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Intellectual Property Office of Singapore

Ya Kun

The single local coffeestall that went global.

Last updated 25 March 2025
Various products by Ya Kun.

The year was 1926. Clutching a black wooden suitcase, 15-year-old Loi Ah Koon scrambled frantically on board an old Chinese junk poised to set sail from Hainan Island to Singapore. Knowing neither kith nor kin, he naturally gravitated towards the local Hainanese community. It was there that he was introduced to work as an assistant in a Hainanese coffee stall. That spurred the entrepreneurial spirit in Ah Koon and the rest, as they say, is history.

With its rich history, goodwill, customer loyalty and strong recognition, the Ya Kun brand is highly distinctive and has a suite of IP assets. Knowing the importance of IP protection and management, the Ya Kun brand has 17 registered trade marks and counting. These include product names, various posters and their slogan “Ya Kun Kaya Toast Coffee Stall Since 1944”. It has also made an international application under the Madrid system for its name and slogan. The brand also owns copyright for many of its nostalgic posters and highly guarded trade secrets for its special coffee brew and kaya jam recipe.

Enabled by a sound IP strategy, the brand has established a franchise system that enabled it to grow in and from Singapore. Today, Ya Kun has over 70 local outlets and have franchises in Indonesia, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, and they are still expanding.

"Our transformation from a single stall to a global franchise is tied closely to a strong IP strategy. Singapore's strong IP and business ecosystem enabled us to succeed within and beyond our shores."

- Mr Jesher Loi, Director, Branding and Market Development, Ya Kun International Pte Ltd

The brand has received much interest in franchises around the world, including Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong, India, China, and Australia, but is choosing to align business growth with its IP strategy, pace their overseas development and select the right franchising partners to protect and ensure sustainable global growth.

This way they stay true to their vision “to establish Ya Kun as a household name in Singapore and Asia, offering delectable kaya toast and other complementary traditional food and beverages to one and all.”

Find out more at: www.yakun.com (opens in new tab)