The road less travelled: From Pharmacy to Popiah and Low-fat Ice Cream
by Adison Goh (Class of ’20) and Benedict Lee (Class of ’20)
Left: Student writers Benedict (left) and Adison (right) with Mr Michael Ker
Right: Mr Zhong Hao, co-founder of Callery’s
In this issue, we spoke to two Pharmacy alumni who run businesses in the food industry, who shared with us their motivations for doing something ‘different’ and how they overcame challenges along the journey.
Mr Michael Ker graduated from NUS Pharmacy in 2001 and worked as a retail pharmacist at Guardian and Watsons. He took over the family business Kway Guan Huat Joo Chiat Popiah in 2013.
Mr Zhong Hao graduated from NUS Pharmacy in 2009 and worked as a quality assurance specialist at a pharmaceutical company before starting his own business in 2014. Callery’s is a brand-new project for him, with the company’s first low-calorie ice-cream launched in 2018.
What led you to switch from the ‘more stable’ career as a pharmacist to what you do now?
M: Initially, my father discouraged me from doing this, as he felt it was tough and hard work. However, the popiah business means a lot to me. I recall seeing my uncles and father working on the stove from as early as 2 a.m. every morning. Such instances left a strong memory in me. Moreover, I see popiah as a heritage and tradition practised among the older generations, especially during events like Chinese New Year. Furthermore, my father was getting old, and there was no one to continue the family business.
ZH: I would summarize my deciding factor into one word – ‘desire’. The desire to achieve more, not just financially, but also the emotional satisfaction when something great is achieved, overrode the need of a stable career. I never believed in providing standard answers so that a risky adventure can be matched with “good”, “bad”, “right” or “wrong”, but I believed in going out there and trying things for myself before deciding on what the right answer for me is.
What are some challenges or insecurities that you faced before or while venturing into this business? How did you manage to overcome them?
M: There was a lot of uncertainty, as I didn’t know how it would turn out. I would be working in a totally different environment – from a comfortable air-conditioned pharmacy, to the popiah business that requires a lot of physical work. Despite that, there are many pros. I am proud to continue a family tradition and make good popiah and kueh pie tee for our customers. Working with family is great, I get to see my parents and relatives more, and I have fun thinking up new ideas with them. Although I faced some uncertainties at the beginning, with the support of my family, I persevered, and it got better along the way.
ZH: In our entrepreneurship journey, we’ve learnt that change is the only constant. Moreover, marketing and public awareness have been a time- and resource-consuming practice, especially for a startup brand where cash-burning seems to be the only way to obtain attention. Despite that, I believe it is crucial for us to be patient and learn to showcase our products and ideas to pitch for new resources, to ensure a stable and healthy growth of the business.
The food retail industry is huge and tough. We do get a fair share of trolls from competitors and naysayers. Thankfully, we have more supporters than detractors and we really appreciate that. Hearing positive feedback from our customers gives us the motivation to work on improving our products, as well as to push out more flavours and new innovative options in the future.
What are your plans for your business moving forward?
M: One of my goals is to promote local street food to the world. So far, I have had the chance to do so in cities such as New York, Frankfurt, Dubai and Copenhagen. In early 2019, we will be opening a new restaurant, which will also feature a heritage gallery to cater to the tourists and the younger generation. We will also continue to have food tours and live demonstrations at schools to educate the younger generations on our food heritage. I also hope to have continued collaborations with hospitals and the pharmacy department, in which I am thankful for their support.
ZH: More and improved flavours, as well as moving into new overseas markets. We are also planning to venture into other types of snacks, including cakes, cookies, coffee, etc. Ultimately, we would like to have a foodtech platform providing a validated system in which such ingredients may be used to transform unhealthy, caloric-dense foods into healthy, low-fat, low-sugar versions. Also, we hope to develop new products with additional health benefits, such as food with high fibre content for better gut health.
Callery’s Ice Cream can be found in FairPrice Finest supermarkets, RedMart and other online retailers.
What advice do you have for pharmacy students or graduates who may be interested in entrepreneurship?
M: I think that for people who may want to venture out into business, it is good to not procrastinate for too long. Once you thought it through and have done your research, go for it and do your best. Do not wait for too long, else the opportunity would be gone or taken up by someone else.
ZH: Resource-wise, I guess that in the pharmacy industry, we are more used to the “practice” and “procedural” aspects of a business. However, please don’t let those stop you. Read up more, talk to others and learn about investments, sales, marketing and corporate finances. You may be amazed to learn about the support, the leverage and talents available out there to expand your idea and business. Be aware and sensitive about the things that are happening too! There are plenty of problems waiting to be addressed and we just need to be vigilant enough to detect them.
Is there anything you miss or look back to when you were a student or pharmacist?
M: I really enjoy the engaging discussions I had with my fellow pharmacists. I am very interested in pharmacokinetics and biochemistry, these are 2 of my pet subjects. I can have long debates or discussions on related topics with my fellow pharmacists, which I really look back to.
ZH: I would still look back to the wide array of exposure during my 4 years in NUS Pharmacy, which contributed to my present work and life. The relevant knowledge and understandings of healthcare issues acquired from in-depth academic preparations; the collaborations and support provided to me from the solid friendships made with talented individuals from all faculties; the skills and capabilities attained from CCAs and internships/preceptorships that even today help me deal with difficult business challenges.
You can find out more about Kway Guan Huat Joo Chiat Popiah and Kueh Pie Tee and Callery’s at their respective websites.