Che Wan Group's partnership with Oasis Harvest a recipe for expansion, future growth

PETALING JAYA: Chef Wan Group's strategic partnership with Oasis Harvest Corporation Bhd is a major milestone in its next phase of growth, reinforcing its position as a beloved national culinary brand and propelling the group's future ambitions.
Oasis Harvest, through investment holding company Metta Food & Lifestyle Sdn Bhd – a Malaysia-based investment company with a strong focus on developing, scaling, and nurturing premium food and beverage brands – is deeply involved in the growth and strategic development of Chef Wan Group, which includes renowned dining concepts such as De.Wan 1958 and Cafe Chef Wan.
Metta Food CEO and managing director of Chef Wan Group Andre Shum Khum Yuin said this exercise will allow the company to enhance the reach of Datuk Redzuawan Ismail's (Datuk Chef Wan) brand and continue its mission of sharing his culinary legacy with more people.
'With Oasis Harvest's support and partnership, we are confident that CWG (Chef Wan Group) will thrive and expand to new markets,' he said in a statement.
Metta Food, with its expertise in the food and beverage sector and understanding of emerging culinary trends, together with Datuk Chef Wan, plays a role in elevating the group's brands while maintaining a close partnership with Datuk Chef Wan, whose culinary vision continues to shape the brand's identity.
Chef Wan Group is known for its iconic dining experiences such as De.Wan 1958 by Chef Wan and Cafe Chef Wan.
Datuk Chef Wan, who remains actively involved in the direction of the brand, said, 'I'm honored to remain a guiding force behind the brand as we embark on this next phase. Our goal is clear: to preserve and celebrate Malaysia's culinary traditions while expanding our reach to food lovers everywhere and internationally.'
As a 20% stakeholder in Chef Wan Group through Metta Food's subsidiaries, Datuk Chef Wan continues to play an integral role in shaping the brand's future, ensuring that his culinary vision remains central to its ongoing success.
This exercise represents a significant development for Chef Wan Group, providing the necessary resources to propel the Chef Wan brand forward and strengthen its position in the culinary scene.
Datuk Chef Wan's legacy remains central to its identity, and he continues to be an integral part of the group's growth.
Chef Wan Group is excited about the partnership and opportunities ahead, and the brand's core values of quality, authenticity, and excellence will continue to guide its growth, as the group remains dedicated to representing Malaysia's rich culinary heritage consistently.
'We are immensely proud of CWG's success as a Malaysian-born brand,' said Shum. 'This exercise is not about changing who we are; it's about enabling the brand to grow and reach more people while remaining true to our roots.'
With the continued support of its loyal patrons and stakeholders, Chef Wan Group is poised to expand its presence and elevate Malaysian cuisine.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Malay Mail

an hour ago

• Malay Mail

From social work to sweet success: Sarawak's accidental vanilla farmer Alfred Phua cultivates second chances

KUALA LUMPUR, June 22 — Alfred Phua never planned to be a farmer. A social worker by heart and profession, he had spent decades working with marginalised communities across Malaysia, from the urban poor to the rural indigenous. Today, he is the co-founder of Vanilla Impact Story Sdn Bhd (VIS), a social enterprise planting hope — quite literally — through vanilla. 'Venturing into vanilla cultivation started a journey I never planned. I call myself an accidental farmer — because I'm not a farmer. 'I was a social worker for 35 years, working with the poor and marginalised communities. But over time, this grew into something more,' Phua said during an interview with Malay Mail. He eventually left the non-governmental organisation (NGO), but even after his departure from the NGO, single mothers and persons with disabilities went to him for jobs. 'So I took up a course on mushroom cultivation so that I could teach this group of people how to grow oyster mushrooms. 'Because it was very hard to dispose mushroom waste, it was through that I discovered how to make vermicompost — a type of compost made from mushroom waste. 'Then a friend told me that the orchids thrive on vermicompost and the vanilla plant is a type of orchid. That's how it all started,' Phua said. Phua had spent 20 years in Penang, and before returning to his homeland in Sarawak, he took on one final project — helping local youths set up a vanilla farm. In 2018, he planted his first vanilla vines as a hobby and it was only in 2022 that Phua started seriously cultivating the tahitensis variety, known for its rich aroma and premium quality. Two years later, in 2024, with initial support from Yayasan Hasanah, VIS received 1,500 vanilla cuttings and is now preparing its first full harvest of gourmet-grade vanilla beans. Alfred Phua had spent 20 years in Penang, and before returning to his homeland in Sarawak, he took on one final project — helping local youths set up a vanilla farm. — Picture courtesy of Yayasan Hasanah Stumbling on the vanilla plant Malaysia, according to Phua, has suitable climate and is a huge untapped potential in this field. Describing the vanilla plant, he said it is a hardy plant, a climbing orchid and it does not need soil. It absorbs nutrients through its air roots so it can even be grown on cement. 'Our climate is like Madagascar, Mexico, and the Pacific Islands, maybe even better because we don't have typhoons or earthquakes. 'We started in Permatang Pauh, Penang, as I knew some of the youths since they were kids and many came from dysfunctional families. 'I asked them to come to Sarawak, but they felt it was too foreign. Instead, they applied for state land and got it. So I went to Penang to help them set up the farm,' Phua said. Vanilla halfway farms VIS now has five full-time workers, many of whom come from difficult backgrounds, including former drug offenders and at-risk youth. Phua however is not only focused on just farming, thus he created 'halfway farms' that covers both his social work and vanilla cultivation. 'My goal is not just to do farming. Because I'm a social worker, I want to use this as a way to help neglected youths who come from poor and marginalised communities. 'One of the groups that I worked with were drug users and my wish is to train them to become agripreneurs, not only the current interns that I have but the native people in Sarawak too. 'They are actually better farmers but they may lack the skill of entrepreneurship, so my dream is to start a school of experiential — hands on entrepreneurship school for the young people — how to lure them back to the farm, because to many of them, farming is hard, but now with modern farming it's different,' he said. Vanilla bean cultivation farmer, Alfred Phua speaks during an interview with Malay Mail in Kuala Lumpur, May 22, 2025. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa Phua's halfway farm initially started with cash crops such as organic vegetables, but planting vegetable was hard work, he said. 'I'm not good with vegetables, and because the owner of the farm is very generous — he bought 20 units of green house — and learned about vanilla. 'So after we did a pilot project in 2022, it was doing well and then he decided he wanted to become my business partner. 'That's how Yayasan Hasanah came in and chipped in the seed money, with that small fund we got workers like the troubled youths to work with us,' he said. Moving forward with vanilla After Phua took a business approach with vanilla cultivation, he has since been processing the tahitensis vanilla variant into Grade A gourmet beans. 'Not many people in Malaysia know how to use these beans, so we also make extracts, coffee and even perfume. 'Malaysia has a huge F&B (food and beverages) manufacturing industry that consumes vanilla, but they mostly import from Indonesia, but Indonesia doesn't grow tahitensis. 'Five years ago, we sent samples to Japan. One of the biggest importers of spices was interested in our vanilla beans and wanted to test 20kgs,' he said. He however said while the potential for vanilla in Malaysia is huge, it is a long journey before the locally cultivated beans can be categorised as export simply because it is not a plant that is native to Malaysia. 'We are working on this. Vanilla was brought into Malaysia in the 1980s. But back then no one knew how to grow vanilla and no one knew how to cure the beans. 'It only picked up again in the last five years — when there are hobbyists like me. 'Can Malaysians buy from us now? Yes. Though our farm just started three years ago, our tahitensis vines flowered in record time — 20 months instead of 36. 'We'll harvest our first batch of beans soon. Export will take years due to compliance issues, so for now, we're selling locally,' Phua added. One day, Phua hopes to see his dream come true — selling his vanilla beans under the Simply Borneo brand, with the tagline: simple, fresh and wholesome

Sinar Daily

an hour ago

• Sinar Daily

Heatwave sends watermelon sales soaring, vendors double up on profits

The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) recently reported that six districts across three states were at Level 1 (alert) following daily temperatures between 35 and 37 degrees Celsius. 21 Jun 2025 02:00pm A fruit vendor in Kampung Padang Pak Omar, Selising said watermelon juice is now the top choice of customers who want to quench their thirst or soothe their throats, despite the price reaching RM3.50 per kilogramme (kg). PASIR PUTEH - The hot weather that has hit the country in recent weeks has not only made people thirsty, but has also doubled the demand for juicy watermelon in Kelantan. A fruit vendor in Kampung Padang Pak Omar, Selising, Yushairan Hashim, 33, said watermelon juice is now the top choice of customers who want to quench their thirst or soothe their throats, despite the price reaching RM3.50 per kilogramme (kg). To ensure uninterrupted supply, a vendor procures watermelon from Johor, Perak and several other states since the harvest in Kelantan has been depleted. "For the past three weeks, the response for watermelon has been extraordinary at our second stall here, surpassing the demand for other fruits. Because of that, I increased the stock to 15 metric tonnes for several days of sales to meet high customer demand," he told Bernama recently. To ensure uninterrupted supply, he procures watermelon from Johor, Perak and several other states since the harvest in Kelantan has been depleted. Yushairan forecasts the high demand for watermelons will continue throughout the Malaysian summer, which is expected to end around September. "For watermelon vendors, this is a much-anticipated period. Better profits this season can cover losses during the previous period of oversupply which led to dumping and price drops," said the vendor who started his fruit business in Kok Lanas three years ago. Meanwhile, a worker at the same stall, Maziaton Abdullah, 52, said she had no problem satisfying customers who started coming in as early as 8am. "The school holiday season, which is filled with weddings, also contributed to the surge in sales. Some customers buy hundreds of kilos of watermelons for their events," she said. She added that watermelons are the top choice because their sweet and slurpy flesh is perfect for cooling down in the searing, steamy heatwave. The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) recently reported that six districts across three states were at Level 1 (alert) following daily temperatures between 35 and 37 degrees Celsius. The areas affected are Larut, Matang, Kuala Kangsar and Perak Tengah in Perak; Machang and Kuala Krai in Kelantan; and Bandar Baharu in Kedah. - BERNAMA

Borneo Post

an hour ago

• Borneo Post

Taxing taste of Malaysian politics

PM Anwar shared this image of himself pushing a wheelbarrow, captioned 'New Year Clean-up' in ushering in 2025. The photo was widely welcomed by Malaysians, many interpreting it as a hopeful metaphor for a national reset. Yet as SST kicks in, some wonder: will the clean-up go beyond optics – down to the kitchen table? — Photo from Facebook MALAYSIAN politics has certainly entered a new flavour spectrum with the words of politicians not about budget, economy or investment but about what's on our meal plates. Acting Muda president Amira Aisya Abd Aziz recently whipped out a storm by comparing Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's supposed love for avocado toast to Najib Razak's infamous switch from rice to quinoa. When 'kolo mee', 'roti canai' and 'nasi lemak' are breakfast of the people (despite rising prices), bringing up avocados and quinoa of the present prime minister and a former one, respectively, which are out-of-touch with everyday Malaysia, seems like a strategic move of Muda. It speaks to how political branding now happens not in speeches or slogans, but in what leaders are seen eating, wearing, or doing on a holiday. But let's unpack this properly – before someone throws a durian into the batter. The timing of Muda's food commentary was not accidental. It came just as the government announced the expansion of the Sales and Service Tax (SST) scheduled to take effect this July 1 with the imposition of five per cent to 10 per cent sales tax on selected non-essential goods and broaden the service tax to include services such as rental or leasing, construction, finance, private healthcare, education, and beauty. For many urban middle-class Malaysians, this tax hike stings. Expanded sales tax includes imported fruits; thus, avocado being considered imported goods was uttered by Anwar: 'If the rich want to eat avocados, then they will need to pay a little more.' So what better way to channel discontent than by framing it as a class issue? Muda's avocado analogy may seem like harmless satire, but it taps into a deeper frustration – that leaders may be preaching belt-tightening while they are enjoying imported produce. Whether or not Anwar actually had avocado toast is beside the point. The image has taken root. And in politics, perception is often more powerful than fact. Najib's quinoa moment in 2018 became a national punchline. For a leader under scrutiny for corruption and excess, his choice of a trendy, protein-packed South-American grain, instead of humble rice, was the icing on a chocolate cake. In contrast, Anwar's 'avocado' is not being mocked as luxurious, but to signal detachment from the people. The narrative is 'the Prime Minister does not know the suffering of the people'. This shift is unfavourable to the Madani Government. It shows that younger politicians are now savvier in using cultural signals such as food, fashion and fitness routines to frame their critiques. But it also raises a key question – is this fair game? Both avocado and quinoa are dear to me – not as symbols of elitism, but out of necessity and circumstance. Back when Najib's quinoa quote made headlines, I was struggling with gluten intolerance. I had to replace wheat with quinoa. It was not about being trendy; it was about survival. For two years, quinoa — pricey as it was — became part of my daily diet until, thankfully, I could slowly reintroduce wheat without discomfort. As for avocados, they were not always this high-end item that you now find on café menus with microgreens and olive oil. When I was stationed in Sabah, avocados were so abundant and cheap, I could have avocado toast at any time I wanted without it costing me more than a regular breakfast. In fact, Sabah grows them and in recent years, Sarawak does too. After all, it is a superfood and many lower income groups could afford locally produced avocado. Ironically, Anwar may have picked a food that is not elitist at all — just under-appreciated local produce. That's where I find him a little naïve. He could have used his breakfast moment to celebrate Malaysian farmers and promote food security – not unwittingly serving himself on a silver platter for social media roast. Quoting Prof Dr Ramasamy: 'At least he should have gone one step further by urging Malaysian farmers to plant avocado trees to bring down the imported fruit. 'I am sure his buddy Mohammed Sabu, the Minister of Agriculture, might welcome it especially coming from the Prime Minister.' Muda's strategy could be seen as clever youth-oriented political branding. In a crowded opposition landscape, they need to be louder and fresher. But surely Muda, a party built on reform and ideas resorting to comparing grocery lists risks appearing superficial. More importantly, it shifts the focus from policy to personality. The expanded SST, for instance, deserves serious scrutiny. Is it a fair way to broaden the tax base? Will the government ensure these revenues are channelled into healthcare, education, and cost-of-living relief? Could exemptions be refined to protect vulnerable groups? These are the questions worth debating – not whether Anwar spreads avocado over its breakfast toast. Likewise, when Opposition leaders resort to metaphors instead of manifestos, we must ask – where's your alternative policy? What would Muda do differently on SST, tax reform, or public spending? In the end, it is not what our leaders eat that should matter most – it is what they serve us. If Anwar's policies can stabilise the economy, lower inflation, and protect the poor, then let him enjoy his avocado. If Najib's quinoa came with billion-ringgit scandals, then no amount of quinoa can redeem that taste. And if Muda can only offer critiques based on food preferences, then perhaps it is time for them to go back to the kitchen – and cook up better policies. Because for most Malaysians, the question remains simple – can I still afford breakfast next month? anwar ibrahim cost of living economy Madani malaysia SST tax