After more than 15 years in the finance industry, 39-year-old Tan Yong Li and her husband decided to bid farewell to their corporate careers and embark on a new chapter in the food and beverage sector.
In July this year, the couple opened a hawker stall named “Joy of Fish” at Joo Chiat, serving freshly steamed fish to customers. All the fish they sell come from local farms, specifically, Straits Fish, a type of sea-farmed tilapia raised in Singapore’s western waters since 2023.
Tan shared,
“Since these are locally farmed fish, if the quality is good and the price is competitive, we should support our local producers instead of relying on imported fish. Strengthening food resilience together is a social responsibility.”
In case you didn’t know, food security has always been an important national concern for Singapore, since we import over 90% of our food.
To reduce reliance on imports and guard against global supply disruptions, Singapore launched the “30 by 30” goal, to produce 30% of the nation’s nutritional needs locally by 2030. To achieve this, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) works closely with local farmers, the food industry, and consumers to build a more resilient food system through innovation, sustainable farming, and stronger local demand.
The Straits Fish are fed with pellets and can grow to about 500g in six months, and up to 800g in seven to eight months.
At first, Tan was worried that customers might not know about Straits Fish, especially older diners who tend to dislike tilapia for its earthy smell. But after several months, she was happy to see that most customers were open to trying it.
“Many who tasted Straits Fish were surprised that it doesn’t have that muddy taste. They’ve started to change their perception of locally farmed sea tilapia,” she said.
The stall mainly sells half-fish set meals and manages to sell around 20 to 30 fish daily. “We also sell other types of seafood, but we hope to sell more Straits Fish to support local farms,” Tan added.
She believes that building food resilience requires everyone’s effort, from producers to consumers.
“If there isn’t enough support from consumers, local producers may not survive. If another crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic happens, our food supply chain could be seriously affected,” she said.
Taking the leap of faith
Running a business as a couple can be challenging. They sometimes clash over business decisions or scheduling, but they make it work by giving each other space and time to recharge.
Switching careers also meant unstable income, longer hours, and the added challenge of caring for their daughter. Tan admitted there were times she felt exhausted or questioned their decision, but she never regretted it.
“My husband is seven years older than me. We both felt that if we didn’t try something new now, we might not have the energy later,” she shared.
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“Of course, there are heartwarming moments too. He always takes on the heavy and dirty work because he feels it’s his responsibility. I’m really grateful that he was willing to give up his job to go on this crazy journey with me.”
