Ya Kun's tradition in transition
The iconic combination of kaya toast, eggs and kopi has been the ultimate local breakfast throughout Singapore's history. But does it still have a place in our future?
AS the weekend rolls around at long last, imagine if you will, the leisurely breakfast you will have. You might get some crusty bread topped with a lustrous green spread, alongside some runny eggs that wobble just so. These, you will wash down with a nice, strong brew. Now, at this point, the sort of breakfast that you picture says a fair bit about Ya Kun Kaya Toast's future.
While an older crowd might imagine the venerable trio of kaya toast, soft-boiled eggs and kopi, there is a good chance that millennials are fantasising about smashed avocado on rye bread, poached eggs and a latte instead. Today, Adrin Loi, the youngest son of Ya Kun's founder, is the man facing down the trendy tidal wave of buckwheat pancakes, quinoa bowls and cold-drip yuzu coffee.
In an age of Instagrammable food and changing consumption patterns, the 61-year-old executive chairman of Ya Kun International is not blinking.
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