Ya Kun Kaya Toast 4.32

Ya Kun Kaya Toast is a Singaporean chain of mass-market, retro-ambience cafes selling toast products, soft-boiled eggs and coffee. Founded by Loi Ah Koon in 1944, Ya Kun remained a small family-run stall for decades, but have expanded rapidly since Loi's youngest son headed the business in 1999. They have over fifty outlets, mostly franchised, across six countries, and are a Singaporean cultural icon, known for their traditional brand identity and conservative, people-centric corporate culture.HistoryIn 1926, Loi Ah Koon emigrated from Hainan to Singapore, where he worked as a coffee-stall assistant. He later went on to start his own business with two other immigrants. They sold coffee, crackers and toast at Telok Ayer Basin, however, his two partners later dropped out, leaving him to run the stall alone. He married while visiting relatives in Hainan, his wife later settled down with him in Singapore. She worked alongside him and later suggested cutting each slice of bread into half and combining the toast with her homemade kaya, this became their signature kaya toast. Registered in 1944 as Ya Kun Coffeestall, the stall gradually developed a reputation for delicious kaya toast and friendly service. The couple, their eight children and seven other families lived together in a three-storey shophouse across the road, where the Hong Leong Building now stands. As the children grew up, they began to help stir the kaya, run errands, charcoal-grill the bread and eventually, manage the stall.