From Failure to Foodpreneur: How to Succeed in F&B - Cari Makan Podcast (English)

In this episode,with Aleex from Foodicious Sdn Bhd, we cover the harsh reality of starting a business in the Food and Beverage industry.Alex shares his personal failure story of opening a chicken rice shop 20 years ago, explaining that he made a lot of mistakes because he was not in the industry and didn't have the necessary knowledge. He emphasizes that working hard alone does not guarantee success; you have to "work hard on the right things". The biggest challenges for F&B startups include overspending on renovation without planning for survival, not selecting the right location, and facing difficulties in hiring and retaining talent. The lack of knowledge about licensing, grants, and operational management leads to high failure rates. This experience motivated Alex to set up the Foodpreneur Expo and Global Summit to help entrepreneurs gain the necessary ideas and knowledge to sustain their businesses longer. The event will cover topics like passion, innovation, and knowledge. The Foodpreneur Expo will be held in Setia Spice Convention Center, Penang, from 16th to 18th December.Chapters01:24 - Welcome to the Cari Makan Podcast01:54 - Introducing Alex from Foodicious Sdn Bhd02:24 - Alex's Background in Event Management03:13 - The Pivot to F&B During COVID04:15 - High Failure Rate in the Food Industry05:58 - Launching the Foodpreneur Expo and Global Summit (B2B Expo)07:49 - Biggest Challenges for F&B Startups (Renovation, Location, Pricing, Knowledge)09:43 - Talent is a Big Challenge in F&B11:43 - Alex's Failure Story: Opening a Chicken Rice Shop 20 Years Ago12:20 - FnB Was "Really a Nightmare"12:56 - Work Hard on the Right Things14:18 - "I Can't Manage to Turn Around the Business"14:49 - The Nervous Feeling of Managing Staff and Operations18:49 - Advice to Younger Self: Go Study and Work in the Industry First19:34 - The Mission of the Foodpreneur Expo (Knowledge, Licensing, Grants)21:00 - Dedicated Place for F&B Knowledge23:03 - Southeast Asia's First Dedicated F&B Entrepreneurship Expo26:11 - Global Summit Topics: Passion, Innovation, and Knowledge28:46 - The Failure Story is Where the Lessons Are29:32 - Halal Pavilion: Quality Standard, Not Just Religion31:41 - No Current Plans to Venture Back Into F&B32:12 - Future Vision: Expanding the Expo to KL in 202633:49 - Building an F&B Community to Support Each Other36:34 - Conclusion_____________________________________________________________Kisah sebenar disebalik industri F&B dan bagaimana mereka "Cari Makan" bersama Rhys William (Mat Salleh Cari Makan), Founder MSCM Studios 🎙️🍛 Available in Bahasa Melayu and English_____________________________________________________________FoodPreneur Expo 2025Calling café & restaurant owners, F&B aspiring & established entrepreneurs!See you at FoodPreneur Expo — SEA’s first Dedicated F&B Entrepreneurship Expo!Happening on 16–18 December at Setia SPICE Convention Centre, Penang.Register now and see you at the expo!https://foodicious.com.my/foodpreneur https://www.instagram.com/foodpreneur.expohttps://www.tiktok.com/@foodpreneur.expohttps://www.facebook.com/foodpreneurexpo_____________________________________________________________Cari Makan PodcastInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/carimakanpodcast TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@carimakanpodcast _____________________________________________________________This podcast is proudly brought to you by MSCM Studioshttps://mscm.my/