Loh Jwee Poh

Founder & CEO, Mr Bean

APEX MBA (Chinese), Class of 2013

A humble soybean, once easily overlooked, has risen to become a defining ingredient in Singapore’s F&B industry — thanks to Loh Jwee Poh, one of the visionary co-founders and the current CEO of Mr Bean. 

From a young age, Loh Jwee Poh dreamed of becoming a renowned chef, but his journey took a different path. Instead of cooking up a name for himself in Michelin Star restaurants, he built up his career by gaining diverse work experiences in fast food chains, hotels, and supermarkets, which allowed him to expand his knowledge and network within the F&B industry. But it wasn’t until a chance encounter with a compact soy milk machine that his breakthrough came. Unlike the large, bulky machines used in factories to produce mass quantities of soy milk, this smaller, more flexible machine allowed for on-demand, fresh soy milk production — a game changer in the industry, and Loh Jwee Poh had his eye on it. 

At the time, soy milk was typically produced in factories and distributed in the morning, with hawkers clearing their stock by noon due to its short shelf life. After lunch, it would be nearly impossible to find fresh soy milk. Jwee Poh saw a gap in the market and an opportunity to offer a solution. In 1995, he teamed up with a friend to open a soy milk stall at a hawker centre in Chinatown, using the new machine to brew fresh soy milk throughout the day, catering to customer demand at any hour. 

The concept was solid, but the challenge was standing out from the many other soy milk vendors, especially those selling factory-made products. Besides offering freshly brewed soy milk throughout the day, he also introduced innovative menu items, such as soy milk ice cream, pancakes, and puddings to stay ahead of the game, which quickly attracted loyal customers and built a strong following. 

Despite over 30 years of business experience, Loh remained committed to staying ahead of the curve. Recognising the need to adapt to changing business dynamics, he enrolled in the APEX MBA (Chinese) programme at NUS Business School, aiming to strengthen his skills in solving complex business challenges, such as expansion and internationalisation. 

Through the APEX MBA (Chinese) programme, Loh gained valuable global perspectives from classmates in diverse industries and backgrounds, which broadened his understanding of the business landscape. The structured framework and methodologies taught in the programme helped him approach problems with a more systematic, analytical mindset. Moreover, the exposure to data analytics skills enabled him to make more informed and efficient decisions, further driving the success of Mr Bean. 

Under Jwee Poh’s leadership and thanks to his unwavering determination, Mr Bean transformed from a small hawker stall into a beloved brand, with close to 90 outlets across Singapore and Malaysia today. Essentially, Jwee Poh turned a simple ingredient into a cherished symbol of local F&B.