MyeongDong Topokki Special
In this unprecedented time, this enterprising young man turns to technology to satisfy cravings for Korean street food
When in Seoul, the bustling neighbourhood of Myeongdong is inevitably on the list of places to visit. A popular shopping destinations, the sheer volume of visitors has also seen the mushrooming of cafes, restaurants and food kiosks serving a variety of local delights, including the Korean staple, topokki.
Topokki is a chewy rice cake that can be cooked in a number of ways – stir-fried, on a skewer, added to kimchi soup and even, to ride on popular trend, with cheese. Vincent Lua became fascinated with this versatile ingredient during a visit to Myeongdong and decided to make it - and other Korean street food – accessible in Malaysia.
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Lua, who is CEO of Cravito Group, started MyeongDong Topokki (MDT) as a small kiosk. Today, it boasts outlets in over 30 locations across Malaysia, and is still on track to expand further, including a branch in Indonesia.
"MDT was able to grow quickly because of great support from our fully equipped central kitchen and an in-house R&D team which ensure consistency in quality," he said. "The open kitchen concept at all our restaurants have also proven to be quite popular with dine-in customers."
MDT is Lua's first F&B venture but it's not his first business venture. He previously co-founded a gym, which taught him important lessons about proper brand marketing. It was after the gym folded that he went on that fateful trip to Seoul and recognised an opportunity to bring Korean street food to Malaysia.
This health crisis has only accelerated Lua’s plans to harness the potential of technology, including the roll out of MDT Apron, a three-day cooking kit that delivers to your home so you can make a Korean meal in your own kitchen.
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