Ah Hua Kelong: Far from a fish story

SINGAPORE — For most of us, the image of a kelong (a wooden offshore platform used by fishermen and fish farmers) is often associated with the region’s past, and pegged to short trips to Malaysia or Indonesia. The reality of locally farmed seafood, sadly, is not something widely celebrated.

Enter two Singaporeans — 26-year-olds Bryan Ang and Wong Jing Kai.

Their desire to shift perceptions and to educate people on the variety already available here led them to invest in this industry, partnering with farm owner Teh Chin Hua of Ah Hua Kelong, who established the fish farm located off Changi and Sembawang some 18 years ago.

“Bryan and I partnered with him in 2014 and opened up various (other) channels such as wholesale and delivery to households in Singapore direct, restaurant delivery and retail,” said Wong, who previously worked in online marketing.

The farm specialises in seabass, pearl grouper, golden pomfret and red snapper, but also harvests flower crabs and other varieties of shellfish from off the coast of Singapore. Aside from hawker favourites such as blood cockles, la la and gong gong, they are also currently harvesting less-expected varieties such as sweet clams and Eastern Dark oysters.

Ang, who previously owned a company specialising in boat charters, said local fish farming is possible because the Government supports the idea of having its own source of food, “thus there are certain grants available to increase production”.

“This helped us in terms of easing the daily operational cost such as converting diesel-generated electricity to solar panel,” he said. He added that while the variety of fish is limited by the condition of the surrounding sea, support from local consumers is growing. Restaurants are also “slowly introducing local seafood into their menus”.

Citing the example of Chinese wedding banquets, Wong said a lot of times if there is a fish dish comprising black grouper or sea bass, the fish are most likely local. In recent times, they have also seen an increase in Western restaurants wanting to use local seafood, he added.

Another example is the collaboration with Restaurant Ember, which is aimed at showcasing locally farmed products and encouraging sustainability. Here, Ah Hua Kelong’s sea bass — its poster fish as it is raised with high-quality feed without the use of preservatives or chemicals — is pan-seared and paired with buttered local corn, snow pea shoots and a rich, tangy tomato cream sauce.

Wong, however, stressed that the initial idea was to reach out to locals, as they felt that consumers should not be “restricted to having to eat out at restaurants whenever they want to feast on fresh and live seafood”. They should be able to enjoy it in the comfort of their homes, which is why a direct from-farm-to-home delivery service was initiated two-and-a-half years ago.

That said, those who are not yet comfortable with buying seafood online can head down to two retail points. Launched late last year, its Pasarbella @ Grandstand store is currently closed for expansion works until Aug 1, but customers can head to one-and-a-half-month-old Ah Hua Kelong @ Simpang Bedok for some of its freshest seafood that is either farmed (and sold live) or wild-caught.

The commercial potential is undeniable, and the boys are looking to take full advantage of it. They are currently on their way to raising S$300,000 (through a number of investors) to open a third retail outlet by the end of the year.

The location is yet to be confirmed, but Ang said “it will be located in the heartland and targeted at the younger generation”.

Ah Hua Kelong is located at 348 Bedok Road #02-30/31. For more information, 
visit http://www.ahhuakelong.com.