Sri Kulai, 1st microwavable halal frozen ready to eat Malaysian meals

2012-07-22T03:51:00.000-07:00

We welcome Kinabalu Food Industry Sdn Bhd (KFI) to come aboard Sri Kulai family! It is exciting to have a great company like KFI with good people and good mind as our "Exclusive Distributor", and "Master Licensee of Sri Kulai RTE Station" for the entire East Malaysia & Brunei. We have ever confidence that with such a strong partner like KFI, we can truly help many more Malaysians in creating time and convenience to do the most passionate things that want to do! KFI is part of Kumpulan Sawit Tan Holdings Sdn Bhd, KSTH (Company No. 873410-P), one of the largest companies involved in the Palm Oil Industry in the state of Sabah. The KSTH Group's core businesses are Palm Oil Plantation, Palm Oil Management, Palm Oil Mill, Hospitality, Construction and Development. Check out www.kstholdings.com.my for more info.

SRI KULAI INTRODUCES SPECIAL SET MEALS THIS RAMADHAN

2012-06-20T07:12:00.002-07:00

Quick wholesome meals ideal for breaking fast and sahur In anticipation of the upcoming Ramadhan month, Sri Kulai, the brand renowned for pioneering Halal frozen ready to eat Malaysian meals bringing back its special edition meals Ayam Gulai Lemak Tradisional and Ayam Kurma Tradisional for a limited period of 3 months (July - Sept). This is the third time these dishes are introduced, and they’re back by popular demand on the shelves of the Sri Kulai RTE Stations. Each pack weighs from between 360g - 400g and are enough for the consumption of 3 - 4 people after popping into the microwave for only 6 minutes. The Malaysian favourite chicken dishes are delicious eaten on its own, with rice or even with bread and are must-haves this Ramadhan month for a quick and convenient sahur or even to break fast. These two dishes will be on a promotion price of RM7.90 per pack during this promotion period (U.P. RM9.30). In addition to the special edition meals, Sri Kulai will also be introducing its Ramadhan packages for those looking to break fast in their outlets, or even as a take-away to be enjoyed with friends and family in their own space. The ramadhan value sets come in a range of choices: Value Set 1 – RM15.90 Nasi Briyani with Mutton Curry Halal Dim Sum One drink of the Day – choice from ice lemon tea, blackcurrant or mango Value Set 2 – RM14.90 Spaghetti Bolognese Halal Dim Sum One drink of the Day – choice from ice lemon tea, peach tea, mango, orange Value Set 3 – RM15.90 Honey Glazed Chicken or Fish with White Sauce Halal Dim Sum One drink of the Day – choice from ice lemon tea, peach tea, mango, orange Value Set 4 – RM13.90 1 pack complete meals 1 pack Halal Dim Sum One drink of the Day – choice from ice lemon tea, blackcurrant or mango As an added bonus, Sri Kulai will also be introducing its loyalty card which is ideal for those looking to stock up on the ready meals in the freezer for quick wholesome meals for sahur. The loyalty card will offer two free packs of any of the items in the complete meals range, for every six packs of Sri Kulai products purchased, or four free complete meals for every ten packs of Sri Kulai products purchased. This is ideal for families who would like a hassle-free yet healthy and wholesome option for sahur, leaving more time for prayers and family time. Sri Kulai products are ready-to-eat in frozen form and microwave ready, and also free from preservatives, free from MSG, come in biodegradable packaging, and are Halal certified by JAKIM. The multi-award winning Sri Kulai ready to eat meals (all are cooked meals) are manufactured by AYS Sdn Bhd, and come in 3 categories of wholesome meals namely: 1. Snack/light meals such as the specialty dim sum and noodle range 2. Complete meals such as Malaysians' all time favorites chicken rice and fried rice 3. Dishes such as sambal prawn, curry chicken, roast chicken For a larger choice of meals from Sri Kulai and diverse spread for breaking fast, customers can also choose from over 30 varieties of items available at the Sri Kulai ready-to-eat station at Klang Valley: SRI KULAI RTE STATION Tune Hotel - Downtown KL 316 Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, 50100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Tel:03-2833032 SRI KULAI RTE STATION Unit G-67,Block G, Plaza Jelutong,No.5C, Persiaran Gerbang Utama, Bukit Jelutong, SEK U8, 40150 Shah Alam, Selangor. Tel: 0192792028 ( En.Wan Sulaiman) Johor SRI KULAI RTE STATION No.1 Lorong Cempaka, Taman Permai, 84000 Muar, Johor. Tel:0163454400 (En.Saiful) SRI KULAI RTE STATION Plot 8, Projek Pertanian Moden Kluang, KM 13, Jalan Batu Pahat, 86000 Kluang,Johor. Tel:077597555 Kedah SRI KULAI RTE STATION NO.25 Jalan Perdana Height 2/1, Lot 88 Perdana Heights, Sungai Petani, Kedah. Tel: 0124276902 (En.Aziz) Pulau Pinang SRI KULAI RTE STATION NO. 115, Ground Floor, Jalan Dagangan 2, Pusat Bandar Bertam Perdana 1, 13200 Kepala Batas Pulau Pinang. Tel:045757135 Sri Kulai products are also available for off-the-shelve purchase at Aeon Jusco, Tesco, Giant, Village Grocer and Cold Storage at retail price starting from RM5.90 and up. However, the Ramadhan promotion is only valid at Sri Kulai Ready-to-Eat Stations. About Sri Kulai Sri Kulai is a homegrown multi award-winning Malaysian Halal frozen Ready to Eat Meals brand pioneered by AYS Sdn Bhd. The brand is made up of more than 130 range of meals from snacks, complete meals to favourite recipes and is available in chain stores in Malaysia such as Jusco, Cold Storage, Tesco, Village Grocer and Mercato. It is currently also supplied to airline caterer, hospitals, food service providers, and café chains in Malaysia. The Sri Kulai range of products has won numerous awards since its launch in November 2008 including the coveted The Halal Journal Awards for Best Halal Product in 2009, the MIFT Product Innovation Gold Award 2009 from the Malaysian Institute of Food Technology, and voted by readers as the “Top 5 Nasi Lemak in Klang Valley 2010” by New Straits Times, and the “Best Ready To Eat Frozen Meal 2010 by Malaysian Women’s Weekly”. Sri Kulai has been hailed as the “Malaysian Power Brand 2010” for its mark of quality in the Halal Food Industry whereas the manufacturer, AYS Sdn Bhd has also won numerous awards such as the SME 100 Fast Moving Companies Awards 2010, and more recently, the prestigious Special Awards for Product Excellence at the recent Industry Excellence Awards 2010 presented by the Ministry of International Trade & Industry Development Malaysia.

SRI KULAI INTRODUCES NASI BRIYANI WITH MUTTON CURRY!

2012-03-16T10:39:00.001-07:00

After numerous requests from customers, Nasi Briyani with Mutton Curry has finally made a welcome entry under the Sri Kulai range of Halal ready-to-eat meals. The Malaysian favourite dish, prepared with a blend of eight fresh herbs, high quality Basmathi rice and quality and ingredients can now be conveniently stored in the freezer and microwaved, ready to serve in just under 4 minutes!

The fluffy long-grained rice infused with aromatic herbs, the succulent and tender mutton cooked to perfection in a Moghul inspired curry is so delicious and appetizing, even the most hardened foodie will not be disappointed. The hot steamy meal is the perfect ending to a long and tiring day at work, or enjoyed over a long and relaxed weekend. This is also perfect for a quick lunch in the office without the hassle of queues and crowded places. Whatever the reason, the Sri Kulai Nasi Briyani with Mutton Curry is a must-have item in the freezer. Each pack weighs around 300 grams and is ideal for the consumption of one person and retails at RM8.90 each.

Nasi Briyani with Mutton Curry joins a list of award-winning frozen meals from Sri Kulai which maintains a promise of no MSG, no preservatives and are sold in biodegradable packaging.
Sri Kulai ready to eat meals (all are cooked meals) are manufactured by AYS Sdn Bhd, and come in 3 categories of wholesome meals namely:

1. Snack/light meals such as the specialty dim sum and noodle range
2. Complete meals such as Malaysians' all time favorites chicken rice and fried rice
3. Dishes such as sambal prawn, curry chicken, roast chicken

Malaysian favourite dishes under the brand such as Nasi Lemak, Chicken Rice, Dim Sum, Spaghetti Bolognese to name a few retains its flavor and taste through a rapid freezing technology that maintain the freshness and originality under the compliance of HALAL & HACCP. All products under the Sri Kulai brand is Halal certified by JAKIM.

The multi-award winning brand is available in all leading hypermarts and at its own Ready to Eat Stations at Jaya One (03-7955 8840), UK Farm, Plaza Jelutung (019-279 2028/013-350 9540), Sungai Petani, KL CityWalk and Muar (07-759 7555/07-759 5018/607-759

Marketing Halal: Creating New Economy, New Wealth by Liow Ren Jan

2011-12-09T20:33:00.000-08:00

"Marketing Halal: Creating New Economy, New Wealth" is a book unlike any marketing book you have ever read. The concept of "Halal" itself is very little understood.

Most people think it only refers to prohibited meats but Halal is a lot more holistic than that once you understand "Halal Toyyibban" (what is permissible and wholesome), you will realize that Halal as a concept could be appealing to both Muslims and non-Muslims.

How do you achieve that fine balance between marketing Halal to both demographics and making the product equally appealing to both? CEO of AYS, the manufacturer of award winning Sri Kulai teaches you what he has learned through real-world, practical experiences and guide you through a journey that he himself has gone thorough in starting up, runing and marketing a Halal food business. The tips, experience and insights he has to share will be indispensable to anyone considering venturing into the fast growing halal industry.

"JUARA RESEPI SRI KULAI’ TO KICK OFF ON APA KATA WANITA TV1

2011-11-29T16:54:00.002-08:00

November 29, 2011 -- The hunt is on for Malaysia’s budding culinary entrepreneurs to get their original recipes out from the kitchen table to the shelves of leading supermarkets. Following the phenomenal popularity of reality shows based on cooking and food, AYS Sdn Bhd, the manufacturers of the popular ready-to-eat meals, Sri Kulai has partnered with Apa Kata Wanita TV1, RTM to kick off a must-watch reality show “Juara Resepi Sri Kulai’ which will kick off with weekly auditions at Tesco outlets in Klang Valley for 12 weeks starting from 3 December 2011.

Juara Resepi Sri Kulai will give anyone with a great recipe or food product the chance to compete to win the ultimate prize of having their dish on a major supermarket's shelf. The auditions will aim to identify 12 of Malaysia’s most ambitious cooks to be featured on Apa Kata Wanita TV1 where they will get a chance to demonstrate their recipes and learn from experts along the way who will mentor them through a journey in which they learn what it takes to turn a home spun ‘recipe’ into a commercially viable product.

These ambitious home cooks will step forward with their very best undiscovered recipes and compete against each other for a rare and unique opportunity of a lucrative contract that gets their recipe produced, packaged and sold on the shelves at the country’s largest supermarket chain, Tesco, among others under the brand name Sri Kulai. The winner will also get incentive in value of RM8,888 off the licensing fee and 5% of sales of the winning recipe sold in all channels in Malaysia for a year, paid quarterly. 12 passionate foodies will get the unprecedented opportunity, four chosen ones will embark on a journey of a lifetime, and only one will get to sell their dream and break into the shelves of supermarkets around the country.
This programme is a collaborative effort of Sri Kulai, Apa Kata Wanita TV1 and Tesco, as the venue sponsor.

Sri Kulai is a homegrown multi award-winning Malaysian Halal frozen Ready to Eat Meals brand pioneered by AYS Sdn Bhd. The brand is made up of more than 130 range of meals from snacks, complete meals to favourite recipes and is available in most chain stores in Malaysia. It is currently also supplied to airline caterer, hospitals, food service providers, and café chains in Malaysia. This hunt marks Sri Kulai’s second recipe search from everyday Malaysians with the first held in 2010 where three best recipes are now avalaible on the shelves of leading supermarkets.

Apa Kata Wanita on TV1 is hosted by Zamzarina Zambri and will be entering into its fourth successful year in January 2012. The talkshow fashioned after “Oprah” has grown in leap and bounds since its launch in 2009. Apa Kata Wanita will feature snippets of the live auditions starting from 8 January - 25 March 2012. The final 12 contestants will be featured on the show beginning 1 April -17 June 2012, three finalists will be announced on 24 June, live and the finals will happen live at Tesco on 1 July, and aired on AKW on 8 July 2012.

For those interested to audition, they need to bring their original prepared food according to terms and conditions listed on Sri Kulai facebook page www.facebook.com/pages/Sri-Kulai-microwavable-halal-frozen-ready-to-eat-meals any of the 12 Tesco outlets at the food court at the dates indicated. The prepared food has to be in complete meal form, Halal, microwaveable in line with the fusion theme. Auditions starts at 11am with final call for registration at 12.30pm. The weekly winner will be announced on site after the final public judging at around 3pm. The locations and dates for the auditions are as below:

3 December 2011 – Tesco Extra Shah Alam (Bulatan Kayangan)
10 December 2011 – Tesco Extra Puchong
17 December 2011 – Tesco Extra Kajang
24 December 2011 – Tesco Extra Shah Alam (near Stadium)
31 December 2011 – Tesco Semenyih
7 January 2012 – Tesco Cheras
14 January 2012 – Tesco Setia Alam
21 January 2012 – Tesco @ Scott’s Garden
28 January 2012 – Tesco Extra Shah Alam (Bulatan Kayangan)
4 February 2012 – Tesco Extra Puchong
11 February 2012 – Tesco Extra Kajang
18 February 2012 – Tesco Extra Shah Alam (near Stadium)

Viewers can look forward to drama, hope and entrepreneurship in action and a unique opportunity to learn how to turn an ordinary kitchen recipe into a product, with tips from experts along the way. Viewers also get a chance to vote each week for the contestant of their choice and win vouchers from Sri Kulai for every vote sent in. Voters for the final selection of three finalists will stand a chance to win microwave ovens.

If you think you could have the best recipe in Malaysia – please get in touch with the Juara Resepi Sri Kulai Team on 03-6272 1707 or email info@ays.com.my. For more information please visit the facebook sites for Apa Kata Wanita at www.facebook.com/ApaKataWanitaZamzarina.

- End –

About Sri Kulai

Sri Kulai is a homegrown multi award-winning Malaysian Halal frozen Ready to Eat Meals brand pioneered by AYS Sdn Bhd. The brand is made up of more than 130 range of meals from snacks, complete meals to favourite recipes and is available in chain stores in Malaysia such as Jusco, Cold Storage, Tesco, Village Grocer and Mercato. It is currently also supplied to airline caterer, hospitals, food service providers, and café chains in Malaysia.
The Sri Kulai range of products has won numerous awards since its launch in November 2008 including the coveted The Halal Journal Awards for Best Halal Product in 2009, the MIFT Product Innovation Gold Award 2009 from the Malaysian Institute of Food Technology, and voted by readers as the “Top 5 Nasi Lemak in Klang Valley 2010” by New Straits Times, and the “Best Ready To Eat Frozen Meal 2010 by Malaysian Women’s Weekly”. Sri Kulai has been hailed as the “Malaysian Power Brand 2010” for its mark of quality in the Halal Food Industry whereas the manufacturer, AYS Sdn Bhd has also won numerous awards such as the SME 100 Fast Moving Companies Awards 2010, and more recently, the prestigious Special Awards for Product Excellence at the recent Industry Excellence Awards 2010 presented by the Ministry of International Trade & Industry Development Malaysia.

About Apa Kata Wanita Bersama Zamzarina TV1

APA KATA WANITA BERSAMA ZAMZARINA is a talkshow with a focus on current issues on women and family featuring high profile, successful women as a source of inspiration for the viewers. The brainchild of then Minister of Information, Dato’ Ahmad Shabery Cheek, this programme has been on air since January 2009. Based on her experience, ability and versatility, Zamzarina Zambry was chosen to conceptualise, host and produce the show. Today, APA KATA WANITA BERSAMA ZAMZARINA is into its fourth year, continues its stronghold as one of the most watched talkshow on RTM. The programme goes live every Sunday at 3pm, with a repeat on Friday, at 2pm, only on TV1.

About Tesco

Tesco Stores (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd is a joint-venture company between Tesco PLC and Sime Darby Berhad. Tesco PLC is one of the world’s largest international retailers and wherever Tesco operates, it focuses on giving local customers what they want and creating value while earning their lifetime loyalty. Tesco Malaysia commenced operations in May 2002 with the opening of its first hypermarket in Puchong, Selangor. Today, Tesco Malaysia employs approximately 15,000 employees and operates 44 stores in 2 formats, Hypermarket and Extra. The TESCO HYPERMARKET format offers customers a complete one-stop shopping from fresh food to apparel with more than 60,000 products. Meanwhile the TESCO EXTRA brand offers customers the widest choice in Food, Clothing, Home and Electronic ranges. The Extra stores also offer a variety of complementary services such as a Pharmacy, an Optician, a Phone Shop and provide a selection of Biz Ranges for our business customers. As part of its community efforts, Tesco Malaysia has adopted Yayasan Chow Kit (formerly known as Yayasan Nur Salam) as its Charity of the Year.

For more information, visit www.tesco.com.my
Email us at media.centre@my.tesco.com
Like us on facebook – facebook.com/tescomy
Follow us on twitter – tescomalaysia
For more information, please visit www.ays.com.my

AYS won South East Asian SME Tiger Awards: Online Business Awards 2011

2011-09-20T09:53:00.000-07:00

Following the expansion of successful leadership series with an SME Economic Forum in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Naseba organized an inaugural South East Asian SME Forum joint-hosted with the Tiger Awards, taking place on September 20th – 21st 20011, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The two-day forum will therefore present a comprehensive agenda focused on growth and investment with four main pillars: financing options, international expansion, government initiatives and the new playground for SMEs. Meanwhile, the inaugural 2011 awards ceremony will recognise and reward the best performing SMEs in South East Asia across eight open award categories.

AYS was honored to be awarded "Online Business Award (Silver)" for their innovative use of online tools in creating a whole new segment in the Malaysian food industry – “microwavable halal frozen ready to eat meals”, which is designed to bring great convenience to consumers, and reengineered the way food service providers operate. The business model has also further supports Malaysia’s vision to be a leading halal hub in the world.

An exhilarated Liow, who is the Chief Executive Officer of AYS Sdn Bhd, said he felt honoured when his company was being awarded the winner for the Tiger Award: Online Business (Silver) from a pool of companies with big names from Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines and Malaysia.

“I least expected this,” he said. “However, the success is something I would like to share with my team. This award is a clear evidence we are being looking upon as one of the top companies that excel in using online tools to support our fields internationally.”

Liow’s company, established in 2008, is involved in the production of the Sri Kulai brand of microwaveable halal frozen Malaysian meals, which are now available in major supermarkets throughout the country.

“This is an excellent idea, especially for Malaysians residing overseas who crave for Malaysian food,” he said. “With our concept, we do not need to export local chefs or set up Malaysian restaurants overseas. The Sri Kulai Malaysian halal meals are more than enough.”

The halal food business is worth USD641 billion worldwide. “The market is huge, but Malaysia is still lagging behind in supplying to the global halal market.

Within two years, Liow has created a trend in this segment dealing with ready to eat convenience food for the consumers and food service providers, both Muslims and non-Muslims, to enjoy a wholesome meal out of the microwave.

His company also bagged the Best Halal Food Product in 2009, awarded by the Halal Journal.

Liow’s concept of promoting Malaysian meals has been dubbed, “Malaysian Restaurant in a packet”. Food, ranging from Nasi Lemak, Chicken Rice and Dim Sum Combo to Sambal Prawns and Chicken Curry, are pre-cooked and packed in microwavable containers, and kept in a freezer, which only needed a four to six minutes of pre-heating in a microwave oven before they can be served on the dining table. Sri Kulai does not use preservative, no MSG added and use of bio-degradable packaging materials.

His Sri Kulai brand (named after his hometown in Johor) also won the Malaysian Institute of Food Technology Product Innovation Gold Award in 2009, as well as the Power Brand for Microwavable Halal Food Industry in 2010 from the Asia Entrepreneur Alliance.

Do visit Sri Kulai facebook and sign up as fan for more uptodate activities and product offerings from Sri Kulai, 1st microwavable halal frozen ready to eat Malaysian meals.

SRI KULAI INTRODUCES SPECIAL EDITION MEALS THIS RAMADHAN

2011-08-01T00:55:00.000-07:00

In anticipation of the upcoming Ramadhan month, Sri Kulai, the brand renowned for pioneering Halal frozen ready to eat Malaysian meals will be bringing back its special edition meals Ayam Gulai Lemak Tradisional and Ayam Kurma Tradisional for a limited period of 3 months (July - Sept). This is the second time these dishes are introduced, and they’re back by popular demand on the shelves of the Sri Kulai RTE Station such as Jaya One (03-7955 8840), Plaza Jelutong in Bukit Jelutong, Shah Alam (019-279 2028/013-350 9540) and UK Farm, a popular tourist destination in Johor (07-759 7555/07-759 5018/607-759 5991), during this period.

Each pack weighs from between 360g - 400g and are enough for the consumption of 3 - 4 people after popping into the microwave for only 6 minutes. The Malaysian favourite chicken dishes are delicious eaten on its own, with rice or even with bread and are must-haves this Ramadhan month for a quick and convenient sahur or even to break fast. As like all Sri Kulai dishes, these two dishes are in frozen form and microwave ready, and also free from preservatives, free from MSG, come in biodegradable packaging, and are Halal certified by JAKIM. These two dishes will be on a promotion price of RM7.90 per pack during this promotion period (U.P. RM9.30).
Sri Kulai ready to eat meals (all are cooked meals) are manufactured by AYS Sdn Bhd, and come in 3 categories of wholesome meals namely:

1. Snack/light meals such as the specialty dim sum and noodle range
2. Complete meals such as Malaysians' all time favorites chicken rice and fried rice
3. Dishes such as sambal prawn, curry chicken, roast chicken

For a larger choice of meals from Sri Kulai and diverse spread for breaking fast, customers can also opt for the signature Nasi Lemak Rendang Ayam, the best-seller Siew Mai, and the favourite Spaghetti Bolognese among a range of others which are available at the Sri Kulai ready-to-eat station at Jaya One, or at Aeon Jusco, Tesco, Giant and Cold Storage at retail price starting from RM5.90 and up.

AYS INKS DEAL WITH ONE OF INDIA’S LARGEST CONGLOMERATE TO DISTRIBUTE “SRI KULAI” MEALS IN INDIA

2011-06-02T08:01:00.000-07:00

AYS Sdn Bhd, the manufacturer and marketer of multi award-winning Malaysian Halal frozen Ready to Eat Meals Sri Kulai signed a partnership deal today with a business partner of VGP Group of companies, Zion Alliance Sdn Bhd that will see the latter take on the role of distributing the Sri Kulai brand of wholesome meals throughout the VGP Group of Companies network in India. VGP Group of Companies is one of India’s largest conglomerates headquartered in Chennai, involved in retail, real estate and property development, resorts and amusement parks VGP Universal Kingdom, and video and audio studios.

This is the first time the award-winning Sri Kulai range will be made outside of Malaysia since its inception in July 2008 and this will most definitely bring positive attention to Malaysian culture and food in India. Zion Alliance will make available the Sri Kulai fried food range at Old Street Café, a new café to be launched in Chennai and upon the success of the first outlet will be made available across India. VGP plans to open 15 outlets in India in the next year, and 100 outlets within 2-3 years time.

At the press conference held today to announce the business partnership, the agreement was exchanged by Mr Liow Ren Jan, Chief Executive Officer of AYS Sdn Bhd and Dr. VG Selvaraj, Vice Chairman of VGP Group of Companies, witnessed by YB Senator Tuan Kohilan Pillay, Deputy Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Malaysia, Dr VG Santhosham, Chairman of VGP Group of Companies, Mr Roger Irvine Director of Zion Alliance Sdn Bhd, and Ms April Ang, Director of AYS Sdn Bhd.

AYS Sdn Bhd is expecting to distribute more than half a million worth of Sri Kulai meals in the next year and expects this business partnership to contribute close to 10% of the company’s targeted revenue for the year. “We are very excited about this partnership as it is our first breakthrough to a market outside of Malaysia in our young history, and we are confident that Zion Alliance through its business partner, VGP Group of Companies will help us make a mark in the vastly untapped Indian market for our range of ready-to-eat, as well as ready to cook authentic Halal Malaysian meals. Furthermore, it makes us proud to be affiliated with VGP group of Companies as they have shown commitment in creating job opportunities for young Malaysians in India and have also planned substantial investment in Malaysia that will help boost tourism and strengthen bilateral ties between both countries”, said Mr Liow Ren Jan, the Chief Executive Officer of AYS Sdn Bhd.

Sri Kulai is a homegrown brand pioneered by AYS Sdn Bhd under the inspired leadership of Liow Ren Jan, a true blue entrepreneur who built the brand from scratch. The Sri Kulai range of products has won numerous awards since its launch in November 2008 including the coveted The Halal Journal Awards for Best Halal Product in 2009, the MIFT Product Innovation Gold Award 2009 from the Malaysian Institute of Food Technology, and voted by readers as the “Top 5 Nasi Lemak in Klang Valley 2010” by New Straits Times, and the “Best Ready To Eat Frozen Meal 2010 by Malaysian Women’s Weekly”. Sri Kulai has been hailed as the “Malaysian Power Brand 2010” for its mark of quality in the Halal Food Industry whereas the manufacturer, AYS Sdn Bhd has also won numerous awards such as the SME 100 Fast Moving Companies Awards 2010, and more recently, the prestigious Special Awards for Product Excellence at the recent Industry Excellence Awards 2010 presented by the Ministry of International Trade & Industry Development Malaysia.

The brand is made up of more than 130 range of meals from snacks, complete meals to favourite recipes and is available in chain stores in Malaysia such as Jusco, Cold Storage, Tesco, Village Grocer and Mercato. It is currently also supplied to airline caterer, hospitals, food service providers, and café chains in Malaysia.

This partnership is a significant move to strengthen the bilateral relationship between Malaysia and India and works in tandem with the efforts of both governments in enhancing trade and business opportunities between both countries. Speaking at the press conference to announce the business partnership, Dr VG Selvaraj, the Vice Chairman of the VGP Group of Companies said “We are thrilled to bring a piece of Malaysian culture to India starting with Old Street Café in Chennai, which is a combined effort with Zion Alliance and VGP, and we hope this is a start to helping Malaysia establish a prolific presence throughout India through its unforgettable cuisine served throughout our network. There is definitely a consumer demand for new and international food and we are confident that the people of India will enjoy Malaysian food as much as we do”.

The Sri Kulai fried food range has been chosen as one of the four different partners in supplying authentic Malaysian cuisine at Old Street Café, planned for launch this August. The meals that have been chosen as a start in the agreement are Sri Kulai hero products such as beancurd chicken rolls, wantan, spring rolls, and sauces such as sambal.

For more information, please visit www.ays.com.my, and Sri Kulai facebook.

AYS won prestigious Industry Excellence Award 2010

2011-03-29T06:40:00.000-07:00

March 27, 2011 -- Chief Executive Officer of AYS Sdn Bhd, Liow Ren Jan said that he was exhilarated when he went to the stage to receive the Industry Excellence Awards - Special Award for Product Excellence (innovative Product) for the Sri Kulai brand. Organized by the Ministry Of International Trade & Industry, the Industry Excellence Awards is the highest recognition given to companies by Malaysian government for their exceptional achievements in organisational excellence, quality improvements and export excellence.

Presenting the awards in a Gala Dinner at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center was Guest-of-Honour, the prime Minister of Malaysia, Datuk Seri Najid Tun Razak.

“The award is a true recognition for AYS, and Sri Kulai in particular,” he said. ”We have worked hard, and being a leader in the microwavable halal food industry is something that we have dreamt for.”

Liow said that with the strings of awards received by the Sri Kulai brand, the company is now moving aggressively to promote its Sri Kulai RTE Station, which will go on the licensing concept.

“The business is simple and requires only a very low capital investment for anyone to venture into the ready to eat meals business, where every transaction is cash,” he said. “There are no hassles of having to prepare the food or ensure that the quality is consistent.”

Sri Kulai is the country’s first microwaveable, Halal, frozen ready-to-eat Malaysian meal. In four minutes only, the wholesome meals can be served hot from the microwave oven. “The beauty of it is that the food can be served at any time of the day, with no cooking!” he said.

This is especially suitable for food service providers, hospital and tourist resort operators whose core business should be in promoting their core services, instead of spending their resources on the kitchen. To date, he said, Sri Kulai Lifestyle Concept has been applied very successfully in UK Farm in Kluang, Johor, which attracts mainly tourists from Singapore.

To these operators, the “Sri Kulai Food Service Pack” will also help them to plan their food supply. “There will never be excess food that will expire or go stale during the low season,” he said. “Wastages can be cut down substantially.”
Although packed in microwaveable containers, the food especially Sri Kulai’s Western Meals range can always be served on dinner plates.

The brand, Sri Kulai, Liow added, will continue to be hyped up. This year, Liow himself is one of the finalists in the MRCA 8TV Entrepreneurs Award, an award competition organized by Malaysian Retailer Chain Association whose members comprised by big names such as AirAsia, Cold Storage, 7-11, Secret Recipes and Starbuck. Liow Ren Jan was also a recipient of the “Outstanding Chinese Business Leader” at a ceremony held at National People’s Congress Centre, Beijing on June 6 by HongQi Pictorial (红旗画刊), a leading Chinese current affairs magazine, published a list of 60 finalists from China, Macau, Hong Kong and overseas Chinese for various categories of awards for online voting.

According to Liow, Sri Kulai was awarded the Best Halal Product 2009 by The Halal Journal. AYS is the first company in Asia to bag this most prestigious award in the international Halal Industry. Sri Kulai again received the Gold Award for Product Innovation awarded by the Malaysian Institute of Food Technology (MIFT).

For those interested in the Sri Kulai RTE Station (total investment between (RM50k to 90k), briefing will be carried out at Jaya One Sri Kulai RTE Station, Cold Storage Building, Section 13, Jalan University, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia every Wednesday 10am to 12 noon, 2-4pm, and Saturday 10am to 12 noon. Call Sri Kulai staff at +603-7955 8840 for reservation.

Visit AYS’s website at www.ays.com.my and Sri Kulai facebook for more information. Enquiry please forward to info@ays.com.my.

Sri Kulai Licensing receives good response

2011-02-09T09:13:00.000-08:00

January 26, 2011 -- Petaling Jaya, 17 January 2011 – Liow Ren Jan, Chief Executive Officer of AYS Sdn Bhd, has once again been nominated for the Entrepreneurship Award by MRCA and 8TV during its second award presentation ceremony held in Petaling Jaya today.

Expressing his excitement, Liow said it was an achievement for a young company, which is barely three years old. “It is an honour to be nominated,” he said, adding that he hopes to reproduce more entrepreneurs who want to enter into the “halal” food business without having the know-how.

With the licensing of Sri Kulai RTE Station, similar to the one set up at Cold Storage Building at Jaya One, the dream of becoming an entrepreneur is now possible for most people.

“We want our entrepreneurs to be successful,” he said, adding that the cost of start-up is very low, compared to a number of other franchises or licensing arrangements.

The set-up for the Sri Kulai RTE Station is simple and requires only a very low capital investment for anyone to venture into the fast food business, where every transaction is cash. Total initial investment including licensing fee, rental deposits and working capitals is ranging from RM50k to RM90k depending on size and location,

“With most licensing and franchises, it requires a great deal of training,” he said. “But, with Sri Kulai, anyone can make money in just four minutes.”

Sri Kulai is the country’s first microwaveable, Halal, ready-to-eat Malaysian meal. In four minutes only, the wholesome meals can be served hot from the microwave oven. “The beauty of it is that the food can be served at anytime of the day, with no cooking!” he said.

This fits into the concept of Sri Kulai in a pack, which Liow said is a great for food service providers in tourist destinations and hospitals, where it is hard to cater to an unpredictable number of guests.

“Hospitals should devote more of their capital and human resources to look after the welfare of patients, rather than having to worry about the meals for the patients,” he said. “We can tailor-make the meals according to the requirements set by the dietician.”

“We are planning to set up 100 Sri Kulai outlets throughout the country in the next five years,” he said. “In the process, we are developing potential entrepreneurs. Now is the time when there are not many competitors in this business.”

There will also be long-term advertising support for the brand. The beautiful part of the business, Liow added, is that the licensee does not need experience in the food and beverage business. “Hence, they can focus on attracting more clients,” he said. “The quality of the product is also assured under the HACCP manufacturing standards.”

With a low start-up investment equivalent to probably the price of a new Proton, the business can be very profitable especially in places with high traffic. “We are here to help our partners reach their goals.”. Liow added.

The risks in this business are also low by comparison. “Since the only capital expenditure are the freezers and the microwave ovens,” he said,
In 2009, the company was also awarded the Best Halal Product by Halal Journal and the Gold Award for Product Innovation awarded by the Malaysian Institute of Food Technology (MIFT).

In 2010, Sri Kulai received the Power Brand for its Microwaveable Halal Food Industry.

The Sri Kulai brand (named after his hometown of Kulai in Johor) is available in a number of supermarkets. It is currently sold in hospitals and airlines, an achievement envied by many suppliers in this category of business.

Food service providers and tourist resort operators are also encouraged to attend the business preview sessions on Sri Kulai Licensing, which Liow said, are open to anyone who is interested in taking up the business opportunity.

Briefing will be carried out at Jaya One Sri Kulai RTE Station, Cold Storage Building, Section 13, Jalan University, PJ every Wednesday 10am to 12 noon, 2-4pm, and Saturday 10am to 12 noon. Call Sri Kulai staff at (03) 7955 8840 for reservation. Visit our website at www.ays.com.my and Sri Kulai facebook for more information.

SRI KULAI’S NASI LEMAK VOTED AMONG BEST 10 IN KLANG VALLEY

2011-01-12T17:19:00.000-08:00

Kuala Lumpur, 12 January 2011: It’s very unusual for frozen food to be selected alongside with the other freshly-prepared local cuisines like Nasi Lemak, but Sri Kulai’s microwaveable, ready-to-eat in 4 minutes and halal nasi lemak was among the top 10 picks by the New Straits Times.

The review which appeared in the local English daily on Dec 30 last year gave Sri Kulai the thumbs-up for being among the 10 best nasi lemak in the Klang Valley, a geographical description covering major cities such as Kuala Lumpur, Petaling Jaya, Shah Alam and Klang.

The reviewer, Zalina Mohd Som wrote: “The Sri Kulai nasi lemak comes in two variants – with boneless chicken rendang and sambal sotong. These two lauk aren’t any different from those prepared by our mothers. The rendang is rich and thick, with shredded turmeric leaf.

“The unique thing is that Sri Kulai is not a restaurant serving freshly cooked meals. It is actually a brand of halal, microwaveable, ready-to-eat frozen meals. In fact, Sri Kulai which is owned by AYS Sdn Bhd, is the country’s first brand for such fare.”

In fact, the amount of innovation put into producing the meal is what helped Sri Kulai’s Nasi Lemak with Rendang Ayam (Coconut Rice with Rendang Chicken) earn the MIFT Product Innovation Gold Award. The brand was also a winner in the recent Domestic Diva Awards 2010 in Women’s Weekly, where the voters were mainly professional homemakers and working women.

Sri Kulai’s Nasi Lemak was also awarded the Best Halal Product by the Halal Journal in 2009. The company also bagged a number of other awards including the Power Brand 2010, 20 Halal Industry Success Stories (selected by the Halal Industry Development Corporation) and recently voted for being one of the fast moving SMEs in the country.
Another food reviewer who wrote in her blog (www.malaysianfoodie.com/2010/11/sri-kulai-jaya-one.html) said that Sri Kulai is no longer the usual “fatty unhealthy Fast Food,” and for a Malaysian delight, the Ready-to-Eat meals are affordable.

According to Liow Ren Jan, the Chief Executive Officer of AYS Sdn Bhd, which owns the Sri Kulai brand, this is a successful four-minute formula for anyone wishing to enter into the food business. AYS is not only producing a meal, but with innovative idea (MIFT product Innovative), taste (Top5 Best Nasi Lemak), convenience (according to Women’s Weekly).

“The best part,” he said, “is that this is a cash business and it does not require a big investment. We have the licensing package available to anyone who is thinking of owning a business.”

Sri Kulai is sold in major supermarkets such as Jusco, Tesco, Cold Storage, Giant, as well as on airlines, private hospitals, food service chains and tourist destinations Besides the Nasi Lemak, there are some 20 other cuisines and wholesome meals, including Dim Sum Combo, Western Delights and the Sri Kulai Winners’ Recipe Series.

Liow said with the high acceptance of Sri Kulai by consumers, licensing becomes an important option for potential business entrepreneurs seeking to venture into the food business. “The best part of the business is that it is cash,” he said. “Properly managed under our guidance, the business should be profitable.”

Briefings on the Sri Kulai RTE Station licensing are done every Wednesday from 2pm through 4pm at JayaOne, Petaling Jaya. To make appointment, please contact AYS Sdn Bhd, 03-62721707 or email to info@ays.com.my.

Household names in the Sri Kulai All time Favourite Winners’ Recipe Series - 5% on sales paid out in cash money to winners

2011-01-11T20:32:00.000-08:00

Petaling Jaya, 11 January 2011: Lilly Margaret Sayagam was born a Malaysian, and will live and die as a Malaysian, because of one passion – her love for Malaysian food.
“My children are now living overseas,” she said, “but my husband and I still love this country, because we have one of the best foods in the region.”
Sayagam, who has started cooking since she was nine years old, was one of three winners of the Sri Kulai All-Time Favourite Recipe Search 2010 competition held at Sunway University last year.

Her dried prawn sambal is prepared using dry sambal powder, and pan-fried with chlli and other spices such as onion, ginger and garlic. When mixed with rice, it is as good as a Malaysian meal.
The best part of the competition is that the winners were not necessary chefs themselves, but just ordinary Malaysians, with good taste buds and some special cooking skills which they have honed over the years.

The other two winners who turned celebrities overnight were Zurathawati Mohd Abdul Aziz, 29, a mother a one-year-old son and homemaker hailing from Melaka, and 47-year-old news reader on radio, Soorya Luke Roy Saravanmuthu.

Saravanmuthu said he did not expect to win with his Spicy Tomato Chicken. “I just came along for the competition, to give myself a chance to win,” he said. “The result was unexpected.”
Zurathawati, or Wati in short, operates a small confectionery making cakes from home. She said she has participated in one other competition, but did not expect that her second attempt at cooking competitions with her Sambal Lengkuas Udang, has made her a proud winner.
All winners’ pack has a photograph of the winner on the sleeve pack and each of them will enjoy a five percent on sales of their winning recipes in Malaysia for one year, which will be paid to them on a quarterly basis starting from their first commercial sales.

Lilly Sayagam, who has been cooking for her family for many years, said she will donate her 5% royalty to Sri Eden, a centre for children with learning disabilities. “For me, it was just fun to even participate in the Recipe Search competition. I didn’t do it for the money,” she said.
According to Liow Ren Jan, the Chief Executive Officer of AYS Sdn Bhd, who first conceived the idea of a nationwide Recipe Search competition, their products will be made available in major supermarkets.
“Recipes can be found anywhere, online or in cookery books, but the idea of our Recipe Search is to provide a platform for Malaysians to showcase their cooking skills,” he said. “This will be our event every year.”

ANYONE CAN MAKE MONEY IN FOUR MINUTES, SAYS AYS, A 100-FASTEST MOVING SME

2010-12-17T19:38:00.000-08:00

AYS voted among 100 fastest moving SMEs in Malaysia, is seeking to expand its network of licensees to 100 by 2015.

Liow Ren Jan, Founder & CEO of AYS Sdn Bhd, whose brand of halal, microwaveable, ready-to-eat Malaysian meals, Sri Kulai, said although the company has just entered the third year of operation, the business has grown by leaps and bounds.

“The reason for this is mainly because we have a team of people who are passionate with what they are doing,” he said, adding that passion is the key for growth in any businesses.

“When I first started the business in 2008, people asked me how much I knew about the food business. I said, ‘Nothing!’ but I am willing to learn from the experts in the industry.”

He has since been an active member of the halal food business community in Malaysia, where his company was picked among 20 successful Halal businesses by the Halal Industry Development Corporation (HDC) recently.

In 2009, Sri Kulai was also awarded the “Best Halal Product 2009” by the Halal Journal, and Liow personally emerged as one of five Malaysians awarded the “Outstanding Chinese Business Leader 2010” award by the Hongqi Journal in Beijing in June this year.

Liow said that with the same passion, the company will also be expanding its network in the next five years. “We have started to offer our Sri Kulai RTE Stations licenses to potential entrepreneurs who want to venture into the food business, without having the hassle of an expensive kitchen set-up or engaging chefs,” he said.

“In the next five years, the Sri Kulai Licensing will be a main driver to further expand our business, and at the same time helping to build more entrepreneurs in Malaysia.”

“With most licensing and franchises, it requires a great deal of training,” he said. “But, with Sri Kulai, anyone can make money in just four minutes.” The set-up for the Sri Kulai Ready-to-Eat Station is simple and requires only a very low capital investment for anyone to venture into the fast food business, where every transaction is cash.

The company is also recently engaged in a discussion to join venture with a big catering outfit to enter into the local catering business. “As this involves a public listed company, we will only reveal the details once the agreement is ready,” he said.

In the SME100 Annual Recognition Award programme organized by SME & Entrepreneurship Magazine recently, Liow’s company was picked as one of 100 fastest moving SMEs in the country for the category of Food & Beverage.

The Award is given in 20 selected industry groupings, which included the Agriculture, Livestock, Plantations and Commodities, Automotive, Chemical and Plastics, Construction, Property Development and Building Materials, Consumer Goods, Education and Training, Electrical and Electronics, Financial Services, Furniture and Wood based Manufacturing, Healthcare, Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology, and Hospitality, Food Service and Tourism.

The Award recognizes the achievements of Malaysia’s Small and Medium Enterprises, and provides a platform for these SMEs to complete globally. The company also received the Gold Award for Product Innovation awarded by the Malaysian Institute of Food Technology (MIFT) in 2009, as well as the Power Brand for its Microwaveable Halal Food Industry in 2010.

Briefing on licensing will be carried out at Jaya One Sri Kulai RTE Station, Cold Storage Building, Section 13, Jalan University, PJ every Wednesday 10am to 12 noon, 2-4pm, and Saturday 10am to 12 noon. Call Sri Kulai staff at (03) 7955 8840 or email info@ays.com.my for reservation. Visit its website (www.ays.com.my) and Sri Kulai facebook for more information.

BRIEF PROFILE OF AYS SDN BHD

Aggressive and innovative, AYS Sdn Bhd, is synonymous to the passion that drives its Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Liow Ren Jan to achieve the impossible.

Founded in 2008, the company is involved in the manufacturing and marketing of microwavable, frozen, Halal ready-to-eat meals under the brand name, Sri Kulai, Malaysia’s first!

Sri Kulai is a range of wholesome meals ready to eat in 4 minutes, from freezer to microwave to table, without the hassle of cooking. Attractively packed in microwaveable trays, Sri Kulai features pre-cooked meals, including all-time Malaysian favourite Nasi Lemak with Rendang Chicken and Dim Sum Combo. Others in the range are the Sri Kulai Western Delights, which features Grilled Black Pepper Steak and Spaghetti Bolognese. Sri Kulai’s brand promises are “No preservatives. No MSG added. Use of Biodegradable packaging”. Sri Kulai is sold in major supermarkets such as Jusco, Tesco, Cold Storage, Giant, as well as on airlines, private hospitals, food service chains and tourist destinations.

Sri Kulai memberi galakan usahawan Bumiputra menceburi bisnes makanan halal

2010-11-24T05:33:00.000-08:00

Petaling Jaya, 21 November 2010 (Ahad) – Syarikat pembekalan makanan siap saji halal Sri Kulai sekarang ini sedia membantu usahawan Bumiputra untuk menceburi bisnes makanan halal, kata Ketua Pegawai Eksekutifnya, Liow Ren Jan.

Kata beliau, produk Sri Kulai yang menang Anugerah Halal Journal dalam kateogori “Produk Halal Terbaik 2009” amat sesuai untuk usahawan-usahawan Bumiputra yang ingin menceburi bisnes dengan modal yang kecil.

“Pelaburannya bukan sahaja fleksibel malah kecil,” kata beliau. “Tempat yang diperlukan adalah kecil, serta alat-alatan asas yang diperlukan untuk bisnes makanan Sri Kulai adalah cuma dua peti sejuk dan beberapa oven gelumbang mikro. Kebaikan bisnes ini adalah dari segi kaedah bayaran yang dibuat secara tunai oleh pelanggan-pelanggan, tiada hutang-hutang, dan semua orang perlu makanan.”

Di kebanyakan tempat pelancungan dan tempat hiburan kanak-kanak, serta stesyen teksi, bas dan keretapi, ramai orang mencari makanan halal yang bersih dan boleh dipercayai. “Produk kami sudah mula dijual di hospital-hospital,” kata beliau. “Banyak lagi tempat seperti tempat servis kereta, kolej dan hostel di luar bandar, kondo dan tempat-tempat di mana ada pejabat-pejabat yang agak jauh dari tempat makanan, serta tempat-tempat rehat sepanjang perjalanan lebuhraya. Di sini, makanan Sri Kulai memang sesuai untuk pasaran.”

Oleh kerana dasar bisnes ini adalah secara layan sendiri, ianya memerlukan kurang dari tiga orang. “Pada waktu yang kurang orang, mungkin seorang sahaja pun cukup,” kata
Liow.

Ujar beliau lagi, bisnes ini bagus sekali untuk pesara-pesara yang ingin melabur ke dalam sesuatu bisnes. “Ini kerana berbanding dengan bisnes restoran konvensyenal yang memerlukan tukang masak, dalam bisnes pelesenan Sri Kulai RTE Station (RTE = Ready to Eat atau makanan siap saji) seperti yang sedia ada di JayaOne, di Seksyen 17 Petaling Jaya (Tel: 03-7955 8840), makanan yang disediakan itu halal dan diproses mengikut prosedur HACCP.”

Dalam lima tahun, Liow berkata, target beliau adalah untuk membantu 100 usahawan yang ingin sama-sama berjaya dalam bisnes Sri Kulai ini.

Baru-baru ini, Sri Kulai ada menyertai Karnival Inovasi Islam peringkat kebangsaan dan produknya. Nasi Lemak yang disajikan dengan Rendang Ayam turut menerima anugerah emas dalam kategori Produk Invasi 2009 yang diberi oleh Institut Teknologi Makanan Malaysia (Malaysian Institute of Food Technology).

Sri Kulai juga dipilih salah satu daripada 20 syarikat yang betul-betul berjaya dalam pasaran halal oleh Perbadanan Pembangunan Industri Halal (Halal Development Corporation) Liow menjemput para usahawan Bumiputra bersama membesarkan perniagaan makanan Sri Kulai di seluruh Malaysia.

Taklimat berkenaan dengan bisnes Sri Kulai RTE diadakan setiap Rabu 10 pagi - 12 tengahari dan dari 2 petang ke 4 petang, dan pada hari Sabtu dari 10 pagi ke 12 tengahari. Untuk maklumat selanjutnya berkenaan Sri Kulai RTE Station dan buat temujanji untuk penerangan selanjutnya (tempat terhad kepada enam orang setiap kali), sila telefon AYS Sdn Bhd, 03-62721707 atau emel ke info@ays.com.my

Licensing of Sri Kulai Lifestyle Concept Outlet - a hassle free way to F&B entrepreneurship

2010-10-26T00:35:00.000-07:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 9,2010

If becoming your own boss is what makes you tick, Sri Kulai's licensor, Liow
Ren Jan has some secrets to share.

Liow, who is the Chief Executive Officer of AYS Sdn Bhd, said with the Sri
Kulai Lifestyle Concept Outlet similar to the one set up at Cold Storage
Building at Jaya One, the dream of becoming an entrepreneur is now possible
for most people.

"Now, everyone can be an entrepreneur," he said. "First, we learn to crawl,
next to walk, then to run, before we learn to fly, but our formula has
proven to be successful."

The set-up for the Sri Kulai Lifestyle Concept Outlet is simple and requires
only a very low capital investment for anyone to venture into the fast food
business, where every transaction is cash.

"With most licensing and franchises, it requires a great deal of training,"
he said. "But, with Sri Kulai, anyone can make money in just four minutes if
they are committed to the easy to run business model."

Sri Kulai is the country's first microwaveable, Halal, ready-to-eat
Malaysian meal. In four minutes only, the wholesome meals can be served hot
from the microwave oven. "The beauty of it is that the food can be served at
anytime of the day, with no cooking!" he said.

According to Liow, so famous Sri Kulai has become that in 2009, the company
was awarded the Best Halal Product by Halal Journal and again received the
Gold Award for Product Innovation awarded by the Malaysian Institute of Food
Technology (MIFT).

In 2010, Sri Kulai was also awarded the Power Brand for its Microwaveable
Halal Food Industry.

The Sri Kulai brand (named after his hometown of Kulai in Johor) is
available in a number of supermarkets. It is also sold in hospitals and
airlines, an achievement envied by many suppliers in this category of
business.

"We are planning to set up 100 Sri Kulai outlets throughout the country in
the next five years," he said. "In the process, we are developing potential
entrepreneurs. Now is the time when there are not many competitors in this
business."

There will also be long-term advertising support for
the brand. The beautiful part of the business, Liow added, is that the
licensee does not need experience in the food and beverage business. "Hence,
they can focus on attracting more clients," he said. "The quality of the
product is also assured under the HACCP manufacturing standards."

With a low start-up investment equivalent to probably the price of a new
Proton, the business can be very profitable especially in places with high
traffic. "We are here to help our partners reach their goals.". Liow added.

The risks in this business are also low by comparison. "Since the only
capital expenditure are the freezers and the microwave ovens," he said, "the
risks are very low by comparison."

Food service providers and tourist resort operators are also encouraged to
attend the business preview sessions on Sri Kulai Licensing, which Liow
said, are open to anyone who is interested in taking up the business
opportunity.

Briefing will be carried out at Jaya One Sri Kulai Lifestyle Concept Outlet,
Cold Storage Building, Section 13, Jalan University, PJ every Wednesday 10am
to 12 noon, 2-4pm, and Saturday 10am to 12 noon. Call Sri Kulai staff at
(03) 7955 8840 for reservation.
Visit AYS's website and Sri Kulai facebook for more
information and all the exciting media interviews and TV appearances. Email
enquiry to info@ays.com.my.

SRI KULAI FEATURED PROMINENTLY AS MALAYSIA POWER BRAND 2010

2010-10-26T00:34:00.000-07:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 17,2010

A brand is only as good as the recognition given to it.

Chief Executive Officer of AYS Sdn Bhd, Liow Ren Jan said that he was
exhilarated when he went to the stage to receive the Malaysia Power Brand
award for the Sri Kulai brand, which was picked as the winner for the
Microwavable Halal Food category.

Presenting the award at the Asia Pacific International Brands Summit
Malaysia Gala Dinner 2010 was Guest-of-Honour, Datuk Liew Vui Keong in his
capacity as Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Malaysia.

“The award is a true recognition for Sri Kulai,” he said

. ”We have worked hard, and being a leader in the microwavable halal food
industry is something that we have dreamt for.”

Liow said that with the strings of awards received by the Sri Kulai brand,
the company is now moving aggressively to promote its Sri Kulai Lifestyle
Concept Outlet, which will go on the licensing concept.

“The business is simple and requires only a very low capital investment for
anyone to venture into the ready to eat meals business, where every
transaction is cash,” he said. “There are no hassles of having to prepare
the food or ensure that the quality is consistent.”

Sri Kulai is the country’s first microwaveable, Halal, frozen ready-to-eat
Malaysian meal. In four minutes only, the wholesome meals can be served hot
from the microwave oven. “The beauty of it is that the food can be served
at any time of the day, with no cooking!” he said.

This is especially suitable for food service providers, hospital and tourist
resort operators whose core business should be in promoting their core
services, instead of spending their resources on the kitchen. To date, he
said, Sri Kulai Lifestyle Concept has been applied very successfully in UK
Farm in Kluang, Johor, which attracts mainly tourists from Singapore.

To these operators, the “Sri Kulai
restaurant in a pack” will
also help them to plan their food supply. “There will never be excess food
that will expire or go stale during the low season,” he said. “Wastages
can be cut down substantially.”
Although packed in microwaveable containers, the food especially Sri Kulai’
s Western Meals range can always be served on dinner plates.

The brand, Sri Kulai, Liow added, will continue to be hyped up. This year,
Liow himself is one of the finalists in the MRCA 8TV Entrepreneurs Award, an
award competition organized by Malaysian Retailer Chain Association whose
members comprised by big names such as AirAsia, Cold Storage, 7-11, Secret
Recipes and Starbuck. Liow Ren Jan was also a recipient of the “Outstanding
Chinese Business Leader” at a ceremony held at National People’s Congress
Centre, Beijing on June 6 by HongQi Pictorial (红旗画刊), a leading Chinese
current affairs magazine, published a list of 60 finalists from China,
Macau, Hong Kong and overseas Chinese for various categories of awards for
online voting.

According to Liow, Sri Kulai was awarded the Best Halal Product 2009 by The
Halal Journal. AYS is the first company in Asia to bag this most prestigious
award in the international Halal Industry. Sri Kulai again received the Gold
Award for Product Innovation awarded by the Malaysian Institute of Food
Technology (MIFT).

For those interested in the Sri Kulai Lifestyle Concept Outlet, briefing
will be carried out at Jaya One Sri Kulai Lifestyle Concept Outlet, Cold
Storage Building, Section 13, Jalan University, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
every Wednesday 10am to 12 noon, 2-4pm, and Saturday 10am to 12 noon. Call
Sri Kulai staff at +603-7955 8840 for reservation.

Sri Kulai Licensing

2010-10-12T20:19:00.000-07:00

Petaling Jaya, 10 October 2010 – If becoming your own boss is what makes you tick, Sri Kulai’s licensor, Liow Ren Jan has some secrets to share.

Liow, who is the Chief Executive Officer of AYS Sdn Bhd, said with the Sri Kulai Lifestyle Concept Outlet similar to the one set up at Cold Storage Building at Jaya One, the dream of becoming an entrepreneur is now possible for most people.

“Now, everyone can be an entrepreneur,” he said. “First, we learn to crawl, next to walk, then to run, before we learn to fly, but our formula has proven to be successful.”

The set-up for the Sri Kulai Lifestyle Concept Outlet is simple and requires only a very low capital investment for anyone to venture into the fast food business, where every transaction is cash.

“With most licensing and franchises, it requires a great deal of training,” he said. “But, with Sri Kulai, anyone can make money in just four minutes.”

Sri Kulai is the country’s first microwaveable, Halal, ready-to-eat Malaysian meal. In four minutes only, the wholesome meals can be served hot from the microwave oven. “The beauty of it is that the food can be served at anytime of the day, with no cooking!” he said.

According to Leow, so famous Sri Kulai has become that in 2009, the company was awarded the Best Halal Product by Halal Journal and again received the Gold Award for Product Innovation awarded by the Malaysian Institute of Food Technology (MIFT).

In 2010, Sri Kulai was also awarded the Power Brand for its Microwaveable Halal Food Industry.

The Sri Kulai brand (named after his hometown of Kulai in Johor) is available in a number of supermarkets. It is also sold in hospitals and airlines, an achievement envied by many suppliers in this category of business.

“We are planning to set up (xxx) of Sri Kulai outlets throughout the country in the next five years,” he said. “In the process, we are developing potential entrepreneurs. Now is the time when there are not many competitors in this business.”

There will also be long-term advertising support for the brand. The beautiful part of the business, Liow added, is that the licensee does not need experience in the food and beverage business. “Hence, they can focus on attracting more clients,” he said. “The quality of the product is also assured under the HACCP manufacturing standards.”

With a low start-up investment equivalent to probably the price of a new Proton, the business can be very profitable especially in places with high traffic. “When the business expands, the dream of driving a BMW or a Mercedes is achieveable,” Liow added. “We are here to help our partners reach their goals.”

The risks in this business are also low by comparison. “Since the only capital expenditure are the freezers and the microwave ovens,” he said, “the risks are very low by comparison.”

Food service providers and tourist resort operators are also encouraged to attend the business preview sessions on Sri Kulai Licensing, which Liow said, are open to anyone who is interested in taking up the business opportunity.

Briefing will be carried out at Jaya One Sri Kulai Lifestyle Concept Outlet, Cold Storage Building, Section 13, Jalan University, PJ every Wednesday 10am to 12 noon, 2-4pm, and Saturday 10am to 12 noon. Call Sri Kulai staff at (03) 7955 8840 for reservation. Visit our website and Sri Kulai facebook for more information. Email enquiry to info@ays.com.my.

Food for the Poor and Street People

2010-09-03T02:34:00.000-07:00

PRESS RELEASE

Kuala Lumpur, 5 September 2010 (Sunday) – Under a Memorandum of Understanding signed today between AYS Sdn Bhd and Grace Community Services, which manages the Food Bank for the Poor, AYS will from now supply its “off spec” products to Food Bank to feed the poor in the community.

Chief Executive Officer of AYS Sdn Bhd, Liow Ren Jan said when he learnt about the Food Bank, he was impressed by its charitable work in providing the basic necessity to the poor and the street people in the city of Kuala Lumpur.

“Often, when I drive past one of these street people, I wish there was something that I could do for them,” he said. “Now, I know that even products that we manufacture, which fail to meet our stringent quality control, in terms of taste, colour or being over-cooked, but still edible, can be channelled to the Food Bank.”

Liow urged more food manufacturers, hotels and food caterers to come forward and contribute their leftover food portion to benefit the people who need them the most, instead of allowing the food to go to waste.

In its frozen form, Liow said, any cooked food can last for a few months at minus 18 degrees Celcius and it is safe for human consumption.

Signing on behalf of Grace Community Services (GCS), its chairman, Dr Henry K. Pillai, who pioneered the Food Bank, said that food is a basic necessity for every human being, regardless of race, creed or religion. “We have been feeding the poor people for the past 29 years, and next year will be our 30th anniversary,” he said.

“We should not view charity as something that we have to do, but it should become our very nature to want to share what we have with those who do not have food to eat.”

Dr Pillai said that there is really no reason to believe there is not enough food to go around to feed the world population. “The food crisis is created by human greed,” he said. “In the richer countries, a bountiful harvest could mean prices of the commodity to fall. When that happens, some farmers may dump their products, so that prices of their products will go up again.”

Dr Pillai hopes that more companies, hotels and food caterers will come forward to donate their food.

For more information about Food Bank, please contact +603-7806 3007/+603-3371 7378

END.

Hospital Breakthrough

2010-09-03T02:32:00.000-07:00

Kuala Lumpur, Aug 20 (Friday): All businesses have their milestones, and with AYS Sdn Bhd, its inaugural delivery of the Sri Kulai microwaveable, halal, ready-to-eat Malaysian meals to several hospitals locally was a long awaited breakthrough.

According to its Chief Executive Officer, Liow Ren Jan, the breakthrough came at a point just before the Ramadan month. “This is because the catering managers at these hospitals realize the convenience that Sri Kulai can provide to their patients during the day,” he said. “It would not be fair for the Muslim cooks to prepare the food for the hospital clients during the day.”

At the same time, he added, the Sri Kulai concept is very suitable in the hospital setting, where some nurses and doctors have to work throughout the graveyard shift. “Now, even if the cook is not around, hospital staff can pick up a pack of Sri Kulai meal and put it into the oven for four minutes,” he said.

With the Ramadan month, he added, the Muslims who have to work through the night will also find it convenient to take the Sri Kulai meals early in the morning, before going home to sleep.

Liow said the company is looking hard at expanding the network of hospitals. Currently, it is supplying to 4 leading hospitals in Malaysia. “We hope more hospital adminstrators will begin to take interest in our concept of convenience food. What’s important is that our meals are all frozen, to keep the freshness of the meals once it is microwaved.”

Sri Kulai's participation in "Inovasi Islam", August 5-11, 2010

2010-08-08T19:40:00.000-07:00

PUTRAJAYA, August 6, 2010 – One major reason why the brand owner of Sri Kulai microwaveable, halal, ready-to-eat Malaysian meals, decided to participate in the “Carnival on Islamic Innovation (National Level) 2010” is because the brand and the product itself is an innovation.
Its Nasi Lemak with Rendang Chicken meal won the Gold Award for Product Innovation in 2009, given by the Malaysian Institute of Food Technology.
Chief Executive Officer of AYS Sdn Bhd, Liow Ren Jan said that he believes innovation takes the form of product as well as the way a company conducts its business or marketing campaigns.
“Because we are still a relatively new company, we have to continue to find new and creative ways to penetrate the market, instead of depending on the conventional methods,” he said. “We are in fact known as the Malaysian Restaurant in a pack. We don’t need to build a chain of restaurants or franchise our food outlets. Instead, our meals can reach as far as the East is to the West, as long as there is access to a freezer and a microwave.”
Liow said the recent launch of the limited editions of the Bersahur dishes is also a good example of innovation. “This clearly exemplifies the innovative spirit of one of our staff, Normala Aziz,” he said. “Despite being young, she used her creativity and with some guidance from her mother, an experienced cook and housewife, Normala was able to produce the two special dishes useful for the breaking of fast,” he said.
The newly-launched Bersahur dishes comprise of Ayam Gulai Lemak Tradisional (Traditional Gulai Lemak Chicken) and Ayam Kurma Tradisional (Traditional Chicken Kurma).
The two dishes are considered innovative because they offer a smart solution to Muslims who have to wake up early to prepare their meals during the opening of the Fast in the morning. “With the Bersahur dishes, our Muslim friends will have less hassles trying to prepare their meals early in the morning,” he said.
For more enquiries or media interview, contact:

AYS SDN BHD TO HELP RE-ENGINEER FOOD-RELATED BUSINESSES

2010-07-21T19:29:00.000-07:00

Kuala Lumpur, 22 July 2010 (Thurs): Hospital administrators, tourist destination operators and other food service providers will soon be able to overcome their headaches of preparing meals for their clients, claims one local convenience food manufacturer.
The first in the country, the concept of the “Sri Kulai restaurant in a pack”, claims Liow Ren Jan, Chief Executive Officer of AYS Sdn Bhd, will help these operators re-engineer their businesses, in order to stay focused on their core business.
Currently, these operators have to manage the in-house kitchen, which comes with it a number of other headaches such as the HACCP and Halal audits, a whole department’s payroll for kitchen staff, heavy capital investments into kitchen utensils, and finally, the hassle of providing a variety of meals to the clients.
“In some hospitals, for example, there are only a few different choices,” he said. “With our Halal, microwaveable, ready-to-eat Malaysian meals, we can offer up to 130 different choices of meals to the patients.”
If the clients hesitate to eat directly from the pack, the food can also be served on plates within four minutes – which is the exact time taken to heat the meal, after removing it from the freezer. “There is no cooking involved,” he said. “This is why it is a good business proposition for the hospitals and tourist destination operators.”
The concept has been carried out successfully in a holiday farm in Kluang, Johor, which targets at tourists from Singapore.
“Assuming there is a 60 percent occupancy in a hospital or resort, with 169 beds and each patient or guest orders a pack of Nasi Lemak at RM5.90, the hospital will churn a total of RM17,948 sales in a month, and RM215,373 in a year!” he surmised. “The only investments involved are a freezer and microwave ovens.”
Liow, whose brainchild is marketed under the brand “Sri Kulai”, said the range of ready-to-eat meals that his company has to offer includes a wide variety of meals which can be served within minutes. “They are pre-cooked, and requires only some heating,” he explained. “We currently have 130 different recipes with Halal certification available to complement the current menu in some hospitals.”
With this, the “halal” issue will now be of the least of concerns, and there will be need for fewer quality or halal audits that require much of the hospital administrators’ time. “Their time could be better focused on their core business by providing better quality medical services to the patients.”
With the convenience that comes along with Sri Kulai meals (named after his hometown in Johor), Liow added, it also helps to reduce the costly investments into the kitchen facilities. “Besides, there is also consistency in the quality of the meals, because we follow a certain set of standard operating procedures, unlike meals that are prepared by a chef,” he said.
A lot of hard cash can also be preserved instead of investing into expensive kitchen facilities, which gradually depreciates in value.
The company, which was recently awarded the 1-InnoCert Double A rating by the SME Corp and the Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology, is set to penetrate new channels of distribution for its halal dishes.
It recently launched its limited editions of the Bersahur dishes for the Ramadan month. “These two packs will only be sold during the Ramadan and Raya months,” said Liow. “We will remove them from the market immediately after the festive season. The two traditional dishes are excellent for our Muslim friends who would otherwise have to wake up early in the morning to prepare their meals. Now, they can spend quality time with their family or go back to sleep after their meals.”

END.

Mother-and-Daughter behind the Bersahur Dishes

2010-07-20T03:31:00.001-07:00

PRESS RELEASE

Kuala Lumpur, 21 July 2010 (Wednesday) - A mother-and-daughter pair is behind the Ramadan month Sri Kulai’s limited edition of Bersahur Dishes.

From as young as 12, Normala Aziz has started to learn cooking for the family. “My mother is a good cook, and I learnt a lot from her,” she said. “I have been active in food innovation programmes since my university days, and I love cooking new dishes.”

A fresh graduate from Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), she is currently the Food & Development Assistant with AYS Sdn Bhd, which produces “Halal”, microwaveable, ready-to-eat Malaysian meals, available at major supermarkets throughout the country.

The 25-year-old, whose family originated from Negeri Sembilan, currently holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Food Service Management.With that degree, and some guidance from her senior colleagues, she was able to design her Standard Operating Procedures to mass produce her mother’s recipes after doing several rounds of food tasting.

A homemaker, who also loves cooking, her mother, Fatimah Ahmad, 58 hails from Rembau, Negeri Sembilan. This explains why one of the dishes, the Ayam Gulai Lemak Tradisional (Traditional Gulai Lemak Chicken), was picked. “It is famous amongst the Malays,” said Fatimah. “The dish originated from Negeri Sembilan, and it is cooked using a blended mixture of cili padi turmeric, fresh spices and fresh coconut milk.”

The other common dish that people enjoy is the Ayam Kurma Tradisional (Traditional Chicken Kurma), which is considered a type of curry. “It is cooked with freshly blended spices and coconut milk, using selected herbs to give it a mild taste, and is suitable to be eaten with Briyani rice,” added Fatimah. “Both dishes have strong herbs which are important to the tastes of these two traditional dishes.”

According to CEO of AYS Sdn Bhd, Liow Ren Jan, the two dishes are excellent for Muslims who are entering into the fasting month, because they help to solve the hassles of cooking during the wee hours of the morning. “With the convenience of taking it out from the freezer and putting it into the microwave oven, our Muslim friends can now enjoy a wholesome meal together without having to wake up early to prepare the dishes,” he said, adding that these two dishes are limited editions. “They will only be available during the Ramadan and Raya months.”

(This is a potential standalone story for your papers or magazine. For more information and to look for a different angle to your story, you are free to interview the mother-and-daughter pair or the CEO of AYS Sdn Bhd, Mr Liow Ren Jan. You may call them into a separate corner to interview them.)

Pemenang Zurathawati suka masak memasak

2010-07-07T22:19:00.001-07:00

Kuala Lumpur, 23 June 2010: Suri rumah tangga, Zurathawati Mohd Abd Aziz adalah salah seorang pemenang ulung dalam Peraduan Mencari Resipi Sri Kulai 2010 di Kolej Universiti Sunway.

Beliau yang datangnya dari Bukit Baru di Melaka mengkagumi para penghakim, Mohamad Asri Mohamad Sahari (bekas Ketua Cawangan, KL Airport Services Sdn Bhd), Lai Meng (pelakun yang terkenal dalam siri Empat Sekawan) dan Alan Zechariah (bekas deejay Radio Empat), dengan resipi beliau, bergelar Sambal Lengkuas Udang.

Kata beliau: “Adalah idaman saya untuk berjaya dalam peraduan ini kerana saya amat suka memasak. Kerana ini, saya telah melahirkan ilham masakan yang original ini untuk memasuki peraduan.”

Seorang lagi pemenang Ng Mun Hoe, 22, dari Green Garden Organic Café di Bandar Menjalara, Kepong, berkata beliau amat tertarik kepada segala masakan jenis organik. Masakan beliau, Nasi lemak vegetarian yang dimasak dengan menggunakan lapan jenis sayur-sayuran, mengakumi penghakim Lai Meng, yang amat tertarik dengan masakan Ng.

Lima orang lagi pemenang antara 12 peserta finali dalam peraduan tersebut adalah Bonny Chau (Daging Lembu Brisket), Lilly Sayagam (Sambal Udang Kering), Soorya Luke Roy Saravanmuthu (dengan masakan Ayam Tomato Pedas), Pritam Raur Susie (dengan masakan udang pedas dan beraroma).

Ketua Pengarah Eksekutif AYS Sdn Bhd, Liow Ren Jan, berkata tujuan peraduan tersebut adalah untuk mengcungkil bakat-bakat tukang masak tempatan untuk pasaran antarabangsa.

"Dalam peraduan ini, kami bukan sahaja memberi 5 peratus keuntungan kepada setiap pemenang untuk jualan produk dari resepi mereka, malah kita ingin memberi peluang kepada chef tempatan untuk menjadi popular apabila resipi mereka diperkenalkan keluar negeri," kata beliau. "Malah, ada juga suri-suri rumahtangga yang pandai memasak juga jelas terbukti dalam peraduan ini."

Seramai 12 perserta finalis dipilih untuk bertanding dalam dua kategri. Kategori 1 adalah termasuk orang-orang awam dan suri-suri rumahtangga yang suka memasak. Kategori kedua adalah peserta-peserta yang berpengalaman dalam menggendalikan restoran.

Turut bersama adalah Ahli Majlis Subang Jaya, Hannah Yeoh, yang dijemput sebagai Tetamu Khas. "Saya berharap yang kurang bernasib baik kali ini akan terus berusaha sehingga menjadi juara masak-memasak di masa akan datang," kata beliau. "Kita perlu memberi perangsang kepada para chef di negara ini."

Tenaga pengajar dan chef, Patrick Siau Chi Yin juga memberi demonstrasi bagaimana beliau mengukir bentuk naga menggunakan gula khas. Siau dan dua orang lagi rakannya mewakili Malaysia tahun lepas dalam peraduan Pastry di Singapura dan menang tempat kedua, melayakkan mereka dalam peraduan Pastry Antarabangsa di Lyon, Peranchis, bulan Januari tahun depan.

Lai Meng juga mengambil kesempatan untuk menolong Persatuan Budak-budak Autisme di Cheras dengan member peluang orang awam mengambil gambar bersama beliau untuk RM10 seorang, yang akan pergi kepada persatuan.

Grandmother plans to donate her proceeds to charity

2010-07-07T22:13:00.000-07:00

Kuala Lumpur, 23 June 2010: One of the six winners at the Sri Kulai’s All Time Favourite Recipe Search 2010, Lilly Sayagam, said she plans to donate the proceeds from the commercialisation of her Dried Prawn Sambal to charity.

The 70-year-old property agent, who is still actively involved in various kinds of charity work, said she wants the photograph of her grandson instead of hers to be featured on the packaging of the award winning recipe when it is commercialised.

“Although I want the public to enjoy my recipe, I also want them to also remember children who suffer from Down Syndrome,” she said, adding that it was after her grandson was born with Down Syndrome, that she decided that life was more than having great wealth.

For that reason, the five per cent proceeds from the sales of her Dried Prawn Sambal dish in the first year, will be donated to help both the underprivileged children and children suffering from Down Syndrome.

The event, which was held at Sunway University College, attracted a large pool of contestants from both the Chefs and Members of the Public Categories. A total of 12 contestants were seen battling it out to see who were the three winners in each category. Winners will see their recipes commercialised as part of the Sri Kulai’s brand of microwaveable halal meals.

In the Public Category, Soorya Luke Roy Saravanmuthu, scored the highest marks with his Spicy Tomato Chicken, followed closely by two other contestants, Zurathawati Mohd Abd Aziz, with her Sambal Lengkuas Udang and Pritam Raur Susie, with her Aromatic and Spicy Prawns.

In the Chefs’ Category, 22-year-old Ng Mun Hoe, surprised the audience by scoring the highest marks with his Nasi Lemak Vegetarian, while Bonny Chau, from Bonny Kitchen, was First Runners Up with her Beef Brisket in Claypot and Lilly Sayagam scored third highest marks, with her Dried Prawn Sambal.

CEO of AYS Sdn Bhd, Liow Ren Jan said he hopes to raise the profile of Malaysian chefs and members of the public who may have a winning recipe. “We have some of the best cooks around, and we want to promote them locally and overseas,” he said.

Guest-of-honour, Hannah Yeoh said she was pleased that Malaysian meals and local talents are being promoted in a big way. “It is time that we make a big name of our local chefs, including housewives who are good cooks,” she said.

Among the judges for the event were 83-year-old Lai Meng of Empat Sekawan fame and former Radio Four deejay, Alan Zechariah, who is dubbed “The Man on the Mike.” The third judge is Mohamad Asri Mohamad Sahari, former Head of Inflight Catering Division, KL Airport Services Sdn Bhd.

Sunway University College’s chef, Patrick Siau Chi Yin who is dubbed the Dragon Specialist within the local fraternity, also gave a performance of how he sculptured a white swan using sugar. Siau and his team recently won the Best Plated Desert with the theme, “Light & Easy” and overall emerged second runner-up with his dragon sculpture using sugar, qualifying them for the international competition representing the Asia Pacific Region in the World Pastry Cup in Lyon, France come January 2011.

Immediately after the event, Lai Meng also managed to raise some funds for the Sri Eden Centre for Autistic Children in Cheras by posing for photographs with members of the public, who donated a minimum of RM10 for each photograph.

Winner, Bonny Chau started cooking when she was seven years old

2010-07-07T22:10:00.000-07:00

Kuala Lumpur, 23 June 2010: Bonny Chau, who operates the Bonny Kitchen in Plaza Hartamas, started cooking from as early as she was seven years old. Coming from a big family, with many siblings, she had had to cook for her younger brothers and sisters.

However, the chores of having to prepare meals while most of her friends were still playing with Barbie dolls never dampened her spirit to become a good chef. With a recipe book now published to her credit, Chau’s creation of the Beef Brisket in Claypot was selected as one of the six winners at the Sri Kulai’s All Time Favourite Recipe Search 2010 held at Sunway University College.

The dish was described by one of the judges, Alan Zechariah, with a big “Wow!” and its aroma tempted another celebrity judge and sitcom actress, 83-year-old Lai Meng so much that she decided to break her vegetarian rules to taste the dish. The other judge was Mohamad Asri Mohamad Sahari, former Head of Inflight Catering Division, KL Airport Services Sdn Bhd also had positive comments to make about the dish.

Hailing from Hong Kong, Chau, who has been living in Malaysia for over a decade, said that she prepared the dish using traditional chu hou paste (also known as brown bean paste) to bring out the flavourful beef brisket in its most original, along with the aromatic rose wine to suppress the unfavourable meaty smell and adds a touch of floral fragrant to the dish.

Other winners in the same category were Lilly Sayagam, with her Dried Prawn Sambal, and 22-year-old Ng Mun Hoe, who surprised the audience by scoring the highest marks with his Nasi Lemak Vegetarian.

The annual event, organised by AYS Sdn Bhd, received very positive responses for both its Chefs and Members of the Public Categories. A total of 12 finalists were selected, of which three contestants were picked as winners from each category. They will soon see their recipes commercialised as part of the Sri Kulai’s brand of microwaveable halal meals.

CEO of AYS Sdn Bhd, Liow Ren Jan said he has a desire to raise the profile of Malaysian chefs, including housewives, who may have a winning recipe. “We have some of the best cooks around, and we want to promote them locally and overseas,” he said.

In the Public Category, top marks went to Soorya Luke Roy Saravanmuthu, for his Spicy Tomato Chicken, followed closely by two other contestants, Zurathawati Mohd Abd Aziz, with her Sambal Lengkuas Udang and Pritam Raur Susie, with her Aromatic and Spicy Prawns.

Subang Jaya State Assemblyman, Hannah Yeoh, who was Guest-of-Honour, said she believes Malaysians have talents which have yet to be discovered. “We know the big names of international chefs, it is time that we make a big name of our local chefs,” she said. “I am sure that there are many who good cooks.”

Dubbed the Dragon Specialist, Sunway University College’s chef, Patrick Siau Chi Yin also demonstrated how he sculptured a white swan using sugar. Earlier this year, Siau and his 3-member chef’s team, representing Malaysia, emerged second runner-up and bagged the Best Plated Desert with the theme, “Light & Easy” in Singapore.

Siau’s team, who will be representing the Asia Pacific Region hopes to raise sufficient fund to participate at the World Pastry Cup in Lyon, France come January 2011,

In her bid to help raise funds for the Sri Eden Centre for Autistic Children in Cheras, Lai Meng posed for photographs with members of the public, who donated a minimum of RM10 for each photograph.