JOHN CHENG 36

Co-founder, Signature Market

John Cheng co-founded Signature Market in 2014 alongside his business partner and friend, Edwin Wang. Malaysia’s fastest-growing wellness brand began as an e-commerce platform to make natural and better-for-you snacks affordable and accessible to everyone. “Malaysia needed a healthy living concept, but the assumption about healthy food is it’s not delicious. We entered the market with snack foods as it was an easy way to show people that good nutrition can taste great!” John enthuses.

The e-commerce platform grew exponentially, earning a loyal following of dedicated consumers along the way. Among the challenges John had to overcome was the speed of progress. “Things have changed a lot in the last decade. Whether it’s fashion, health or attitudes about the environment, lifestyle requirements evolve rapidly, demanding new and advanced developments constantly. I work hard to keep myself up to date and grow with changing times.”

Today, Signature Market has diversified its portfolio with many ventures. Bunny-U caters to children, while Two Tails boasts an array of pet treats. Signature Market also sells essential oils and traditional Chinese herbal products under Plant Origins and Yī, respectively. The brand has also launched a biophilic café, SEE Café in Mont

Kiara, in collaboration with Barista Guild Asia.

John hopes to see Signature Market open a physical supermarket with a healthy lifestyle concept. He envisions a place where consumers can browse in a relaxed environment, enjoy a cup of coffee and interact, with demonstrations on health and wellness. Dreaming big, the brand also intends to open a wellness and lifestyle resort in the future.

John’s advice to budding entrepreneurs is simple. “I admire how the younger generation is unafraid to take risks and explore new things, but I would say having stability is important. Pause, reflect on new experiences along with the old and learn from your mistakes. That is the secret to success.”