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Future Food’s RM50 million rise was years in the kneading and proving

Founder Sean Tan has built a leadership style anchored on understanding, not commanding

    • Future Food founder Sean Tan's 12-year sourdough starter anchors his philosophy to do the small things consistently.
    • Future Food founder Sean Tan's 12-year sourdough starter anchors his philosophy to do the small things consistently. PHOTO: ZAIN AHMED

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    Published Fri, Mar 6, 2026 · 10:00 AM

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    [ISKANDAR PUTERI] A sourdough starter sits at Future Food’s facility in Nusajaya Tech Park – a living culture Sean Tan has kept going for 12 years. Built on fermentation and patience, it has become his rule of thumb for running a business: do the small things consistently and give processes time to develop.

    That same approach has taken Future Food from a Skudai shophouse to a halal bakery manufacturer with roughly RM50 million (S$16.2 million) in annual revenue, employing about 300 people across three facilities, he said. Two more facilities in Johor are set to start operations soon.

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