THE RAMLY BURGER MAN

There isnt a single Malaysian who has not heard of, or indulged in, Ramly burgers.
Malaysia.my digs behind the brand to find out how it came to be the cornerstone of
Malaysian fastfood that it is today. Jon Chew speaks to the man himself Datuk Ramly
Mokni.

The man behind Malaysias most famous burger is wearing a plain red shirt. No tie, no
suit, no giant swivel chair. The only testament to one of the countrys most important
entrepreneurs lies in the logo on the wall bearing the celebrated words: Ramly.
Datuk Ramly Mokni started out making burgers from a mobile kiosk in a small lane in
the heart of Kuala Lumpur. In the 34 years since, Ramly has built a food empire that
boasts annual sales of RM1 billion, churning out around 150 metric tonnes of meat,
chicken and seafood-based products a day. The Ramly burger itself has become
synonymous with late-night snacking amongst Malaysians; the combination of beef or
chicken patty, margarine, onions, eggs, Worcestershire sauce and Maggi seasoning
packed between two buns are a foodies best friend, some ordering two at one go from
the ubiquitous Ramly burger carts all across the nation.
We sat down with the businessman to talk about his roadside beginnings, the
challenges of starting a business, and how many people advised him that burgers and
Malaysians would not mix.
Can you tell us more about yourself?
I am originally from Tanjung Piandang, Perak and was raised in Selangor. My father
was a rice farmer and my mother a housewife. I have 16 brothers and sisters from one
father and two mothers. I work as an entrepreneur.
How long have you owned the Ramly Burger business? What inspired you to
a start a burger-making business?
My business has been established for over 30 years. In 1978, the issue of what
was halal [lawful under Islamic regulations] and haram [unlawful under Islamic
regulations] was the main topic during that time, as most beef burgers were imported
and consumers were not confident in itshalal status. It was during this time that I had
the idea to process burger meat at home. I saw an opportunity and the potential for
food-based products to be commercialised and marketed bybumiputeras [Malays]. That
was the beginning of my interest in the world of entrepreneurship.
My wife and I started the business with just a deposit of RM2,000 at the Jalan Haji
Hussein flats in Kampung Baru, Kuala Lumpur and I did not have any machines or
equipment to make beef burgers then. So the patties that were produced were done
manually with a machine with help from my wife, and I managed to churn out around
200 patties a day.
In the beginning, the burgers received a low response because it was considered a
Western-type food product and was new in Malaysia. At the same time, I opened burger
stalls in Kampung Baru, Jalan Haji Hussein, Jalan Chow Kit, Jalan Tunku Abdul
Rahman, Jalan Raja Laut and places nearby to introduce Ramly burger as an
alternative that tasted quite different from imported burgers; it was more in line with local
palates. It was here that the cooked burgers and even the raw patties were meeting
market demand. Alhamdullillah, we were making around 2,000 to 3,000 burgers per
day.

In 1980, I set up a company called Ramly Burger Enterprises. In 1985, production
moved to factories operating in Industrial Area Bandar Tun Razak, Cheras and our
burger meat production reached about 100,000 burgers per day inside an area of
approximately 10,000 square feet. In 1987, business activities focused on
manufacturing or production activities went through Mokni Ramly Burger Enterprises
Inc, or now better known by the name Ramly Food Processing Sdn Bhd. Four
subsidiaries were also been established, namely: Marketing Sdn Bhd Mokni Ramly,
Ramly Food Services Sdn Bhd, Ramly Halal Mart Sdn Bhd and Halal Ramly Kiosk Sdn
Bhd, to support our activities.
What are some of the challenges you had to overcome?
The business world is full of challenges. There is no easy path to becoming successful
without having to first walk through the thorns, with opponents always waiting for us to
make mistakes.
Among the many highs and lows when starting a business was when I applied for a loan
from MARA, but was rejected because they told me people do not eat burgers in
Malaysia. But today I've proven that we can succeed with effort and hard work.
Additionally, there are opponents who always try slander, such as alleging that the
ownership of the company had changed hands and that our products
contained haram ingredients.
So how did you overcome these challenges?
When my loan application was rejected by MARA, I applied with Bank Pembangunan
Malaysia Berhad (BPMB). Alhamdulillah, I was successful.
I took prudent action in repelling the allegations. One of them is that I am working with
JAKIM, a recognised body in halal certification. We are also working with the media to
explain the real situation to customers that our products are free from any content that
has not been certified ashalal by JAKIM. I also lodged a police report on the allegations
as evidence that they are false.
Lets talk about Malaysian entrepreneurs. What is your view of our local
entrepreneurs? What advice would you have for achieving success?
In my opinion, Malaysian entrepreneurs have what it takes to become global
entrepreneurs, and we can create great brands on an international level.
To succeed in business, there are five principles that I always practice. The first
principle is diligence; that is, perseverance paired with a deep passion when executing
a task. If you dont have this attitude, then nothing will happen.
The second principle is to work hard. Diligence alone is not enough without the effort
that goes into becoming successful.
The third principle is honesty, whether to yourself or to others. I believe this attitude will
be of benefit to yourself in the long run.
The fourth principle is to help others in need. And to share your experience with them.
The fifth principle is to pay a zakat [payment made annually under Islamic law for
charitable purposes] of around 2.5% as a compliment. Not everyone has received our
good fortune, so we share it with others.
Right now, theres a trend in the Klang Valley where people are setting up
eateries selling all kinds of burgers. Whats your opinion on all these
restaurants?
This is definitely a trend of grilled burgers happening at the moment. It has become a
growing industry amongst the public. But the service is slow, because of the method
used to grill the burgers. So the public might get frustrated with the service, and service
is very important. If it continues to be slow, this trend might die off. Its a good attempt,
but business owners should ask, how can we speed up our service to customers?
Do your family members love to eat a Ramly burger?
If I make it, then of course! [laughs] I have four children, and my youngest, Siti Hazirah,
can eat two at one go!
Whats your favourite Malaysian food?
Right now, Im on a diet. But before, I really like the usual Malaysian dishes; nasi
lemak, roti canai. Just like all Malaysians.
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