KUALA LUMPUR: Kitchen Arena (which operates under Ping Edge Sdn Bhd), a digital-first commercial kitchen equipment marketplace, has unveiled its new headquarters and experience centre, positioning the facility as a regional hub for kitchen solutions while signalling plans for nationwide expansion and a potential listing on the ACE Market of Bursa Malaysia.
CEO Choong Wai Hon said the new headquarters, which houses the World of Oven Experience Centre, marks a strategic shift from conventional retail towards an integrated ecosystem combining e-commerce, physical product validation, training and technology collaboration.
While declining to disclose the total investment value for the new premises, Choong said the group is targeting aggressive growth over the next three to five years, including plans to expand to 10 locations across Malaysia.
“We have moved away from the traditional brick-and-mortar model and focused heavily on digital enablement. Today, more than 90% of our sales are conducted online,” he told reporters at a press conference following the opening ceremony today.
Kitchen Arena currently operates as a marketplace carrying around 10,000 stock-keeping units and serves a broad customer base, from entry-level food operators to professional kitchens. Its top-selling categories include meat products, stainless steel kitchen furniture and core commercial equipment such as chillers, freezers, charge freezers and display units.
Choong said the experience centre complements the company’s online platform by allowing customers and partners to physically evaluate equipment performance, receive structured training and co-develop solutions, particularly for high-value purchases.
“Digital works very well, but there are moments where customers need to see, touch and experience the equipment firsthand. This centre fills that gap and strengthens decision-making for our clients.”
Beyond domestic growth, Kitchen Arena is positioning Malaysia as a regional base by leveraging its supplier network, many of whom are based overseas.
Choong said international suppliers are encouraged to visit Malaysia for training sessions, showroom demonstrations and customer engagement. “This creates value not just for the business ecosystem, but also for the country, as these visits naturally translate into business tourism.”
The company is aligning its initiatives with Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026), particularly through its support for Taste & Trade 360 (TT360), a business-to-business food and kitchen technology exhibition. A key highlight of the event will be the “Battle of the Bots”, touted as Southeast Asia’s first AI robot cooking competition focused on Asian-style cuisine.
ccording to Kitchen Arena, TT360 is expected to attract about 20,000 visitors, with a strong emphasis on business travellers, who typically spend up to five times as much as leisure tourists.
“Food is a core part of Malaysian culture. By showcasing culinary technology and innovation, we are contributing to the culture pillar under VM2026 while driving high-value tourism,” Choong said.
The AI cooking competition will be judged across three categories, such as professional judges, public voting and technical assessment, with the aim of raising awareness and accelerating the adoption of smart kitchen technologies tailored for Asian cooking methods.
Kitchen Arena also reiterated its long-term vision of building a self-sustaining ecosystem that integrates product supply, logistics, customer insights, nationwide accessibility, and personalised digital experiences.
The company believes this approach will strengthen resilience and scalability as the foodservice and hospitality industries increasingly embrace automation and data-driven operations.
“With the right infrastructure and ecosystem in place, we believe Malaysia can play a bigger role in shaping the future of commercial kitchen technology in the region,” Choong said.
The launch was officiated by Deputy Digital Minister Datuk Wilson Ugak Anak Kumbong and attended by senior officials from the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, as well as industry partners and technology providers.
