Strategic Visibility Beyond Operations Presented & Written by Adjunct Prof Jessie Jong Chung Jin (A.S.D.K)
In my role as SME Industry Advisor, I see the food and beverage sector not merely as a commercial industry, but as part of a wider ecosystem involving entrepreneurship, tourism, lifestyle culture, local identity and economic participation. Today’s F&B landscape is increasingly competitive. Technical knowledge alone is no longer a differentiator. It is merely the entry point. Across Sabah, the number of food and beverage outlets has expanded rapidly over the past decade, driven by tourism growth, café culture, lifestyle branding, social media influence and lower barriers to market entry. From kopitiams, cafés, dessert houses and boutique dining concepts to fusion restaurants, kiosks and speciality beverage brands, the market continues becoming more crowded each year. In such an environment, learning how to operate a machine, attending a technical workshop, joining a supplier visit or participating in operational classes cannot realistically be viewed as sufficient competitive adv...