Book Escape! Family Staycation here.
4. Four Points by Sheraton Puchong
Under the Weekend with Family package, you can experience Puchong differently. The town is bustling with shopping spots, so after a full day of window shopping, you can rest up at the hotel with a variety of rooms to pick from.
What’s included:
- 50% off your second room when you book the first room at full price
- Kids eat for free from the kids’ menu with the purchase of an adult meal at The Eatery
- In-house parking space
Rates start at: RM180/night
Book Weekend with Family here.
5. Le Méridien Putrajaya
Just a 3-minute drive away is IOI City Mall, where lots of shopping and dining experiences await your family. Enjoy the day out then return to your comfy hotel room to rest and recuperate with the Family Leisure Time package.
What’s included:
- Book a second room for the kids and save up to 50%
- Each room comes with daily breakfast
- Kids stay and eat for free from the kids’ menu with the purchase of adult meals
Rates start at: RM302/night
Promo code: ZJ6
Book Family Leisure Time here.
6. Sheraton Petaling Jaya
Nestled in this bustling hub, Sheraton PJ lets the family enjoy a nearby trip away from home with the Family Suite Getaway package. It’s got everything a family would need for a pampered, enjoyable time.
What’s included:
- Daily breakfast for 2 adults and 2 children (below 12)
- Complimentary extra bed
- One large pizza and soft drinks per stay, delivered to your room
- Complimentary self-parking (one-time entry for one car only)
- Late checkout until 2PM
Rates start at: RM616/night
Promo code: F10
Book Family Suite Getaway here.
A date for two
7. Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral
Try something a little different for your date nights with Aloft’s Intimate Night Under the Stars package. Instead of your usual hotel room experience, go glamping right in the heart of the city. Though it’s more of a couple’s getaway, you can easily bring your kids along too and turn it into a family staycation instead.
What’s included:
- Full in-room glamping setup in the Breezy Suite
- 4-course dinner for two
- A bottle of sparkling wine
- Breakfast for two
- Add-on kids’ menu (max. 2 kids)
Rates start at: RM688/night for 2 adults; RM788/night for 2 adults and 2 kids
Promo code: HO9
Book Intimate Night Under the Stars here.
8. The St. Regis Kuala Lumpur
With a package name like Exquisite Stay For Two, you already know you’re getting pampered. We’ll let the hotel stay details speak for themselves.
What’s included:
- Breakfast for two persons
- 3-course dinner for two persons
- Butler service
Rates start at: RM809/night
Promo code: D60
Book Exquisite Stay For Two here.
9. The St. Regis Langkawi
Perhaps your idea of romance is sweeping your loved one off to the ocean, and in that case, you’d find that The St. Regis Langkawi can satisfy that. Enjoy 3 nights close to nature with the Bespoke Staycation package.
What’s included:
- 3 nights’ stay in a room overlooking the rainforest
- Daily individually cooked breakfast for two at L’Orangerie
- Curated one-time 4-course dinner with paired glasses of wine for two
- Butler service
Rates start at: RM1,430/night
Promo code: D60
Book Bespoke Staycation here.
10. The Westin Desaru Coast Resort
Drive down to Johor for a gastronomic journey in the hotel itself, under the Escape Dining package. Eat at your own time at Seasonal Tastes, the resort’s all-day dining restaurant which serves international and local flavours in buffet and a la carte choices, enjoy authentic Italian cuisine at Prego, and chill in the breezy evenings at MIX and Splash and Beach Bar with some cocktails.
What’s included:
- Daily breakfast for two
- RM100 credit for each night’s stay to indulge in the aforementioned outlets
Rates start at: RM650
Promo code: D60
Book Escape Dining here.
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To reiterate, these deals are for fully vaccinated guests in order to maintain the safety of guests and staff. Marriott International has also shared its commitment to cleanliness in the age of COVID-19, which covers the SOPs of ensuring all staff and guests wear masks in public spaces, frequent sanitisation of high-contact points, social distancing practices, and more.
Interstate travel is allowed from October onwards, but many may still be cautious about travelling too far. In that case, this lineup of hotels close to home (for those in Klang Valley) could provide you with a quick respite from the daily grind.
- You can read more listicles here.
Also Read: 9 facts about personal loans in M’sia you should know to borrow responsibly in a pandemic
Featured Image Credit: Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral / Aloft Langkawi Pantai Tengah
Foreign interference in the digital age: what is it, and why should S’poreans be concerned?
Foreign interference is an age-old phenomenon. Nations have attempted to interfere in one another’s politics for their own benefit since the dawn of history.
The ultimate goal of foreign interference is to advance the interfering state’s national interests at the expense of the targeted state.
Singapore is a neutral country and has made it clear that being aligned to any particular state is not in our national interests.
Nevertheless, Singapore is not immune to foreign interference and the possibility of us becoming a target and being nudged towards a particular policy position or action cannot be ruled out.
The threat of foreign interference is therefore very real, and has acquired greater urgency as advancements in technology allow for increasingly sophisticated online attacks.
The Internet era has allowed countries to destabilise others without resorting to conventional warfare, through the use of hostile information campaigns.
Singapore cannot afford to be complacent. As an independent state, Singapore’s survival, progress and destiny lies in the hands of Singaporeans.
Our domestic policies and issues are for us to decide, and foreign interference threatens our right to decide how we want to run our country.
Singapore has been a target of foreign interference
In February 2019, Mr Edwin Tong, the then-Senior Minister of State for Law, discussed the issue of foreign interference in Parliament.
He cited the example of Huang Jing, who was expelled from Singapore after being identified as an agent of influence acting on behalf of a foreign country.
Back in 2017, the professor used his position at Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy to advance the agenda of a foreign country.
He had engaged with foreign intelligence operatives and recruited others, as he sought to influence the Singapore government’s foreign policy and public opinion in Singapore. His actions were classified by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) as “subversion and foreign interference”.
Mr Tong also referred to the dispute with Malaysia over maritime and airspace issues in 2018 which made national headlines, and noted that there was a “curious” spike in online comments critical of Singapore that were made with anonymous accounts.
“We do not know who these suspicious accounts belong to, nor do we know if they are being coordinated by foreign actors. But it is clear that these accounts have sought to give and create an artificial impression to netizens of the opposition to Singapore’s position, at a time of heightened bilateral difficulties,” said Mr Tong.
These examples make it clear that Singapore has been the subject of foreign interference in the past, and there’s no reason why it cannot happen again.
Navigating foreign interference in the online space
New communication tools are increasingly being used to conduct hostile information campaigns to sow discord along social fault lines and undermine trust in public institutions. With the intention of mobilising people against something rather than for something, such campaigns often seek to inflict economic, political and social damage.
Such coordinated attempts are usually covert and aim to sow confusion, fray civic threads, and intensify existing polarisations, threatening our national security.
In February 2019, Mr Tong also said that the fact that Singapore is an “open, democratic, digitally-connected, and diverse country” makes it particularly vulnerable to foreign interference.
The rise of the Internet and social media has created a vast playing field for foreign interference, and industry regulation alone is not sufficient to curb it.
In recent years, tech companies have stepped up to put in place initiatives to deal with certain forms of foreign interference.
Facebook, for instance, has rolled out a slew of measures aimed at thwarting foreign electoral interference in Singapore.
One such measure calls for any person or organisation who wishes to run ads on either Facebook or Instagram relating to social issues, elections or politics in Singapore to confirm their identity — with documents such as a passport or identity card — as well as their location, to prove that they are based in the country.
Twitter also announced last year that it would label or remove “false or misleading information intended to undermine public confidence in an election or other civic processes.”
This includes attempts to cause confusion about laws and regulations, unverified claims about election rigging and ballot tampering, and interfering with results.
However, foreign interference has spread beyond social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter.
Foreign actors have also made use of online platforms like Parler and Gab, which are gaining popularity among political conservatives who claim their voices are being silenced by more mainstream social media giants.
The key problem about platforms such as Parler and Gab is that they often have less stringent content moderation policies. Anyone’s free to post anything, which escalates the spread of misinformation and disinformation.
Foreign interference is not just focused on elections
The term ‘foreign interference’ has become a politicised buzzword in the years following the 2016 and 2020 US elections, with various nations accusing one another of interference.
While Singapore’s general elections last year did not witness any foreign interference, there were many overseas elections that were affected by such attacks.
For instance, during the 2017 French Presidential Election, Twitter bots were used to spread propaganda against Emmanuel Macron.
Many of those bots had stopped tweeting after Trump won the 2016 US Elections, and only began tweeting again in the weeks ahead of the French elections to promote the “Macron Leaks”, an unverified hack of his campaign’s emails.
Then during the 2020 US Presidential Election, online troll farms amplified controversial domestic issues and discredited the Democratic candidate.
These campaigns employed tactics to evade detection, such as using private social media groups and message boards that were more difficult to monitor.
However, not all hostile information campaigns are election-focused.
Following the global spread of Covid-19 in 2020, a network of fake or hijacked social media accounts have targeted the US’ handling of the Covid-19 outbreak. There is also evidence suggesting that there’s a global disinformation campaign against vaccines.
Many countries have learnt hard lessons and are taking action to expose and counter foreign interference.
France, for instance, has set up an agency to fight foreign fake news that seeks to “undermine the state”.
Australia has also passed several laws aimed at preventing foreign interference. Key provisions require lobbyists for foreign governments to identify themselves on a public register.
Singapore is no different, and have introduced a new law to deal with foreign interference.
Singapore’s laws need to evolve to regulate foreign interference
There are many possible approaches to curb foreign interference, including enhancing the protection of election integrity, and educating society to discern between legitimate and artificial online discourse.
Another way is to strengthen our legal framework to combat foreign interference.
In March 2019, Mr K Shanmugam, Minister for Home Affairs & Law, said that the government will strengthen and review laws to tackle foreign interference in Singapore’s domestic politics and threats.
This will allow the government to tackle foreign interference attempts through targeted interventions, and to investigate and respond swiftly to hostile information campaigns.
It will also grant them the ability to obtain information in order to investigate the provenance of context, to see the extent to which it is foreign influenced and respond appropriately.
He added that the legislation to counter foreign interference needs to be able to deal with a diverse range of threats, such as the flow of funds, interference during and outside election periods, and foreign actors influencing domestic politics.
On 13 September 2021, the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Bill was introduced in Parliament.
This will require Internet and social media service providers to disclose information required to determine if a hostile information campaign is afoot, remove the harmful online content, and block user accounts to counter hostile foreign actors.
Individuals and groups directly involved in Singapore’s political processes will be defined as “Politically Significant Persons” (PSPs), and will be subjected to countermeasures to mitigate the risk of foreign interference. Defined PSPs include political parties, politicians, election candidates and their election agents.
In addition, a competent authority, appointed by the Minister for Home Affairs, can designate other individuals and groups as PSPs if their activities are directed towards a political end, and the competent authority assesses that it is in the public interest that countermeasures be applied.
PSPs will be required to comply with a series of disclosure obligations aimed at ensuring transparency of their activities, such as the declaration of foreign affiliations and reporting single donations of S$10,000 or more from local and foreign donors.
Should there be a heightened threat of foreign interference, stricter controls may be imposed on PSPs. This is to ensure that actors who are vulnerable to being compromised are free from foreign interference.
“This Bill will strengthen our ability to counter foreign interference and ensure that Singaporeans continue to make our own choices on how we should govern our country and live our lives,” said MHA, stressing the need for our laws to evolve to tackle the threat.
Although foreign interference is inevitable, we can definitely reduce its threat with this new legislation.
This article was written in collaboration with the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Featured Image Credit: yoycg via Envato Market
Also Read: The Evolution Of Singpass: How Our National Digital Identity Came About
