BFM 89.9

HIGHLIGHTS 
Podcast  >  Enterprise  >  Open For Business  >  Strangers at 47: Turning Crepes into RM3.5M a Year

Strangers at 47: Turning Crepes into RM3.5M a Year

Lim Sing Yi, Co-Founder, Strangers at 47 | Sean Ooi, Co-Founder, Strangers at 47

28-Jul-25 10:00

Strangers at 47: Turning Crepes into RM3.5M a Year

For 11 years, Strangers at 47 has been a beloved neighbourhood cafe, famous for its savory crepes. But behind the cozy vibes is a story of resilience, adaptation, and the relentless hustle of surviving in the tough F&B industry.

Co-founders Lim Sing Yi and Sean Ooi join us to share their journey from "fearless" young graduates to seasoned F&B veterans. They discuss the financial realities of running a cafe with thin margins, their strategy to boost profitability by expanding into catering and e-commerce, and their ambitious plans to launch a new flagship store.

We discuss:

  • The 11-year journey of building a beloved neighbourhood cafe.

  • The financial realities of running an F&B business on 6-8% net margins.

  • Their strategy to boost profitability by expanding into catering and e-commerce.

  • The biggest ongoing challenge in F&B: hiring and retaining talent.

  • Their future plans, including the launch of a new flagship store.

For aspiring and current F&B entrepreneurs, this is an honest and insightful look at what it truly takes to build a sustainable and beloved brand from the ground up.

Produced by: Roshan Kanesan, Kishan Sivaswamy

Presented by: Roshan Kanesan


This and more than 60,000 other podcasts in your hand. Download the all new BFM mobile app.

Categories:  foodentrepreneursSMEeconomymanaging

Tags:  F&B Businessentrepreneurshipsme malaysiarestaurant managementhospitality





Play / Pause

Listen now : BFM 89.9 -- The Business Station

Today’s Shows



6:00 AM

The 6AM Stretch

Thought-provoking discussions on ideas, people and events shaping our lives.

7:00 AM

World Market Watch

Laurent Lequeu, Independent Market Analyst & Writer, The Macro Butler Newsletter.

7:15 AM

Morning Brief

We recap global and local headlines from today's papers and portals.

7:30 AM

Morning Brief

Patrick Wong, Head of Hong Kong & Senior Analyst, Asia Pacific Real Estate at Bloomberg Intelligence, discusses Hong Kong’s property market outlook.

7:45 AM

Morning Brief

Adrian Pereira, Executive Director of the North South Initiative, discusses the direct hiring proposal by the Human Resource Ministry.

8:00 AM

The Breakfast Grille

Justin Tan, Managing Director of Exsim Hospitality Berhad, talks about the company's performance and strategy moving forward.

8:30 AM

Morning Brief

Dr Sonia Mycak of ANU examines Ukraine’s peace prospects as Russia’s latest strikes cripple energy infrastructure and worsen the humanitarian crisis.

8:45 AM

Morning Brief

(REPEAT) We dive into the local and international news that matters to you.

9:00 AM

Opening Bell

(REPEAT) Laurent Lequeu, Independent Market Analyst & Writer, The Macro Butler Newsletter

9:15 AM

Opening Bell

(REPEAT) Patrick Wong, Head of Hong Kong & Senior Analyst, Asia Pacific Real Estate at Bloomberg Intelligence, discusses Hong Kong’s property market outlook.

9:35 AM

Ringgit & Sense

Ian Wong, Founder & CEO of Uno Advisers and licensed financial planner, shares the financial mistakes you don’t want to make in 2026.

10:05 AM

Open For Business

11:00 AM

Tech Talk

12:00 PM

Enterprise Explores

1:00 PM

The Breakfast Grille Repeat

Justin Tan, Managing Director of Exsim Hospitality Berhad, talks about the company's performance and strategy moving forward.

2:05 PM

Discovery Hour

An eclectic selection of BBC shows, curated with variety in mind.

3:05 PM

Beyond the Ballot Box

4:05 PM

Health & Living

We peep behind the radiation machines of a hospital to find out about the role of the clinical medical physicist.

5:00 PM

Top 5 at 5

A countdown of the 5 biggest stories of the day, to catch you up on all you need to know!

6:00 PM

Talkback Thursday