Lim Kian Chun, CEO of Ebb & Flow Group on sustaining a successful food empire

The founder of the homegrown food and beverage group believes that moving up the supply chain can help the business mitigate industry headwinds.

By Lauren Tan / 3 Nov 2022

Ebb & Flow Group, F&B, Food, Lim Kian Chun, November 2022 Issue, Restaurateur

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For Lim Kian Chun, nothing beats hawker fare and a simple bowl of wanton mee. "Singapore is a foodie nation and eating is our national pastime," he laughs.

However, Lim's professional journey may have been quite different if it weren't for the distressed sale of Michelin-starred Bacchanalia. Now, Cerana Capital's managing partner juggles early-stage investments with his second job as CEO of Ebb & Flow Group, the F&B venture he co-founded with two partners after they acquired Bacchanalia (now defunct) in 2018.

Today, Ebb & Flow operates nine F&B concepts. Among them are revived heritage confectionery Chin Mee Chin, the Michelin-starred Sommer Dining, pan-Asian fine dining spot Willow, and direct-to-consumer Kairos Caviar.

Moving up the supply chain to mitigate industry headwinds

Two more are in development and set to launch next year. Casa Vostra, a pizza delivery service with La Bottega Enoteca's Antonio Miscellaneo, is the first. The second project, slated for the second half of 2023, is the rebranding of online grocer Supafresh Japan. Rather than just selling Japanese produce, it will expand into an Asian speciality grocer augmented with a 15,000 sq ft retail supermarket and food hall.

A new central kitchen is also in the works to support the supermarket experience and process ingredients Ebb & Flow imports directly for its restaurants. "Moving up the supply chain and becoming more self-sufficient have always been part of our long-term goals. In my view, it helps to mitigate industry headwinds, such as rising costs, labour shortages, and supply shocks," Lim shares.

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Why do people get so fired up about food?

We can't escape our emotions when it comes to food since it is such an important part of our personal, cultural and social identity. Anthony Bourdain put it best: "Food is everything we are. It's an extension of nationalist feeling, ethnic feeling, your personal history, your province, your region, your tribe, your grandma. It's inseparable from those from the get-go."

I have a love-hate relationship with food. While I love all kinds of food, I also realise that the foundation of a healthy life starts from the food we eat. Wanton mee, one of my daily favourites, is no longer something I can consume regularly as I get older. Having said that, some of my fondest memories involve sharing a meal or drink with family and friends. I still indulge, but in moderation. I know it sounds contradictory!

Is the Singapore diner changing, and if so, in what ways?

Singapore diners are becoming more discerning. They want to know more about the provenance of the ingredients, the concept behind each dish, and the story behind the brand. This storytelling focus used to be the wheelhouse of fine-dining concepts, but it has gradually become more widespread across the industry, which is a great thing!

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Would you credit your early-stage investing experience with your success in F&B?

I think it was a hindrance, actually. Investments in the food business can look attractive on paper but in reality have a tremendous amount of unpriced execution risk. It's probably the other way around — operating F&B businesses has taught me forbearance in my investments.

Good food and service are two-thirds of the battle vital to the success of a F&B establishment. The other is controlling your costs, which is easier said than done. Since it is a highly competitive market, you need to know the niche you're serving and the customer's journey behind each visit or purchase. The caveat is that all of this is meaningless without good luck and timing.

What weighs on your mind as someone in the food industry?

Since we started this business four years ago, food security has been one of my foremost concerns. I worry about rising costs, not just for ourselves, but also for the average Singaporean. There's no silver bullet, but one aspect hindering efficient food security and sustainability is the huge amount of food waste in the F&B supply chain. If we can find a way to better use our existing resources, we will have a better chance of managing this problem.

Related: This duo is tackling food security one Asian food start-up at a time

Ebb & Flow Group, F&B, Food, Lim Kian Chun, November 2022 Issue, Restaurateur