Tee Yih Jia
Encyclopedia
Tee Yih Jia Food Manufacturing Pte Ltd (simplified Chinese: 第一家), is a food manufacturing company headquartered in Singapore
. Tee Yih Jia is the world leading manufacturer of spring roll
pastry (also known as “popiah
” in local context) that also manufactures a wide range of ready-to-eat Asian convenience foods such as roti
paratha
, crepes, cocktail prawn rolls
, glutinous rice
balls, spring rolls and samosas. Apart from pastry-based food, Tee Yih Jia manufactures other frozen convenience food products such as Dim Sum
, Ramen
, Oriental Buns (or mantou
), and Asian Pizzas with flavors like Peking duck
and satay
chicken. Tee Yih Jia’s “Spring Home
” brand products are manufactured in Singapore as well as in several regional facilities. Tee Yih Jia has a 400000 square feet (37,161.2 m²) factory in Senoko (Singapore) and a Johor (Malaysia) factory of 200000 square feet (18,580.6 m²), as well as manufacturing plants in the USA and China.
In recognition of its continuous investments and effort in the development and enhancement of its processes to compete on a global scale, the National Productivity Board awarded Tee Yih Jia the National Productivity Award (currently under SPRING Singapore National Awards programme) in 1986 for the company’s emphasis on R&D, stringent quality control, aggressive marketing strategies and expansion plans, making it the first medium-sized company in Singapore to receive such an award.
Since 1988, Tee Yih Jia started the expansion of its business activities beyond its initial markets into countries like China, Taiwan and the USA. It established 2 facilities in California, USA to produce Japanese noodles, cookies and cultured milk drinks. Tee Yih Jia also formed a joint venture with the China Pacific group to build a plant in Fuqing (Fujian Province) to manufacture spring rolls, samosas and biscuits. Tee Yee Jia was the first food processing company in Fujian to attain HACCP certification and ISO 9002, as well as the first to receive EU clearance for the export of fishery products to Europe.
In 1987, Tee Yih Jia’s “Spring Home” brand Indian Samosas won the SIFST (Singapore Institute of Food Science and Technology) Best Product Award. In 1989, Spring Home won the Monde Selection
’s Gold Medal for its spring roll pasty. The company continued to build on the initial success of its flagship products and extended its product range to include other Asian ready-to-eat products.
In 1999, with the support of the Economic Development Board
’s (EDB) Innovation Development Scheme, Tee Yih Jia launched the frozen Roti Paratha – a unique product manufactured using a specially designed and fully automated production process. Traditionally roti paratha, an Indian flat bread, is laboriously made by hand. Through R&D, Tee Yih Jia adapted its method of preparation for large-scale, automated production. Tee Yih Jia also made its roti paratha a cholesterol free variant to distinguish its product as a healthier alternative to the traditional paratha that are usually made with ghee
(clarified butter).
Tee Yih Jia’s Roti Paratha also made inroads into the mainstream European markets through a major supermarket chain that contracted Tee Yih Jia to specially produce roti paratha packaged with curry sauce. As Europe is a major market for the Company, Tee Yih Jia’s first overseas marketing office was set up in the United Kingdom in 1999 to serve as a marketing hub to increase its presence and accessibility to customers.
On 22 November 2000, Tee Yih Jia achieved the top spot among Singapore’s best 50 companies, after having been part of the local prestigious award, Enterprise 50 fraternity consecutively for the prior 5 years—the Company was ranked 26th in 1995, 17th in 1996, 12th in 1997, 3rd in 1998, and 2nd in 1999 before making it to Number 1 position in 2000.
Tee Yih Jia continues to grow its global distribution channels through established supermarkets and foodservice companies, and plans to target mainstream consumers in foreign non-Asian markets by promoting the versatility in the applications of its products, such as serving its roti paratha as pita bread, a pizza base or as a wrap.
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. Tee Yih Jia is the world leading manufacturer of spring roll
Spring roll
Spring rolls is an umbrella term used in some Western cultures to describe disparate varieties of filled, rolled appetizers similar to the Chinese chūn juǎn , from which the term was derived...
pastry (also known as “popiah
Popiah
Popiah is a Fujian/Chaozhou-style fresh spring roll common in Taiwan, Singapore, and Malaysia. Popiah is often eaten in the Fujian province of China and its neighbouring Chaoshan on the Qingming Festival. In the Teochew dialect, popiah is pronounced as "Bo-BEE-a", which means "thin wafer"...
” in local context) that also manufactures a wide range of ready-to-eat Asian convenience foods such as roti
Roti
Roti is generally a South Asian bread made from stoneground wholemeal flour, traditionally known as atta flour, that originated and is consumed in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka. It is also consumed in parts of the Southern Caribbean, particularly in Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and...
paratha
Paratha
A paratha/parantha/parauntha is an Indian flat-bread that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Paratha is an amalgamation of the words parat and atta which literally means layers of cooked dough...
, crepes, cocktail prawn rolls
Prawn roll
A prawn roll is a take away item available in areas of Australia where prawn fishing is a major industry. Typically sold from stalls or small shops on the side of highways or in restaurants, prawn rolls are an inexpensive snack popular with travellers: They are home made or available commercially,...
, glutinous rice
Glutinous rice
Glutinous rice is a type of short-grained Asian rice that is especially sticky when cooked. It is called glutinous Glutinous rice (Oryza sativa var. glutinosa or Oryza glutinosa; also called sticky rice, sweet rice, waxy rice, botan rice, biroin chal, mochi rice, and pearl rice, and pulut) is a...
balls, spring rolls and samosas. Apart from pastry-based food, Tee Yih Jia manufactures other frozen convenience food products such as Dim Sum
Dim sum
Dim sum refers to a style of Chinese food prepared as small bite-sized or individual portions of food traditionally served in small steamer baskets or on small plates...
, Ramen
Ramen
is a Japanese noodle dish. It consists of Chinese-style wheat noodles served in a meat- or fish-based broth, often flavored with soy sauce or miso, and uses toppings such as , , kamaboko, green onions, and occasionally corn...
, Oriental Buns (or mantou
Mantou
Mantou, often referred to as Chinese steamed bun/bread, is a kind of steamed bun originating in China. They are typically eaten as a staple in northern parts of China where wheat, rather than rice, is grown. They are made with milled wheat flour, water and leavening agents...
), and Asian Pizzas with flavors like Peking duck
Peking Duck
Peking Duck, or Peking Roast Duck is a famous duck dish from Beijing that has been prepared since the imperial era, and is now considered one of China's national foods....
and satay
Satay
Satay , or sate, is a dish of marinated, skewered and grilled meat, served with a sauce. Satay may consist of diced or sliced chicken, goat, mutton, beef, pork, fish, other meats, or tofu; the more authentic version uses skewers from the midrib of the coconut palm frond, although bamboo skewers are...
chicken. Tee Yih Jia’s “Spring Home
Spring Home
Spring Home, is a food brand under Tee Yih Jia Food Manufacturing Pte Ltd, the world leading manufacturer of spring roll pastry, located in Singapore...
” brand products are manufactured in Singapore as well as in several regional facilities. Tee Yih Jia has a 400000 square feet (37,161.2 m²) factory in Senoko (Singapore) and a Johor (Malaysia) factory of 200000 square feet (18,580.6 m²), as well as manufacturing plants in the USA and China.
Early years
Tee Yih Jia started off as Tee Yih Jia Po Piah Dried Pastry Factory (Pte) Ltd in 1969. It was a small, labour-intensive spring roll pastry producer, using semi-mechanized machinery in its production and serving the local Singapore market. Its current Executive Chairman, Sam Goi Seng Hui, acquired the company from its founders for $450,000 in 1977 as part of his business diversification plan. Recognizing the increasing potential of the growing ready-to-eat food industry, Sam took over active management in 1980 to explore and initiate greater growth opportunities for the company.The 1980s
Investing heavily in technology in 1984, Tee Yih Jia commenced on the automation of its manufacturing and quality control processes in order to reinvent itself into a company that is equipped and capable of serving beyond the local markets. As a result, Tee Yih Jia became the first in the industry to introduce full automation into the production of spring roll pastry in the 1980s .Since 1988, Tee Yih Jia started the expansion of its business activities beyond its initial markets into countries like China, Taiwan and the USA. It established 2 facilities in California, USA to produce Japanese noodles, cookies and cultured milk drinks. Tee Yih Jia also formed a joint venture with the China Pacific group to build a plant in Fuqing (Fujian Province) to manufacture spring rolls, samosas and biscuits. Tee Yee Jia was the first food processing company in Fujian to attain HACCP certification and ISO 9002, as well as the first to receive EU clearance for the export of fishery products to Europe.
In 1987, Tee Yih Jia’s “Spring Home” brand Indian Samosas won the SIFST (Singapore Institute of Food Science and Technology) Best Product Award. In 1989, Spring Home won the Monde Selection
Monde Selection
Monde Selection, created in 1961, is an international and independent quality institute located in Brussels, that tastes and tests consumer products in order to grant them a renowned Quality Label...
’s Gold Medal for its spring roll pasty. The company continued to build on the initial success of its flagship products and extended its product range to include other Asian ready-to-eat products.
The 1990s
For six consecutive years since the mid 1990s, Tee Yih Jia has been featured in the Singapore Enterprise 50 lists. In 1996, a special award was conferred onto Tee Yih Jia by the E50 committee for successfully marketing a traditional product overseas. Tee Yih Jia was also awarded the HACCP Certificate from the Singapore Productivity Board in 1998.In 1999, with the support of the Economic Development Board
Economic Development Board
-Overview:The Economic Development Board is a statutory board of the Government of Singapore that plans and executes strategies to sustain Singapore as a leading global hub for business and investment....
’s (EDB) Innovation Development Scheme, Tee Yih Jia launched the frozen Roti Paratha – a unique product manufactured using a specially designed and fully automated production process. Traditionally roti paratha, an Indian flat bread, is laboriously made by hand. Through R&D, Tee Yih Jia adapted its method of preparation for large-scale, automated production. Tee Yih Jia also made its roti paratha a cholesterol free variant to distinguish its product as a healthier alternative to the traditional paratha that are usually made with ghee
Ghee
Ghee is a class of clarified butter that originated in South Asia and is commonly used in South Asian cuisine....
(clarified butter).
Tee Yih Jia’s Roti Paratha also made inroads into the mainstream European markets through a major supermarket chain that contracted Tee Yih Jia to specially produce roti paratha packaged with curry sauce. As Europe is a major market for the Company, Tee Yih Jia’s first overseas marketing office was set up in the United Kingdom in 1999 to serve as a marketing hub to increase its presence and accessibility to customers.
2000 and beyond
In March 2000, Tee Yih Jia shifted its operations to a S$100-million Senoko facility. It continues to invest in the use of state-of-the-art technology and integrated, fully automated manufacturing processes to ensure consistent product quality as well as strict compliance with international HACCP standards for food safety and hygiene.On 22 November 2000, Tee Yih Jia achieved the top spot among Singapore’s best 50 companies, after having been part of the local prestigious award, Enterprise 50 fraternity consecutively for the prior 5 years—the Company was ranked 26th in 1995, 17th in 1996, 12th in 1997, 3rd in 1998, and 2nd in 1999 before making it to Number 1 position in 2000.
Tee Yih Jia continues to grow its global distribution channels through established supermarkets and foodservice companies, and plans to target mainstream consumers in foreign non-Asian markets by promoting the versatility in the applications of its products, such as serving its roti paratha as pita bread, a pizza base or as a wrap.
In the news
- Aug 2001 – Current Senior MinisterSenior MinisterSenior Minister is a political office in the political system of Singapore taken by a prime minister or senior cabinet minister when he or she retires from that office, but still has something to offer the government based on his or her long experience...
of Singapore, Mr. Goh Chok TongGoh Chok TongGoh Chok Tong is the Senior Minister of Singapore and the chairman of the central bank of Singapore, the Monetary Authority of Singapore. He also served as the second Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore from 28 November 1990 to 12 August 2004, succeeding Lee Kuan Yew, the former Prime...
, highlighted Tee Yih Jia (and its Executive Chairman Sam Goi) as an example of Singapore enterprises with potential for development into International Singapore Companies (ISC), and how Singaporean can be enterprising during his 2001 National Day Rally speech as Prime Minister.
- Dec 2006 – Tee Yih Jia’s and Super Coffee Mix joined Jiangsu Hengshun Vinegar Industry to build 500 million yuan (S$98.5 million) vinegar plant in Zhenjiang City, China.
- Feb 2007 – Sam Goi, Tee Yih Jia’s Executive Chairman’s investments of more than S$100 million in various Singapore companies, his overseas opportunities, and his connections and business networks.
- Oct 2007 – Tee Yih Jia‘s partnership with an established Zhejiang firm was brought up as an example of how SMEs from Singapore and China can benefit from more exchanges and cooperation with the signing of the Singapore-China Memorandum of understanding to exchange information on SMEs.
- Jan 2008 – Tee Yih Jia successfully lobbied for the grant of Harmonized SystemHarmonized SystemThe Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System of tariff nomenclature is an internationally standardized system of names and numbers for classifying traded products developed and maintained by the World Customs Organization , an independent intergovernmental organization with over 170...
(HS) Code under Singapore-India Comprehensive Economic Cooperation AgreementComprehensive Economic Cooperation AgreementThe Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement is an agreement between Japan and India to strengthen bilateral trade. The agreement is to be finalised by the end of 2006. A Joint Study Group in its report submitted in July 2006 recommended that the two countries should work towards the...
(CECA) in December 2007 in a bid to reduce import tariffs on its products to India.
Brands & Products
- Spring HomeSpring HomeSpring Home, is a food brand under Tee Yih Jia Food Manufacturing Pte Ltd, the world leading manufacturer of spring roll pastry, located in Singapore...
: Spring roll & Samosa pastry, Spring rolls, Roti Paratha, Dim Sum, Glutinous Rice Ball - Master ChefMaster ChefMaster Chef, is a food brand under Tee Yih Jia Food Manufacturing Pte Ltd, the world leading manufacturer of spring roll pastry, located in Singapore...
: Crepe pastry - Happy BellyHappy BellyHappy Belly, , is a food brand under Tee Yih Jia Food Manufacturing Pte Ltd, the world leading manufacturer of spring roll pastry, located in Singapore...
: Gyoza & WontonWontonNot to be confused with WantonA wonton is a type of dumpling commonly found in a number of Chinese cuisines.-Filling:...
skin, Peking DuckPeking DuckPeking Duck, or Peking Roast Duck is a famous duck dish from Beijing that has been prepared since the imperial era, and is now considered one of China's national foods....
wrapper, Oriental Bread - Ryushobo: Japanese ramen