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Everything You Need to Know About the Ji Xiang Ang Ku Kueh Saga

2023-11-26 , 10:16 am

The Ji Xiang Ang Ku Kueh Saga Unveiled: Family Feuds, Sibling Rivalry, and the Battle for Tradition in Singapore’s Iconic Pastry Landscape

Recently, well-beloved Ji Xiang Confectionery put up an advertisement on Shin Min Daily News proclaiming that it does not have any other outlets other than its original stall in Everton Park.

This triggered curiosity and confusion among Singaporean foodies as despite the claim, eight other stalls with the same name are peppered all around our island.

Jack Toh, the owner, had stepped up to clarify that the advertisement was aimed to disassociate his Everton Park stall from the confectionery chain initiated by his younger brother, Kevin Toh.

Uh oh, sibling rivalry stemming from a family-owned humble ang ku kueh shop? Sounds like a 9PM drama lifted straight out of Channel 8.

Here’s a recap of everything that went down.

First, A History Lesson

Even if you have not heard of ang ku kueh, also known as “red tortoise cake” in Hokkien, you would have at least seen it around Chinese households or celebrations.

It is an oval red pastry with a glutinous rice skin wrapped around a sweet filling, and it is commonly served atop a square piece of banana leaf.

The ang ku kueh was named after the tortoise as the Chinese believed that the animal symbolizes longevity and wealth, and red symbolizes joy and happiness.

The ang ku kueh has roots that trace back all the way to Southern Fujian, China. It made its way to our humble shores via migration routes across maritime Southeast Asia.

Today, it is mostly consumed as a tea-time snack, but it also became an important kueh offering during Chinese religious festivals, as it is believed that it will sweeten the mouths of deities, who will in turn talk favourably about the devotee to the Jade Emperor.

Ang ku kueh are also commonly used in commemorating a newborn’s first month, or the birthdays of elders.

The Beginnings of Ji Xiang Ang Ku Kueh

So where does family drama come into the picture? Enter the titular Ji Xiang Ang Ku Kueh.

Ji Xiang Confectionery is a home-grown pastry shop specializing in, well, ang ku kueh. It was founded by husband-and-wife duo Mr. Toh Poh Seek and Mrs. Toh Bong Yeo.

The duo went from selling ang ku kueh to people around their neighbourhood from a humble kitchen in a HDB flat located in Everton, to opening their own bustling shop at Block 1 Everton Park in 1988.

They branded themselves as Ji Xiang Confectionery, meaning prosperity in Chinese, and over the years, they have garnered a loyal following of die-hard foodies.

For three decades, the couple have been tirelessly providing Singapore with their delicious ang ku kueh, with Mr. Toh as the towkay spearheading the business and Mrs. Toh as the chief baker.

The shop became so well-known for its delicious ang ku kueh that it was also featured on Channel 8’s variety show, The Successor (锁住味道).

Here is When the Tea Starts Brewing…

As mentioned in the beginning, the Tohs have two sons, Jack Toh (48) and Kelvin Toh (42).

While the brothers have worked together in their parents’ shop in the past, conflict eventually arose between the two brothers, leading to a breaking point where Kelvin set out to establish his own confectionary chain with the blessing of his parents.

Kelvin, alongside his friends, set up the flagship Ji Xiang Confectionery at Bugis.

For the first six to nine months, Jack said, their mother had visited her younger son’s branch to train the staff and provide guidance.

Meanwhile, Jack Toh succeeded his father as the owner of their Everton shop.

**Sweet Ang Ku Kueh, Bitter Rivalries**

Jack told the Chinese newspaper that when his younger brother had set out with the hopes to open his own confectionary chain, their parents had expressed the wish for him to make it clear on their store’s website that the two businesses are not affiliated.

To which, Kelvin allegedly responds that he has no control over the marketing of his confectioneries, as it is managed by his business partner.

The parents did not pursue the matter further.

As the separate entities owned by the brothers still share the same name, it has led to confusion whereby consumers opt to get their ang ku kueh fix from a nearer “branch” owned by Kelvin, rather than commuting to the more remote Everton shop.

This, inevitably, led to a decline in sales for Jack and his parents.

Jack also adds that their Everton shop have been receiving feedback stating a recent decline in quality in their ang ku kueh, and when asked, consumers said that they were bought from “a different location”.

Younger Brother Speaks Up

Kelvin acknowledged ongoing competition but asserted openness about their family ties when asked by customers.

He said that if he were asked by customers if his business was a branch from the Everton shop, he would honestly admit to them that he was their second son.

When asked about the decline in ang ku kueh quality allegedly bought from one of his stalls, Kelvin claims that they have been following the old recipes to a T, so there should not be any changes in taste or texture whatsoever.

He does, however, point out that if the ang ku kueh was purchased a day after they were made, then there would definitely be a noticeable difference in quality.

Tradition Versus Modernization

Kelvin Toh also confesses that another factor that played a role in starting his own independent chain is his family’s reluctance to embrace his idea of modernizing the shop.

As tastes evolve and pop culture has become more pervasive today, Kelvin believes that it is essential for his parents to keep up with the times in order to attract customers.

When his family denied Kelvin’s ideas, it reinforced his own desires to set off on his own path, having always had an independent streak.

As such Kelvin’s branches consistently boast an array of colourful ang ku kueh that reflect the trending topics of the time.

Most notably, World Cup-themed and Squid Game-themed ang ku kueh garnered massive appreciation from the masses.

Image: Instagram (@jixiangconfectionery)

Kelvin also declined financial support from his family throughout his business venture. He simply hopes to raise the brand awareness of “Ji Xiang” and allow more people to appreciate this traditional pastry.

While we do not know how this drama pans out, we hope that both parties can achieve their respective happy – and sweet – endings.