Tastemakers

Founder Bernard Tay kept a low profile for years, fearing customers would shun his K-food chain for not being South Korean

- Hedy Khoo

When you learn that Korean fried chicken chain Jinjja Chicken is actually a local brand, your first reaction might be: "Jinjja?"

That is a common expression in Korean for surprise, something along the lines of "Really?"

For 10 years since starting his restaurant chain in 2015, Singaporean Bernard Tay kept a low profile, not wanting to broadcast the fact that Jinjja Chicken is a home-grown brand. He co-owns the halal-certified chain with a partner who is also Singaporean.

Now, with eight outlets under his belt in Singapore bringing in about $10 million a year and employing 170 staff, he is finally ready to reveal Jinjja's local origins.

The 45-year-old says: "It is time to let people know that we are proudly 100 per cent owned by Singaporeans. We are a Singaporean brand and we are also doing well overseas. I hope people will support Singaporeans who dare to sell cuisines which are not local."

The brand has three franchise outlets in Indonesia's Medan, two in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia and one in Brunei, with another opening there in August.

Mr Tay admits it is a common misconception that the brand is from South Korea. In the past, he had chosen not to correct that assumption. Even his friends and business contacts assumed he had bought the franchise.

"When I was starting my business, they asked me why I wanted to sell Korean fried chicken instead of chicken rice or local delights. There is a stigma that if you are not South Korean, you can't cook Korean fried chicken well."

This hesitation stemmed from the fear that customers would shun the brand for not being authentic.

He grimaces when he recalls an incident on the opening day of his Northpoint City outlet in October 2017. A local customer, who was about to order, asked the cashier if the boss was from South Korea.