BURGERS, an all-American favourite, are increasingly popular all over the world. They are extremely adaptable foods that may be requested and eaten at any time of day. If you are a fan of both burgers and waffles, then the spot to go for these tasty treats lies in Desa Sri Hartamas. Malaysian duo Shaq and Johann are the co-founders of Fowlboys. theSun spoke with them about their journey operating Fowlboys, and how its rapid growth has resulted in three separate branches in such a short period of time.
According to Johann, the inspiration for Fowlboys originated during a vacation to Australia in 2019. While in Sydney, he came across a fried chicken joint/streetwear business. When he returned from Australia, he conveyed the concept to Shaq, and they both agreed that it would be an excellent product to promote in the local market. After numerous attempts, they succeeded in making their own buttermilk fried chicken sandwich. Fowlboys was launched in March 2020.
The lads had a steep learning curve at the beginning because they had no prior F&B expertise. Because they were a home-based business – operating out of Shaq’s apartment – one of the main obstacles was arranging logistics for their deliveries, because they weren’t yet authorised on any delivery platform.
“We spent hours just tabulating orders into an excel sheet and lining up GrabExpress riders for the next day’s orders,” said Johann.
Despite all of these challenges, Shaq made it absolutely clear that he and his partner never considered quitting. “I attribute that to the amount of blood, sweat and tears we poured into the business since day one, and I don’t think I will let go until I believe I have done whatever it takes to get the brand to be where it deserves to be.”
Johann feels that it is in everyone’s nature to never settle or give up. Adversity is a regular occurrence in any business, let alone the food and beverage industry. Some challenges are significantly more severe than others, necessitating a never-say-die mentality. Only by adopting this mindset were they able to activate the other critical characteristics of a successful business, such as flexibility and perseverance.
When asked what distinguishes them from other burger restaurants in Malaysia, Johann replied: “Both Shaq and I began by cooking and preparing the meals ourselves, which helped us understand our employees’ everyday struggles, helping us to develop a stronger foundation for a long-lasting team.
Second, I’d say what distinguishes us is that we see ourselves as a brand that makes a good influence in the community by developing a lifestyle brand alongside the F&B business. As a result, we are able to engage with our customers on a deeper level.”
There is no elegant or clean way to eat a burger, and if you’re preparing to dig into one of the Fowlboys’ burgers, you will want to set down some extra tissues. Sugar Daddy, The O.G Sandwich, Motherclucker, Doube O.G, and Double Clucker are the five main burgers. We had their Sugar Daddy, which is a huge chicken burger that will fill you up in no time. Delicious and juicy. As for snacks, they include buttermilk fried chicken wings with house-made house sauce. Then there’s the popcorn-style buttermilk fried chicken nibbles with spicy mayo and the crispy chicken tender with garlic parmesan sauce.
Their Gold Digger waffle will alter your view of dessert in a good way, with a crisp outside and a fluffy centre that, when coupled with a scoop of ice cream, will satisfy your taste buds. It’s also pretty enough to be posted to your Instagram feed. You should also try their triple chocolate milkshake. As a lover of chocolate beverages, I can confidently say that they provide one of the best milkshakes.
Johann advises anybody considering opening a restaurant to focus on building a solid operational and financial basis. As much as we demonstrate that you don’t need a lot of money to start a firm, cash is still required to expand and sustain it. As a result of sound financial and operational planning, a firm becomes “easier” to operate and expand, whereas Shaq suggested looking ahead and taking inspiration from markets outside. “Keep in mind that not everything abroad might translate well locally.”
Fowlboys is well worth a visit. Coming from a chicken lover, this is hands down one of the finest burgers I’ve ever tasted. Topped with the typical toppings, but the overall flavour is excellent. The juicy burger itself steals the show. Overall, the Fowlboys burger combo is a must-try.
Fowlboys
18, Jalan 25/70a, Desa Sri Hartamas, 50480 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
Operating Hours: 12pm-11pm
