Hawker, 62, Sells Kopi & Kaya Toast Alongside Millennial Son’s Cold Brew & Cheesecake At Same Stall

Used to be chicken rice hawker for 20 years

For almost 20 years, Teck Thang ran chicken rice stall, Teck Kee Hainanese Chicken Rice, with his wife in the very same spot. However he fell ill last July and on his doctor’s advice to take on something less physically demanding, decided to close shop. But rather than giving up the hawker life entirely, he decided to pivot to selling drinks, and that’s when Norris stepped in. Together, they rebranded the stall and launched Sip Sip in May this year. Mum helps out, making kaya toast.

From fitness to finance, then F&B

After earning a diploma in logistics management from Ngee Ann Polytechnic and a Business Management degree at The Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Norris joined the fitness industry after he graduated in 2011. He worked as a personal trainer for a decade at gyms like Fitness First. He later moved to finance, working as a financial planner at Viva Finance for four years. 

“Fitness has always been my passion since young, therefore, becoming a personal trainer was a given. My degree was more like a safety net in the event I decided to join the corporate world,” Norris explains.

However, he adds: “The fitness industry had many ups and downs because personal training is a premium thing, so business was always up and down. I decided to become a hawker when my dad fell ill, because I saw it as an opportunity to make a career change”.

Norris was already familiar with the hawker life anyway — he’d helped out at his dad’s chicken rice stall when he was younger and being in F&B resonated with him. 

Baking cakes from scratch challenging for former fitness buff 

“My dad wanted to start a drinks stall, so I said, ‘Why not I come on board and add something different instead of only the typical traditional coffees?’ My dad agreed,” he added. 

Even though he offers homemade cakes, Norris admits: “I only baked for the first time in 35 years at the start of this year”. He credits his girlfriend, an avid homebaker, for guiding him in the kitchen. Though she works full-time in a corporate job, she helps him decide which cakes to make and fine-tunes their recipes. 

A former fitness trainer selling cakes? Seriously? “It was a bit hard at first, since I had to always taste my own products,” Norris laughs. “I used to be all about low sugar and healthy food because of fitness, but it doesn’t make sense now since I am running an F&B business”.

Dad’s legacy low rent a plus 

“Our stall rent is on the low end of one thousand, and since it’s regulated by NEA, our rent will remain the same if I take over the stall [in future],” says Norris.

He adds that his dad plans to retire in a few years. What will happen when that time comes? “This hawker stall is rented from NEA, but my dad is allowed to pass it down to me in the event that he does not want to continue the trade anymore,” he shares. 

While he admits he’s taking a pay cut now, he’s focused on building the business for the long haul. “Every career has its pros and cons, but being a hawker brings me back to my roots. My dad has been a hawker since I was young, so it’s a nostalgic feeling to become one myself,” he shares. 

When asked about their income, since profits are split three ways between him and his parents, Norris acknowledges: “⁠⁠It’s lower for sure as business just started a few months ago, but we expect biz to gain traction and hopefully open a second stall soon”.

Which is harder — selling chicken rice or kopi?

“Some of my old regulars [from my defunct chicken rice stall] come back and enjoy my coffee, though they tell me they miss my chicken rice. But most of my customers are new now,” Teck Thang tells 8days.sg.  

He shares: “⁠⁠It was challenging at the start as all the coffee equipment is different, but it’s better now after some practice. Selling drinks is definitely easier [than chicken rice], the preparation and cleaning process is much shorter and it’s not greasy everywhere.”

Father and son visited many popular drink stalls to see how the hawkers brewed their kopi. We just watched how they did it, and from there, we had an idea,” Norris tells 8days.sg. “We had a lot of trial and error.”

For his modern cold brews, Norris got some guidance from his supplier, the co-founder of local roastery Tad Coffee Company.

Is it tough working with his parents in a small space?

“⁠⁠There are definitely challenges working together, such as figuring out the flow of the business,” Norris says diplomatically when we ask him about working with his folks. “But [overall], it’s been really fun to work with family and see our business grow.”

Norris tells 8days.sg that his dad “likes the taste of my coffee, but he still prefers his traditional kopi”.

For now, Sip Sip attracts both young and older customers. “Some have even commented that they like the ‘best of both worlds’ idea in a hawker stall,” Norris says. “While there is a price barrier as the cold brews are pricey for coffee in a hawker setting, there have been elderly folks who’ve tried them and came back for more. It’s not an everyday thing for them, but sometimes they’ll buy the cold brews for their kids while they enjoy their traditional kopi.”

Toast Set, $4.30

This set comes with your choice of toast (butter, butter sugar, kaya, kaya butter), two soft-boiled eggs, and a traditional drink. For now, Sip Sip buys their nyonya-style kaya but hopes to make their own in future. Hot kopi and teh are priced between $1.40 to $1.60 a la carte; while iced versions cost an additional $0.30.

Cold Brews from $4.50  

Sip Sip’s cold brews are steeped in cold water for 24 hours using Arabica beans from Brazil and Colombia, unlike their traditional kopi made with Robusta beans. For the uninitiated, Arabica beans tend to be smoother and lighter, while Robusta beans deliver a bolder, more bitter taste profile. 

The Black Cold Brew goes for $4.50 a cup ($8 for a large bottle). Other options, like the White Cold Brew (with fresh milk) and Coconut Milk Cold Brew, are priced at $1 more. There are also interesting flavours like Orange Cold Brew or Tonic Cold Brew (a blend of cold brew coffee and tonic water), both at $5.50 each.

‘Sparks’ drinks, $3.50

Served chilled and mixed with soda water, these bubbly beverages are made with jams or juices. They come in three varieties: honey citron, blueberry, and cold-pressed orange.  

Sunshine Swiss Roll, $1.90 a slice

Norris’ house-baked Sunshine Swiss Roll is a fave with “those in their fifties and sixties”. It’s a chrysanthemum sponge cake filled with citron cream made from honey citron jam. Although he’s relatively new to baking, he says his cakes seem to be doing well. “I think this bake reminds older customers of their childhood and they like that it’s homemade,” Norris laughs. 

Mini Basque Cheesecake, $4.20

With bakery stall Butter Town just a few doors away from Sip Sip, Norris shares that he tries to offer cakes that will differentiate his stall. “Butter Town has their own specialities, so we don’t want to replicate them." Enter this house-baked burnt cheesecake. 

Sip Sip is located at #02-39 Holland Drive Food Centre, 44 Holland Dr, S270044. Open daily 6.30am-2.30pm, closed Wed. More info via Instagram. 

Photos: Sip Sip

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