Credit: New Straits Times View Original Threat
IT ALL began when newly married couple Paul Poh and Ashley Lam embarked on an intrepid vacation, trekking deep into the jungles of Garut in West Java, Indonesia, back in 2018. It was during this trip that they chanced upon a group of indigenous bee hunters who offered them a taste of fresh, jungle honey.
Never had the duo tasted honey that was so pure, organic, unadulterated and raw — flavoured only by the flowers and fruit trees that the honeybees visit for nectar and pollen. It was so different from other honeys they'd tasted before.
Back then, Paul, who was in the engineering field, was completely new to the honey business. Ashley, however, was no novice, having been involved in the line since 2007. She'd been working in Singapore for a company selling honey from kiosks and at various road shows until 2013.
Jungle House, which today is recognised as the country's premier purveyor of sustainably sourced pristine Indonesian honey, was founded by the couple in 2018. Ashley is tasked with overseeing the retail and operations side of things, and Paul is in charge of the finance and management side of the business.
As different as night and day, but with strengths that complement each other, the duo shares the same mission — to commercialise the wellness aspect of their honey journey and to cultivate a "honey culture" for healthy living.
The 38-year-olds, who both hail from Penang, recently celebrated another milestone: the opening of their first café, called Jungle House Café, located in bustling Jalan Telawi in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur. This is where "all things honey-laced" are served, from Russian-inspired medovik honey layer cake to croffles, coffee and refreshing coolers.
UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE
"It really left such an indelible mark on us," begins Paul, recalling that trip the couple made into the rugged interiors of Garut. They went with a group of farmers, their contact person and five Indonesian students who were recruited to film their journey.
His wife, who's currently three months pregnant and looking forward to being a first-time mum, nods enthusiastically and chips in: "Although I'd worked in the business of retailing honey before and was definitely passionate about it, I never had the opportunity to learn more about where our honeys came from. All I did was sell."
The couple, looking relaxed seated opposite me in their cheerful café, are really a study in yin and yang. The diminutive Ashley is bubbly and talkative, but Paul is a more sobering presence, though no less affable. Together, they complement each other, both in their personal relationship and business partnership.
Beaming as she continues with her story, Ashley adds: "It was a blessing that it all happened. I remember we were trawling the Internet about honey and happened to chance upon this guy, a farmer/academic from Indonesia who'd been in the honey industry for more than 10 years and had been researching honey. He started a business with the farmers there."
Continuing, Ashley recalls that all she and her husband wanted was to learn more about the basics of honey. She felt it a shame that despite having dabbled in the industry for so long, she still didn't know enough about this precious golden liquid.
"The guy communicated with us in English, and after a series of exchanges, we firmed up plans to go into the deep jungle of Garut with a bunch of farmers to see how honey was extracted there," adds Ashley, eyes under her dark-rimmed glasses dancing excitedly at the recollection.
His head bobbing in agreement as he listens intently to his wife's story, Paul eventually chips in: "It was a journey to remember. To get to Garut, there are no highways like in Malaysia. You have to cross mountains, villages, jungles. When you reach the final village, you have to stay overnight. Bandung to the nearest rural village took about eight hours of travelling."
The couple and their small entourage made their move on the second day — on a bike that wove through the jungle for another three hours. Remembers Paul: "Along the way, we saw a procession of indigenous folks carrying tree trunks from the jungle. We eventually arrived at our destination and saw with our own eyes how these people actually harvested the honey. They climbed the highest trees and carried out dangerous work. It was truly a sight to behold."
Nodding, Ashley confides that it was to be the turning point for her seeing just how perilous the whole process was. "All this while, I'd been selling honey because I enjoyed selling," she concedes, adding: "But after that trip, there was an added meaning to it. I wanted to help support these people who have to risk their lives and limbs just to get to the honey to sustain their livelihood."
Upon their return to home soil, the couple decided to venture deeper into the honey business. Touched by the kind and generous bee hunters they met during their trip, Ashley and Paul have made it a mission to also help these people make a proper living.
They continue to be in communication with the beekeeping communities in Indonesia, either through face-to-face meetings or video calls. Their time at the villages, most of which struggle with no electricity or running water, has given them an invaluable first-hand insight into how communities are able to thrive and live in harmony with nature, whilst harvesting honey in a sustainable way.
JOURNEY CONTINUES
Her face creases into a smile when Ashley recalls the early days of their foray to bring the honey they'd found to the shelves. "I remember at the beginning I didn't think the honey was as delicious as those commercial ones I'd been selling before," she admits before adding that she was determined to give it a chance.
Continuing, she shares: "So, I requested for the farmers to keep sending us samples after samples, and I'd gather a bunch of friends to conduct tasting sessions — much like wine tasting — and got them to rate the different honeys."
Eventually, her taste buds became more discerning and she could actually taste the subtle layers or flavours contained in the sweet viscous liquid produced in the honey sacs of various bees from the nectar of flowers.
The colour and flavour of honeys differ depending on the nectar source (blossoms) visited by the honey bees. The colour of honey can range from nearly colourless to dark brown, with flavours that can go from delectably mild to distinctively bold, depending on where the honey bees buzzed. As a general rule, light-coloured honey is milder in taste, while the darker ones are stronger.
"The more I sampled, the more delightful the discoveries," enthuses Ashley, elaborating: "Then I decided to go back to what my former boss had taught me — to start the business not from a store, but from a cart. We'd set up a cart to sell our honey at various food fairs. The overheads wouldn't be big; it was just a matter of renting a port for a few days."
The encouraging feedback they received from customers was enough to spur the duo to go down this path. One that they've embraced wholeheartedly. "Our confidence grew and that's when we decided to pursue it seriously and with urgency. We worked on our logo, concept, did a lot of branding and so on. We opened our inaugural store in Penang's Queensbay Mall," shares Paul.
They've certainly come a long way since then. With fluctuating mall sales these last couple of years, and of course, with the lingering spectre of Covid-19, husband and wife have turned to e-commerce, corporate sales, new consumer products, such as honey soaps and honey-infused spreads, as well as delivery-friendly packaging.
Today, Jungle House deals directly with more than 400 farmers, who are mainly found in Sumatra and West Java. Elaborates Paul: "We're working with beekeepers who don't use pesticides and do not cut off bee wings just to stop them from flying away. We've lived with them and we know just how much they love nature. And that's why we trust them."
FOR BETTER, FOR WORSE
That they're passionate about their business and their mission is obvious. It's also very apparent that this honey-loving couple share an easy camaraderie and synergy that have no doubt stood them in good stead in their marital and business partnership.
How did you guys meet, I couldn't help asking, in between clumsy mouthfuls of a heavenly Russian-inspired medovik honey layer cake, which Ashley had insisted I tried.
"We met on the basketball court in Summit USJ (mall in Subang Jaya, Selangor) during one training session. We're both basketball players," replies Paul, beaming in the direction of his wife. Her eyes sparkle when she notes my look of surprise.
"We're athletes!" she exclaims proudly.
Rewinding back the years even further, Ashley, a mass communications graduate, shares that after graduating, she left for Singapore to work for a company that retailed honey. "I was with them for 14 years and travelled to places like Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Singapore and Hong Kong just selling honey for my Singaporean boss."
It was her first job and one she enjoyed tremendously. "I've never been very academic," she confesses, adding: "I mean, whenever I went for job interviews, I'd be told that my English wasn't good enough for me to pursue a career that was relevant to my degree. What I did excel in was talking to people, being involved in activities and so on. I guess when the offer came to help promote and sell honey, I jumped at the chance." She was 23.
The company, she recalls, wasn't a big one but it had a new product that it wanted to develop, namely honey. Recalls Ashley: "I enjoyed arranging the tables and talking to people so they'd sample our range of honey. After that, we moved on to having a cart and discovered there were people who were curious about honey. Not long after, we started doing roadshows and attending food fairs, of which there were plenty in Singapore. Then the company brought in part-timers to work with me."
Smiling, Ashley, the youngest of three siblings, confides that her love for retailing probably comes from her insurance-agent mother. "Before doing insurance, mum was selling cosmetics like Shiseido. From young, I used to follow her to shopping malls and for events, and watched her work her magic selling to people. I loved the buzz and eventually I realised it was also something I was good at."
Chuckling, she tells me that her father is more like her husband. An academic. A word the self-confessed average-student Ashley likes to use to describe those who are smart and bookish! "My mum and dad are totally different. Just like me and Paul! I remember growing up, I wanted to be a teacher and an astronomer!"
Again, her eyes dance as she notes the flash of surprise on my face. "My dad loved to read about astronomy and we used to have all these telescopes around our house in Tanjong Bungah to look at the stars! It was a fun household. We used to sing in church and being the youngest, I was given a lot of freedom by my parents to do whatever I wanted!"
Her long stint in Singapore with the honey retail company taught her a lot, says the genial Virgo. "The owner put in a lot of effort to train and invest in my growth," she recalls, adding: "We started our first retail store in Singapore before expanding to Malaysia eight years later."
Smiling, she continues: "From having zero knowledge about honey, I soon became a walking encyclopaedia (on the subject) because I used to spend my time researching the subject in the library. I learnt all about its benefits but realised that there wasn't enough awareness about it. Unlike countries like New Zealand or Japan where honey is incorporated in people's daily lives, here, the buy-in was still very low."
But she was convinced that the tide would change. Remembers Ashley: "I had repeat customers coming in to the store to share with me their stories of how consuming honey as part of their daily lifestyle had benefited them. Their skin looked good and they were healthier."
Continuing, she reiterates: "Honey IS a super food. The longer I worked in the industry, the more convinced I became that there was a demand for it. Just look at the popularity of New Zealand's Manuka honey, for example. People are willing to pay premium price for it, believing in its medicinal benefits."
OF SOLAR AND THE SWEET LIFE
My gaze now resting on Paul, who'd hitherto been engrossed in his wife's "tale", I ask him for his story. He smiles shyly in return.
"I'm from Seberang Prai, Penang," he begins, before sharing that his mother was a housewife, and father worked for Tenaga Nasional Bhd. "Actually, dad started his career with LLN, or Lembaga Letrik Negara. He worked in one place for 35 years until his retirement recently. My father was an engineer; I guess that's how I got influenced to study engineering."
The eldest of three siblings (he has two sisters), the soft-spoken Pisces confesses to being a "challenge" junkie. "That's why I played a lot of sports when I was younger," he confesses, proudly.
Adding, he elaborates: "I was an athlete and did hurdles, triple jump, long jump, everything. Then, I got into basketball and actually played on the national stage as a youth. I've always loved competitions, competing and of course, to win!"
After his SPM, the 18-year-old Paul left the idyll of Penang to pursue his studies in Cyberjaya, Selangor. He eventually graduated as a telecommunications engineer and not long after, went to work for Digi Telecommunications as a radio planning engineer for three years.
"We planned all those base stations, the microwave dish, tower etc," elaborates Paul, adding: "At that time, I just wanted the exposure of working with a corporate company so I could learn about the business side of things, despite being an engineer."
Continuing, he shares: "I spent a lot of time understanding the functions of the different departments, analysing the business and scrutinising how they formed their standard operating procedures. Eventually, I left and when I was 27, I formed a solar company with two friends."
This was at the end of 2011 when solar power was still a pretty new concept. "You didn't see solar installations on people's roofs," remembers Paul, before sharing: "We started the company with three people. As the industry grew, we also grew. Today, we have 200 people working with us. That's where my passion is. Growing a company. It's not so much the industry, but scaling up and making a significant impact."
Although his solar company is doing well, Paul confides that he'd been itching to do something different last year. "We'd got to the stage where we could just hire professional managers to manage the company," he admits, adding: "To be honest, my passion isn't really honey, but more towards how I can help to scale this company that my wife and I founded."
STILL BUZZING
With the café, which opened its doors during the MCO in July last year, in the picture now, things are definitely moving. "One of our business philosophies is hive to home," explains Paul, adding: "We want to bring natural honey to the city for urbanites to enjoy. Hence the concept of our café — natural food and surroundings. Awareness is still low because we couldn't organise any events during the MCO, but it's now full steam ahead."
As I sip on my longan honey-laced cappuccino, marvelling silently at its subtle fragrance, I ask the couple whether they harbour any big dreams.
They look at each other, a small smile silently exchanged between them. Paul's the first to answer. "I hope that this local brand will be well known around the world, just like Starbucks or McDonalds. A brand that people can relate to, especially when it comes to a healthy lifestyle. We emphasise on the healthy lifestyle aspect because if we don't push this, then people will only buy it occasionally."
Adding, he concludes: "We want to make an impact. We want people to have a better appreciation of honey, an understanding of the work of these bee hunters, and also the importance of these buzzing insects that we call bees."
It takes more than soil, water, and sunshine to make the world green. At least 30 per cent of the world's crops and 90 per cent of all plants require cross-pollination to spread and thrive. Bees are our most important pollinators. But unfortunately, bee populations around the world are in decline.
Now, that's food for thought. And a cause to support!
