History of Oldtown White Coffee

Established in 1999, the co-founders and Executive Director, Mr Goh Ching Mun and Mr Tan Say Yap are the incorporation of White Café and provide quality white coffee to Malaysian households and the food services industry. Its founders formulated their own blend of 3-in-1 instant white coffee and commenced manufacturing in 1999.

With more than 10 years of experience in the coffee beverage industry, both of co-founders were instrumental in the growth of the Oldtown Group of companies. Next, Mr Lee Siew Heng, is the one of support them to incorporation Oldtown Group. He is the Group of Managing Director who played a significant role in implementing the overall vision, strategy and development of the Oldtown Group.

In 1999, they successfully to commercialize the instant 3-in-1 coffee mix under the “OLDTOWN” brand name for the retail sector. By end of 2009 October, the “OLDTOWN” 3-in-1 instant coffee mix was sold in approximately 1,348 retail outlets nationwide in Malaysia, approximately 550 retail outlets in Singapore and approximately 2,100 retail outlet in Hong Kong.

In 2000, the “OLDTOWN” brand of 3-in-1 instant coffee mix is the first export to Singapore.

In 2001, White Café marketing commenced operations as the marketing arm for the Group’s beverage products. During the same year, the product line is expanded and includes different variations of the instant coffee mix. In addition, instant coffee mix has also expanded export to Hong Kong markets.

In year 2002, White Café obtained a HALAL certification from the Islamic Religious Department of Perak for the Group’s beverages. This is the part of OLDTOWN Group’s intentions, which is to produce the beverages in accordance with the Islamic law. In the same year, OLDTOWN Group’s have successfully expanded to nationwide retail distribution of 3-in-1 instant coffee mix to cover East and West Malaysia through major hypermarkets and supermarkets.

In 2003, OLDTOWN Group’s have also successfully commercialized the new blend of 3-in-1 instant milk tea for the retail market under the “OLDTOWN” brand name.

In view of expanding OLDTOWN manufacturing activities, OLDTOWN Group’s incorporated Gongga Food in 2003 and commenced operations in 2004 manufacturing roasted coffee powder for the road services sector using the Group’s proprietary bean roasting process. OLDTOWN Group’s also distributed the roasted coffee powder to traditional coffee shops in Ipoh and other states in Malaysia. In addition to the food services sector, roasted coffee powder is also marketed to the retail sector under the “NANYANG” brand. In 2004, it also further penetrated the export markets for 3-in-1 instant coffee to cover the United States, Canada and United Kingdom and subsequently in 2005, Taiwan and Indonesia.

In 2005, OLDTOWN Group’s expanded vertically into the food services sector by opening a chain of café outlets based on the traditional Ipoh coffee shop setting and ambience under the “OLTOWN WHITE COFFEE” brand name. This is part of the Group’s strategy of capitalizing and reinforcing on the “OLDTOWN WHITE COFFEE” brand in the food services industry. In the same year, Kopitiam Asian Pacific commenced operations in the licensing, supply of food, beverages and other item, and provision of management services to “OLDTOWN WHITE COFFEE” café outlet.

Since the opening of the first “OLDTOWN WHITE COFFEE” café outlet in Ipoh in 2005, the chain of café outlets have expanded to reach 137 café outlets in Malaysia and Singapore as at 31 October 2009. This included fully and partially owned, and franchised café outlets. In 2005 and 2006, OLDTOWN Group’s has established the subsidiaries namely as Old Town Kopitiam, Old Town Kopitam Butterworth, Old Town Kopitiam Kuala Lumpur, Old Town Kopitiam Cheras, Conneczone to focus on operating café outlets in different areas and states within Malaysia.

To support the café outlet business operations, their established the following subsidiaries as central food processing centres between year 2005 and 2007:

·       Emperor’s Kitchen commenced operations in 2005;

·       Esquire Chef commenced operations in 2007;

·       Dynasty Confectionery commenced operations in 2007.

In 2005, Gongga Food’s business activities also expanded to cater to the procurement of food items for “OLDTOWN WHITE COFFEE” café outlets. In the same year, Gongga Food also obtained a HALAL certification from the Islamic Religious Department of Perak for the production of its roasted coffee powder. Furthermore, OLDTOWN Group’s has obtained a HACCP certification from BM TRADE Certification Ltd for the processing and manufacturing of beverage products.

In 2006, the company also expanded the product export to Japan and China markets. In the same year, the company incorporated Dynasty Kitchen as a distribution centre, which commenced operations in 2007. During this year, group’s company also incorporated Oldtown Berhad, which will focus on investment holding and provision of management services pursuant to its listing on the Main Market of Bursa Securities. Subsequently the OLDTOWN Group’s also started exporting to Thailand and Philippines.

In view of group’s company plans to expand more café outlet business operation to Singapore, OLDTOWN company also incorporated Oldtown Singapore in 2007 to provide management services, supply of food and beverage items to café outlets in Singapore. OTK Singapore commenced operations in 2008 with the launch of the first “OLDTOWN WHITE COFFEE” café outlet in Singapore.

In 2008, the company of Dynasty Confectionery and Esquire Chef obtained HALAL certifications from the Islamic Religious Department of Perak for the processing of various foods. On other food-processing subsidiary, Emperor’s Kitchen obtained HALAL certification from the IFRC ASIA. To further affirm, OLDTOWN Group’s adherence to international food safety standard and White Café achieved ISO 22000:2005 certification and ISO 9001;2000 from BM TRADA Certification in 2008 in addition to GMP certification by the Department of Public Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia in the same year. Within 2008, OLDTOWN Group’s has expanded the product lines to include 3-in-1 instant coffee mix with cane sugar.

In 2009, Gongga Food obtained a HACCP certification from BM TRADA Certification Ltd for the production of roasted coffee powder.