Khong Guan Biscuit Factory was set up in Singapore in 1947 by two brothers – Chew Choo Keng and Chew Choo Han – who came from Fujian province in China.[1] From its first factory in Paya Lebar,[2] the business expanded into peninsular Malaya in the late 1950s,[3] Thailand and Indonesia in the 1960s and 1970s,[4] and the Philippines in the 1980s.[5] Khong Guan first ventured into China in 1981 and has since expanded its manufacturing base to cities such as Shekou, Shanghai, Tianjin, Chengdu and Zhengzhou.[6]
In an effort to break into the American and Japanese markets, the company sought the help of Singapore’s Trade Development Board (now known as International Enterprise Singapore) in 1986 and came up with new packaging designs and a new product brand name – Miss Kate – to cater to the American market. In Japan, the biscuits were marketed under the Handy Pack brand.[7] The company’s regional presence is manifested in factories and associate companies in the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong and China, while its products are sold in more than 40 countries.[8] In the United States, the company operates a subsidiary company, King Wai Trading, which distributes food products that include Brand’s Essence of Chicken, Owl instant beverages, Isabelle and Emperor cookies, and its own Khong Guan products. These products are also available through its online store, myAsianStore.com.[9]
References
1. Khong Guan. (2010). History. Retrieved September 30, 2012, from Khong Guan website: http://khongguan.com.sg/en/about-us
2. Biscuits flow from this assembly line. (1955, October 29). The Singapore Free Press, p. 30; Lim, C. H. (Interviewer). (1980, September 7). Oral history interview with Chew Choo Keng [Transcript of MP3 No. 000045/24/13, p. 126]. Retrieved November 22, 2013, from National Archives of Singapore website: http://archivesonline.nas.sg/
3. The Singapore Free Press, 29 Oct 1955, p. 30; Lim, C. H. (Interviewer). (1980, November 9). Oral history interview with Chew Choo Keng [Transcript of MP3 No. 000045/24/14, p. 139]. Retrieved November 22, 2013, from National Archives of Singapore website: http://archivesonline.nas.sg/
4. Biscuit factory to double its output. (1974, December 20). The Straits Times, p. 19. Retrieved from NewspaperSG; Lim, C. H. (Interviewer). (1980, November 16). Oral history interview with Chew Choo Keng [Transcript of MP3 No. 000045/24/17, pp. 169, 171]. Retrieved November 22, 2013, from National Archives of Singapore website: http://archivesonline.nas.sg/
5. Tan, B. H. (1982, December 1). Name it, he’s done it. The Straits Times, Section Three, p. 1. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
6. Leow, J. (2002, January 15). S’pore businesses eye Chinese pie. The Straits Times, p. A1; Khong Guan ventures into China. (1981, June 18). The Straits Times, p. 7. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
7. Design changes boost sales. (1988, January 22). The Straits Times, p. 17. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
8. Hot ideas off the belt: Singapore-based enterprises, world-class opportunities (p. 32). (2004). Singapore: International Enterprise Singapore. Call no.: RSING q338.7664 HOT.
9. Khong Guan Corporation. (2012). About us. Retrieved September 30, 2013, from Khong Guan Corporation website: http://www.khongguan.com/about.htm; Khong Guan Corporation. (2012). Products. Retrieved September 30, 2013, from Khong Guan Corporation website: http://khongguan.com/products.htm
The information in this article is valid as at 2014 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.