CRAVE

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The logo for CRAVE. Photo from CRAVE.

CRAVE is a Singapore-based F&B franchise that specialises in nasi lemak, or coconut rice.[1] As of February 2022, the franchise has a total of 35 outlets in Singapore.[2]

CRAVE offers a variety of nasi lemak platters on its menu, each one coming with popular side dishes like fried chicken wings, otak-otak (grilled fish cake wrapped in banana leaves), and selar fish.[3] The franchise was founded by Abdul Malik Hassan[4] and Chiang Zhan Xiang, who is also the co-founder of local pizza chain Pezzo Pizza.[5]

Background

Selera Rasa’s stall at Adam Road Hawker Centre. Photo from Hawkerpedia.

Origin as Selera Rasa

Before CRAVE the franchise was formed, it was a nasi lemak stall called Selera Rasa.[6] Located in Adam Road Hawker Centre, Selera Rasa was founded and operated by Abdul Malik’s parents, Hassan Abdul Kadir and Aminah K. Omar.

According to Abdul Malik, he initially did not intend to take over his family’s nasi lemak business.[6] Instead, he aspired to be a pilot, having financed the requisite Mechanical Engineering degree through his job as a service technician with Hexagon Singapore in 2004.[7]

However, Abdul Malik’s father told him to give up his dream, as he wanted his son to take over his nasi lemak stall.[6] Abdul Malik felt resentful towards his father at first:

“I worked so hard for a degree, put in so many nights of night school and now you want me to sell nasi lemak?”[6]

After a week, Abdul Malik relented under one condition: his father had to give him full freedom to run the business any way he wished.[6] His father agreed to his request:

“No problem. You now run the show. You do what you think is right and at the end of the month, you pay me what you think I should get.”[6]

Dr. Abdul Malik Hassan. Photo from The Straits Times.

Under Abdul Malik’s direction, Selera Rasa underwent an operational and menu revamp.[6] He also convinced his four siblings to join him in the venture full-time.[6]

Shortly after, Selera Rasa began to win accolades, including Makansutra’s Singapore Street Food Master for best nasi lemak in 2006 and The Straits Times Readers’ Choice for favourite nasi lemak in 2008.[7]

Abdul Malik photographed with his mother and brothers. Photo from The Straits Times.

On his youngest brother Ahmat Faisal Hassan’s persuasion, Abdul Malik expanded Selera Rasa, beginning from an outlet in Ang Mo Kio Avenue 5 in 2007.[7]

Partnership with Pezzo Pizza co-founder Chiang Zhan Xiang

A selection of CRAVE’s offerings. Photo from CRAVE.

In 2014, Chiang Zhan Xiang, who was a regular customer of Selera Rasa, approached Abdul Malik’s family with a partnership opportunity.[6]

Under this partnership, Chiang invested $500,000 to create the CRAVE brand, where he built Abdul Malik’s family a central kitchen and opened several outlets around Singapore.[6] Abdul Malik explained how the partnership worked:[6]

“[Pezzo Pizza] [takes] care of the outlets, we take care of the kitchen and food quality. This is perfect because I have never liked the idea of franchising our brand. You cannot control the quality.”[6]

Shortly after the rebranding, CRAVE opened outlets throughout Singapore, including Hougang, Bedok, Punggol, and ION Orchard.[6]

Partnership with Rafee’s Corner

In 2018, CRAVE partnered with Amoy Street Hawker Centre’s Rafee’s Corner to offer teh tarik (pulled tea) on its menu.[4] This partnership signified the combination of two hawker names under one brand.

Integration into Kiosks Collective

In 2019,[8] Pezzo Group, the conglomerate that CRAVE and Pezzo Pizza were part of, rebranded to become Kiosks Collective.[9] CRAVE and Pezzo Pizza continued to be part of Kiosks Collective, and were later joined by other local food brands like Ikan 1986, Padang Grill, and Lucky Dumplings.[10]

Business growth

The creation of the CRAVE brand afforded Abdul Malik more opportunities to expand his nasi lemak business. This was primarily done through the addition of new items to the menu and opening more outlets around Singapore.

Products

Below is the standard menu of CRAVE’s offerings, accurate as of 10 February 2021:[11]

Buddy Meals
Product Name Price
Buddy Meal A: 2 x Nasi Lemak + 2 Bergedils + 2 Drinks

(U.P $22)

$20.70
Buddy Meal B: 1x Crispy Chicken Combo + 2x Nasi Lemak + 2 Drinks (U.P $27.20) $23.90
Nasi Lemak Meals
Product Name Price
Nasi Lemak with Chicken Otah Meatloaf + 1 Selected Drink $9.60
Nasi Lemak with Selar Fish + 1 Selected Drink $10.10
Nasi Lemak with Fish Fillet + 1 Selected Drink $10.10
Nasi Lemak with Chicken Wing + 1 Selected Drink $10.10
Nasi Lemak with Chicken Cutlet + 1 Selected Drink $10.80
Nasi Lemak Royale + 1 Selected Drink $12.50
Nasi Lemak with Curry Chicken + 1 Selected Drink $12.50
Nasi Lemak Delights
Product Name Price
Nasi Lemak with Chicken Otah Meatloaf $6.60
Nasi Lemak with Fish Fillet $7.10
Nasi Lemak with Chicken Cutlet $7.80
Nasi Lemak with Curry Chicken $9.50
Nasi Lemak with Selar Fish $7.10
Nasi Lemak with Chicken Wing $7.10
Nasi Lemak Royale $9.50
Sides / Add-Ons
Product Name Price
Chicken Otah Meatloaf $2.20
Chicken Wing $2.30
Chicken Cutlet $3
Curry Chicken $7.20
Bergedil (fried potato patty) $1.50
Fish Fillet $2.30
Selar Fish $2.30
Add Fried Egg $1.50
Add Sambal Chilli $0.60
Beverages
Product Name Price
Iced Bandung $3
Iced Calamansi $3
CRAVE’s Thai Basil Chicken Nasi Lemak set. Photo from CRAVE.

Apart from the standard menu, CRAVE is known for experimenting with cuisines from other cultures. In 2021, for example, it launched Thai-inspired versions of its nasi lemak, which came paired with popular Thai dishes like basil chicken, green curry, and stewed beef curry.[12]

List of outlets in Singapore

Below is a list of all 35 CRAVE outlets opened in Singapore to date[2][13] (10 February 2022):

Location Address Opening hours
Ang Mo Kio Hub 53 Ang Mo Kio Ave 3, #B2-54, AMK Hub, S(569933) Monday - Sunday: 10am - 9pm
Bedok Mall 311 New Upper Changi Road, #B2-22, Bedok Mall, S(467360) Monday - Sunday: 10am - 8pm
Buangkok Square Block 991 Buangkok Link, #01-12, Buangkok Square, S(530991) Monday - Sunday: 9am - 9pm
Bugis Junction 200 Victoria Street, #B1-K05, Bugis Junction, S(188021) Monday - Sunday: 10am - 9pm
Bukit Panjang Plaza 1 Jelebu Road, #01-18, Causeway Point, S(677743) Monday - Sunday: 10am - 9pm
Causeway Point 1 Woodland Square, #B1-K12, Causeway Point, S(738099) Monday - Sunday: 10am - 9pm
City Square Mall 180 Kitchener Road, #B2-K2/K3/K4 & K11, City Square Mall, S(208539) Monday - Sunday: 10am - 9pm
Compass One 1 Sengkang Square, #B1-02/03, Compass One, S(545078) Monday - Sunday: 9am - 9pm
Downtown East 1 Sengkang Square, #01-K105, E!Hub, Downtown East, S(545078) Monday - Sunday: 10am - 9pm
Eastpoint Mall 3 Simei Street 6, #B1-11A, Eastpoint Mall, S(528833) Monday - Sunday: 10am - 9:30pm
FairPrice Hub 1 Joo Koon Circle, #02-24, FairPrice Hub, S(629117) Monday - Sunday: 11am - 8pm
Funan Mall 107 North Bridge Road, #B2-K07, Funan Mall, S(179105) Monday - Sunday: 11am - 9pm
Guoco Tower 7 Wallich Street, #B2-26, Guoco Tower, S(078884) Monday - Saturday: 11am - 8pm

Sunday: 11am - 7pm

Harbourfront Centre 2 Maritime Square, #01-K8, Harbourfront Centre, S(099255) Monday - Sunday: 11am - 8:30pm
Hougang Mall 90 Hougang Mall Avenue 10, #B1-11, Hougang Mall, S(538766) Monday - Sunday: 9:30am - 9pm
IMM 2 Jurong East Street 21, #01-40, IMM, S(609601) Monday - Sunday: 10am - 9pm
JEM 50 Jurong Gateway Road, #B1-K03, JEM, S(608549) Monday - Sunday: 10am - 10pm
Junction 8 9 Bishan Place, #B1-K8, Junction 8, S(579837) Monday - Sunday: 10am - 9:30pm
Jurong Point 1 Jurong West Central 2, #B1-03, JP1, Jurong Point, S(648886) Monday - Sunday: 10am - 9:30pm
Lot One 21 Choa Chu Kang Avenue 4, #B1-K17, Lot One, S(689812) Monday - Sunday: 10am - 10pm
Marina Bay Link Mall* 8A Marina Boulevard, #B2-63, Marina Bay Link Mall, S(018984) Monday - Friday: 10am - 3pm
NEX 23 Serangoon Central, #03-K16/17, S(556083) Monday - Sunday: 10:30am - 10:30pm
Northpoint City 930 Yishun Avenue 2, #B1-45, North Wing, Northpoint City, S(769098) Monday - Sunday: 10am - 9pm
NEX 23 Serangoon Central, #B2-57, NEX, S(556083) Monday - Sunday: 9am - 9pm
One@KentRidge 1 Lower Kent Ridge Road, #01-09/19/20, One@KentRidge, S(119082) Monday - Friday: 10am - 9:30pm

Saturday: 10am - 8pm

Parkway Parade 80 Marine Parade Road, #01-K9, Parkway Parade, S(449269) Monday - Sunday: 10am - 10pm
Paya Lebar Square 60 Paya Lebar Road, #B1-45, Paya Lebar Square, S(409051) Monday - Sunday: 10am - 9pm
Sun Plaza 30 Sembawang Drive, #01-23, Sun Plaza, S(757713) Monday - Sunday: 10am - 9:30pm
The Clementi Mall 3155 Commonwealth Avenue West, #B1-K4/K5, The Clementi Mall, S(129588) Monday - Sunday: 10am - 9:30pm
The Commerce @ Irving 1 Irving Place, #01-30, The Commerze@ Irving, S(369546) Monday - Sunday: 10am - 9pm
The Star Vista 1 Vista Exchange Green, #B1-42, The Star Vista, S(138617) Monday - Sunday: 10am - 9:30pm
Tiong Bahru Plaza 302 Tiong Bahru Road, #B1-K3, Tiong Bahru Plaza, S(168732) Monday - Sunday: 10am - 9pm
Toa Payoh Blk 190 Lor 6 Toa Payoh, #01-524, Food Valley, S(310190) Monday - Sunday: 10am - 9pm
Waterway Point 83 Punggol Central, #B1-K7, East Wing, Waterway Point, S(828761) Monday - Sunday: 9am - 9pm
White Sands Mall 1 Pasir Ris Central Street 3, #B1-K16, White Sands Mall, S(518457) Monday - Sunday: 10:30am - 9pm
Woodlands Mart 768 Woodlands Ave 6, #01-10, Woodlands Mart, S(730768) Monday - Sunday: 9am - 9pm

*Temporarily closed.

References / Citations

  1. "Crave - The Original Adam Road Nasi Lemak by Selera Rasa". Accessed 10 February 2022.
  2. 2.0 2.1 "Crave Singapore - 35 Locations & Opening Hours”. SHOPSinSG. Accessed 10 February 2022.
  3. "Crave menu”. Facebook. November 15, 2021. Accessed 10 February 2022.
  4. 4.0 4.1 "Crave | Kiosks Collective". Accessed 10 February 2022.
  5. "The Story Behind The Success: Adam Road Selera Rasa Nasi Lemak". Rilek 1 Corner. April 1, 2015. Accessed 10 February 2022.
  6. 6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10 6.11 6.12 "Once An Aspiring Pilot, Now He's The Boss Of CRAVE Nasi Lemak". Vulcan Post. July 4, 2017. Accessed 10 February 2022.
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 "Piloting a nasi lemak business”. The Straits Times. March 29, 2015. Accessed 10 February 2022.
  8. "KIOSKS COLLECTIVE PTE. LTD". SGP Business. Accessed 10 February 2022.
  9. "Kiosks Collective". Accessed 10 February 2022.
  10. "Our Story". Kiosks Collective. Accessed 10 February 2022.
  11. "Crave Menu Price List Singapore (February 2022)”. SingMenu. Accessed 10 February 2022.
  12. "Crave S'pore launching Thai-inspired Nasi Lemak with basil chicken, green curry & more". Mothership. March 15, 2021. Accessed 10 February 2022.
  13. "The Original Adam Road Nasi Lemak by Selera Rasa | Our Location". Accessed 12 February 2022.