


Meow Mee’s rempah comes from a supplier, which Chun Hao then tweaks by frying it with prawn heads, coriander seed, candlenut, dried chilli, garlic and shallot to “spice up the paste” before combining it with chicken broth and a touch of coconut milk to make the soup. I knew he was already working in Singapore and reached out to see if he’d be interested in the partnership.” He has always been a great cook – his family will get him to whip up dishes for big occasions like Chinese New Year. I was schoolmates with his older brother and used to hang out at their home frequently. Preferring to focus on the marketing and branding aspect of the biz, Eric knew he needed a partner who could be the “culinary brain” behind the venture. “It felt like there was a good momentum for us to launch our own concept.” “STATOS has been actively promoting Sarawak food in Singapore and the Sarawak government is working towards establishing global recognition for dishes like kolo mee and Sarawak laksa,” he shares. Through his connections with the Sarawak Trade and Tourism Office Singapore (STATOS) from running his food import biz, Eric saw the potential in opening a Sarawak hawker stall instead, where he could “introduce Sarawak food directly to local customers”. Earlier this year, he decided to wind down the biz as “the margin was too thin” partly due to significant marketing expenses. In 2017, he started a wholesale company that supplied Sarawak food products like Lee Fah Mee Sarawak laksa instant noodles to local supermarkets like Sheng Shiong and Mustafa. One of them used to be a Sarawak food importerĮven though Eric is a Singaporean PR who has been living here for over two decades, he remains passionate about Sarawak food.
