Singapore's Fei Siong brings hawker brand Encik Tan to Indonesia

Three decades after its humble beginnings as a single fishball noodle stall, Singapore’s Fei Siong Group is taking its first big step beyond home turf – starting with Indonesia.

By December, the homegrown food empire will open its inaugural overseas outlets for its halal-certified hawker-cuisine brand Encik Tan and dim sum concept Pao Pao in Jakarta under a joint venture, reported The Business Times. The group aims to franchise subsequent Encik Tan stores and open 100 locations in Indonesia by 2030.

It’s an ambitious move, but one the company says it’s ready for – thanks in part to experience gained managing the Singapore franchise of US fried chicken chain Popeyes.

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“The QSR format is more scalable for overseas expansion,” said Jedrick Tan, Fei Siong’s chief strategy officer and CEO of its fast food division, adding that the food-court model has multiple point-of-sales systems, making it difficult to maximise productivity.

Fei Siong’s international push comes as Singapore’s hawker landscape reaches saturation, prompting the group to look further afield for growth. Its next target is Malaysia, with outlets in Johor and Kuala Lumpur planned for 2026 and 2027 respectively. The goal: 50 outlets in five years, and 100 by 2035.

At the same time, the company is exploring funding options to support this expansion. It's seeking growth-stage capital, Fei Siong confirmed, adding that an IPO is a possibility down the road.

Since acquiring Popeyes’ Singapore operations in 2023, the company has expanded the brand’s local footprint to 21 outlets – and implemented best practices across its operations.

“Quality control is key in a franchise,” said Tan. “The workflow has to be standardised and broken down into a modular format, so franchisee partners can digest and execute it easily.”

That approach – paired with automation such as self-ordering kiosks and kitchen-display systems – is now part of Fei Siong’s own expansion playbook. Encik Tan’s overseas outlets, for instance, will take on a streamlined QSR model with a central kitchen, a departure from its food court-style operations in Singapore.

The Popeyes franchise itself is also getting a local touch. Fei Siong has refreshed the chain’s store layouts, launched a first-in-Asia breakfast menu featuring items such as cereal chicken porridge, and introduced limited-time local flavours such as rendang and salted egg.

The strategy appears to be paying off. Popeyes now accounts for 15% of the group’s revenue, with the figure expected to rise to 25% by 2032. Fei Siong is also eyeing the Popeyes master franchise rights in Malaysia and other markets.

Despite the pivot to internationalisation, Fei Siong is keeping its roots close. Its broader vision still centres around promoting local food culture – whether through its growing outlet network or ready-to-eat meals.

The group has developed a line of frozen Singaporean favourites, such as laksa and fishball noodles, which are slated for export to the US, UK and Australia under the SG Hawker label. Eventually, Fei Siong may even open SG Hawker outlets abroad, pairing retail with dine-in offerings.

With 17 brands and over 180 outlets in Singapore, including hawker centre operations, the group has grown revenue by 10% annually since 2021 – reaching S$210 million (US$163 million) in FY2024. It’s projecting S$230 million (US$179 million) this year, with an eye on S$400 million (US$311 million) by 2030.

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