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‘I still wash dishes’: How Calvin Chan turned Oriental Kopi into a RM2.5 billion kopitiam empire

The founder still returns to the kitchen, showing how far staying grounded can take you

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Tan Ai Leng

Tan Ai Leng

Published Fri, Nov 21, 2025 · 02:20 PM
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    • Calvin Chan, founder and managing director of Oriental Kopi, says: "If you care enough, people can taste it."
    • Oriental Kopi's journey began in this outlet in Johor Jaya back in 2020. Today, the kopitiam chain has 28 outlets, including three in Singapore.
    • Calvin Chan, founder and managing director of Oriental Kopi, says: "If you care enough, people can taste it." PHOTO: ORIENTAL KOPI
    • Oriental Kopi's journey began in this outlet in Johor Jaya back in 2020. Today, the kopitiam chain has 28 outlets, including three in Singapore. PHOTO: ORIENTAL KOPI

    The strategies and stories that shape today’s leaders.

    [KUALA LUMPUR] The kitchen is where Calvin Chan finds his centre.

    It is the place he and his siblings first brewed coffee, slow-cooked kaya, handcrafted egg tarts and experimented with beans long before Oriental Kopi became a Malaysian-listed kopitiam empire, valued at RM2.5 billion (S$785 million).

    MalaysiaF&BAseanAsean BusinessAsia-PacificThe Leadership Playbook

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