‘Help Young Hawkers, Or Else There Won’t Be Another Generation Of Hawkers’: The Hainan Story Boss Funds Stallowners To Open Outlets
The millennial hawker running Aw’s Signature Minced Pork Noodle, and the third-gen owner of braised duck specialist Yu Kee, get financial backing to open outlets at a newly revamped Woodlands coffeeshop.
It isn’t easy being a hawker — adding to the struggle with long hours, laborious work and demanding customers, these food sellers also have to grapple with keeping food prices low amidst manpower shortages and ever-increasing rent hikes.
The stoic pioneer hawkers feel the pain, and the young hawkers, possibly even more so. Educated and ambitious with wide-ranging career opportunities, they chose to enter the hawker trade to continue their parents’ business legacy, or to fulfill a passion to work in the food industry.
Which is why one F&B boss decided to fund two millennial hawkers to open outlets and expand their businesses. Terence Aw, 39, runs the popular Aw’s Signature Minced Pork Noodle at Tanglin Halt Food Centre, and Eunice Seah, 38, is the third-generation owner of Yu Kee House of Braised Duck.
Their outlets are all located at a newly revamped coffeeshop at Blk 326 Woodlands St 32, which officially opened today (May 26).
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The 43-year-old is the owner of Hainanese cafe chain The Hainan Story, which currently has four outlets including a bakery concept. Lem, who was already acquainted with the millennial hawkers before this, saw that they were “very serious about food, and we share the same passion for local food”.
His company helps the young bosses with the setup costs for opening a new staff-run stall, and take a percentage of the profits in return. “We support them financially, but they run the business,” Lem says.
Business is brisk and he often has a queue for his lard-slicked noodles with unique braised pork, fish maw and curry chicken wing toppings. But funding a business expansion is challenging, as hawkers often operate with very lean profit margins.
At his new Woodlands outlet, his Signature Noodle is priced at $7.80 (small) and $9.80 (large), and comes with toppings like abalone, prawn and braised pork. There are also options like Fish Maw Bee Hoon ($5.80/$7.80), Fishball Noodle ($4.80) and Braised Pork Noodle ($5.80), all offered with a choice of dry or soup.
It serves the same dishes that her family biz is known for: braised Duck Rice (from $5) with braised tau kwa and egg, Duck Noodle ($4/$5), Braised Pork Rice ($5) and Kway Chap ($5; $8.50 with duck meat).
Now, you may have seen Yu Kee restaurants in malls, but those were opened by Eunice’s uncle. The famous family business, started by Eunice’s grandparents, split into two separately-run but same-named brands in the early 2000s. Eunice’s uncle branched out with his own chain bearing the same name, while her parents continued running the original biz.
According to Eunice, her family are still on good terms, and simply stay in their own lanes with their respective businesses. Customers can also differentiate the two Yu Kee brands by noting one subtle detail: the mall staple Yu Kee has black staff uniforms, while the other mainly coffeeshop-based chain has green staff uniforms.
While there are currently no definite plans to fund more young hawkers, Lem says it is still a possibility. “We will continue to work with young and passionate people,” he shares.
Aw’s Signature Minced Pork Noodle & Duck Generation3’s Woodland outlets are at Maxim Stars Coffeeshop, Blk 326 Woodlands St 32, S730326. Open daily 6am-7pm (Aw’s Signature) and 8am-9.30pm (Duck Generation3).
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