Team: Dato' Sri Subahan Kamal (Executive Chairman), center; Suhazlee Othman (Executive Director), right; and Manichel Subra (Executive Director), left.
Kuala Lumpur, 13 January 2022 – FBE Ventures - Asia Pacific’s (APAC) pioneer food and beverage (F&B) mergers and acquisitions company, has inked a new strategic partnership with Perbadanan Nasional Berhad (Pernas), a company owned by the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOF Inc), to further catalyse the growth of Malaysia’s F&B and franchise industry to help local brands tap into the approximately RM4 Trillion APAC F&B eating-out industry.
The partnership begins with the securing of a strategic investment from Pernas (formerly known as PNS) which will be utilised to acquire, build, and grow local food and beverage brands, addressing conventional expansion and growth issues to take them to the international stage.
Commenting on the strategic role FBE Ventures (FBEV) plays, Dato’ Sri Subahan Kamal, Executive Chairman, FBEV said “Most F&B operators, while passionate, have limited expertise on brand monetisation and franchising in the case of expansion. This is where FBEV provides a solution. We tap into our team of experts to optimise operational excellence, strengthen brand position and improve bottom line strategies. Ultimately, we aim to bridge the growth expansion gap by working strategically with F&B entrepreneurs to operate and scale businesses using conventional and innovative methods alike. This partnership with Pernas which we are honoured to have, will only help us accelerate in achieving these goals”.
FBEV looks to work collaboratively with enterprising and innovative local F&B owners whilst acquiring a majority stake in their brands to institutionalise the operations and grow their brands organically through a franchising model as well as through FBEV’s own multi-brand virtual food hall and delivery kitchens.
The acquisition of local brands creates economic opportunities for both investors as well as business owners. With FBEV’s management team having a successful track record in developing and growing some of the world’s leading franchises, local business owners will be able to leverage the FBEV’s system to elevate their business to the next level on the global market.
“We are enthusiastic about the Malaysian market where there’s enormous potential for F&B in the region. We have seen countless Western F&B franchises grow in this part of the world but limited local F&B operators or brands able to grow regionally or globally. We want to allow promising business owners to grow rapidly and profitably. In addition to that, our fast-growing presence in the virtual food space will ensure a seamless expansion trajectory thereby effectively turning local favourites into globally recognised brands” said Manichel Subra, Executive Director of FBEV.
FBE Ventures also aims to pioneer and disrupt the F&B industry through its virtual food halls and delivery kitchens - some of the very first in the nation. My Virtual Foodhall is the world’s first hybrid food hall and delivery kitchen with 7 locations across the Klang Valley already operational and many more in the pipeline. Each venue houses more than 20 F&B brands, providing customers with a seamless solution for ordering high-quality meals from reputable international and local restaurant brands. FBE Ventures intends to continue to expand on this concept, utilising it to scale acquired brands rapidly, cost-efficiently and at low risk.
However, FBEV also believes that conventional franchising solutions will also play a crucial role in the expansion of F&B brands both locally and internationally. On this front, it believes the partnership with Pernas will prove invaluable.
Commenting on the franchising standpoint, Mohd Hilaluddin bin Abd Shukor, Chief Executive Officer of Pernas said “FBE Ventures provides F&B business owners franchising opportunities in an accelerated manner by using minimal capital, global positioning through brand monetization, improved efficiency and enhanced value by leveraging on FBE Ventures vast international network. An opportunity not to be missed by F&B business owners”. As a company owned by the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOF Inc), Pernas has been a driving factor in the development of the franchise industry in Malaysia since 2004.
FBE Ventures is already solidifying its position as a leading food conglomerate company with 32 brands already acquired and presently operating 176 virtual and physical F&B restaurants across Malaysia. Some of the brands under its TMG Ventures Sdn Bhd subsidiary include The Majapahit, Gajah Mada by the Majapahit, Tail & Fin, and Canning Heritage, amongst others. It also plans to expand on its virtual food hall operations via a separate subsidiary Intelligent Kitchens Sdn Bhd where plans are in motion to introduce 2 more virtual food hall and delivery kitchen brands.
Aside from Dato’ Sri Subahan Kamal and Manichel Subra, the FBEV ‘dream team’ also includes Suhazlee Othman, Kenneth Cutshaw, Danny Lee and Siswanto, who are all global F&B entrepreneurs and professionals. With a combined experience of almost 200 years of industry exposure, the FBEV team has owned, managed, and operated thousands of food and beverage outlets across 80 markets. The team intends to impart its knowledge, experience, and network to elevate local Malaysian F&B brands.
For more information on FBE Ventures, kindly visit www.fbeventures.com.
