Founder Bak Kut Teh May Close In 2 Months Due To Poor Biz, Boss Calls For Help

[The_King]

Homegrown chain Founder Bak Kut Teh has been around since 1978. It’s a favourite makan haunt for visiting stars, like Jay Chou, Chow Yun-Fat, Charmaine Seah, Eason Chan and Jam Hsiao (its Balestier restaurant is plastered with photos of its famous customers). But the eatery has fallen on hard times lately due to Covid-19 and the circuit breaker. Business has been so poor that Founder Bak Kut Teh’s second-gen boss, Nigel Chua, 45, issued a plea on social media for help.

 

 

 

 

 

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  1/7

  The chain may shut down within the next two months

  In his open letter, Nigel calls the current period “the most difficult crisis we have ever met”. He details that business for Founder’s three outlets have dropped by over 85 percent for the past five months, and the chain is now struggling to make ends meet. “We are in a dire situation. Business is bad; really bad. We have been keeping our business afloat by relying on takeaway and deliveries since the outbreak of Covid-19, but our efforts are still insufficient. If this continues, Founder Bak Kut Teh will not tide through the pandemic,” he says, adding: “If we don't turn around in the next two months, we will need to shut down. We sincerely seek your support to save our brand, the jobs of our employees and our heritage.

   

   

• 2/7

  It has a 42-year history

  Founder Bak Kut Teh was started in 1978 by Nigel’s dad Chua Chwee Whatt (right), 75, a former pig farmer and bak kut teh lover who started his own BKT biz when he could not find a satisfactory bowl. His first Balestier restaurant initially served pork ribs soup made with pigs from his own Seletar farm.
  
  According to Nigel’s letter, the elderly Mr Chua was relieved when Phase 2 arrived and dining-in was allowed again.  “My dad was elated, grinning from ear to ear, and gleefully headed down to the restaurant in the wee hours to prepare the aromatic Bak Kut Teh broth himself. We were hopeful that the situation would turn for the better. But we were wrong. Even now, we continue to walk into our empty restaurants with no diners in sight. In our 42 years of business, these few months are the most tiring, trying and difficult,” he recounts. “We do not wish to close our doors but we desperately need your help.”

   

   

• 3/7

  Hit by lack of tourists

  Tourists, including overseas stars, make up a majority of Founder’s customer base. With Singapore’s borders still closed, the chain – particularly its flagship restaurant at Hotel Boss in Balestier – saw a severe dip in diners, with the eateries empty and forlorn.

   

   

   

• 4/7

  Support them by ordering their food – at 30% off

  To attract more local customers, Founder Bak Kut The is now offering “over 30% off curated family set menus from July 17 to August 17 at Founder Bak Kut Teh Hotel Boss, Bugis and Downtown East outlets”. To help the outlets adhere to safe distancing measures, do make a reservation before you head down.

   

   

   

• 5/7

  Hotel Boss outlet

  Set A, $58.80 (U.P. $94.20, feeds four pax)

  ·         4x Popularity Bak Kut Teh

  ·         1x Poached Seasonal Vegetables with Soya & Fried Shallots (L)

  ·         1x Best with Rice (Steamed Trio Egg)

  ·         1x Grandma's Pork Belly

  ·         1x Moody to Eat (Pan Fried Marinated Garlic Chicken) (L)

  ·         4x Piglet in the Pool

  ·         4x Drinks (Barley / Longan & Red Dates / Lime)
  
  Set B, $33.80 (U.P. $47.80, feeds two pax)

  ·         2x Popularity Bak Kut Teh

  ·         1x Poached Seasonal Vegetables with Soya & Fried Shallots (S)

  ·         1x Best with Rice (Steamed Trio Egg)

  ·         1x Moody to Eat (Pan Fried Marinated Garlic Chicken) (S)

  ·         2x Piglet in the Pool

  ·         2x Drinks (Barley / Longan & Red Dates / Lime)

   

   

   

• 6/7

  Founder Bak Kut Teh Bugis & Downtown East

  Set A, $50.80 (U.P. $72.60, feeds four pax)

  ·         4x Popularity Bak Kut Teh

  ·         1x Poached Seasonal Vegetables with Soya & Fried Shallots (L)

  ·         1x Best with Rice (Steamed Trio Egg)

  ·         1x Pig's Trotter (L)

  ·         2x You Tiao

  ·         4x Drinks (Barley / Longan & Red Dates / Lime)
  
  Set B, $30.80 (U.P. $45, feeds two pax)

  ·         2x Popularity Bak Kut Teh

  ·         1x Poached Seasonal Vegetables with Soya & Fried Shallots (S)

  ·         1x Best with Rice (Steamed Trio Egg)

  ·         1x Pig's Trotter (S)

  ·         1x You Tiao

  ·         2x Drinks (Barley / Longan & Red Dates / Lime

   

  

   

   

• Outlet locations

  Founder Bak Kut Teh @ Hotel Boss
  #01-09, 500 Jalan Sultan, S199020. Tel: 6816-2582, Open daily 9am-10pm. 
  
  Founder Bak Kut Teh @ Bugis
  530 North Bridge Rd, #01-01, S188747. Tel: 6255-3889. Open daily 9am-10pm.
  
  Founder Bak Kut Teh @ Downtown East
  Market Square @ Downtown East, E!Avenue, #01-310, 1 Pasir Ris Close, S519599. Tel: 6344-2588. Open daily 10am-10pm. 
  
  www.facebook.com/founderbakkutteh. 

Edited July 15, 2020 by The_King

[The_King]

too bad, i dont like pepper BKT, so not going. i prefer herbal BKT.

 

infact i prefer my own herbal BKT soup, cause i add so much herb until it like almost tonic (it so herb and thick. yummy) . but my meat not as tender as their.

[Standing Birdy]

 

[Standing Birdy]

7 minutes ago, The_King said:

too bad, i dont like pepper BKT, so not going. i prefer herbal BKT.

 

infact i prefer my own herbal BKT soup, cause i add so much herb until it like almost tonic (it so herb and thick. yummy) . but my meat not as tender as their.

What herb you use?

[The_King]

2 minutes ago, Standing Birdy said:

What herb you use?

i buy this. 4 packet = 2.5 lites pork broth (ownself make using 2 pork bone) 

 

this ntuc brand is the only one that never add seasoning, so i can add tons of herbal inside and add my own salt to taste

 

 

 

 

[Bigbird]

I like peppery type.  Founder is one i use to have. 

 

Now i go for that aunty one at tanjong pagar!  Rangoon road one also not bad!

Edited July 15, 2020 by Bigbird

[Bigbird]

Many people is asked recommend this

 

 

Anyone tried this?

 

 

 

[Bigbird]

Check out this review

https://www.herworld.com/gallery/life/food/review-we-search-best-bak-kut-teh-premix/

 

Seems like this has high ratings.

NEW MOON BAK KUT TEH TRADITIONAL

 

Anyone tried?

[meng.huat]

they too expensive already...

stopped going a few years ago.

[The_King]

3 minutes ago, Bigbird said:

Check out this review

https://www.herworld.com/gallery/life/food/review-we-search-best-bak-kut-teh-premix/

 

Seems like this has high ratings.

NEW MOON BAK KUT TEH TRADITIONAL

 

Anyone tried?

no herbal one. that herbal one, try before, too thin, not to my taste

[Standing Birdy]

14 minutes ago, Bigbird said:

I like peppery type.  Founder is one i use to have. 

 

Now i go for that aunty one at tanjong pagar!  Rangoon road one also not bad!

Ya hua bkt?

[invis]

nice AP watch there though

[Bigbird]

1 hour ago, Standing Birdy said:

Ya hua bkt?

 

Yes!

 

 

[Bigbird]

I feel all trying to jump on the bandwagon of Songfa Success and out do each other! 

 

Founder has made a lot of $$$$ at Bendemeer.  Just sell their private properties or close the 3 branches loh.

 

Everyone got hit what!

 

if 1 person makan more then $10 liao!  SO ex until i also want to learn how to cook my own BKT!

Edited July 15, 2020 by Bigbird

[invis]

i stopped patronising  them after they went touristy with the increased price.

[aaur4man]

Hope more hawkers open instead 

 

Priced for tourist , now tourist no come, want us peasants to support?

 

Edited July 15, 2020 by aaur4man

[Bigbird]

@The_King

How long you need to boil for the meat and soup to be ready ah?

[socrates469bc]

i only go founder if my visiting ah moh clients want to eat bkt.

[The_King]

10 minutes ago, Bigbird said:

@The_King

How long you need to boil for the meat and soup to be ready ah?

i use thermal cooker, so it about 7min gas time + thermal cook 2hr

[Bigbird]

12 minutes ago, The_King said:

i use thermal cooker, so it about 7min gas time + thermal cook 2hr

 

Is thermal cooker useful? 

 

Does it cut down cooking time? 

[The_King]

9 minutes ago, Bigbird said:

 

Is thermal cooker useful? 

 

Does it cut down cooking time? 

thermal cooker is like crock pot.

 

jsut dump everything inside or step by step(as in the cooking time base on how much time need to tender or soften the meat) then wait for few hr or 8 hr then can eat

 

 

 

[Bigbird]

5 minutes ago, The_King said:

thermal cooker is like crock pot.

 

jsut dump everything inside or step by step(as in the cooking time base on how much time need to tender or soften the meat) then wait for few hr or 8 hr then can eat

 

 

 

 

wah piang oui! What is crock pot??? 

 

I only know pressure cooker is useful.  But i never used or own one yet!

[The_King]

3 minutes ago, Bigbird said:

 

wah piang oui! What is crock pot??? 

 

I only know pressure cooker is useful.  But i never used or own one yet!

crock pot is slow cooker.

 

what i mean step by step as in.

 

say i cook then pork bone say in the morning

 

then when i back after jalan jalan say 4 to 5 pm back, then i remove the pork bone and add in the meat , herbal garlic etc... and bring to boil again then wait for 2 hr later and it ready

[The_King]

pressure cooker will taste better and cooker faster but i use thermal cooker is to save on my bill

[ManOfTheHour]

This uncle looks like Novita Lam