18 January 2024
Under the Radar: Behind the Sizzle – Is the Bak Kwa business a seasonal one? Bee Cheng Hiang weighs in
We have slightly more than three weeks until Chinese New Year and that means it is also time to indulge in snacks like your pineapple tarts and even bakkwa or barbecued meat!
We’re bringing up Bak Kwa because our guest for today is barbecued pork jerky maker Bee Cheng Hiang.
Just to take you down memory lane, the firm started in Singapore in 1933, where an enterprising street hawker peddled the streets of Chinatown selling freshly barbecued meat.
Fast forward to today, Bee Cheng Hiang has grown to 367 retail outlets across 11 territories such as China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea and Vietnam. The company said it remains as the market leader in Singapore’s barbecued meat industry.
Why are we talking about Bak Kwa? Well, the Bak Kwa business is an interesting one to watch, because it is a seasonal business where demand peaks during Chinese New Year.
Prices also go up during this period as Bak Kwa makers try to take in revenue to smoothen their financials for the rest of the year.
But how does demand look like for Bak Kwa makers throughout the year? What do industry players do in the lull period after Chinese New Year?
And how do firms like Bee Cheng Hiang determine the sweet spot to price their barbecued meat to maximise profits? How far are players diversifying their revenue streams to ensure sustainable revenue flows throughout the year?
On Under the Radar, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Jessica Wong, Assistant Manager, Bee Cheng Hiang.

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