GLOBAL BRANDS, LOCAL FAVOURITES When preparing the perfect meal, every ingredient counts. Whether cooking at home or working in a restaurant, love and attention to detail shines through and elevates any dish. If we look for this care everywhere else, then we surely look for it in our store-bought meals as well. WRITTEN BY ALICE INSTONE-BREWER
MEWAH GROUP WWW.MEWAHGROUP.COM // 0065 6829 5200
MEWAH GROUP
When producing signature dishes for their
customers, a consumables company is looking for that same attention to detail in every step and ingredient; that’s why Mewah’s products are an industry go-to.
T
he Mewah Group is an agribusiness company, that focuses primarily on the processing of agricultural products into gastronomy essentials such as butters, margarines and oils.
Essential tools in any meal preparation, these products affect not only the health of a finished meal, but also their flavour, shelf-life and overall quality. No matter how good a recipe quality, if the wrong oil or spread is used, the intended experience will never make its way from the pan to the plate of the consumer; Mewah take this role seriously, and works closely with every client to find the perfect solution for their product. We spoke with Yew Wai Phang, Mewah’s VP in Consumer Pack Business. He explained that roughly 80% of Mewah’s products are sold business to business (b2b), and that their Premium Quality status means that their reputation is proceeds them. “People reconigise us by the solutions we can give to them. I’m giving them a solution, and I’m giving them a solution that is tailor-made to them and their requirements.” Founded in the 1950s, Mewah has a vast portfolio of existing products to meet their customers’ needs. However, short of simply offering this range up and leaving the client to evaluate their options alone, the company holds close consultations to establish exactly what each company aims to produce, and what requirements they have to reach their goal. Phang spoke us through the process.
In the past decade, SMC has been providing the Mewah Group with Retrofit, Renew and Repair Solutions installed by 3rd party suppliers (Komatsu, EFACEC & Swisslog). This partnership resulted in accomplishing these objectives: • Merging WMS and equipment controls by replacing them with SMC’s control panel; • Retrofitting and repairing hardware and equipment such as stacker cranes, conveyors, rail guided vehicles and integrating them into SMC. We are excited to enter into a new era of automation with the Mewah Group!
“The market is getting more sophisticated, in the sense that, it’s not just basic oil that people are buying – they’re buying processed meals. People are not just buying a bottle of oil at the supermarket so they can fry their own food at home – they want so-called 48 | Endeavour Magazine
Contact us: support@smc-memo.sg www.smck.com
MEWAH GROUP ‘convenience food’. So, we are working with these customers to
these rising expectations are, of course, health standards, which
use the right type of oils, so that they can cook the meal and, when
Mewah must, like all other consumables companies, constantly
it is microwaved later one, it will still have the same flavour profile
keep up with their product list. “One of the hot topics right now is
as if it had been freshly fried.”
trans fats. The consumer does not want, or has a low tolerance for
“So, for example, a customer might say that they need their
trans fats. The other hot topic is.hydrogenation” Mewah’s job is to
best-seller casserole to be microwavable. We will propose a
provide companies with products that match these requirements
product, and then we may need to go backwards and forwards over
without sacrificing on quality or taste. Their awareness of these
time. Taste is one factor that we look at, and another aspect is the
requirements must also go beyond their own borders and laws:
shelf life. For example, they may tell us that they want the shelf life
“Our products are sold around the world, from South America to
for their product to be three months or six months etc., and so once
Eastern Europe to China and Australia and so on.”
the initial taste has been approved, we will perform a full shelf-life
However, whilst this b2b process accounts for 80% of their
test.” These tests require waiting for the full shelf-life of the product
operations, it isn’t Mewah’s only business. 20% of their products
and testing its quality again, to make sure that its quality has been
are sold business to consumer (b2c) on the retail market, including
maintained. Mewah participates in this back-and-forth until their
cooking oils, margarines and spreads, condensed milk and so on.
customer is satisfied, and it is this attention to detail that makes
Whilst this is an area that they would like to expand, though, b2b
them a reliable partner in any production process – especially in an
seems set to always be their focus: “B2b is our bread and butter.
increasingly competitive market.
Our scale of production is big, and we are in demand from our
As the population has risen and grown more affluent, demand
customers; they come back to us and say that they like that we’re
for food products has naturally risen. However, with increased
doing, and know that they can use our solutions to produce a finer
demand also comes increased supply from competing companies,
product. Additionally, b2c is a slower business to grow: it’s a little
and with growing affluence comes rising expectations. Amongst
trickier, in that you need to do more marketing, brand positioning
Whether it be construction, consultation, plantation or rental of machinery, Orient Arotek Engineering & Trading Sdn Bhd have all your needs covered.
The group continues to move forwards through adaptation and creativity, offering an array of services along the journey. Director of Orient Arotek, Dato’ Dr. Joseph Lee has been at the helm since the company’s humble beginnings in 2002, and recently won the outstanding category in the Asia Pacific Entrepreneurship Award 2018. The Group’s new slogan, “Never give up & fight to the end”, shows their company spirit as they continue onto their 16th year in business.
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Orient Arotek Engineering & Trading Sdn Bhd is part of the OAE Builder Group of companies which also consist of the following subsidiaries: • Cat Flooring Specialists Sdn Bhd • DNR Machinery Sdn Bhd • Dynamic Nature Engineering & Hardware Sdn Bhd • Dynamic Nature Agro Sdn Bhd • Dynamic Nature Metal Sdn Bhd • Dynamic Nature Plantation Sdn Bhd • SBN Sport Resources Sdn Bhd The OAE Group’s core businesses are steel structures, piping, vessels, storage tanks and civil works. However, OAE is full of variety, as they also provide the rental of construction machinery and equipment, as well as the collection of scrap metal. PU & Silicon PU Flooring Works add more feathers to the Group’s quiver, whilst also supplying and selling a wide array of building materials, hardware items, tools and steels products.
Tel: 03 – 4024 1182, Fax: 03 – 40243193 http://oae.com.my/ 50 | Endeavour Magazine
Recent and ongoing projects have included the demolition and re-build of factories in Shah Alam and the fabrications of mild steel storage tanks in Pulau Indah, Klang. In addition, the Group operates in the development and management of palm oil plantations and the selling of quality palm oil seed. This division currently manages the palm oil plantations in Bintulu, Sarawak. The OAE Group received a certificate of registration to the ISO 9001:2008 for Quality Management System (QMS) in 2012 and, recently, the company successfully completed the transition onto the new ISO 9001:2015 Standard. This award attests to the company’s efforts in developing internal procedures and improving customer services, in addition to the development of the quality objectives and policies in a manner conducive to higher value for partners and all related parties. Orient Arotek Engineering & Trading Sdn Bhd are currently well positioned in the marketplace and are in a period of great expansion, aimed at broadening and intensifying their position in carefully selected investment areas throughout their journey. They continue to move forwards to create value and become a leading group of companies in Malaysia.
MALAYSIA INVESTMENT HOLDING COMPANY WITH A BROAD RANGE OF INTERESTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION, CONSULTATION, PLANTATION, RENTAL OF MACHINERIES SECTORS.
The company is well positioned in the market place and is in a period of expansion aimed at broadening and intensifying positions in carefully selected investment areas.
The Group continues to move forward to create value and make a difference and become a leading group of companies in Malaysia.
With a well-defined direction in place, the Group’s mission serves as the framework for the group’s roadmap.
Orient Arotek Engineering & Trading Sdn Bhd 8-5-1, 5th Floor, Diamond Square Commercial Centre, Jalan Semarak Api 3, Off Jalan Gombak, 53000 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03 – 4024 1182, Fax: 03 – 40243193 http://oae.com.my/
MEWAH GROUP
Global supplier of raw materials for industries such as food, healthcare, industrial, and personal care http://eurochemo.com
and brand awareness. We are developing it, but the gestation
you may miss the window of opportunity, and competitors move
period will be much longer - especially globally.”
quickly. The owners of Mewah are here on the ground, they see the
The process may take longer, but across the board, Mewah are dedicated to growth. To this end, they are currently having a new
competitors moving, and if there’s any need, they say, “Ok, this is where we want to go – go.’ Bang. There we are.”
factory constructed in North China. “We believe that this will be
Previous to joining Mewah, Phang had been in the oils and fats
one of our major focuses in the coming years, as we grow this part
industry for 20 years. The company knew him by reputation before
of the market. We are growing our footprint in China. It’s a massive
they spoke, and they were quick to find a mutual understanding
market out there, so we are definitely moving in that direction, and
over what Mewah needed as a company, and how Phang could
want to be on the ground. We started construction in April last
provide it.
year, and we should be starting it up in the later part of next year.”
Given his passion for growth and his support of Mewah’s style
This expansion is just one manifestation of a deeper company
of operations, we asked Phang what his advice was for business
attitude, and it was what drew Phang to the company two years
partners “I tell those who work with me, ‘The company wants to
ago. “What appealed to me about Mewah was that they have a
grow. You bring in the ideas, you bring in the customers.’ Just bring
passion to grow. Decision making happens quickly, in the sense that
it, you know? We’ll have a discussion, and if it seems worth doing,
the owners are here, and I work with them directly. When I worked
we’ll try it. It might just be a small step, but we’ll give it a try, and
at my previous company, decision making would take longer; you
if it’s successful, we’ll grow it out more.” Allowing staff the same
had to approach different stakeholders and different project teams,
sense of involvement in the company’s progress that Phang values
to get all of them on board. There was nothing wrong with that
himself has been successful in igniting motivation in the workplace.
– it’s just a different style – but after being in the business long
With this fire under them, the launch of the company’s new factory
enough, I felt that a quicker decision-making process would be
will be the first step of many innovations and leaps forward to
more beneficial, especially out here in Asia. If you take too long,
come.
CROWN EQUIPMENT
54 | Endeavour Magazine
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DESMET BALLESTRA
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