30 Raymond Khue

Innovation upon Heritage

What was often seen as a custom of Chinese families during Chinese New Year – munching a piece of grilled spiced meat of sweet and salty flavours – the bakkwa has morphed into a delicious snack to be consumed whenever, wherever. At the forefront in driving the change is a 40-yearold brand Oloiya, which has emerged from Petaling Street and into shopping centres nationwide and beyond. One may even place an order online and have it delivered to one’s doorstep.

As a teen, Raymond Khue was groomed to take over the business by his father. The brand was founded by his grandfather. “He (Raymond’s father) literally trained us the hard way,” Raymond recalls. He would be manning the shop, taken to meetings in view of someday he would inherit Oloiya. They would constantly clash with each other due Raymond’s rebellious nature at the time until he finally saw the light as his father’s health rapidly deteriorated.

Today, Raymond and his younger brother Peter work hand-in-hand overseeing the business. The older Khue brother as executive director handles the developmental aspect of the business. “Peter and I are from opposite ends. Working together needs a lot of patience, communication, acceptance, give and take. We always try to have a mutual understanding and synergy in what we are creating,” he says, adding that giving is a value the family places a lot of importance on and has been imparted to him since young. “Oloiya is all about heritage, innovation and giving.”