1. A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF BUSINESSES
Group Members: Kimberley Ee Sze Ann,
Chia Sue Yi,
Cheong Siew Ying,
Yap Kar Juen,
Cheah Teck Wei
Research topic: Traditional Penang Biscuits
Module: English 2 (ENGL0205)
Session: September 2013

2. CHOSEN BUSINESSES

3. SOON SENG
Location: Lebuh Kimberley, Georgetown, Penang
 Business type: Small stall


4. TONG HOE SENG
Location: Lebuh Kimberley, Georgetown, Penang
 Business type: Small stall


5. WAH THAI
Location: Jalan Gottlieb, Georgetown, Penang
 Business type: Large shop


6. BACKGROUND

7. SOON SENG
o 30 year old business
o Mr Soon : the founder of the shop
o receives help from family members

8. TONG HOE SENG
o
o
o
o
60 year old business
Started in 1954
Has existed since before World War 2.
Family-owned, passed down from father to
daughter
o Current owner has run the business for 30 years

9. WAH THAI
o 40 year old business
o Started in 1977.
o 32 years of established experience and reputation
o Employs dozens of workers

10. AVAILABLE PRODUCTS

11. SOON SENG
Tambun Biscuits
Medicated Oils
Pickled Fruits

12. TONG HOE SENG
Tambun Biscuits
Snacks
Medicated Oils

13. WAH THAI
Tambun Biscuits
Coconut Biscuits
Herbal Soup
Snacks

14. COMPETITION

15. SOON SENG AND TONG HOE SENG
o Other stalls selling similar products.
o Many of such stalls exist.
o These similar stalls are all located very close together.
Lebuh Kimberley
Pin Kuan Enterprise
Soon Seng
Tong Hoe Seng

16. WAH THAI
o Other stalls selling similar products.
o Small stalls e.g. Tong Hoe Seng and Soon Seng which
may sell for cheaper prices and are more easily
accessible (located at tourist areas).
o Other large companies selling similar products in
Georgetown.
Him Heang
Ghee Hiang
Wah Thai

17. PRICE COMPARISON
PRICE
QUALITY
TONG HOE
SENG
WAH THAI SOON SENG

18. OBSTACLES AND CHALLENGES

19. SOON SENG AND TONG HOE SENG
 Many competitors exist in the form of stalls selling
similar products.
 Different stalls may be able to offer cheaper prices.
 Different stalls sell larger ranges of products and
therefore can attract more customers.

20. WAH THAI
o Many competitors exist in the form of other stalls selling
similar products.
o Smaller stalls offer cheaper prices due to cheaper
packaging.
o Smaller stalls know their customers on a personal level
therefore having the advantage of customer loyalty.

21. NATURE OF BUSINESSES

22. SOON SENG AND TONG HOE SENG
o Small local business.
o Main customers are locals and tourists.
o Sells tambun biscuits.
o Exist in a purely competitive market.

23. WAH THAI
o Large business.
o Main products are tambun biscuits but also offers a
large range of other local food products.
o Exist in a purely competitive market.

24. STRATEGIES USED

25. SOON SENG AND TONG HOE SENG
o Produce original homemade traditional biscuits.
o Maintain customer loyalty.
o Sell near tourist areas.
o Cheaper price
Popular food street located close
to many hotels

26. WAH THAI
• Large business.
• Main products are traditional biscuits but also offers a
large range of other local food products.
• Maintain status and quality
Packeted Bah Kut Teh is another popular
Wah Thai product

27. Tong Hoe Seng & Soon Seng
Wah Thai
- 2 flavours only
-many different flavours
allow customers to
try their products

28. FUTURE PLANS

29. SOON SENG AND TONG HOE SENG
o Continue to provide friendly service to customers.
o Maintain quality of products
o Maintain customer loyalty by being courteous and
providing high quality goods.
o No plans for expansion.

30. WAH THAI
o Maintain high status.
o Maintain brand name quality.
o Introduce a wider range of local food products e.g.
packeted Bah Kut Teh.
o No plans for expansion.

31. POPULARITY

32. SOON SENG AND TONG HOE SENG



Attracts local customers as well as tourist.
Regular customers keep returning as they are familiar with the
stall owners.
Many years of reputable service (high quality goods and good
attitude).

33. WAH THAI
o High popularity
o Advertising through newspaper and magazine
o Winner of FOODSION's Magazine Award
o Famous Tourist Place

34. SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT

35. SOON SENG AND TONG HOE SENG

-
-
-
Advertise
These businesses rely on their long standing
reputation and do not feel the need to advertise.
However, they do not realise that the modern
generation may not be aware of their stalls and will
visit the larger businesses that advertise
aggressively.
Advertise through: Facebook
pages, blogs, newspaper articles, magazines.

36. WAH THAI

-
-
-
-
Consider expanding the business
Currently Wah Thai’s main goal is to preserve
ONLY the quality of their products and they see this
as their main priority.
This may serve as a weakness as they are unable
to see the bigger picture.
Wah Thai is slowly becoming more and more
successful, in time the business will come to a
standstill.
Wah Thai should aim big as they have the potential
to achieve great success.

37. REFERENCES

1926heritagehotel.com. (2014). Him heang – famous for their tambun biscuits | 1926 heritage hotel
penang malaysia. [online] Retrieved from: http://www.1926heritagehotel.com/him-heang-famous-fortheir-tambun-biscuits/ [Accessed: 11 Jan 2014].

Dodol-mochi.blogspot.com. (2009). Dodol & mochi | where east meets west ...: "my sweet malaysia":
tambun biscuits or tau sar beng 淡汶豆沙餅. [online] Retrieved from: http://dodolmochi.blogspot.com/2009/08/my-sweet-malaysia-tambun-biscuits-or.html [Accessed: 11 Jan 2014].

Facebook. (2014). Lim wah thai local food products. [online] Retrieved from:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lim-Wah-Thai-Local-Food-Products/296988758761 [Accessed: 11 Jan
2014].

Ggmu.blogspot.com. (2009). Get a life!: ghee hiang,penang. [online] Retrieved from:
http://ggmu.blogspot.com/2009/03/ghee-hiangpenang.html [Accessed: 11 Jan 2014].

Gourmet Garden. (2014). Gourmet garden. [online] Retrieved from: http://www.gourmetgarden.com.my
[Accessed: 11 Jan 2014].

II, A. (2014). Going to penang? bring back some tambun biscuits!. [online] Retrieved from:
http://www.visitpenang.gov.my/portal3/where-to-eat/where-to-eat/1511-going-to-penang-bring-backsome-tambun-biscuits.html [Accessed: 11 Jan 2014].

Kevin, C. & Profile, V. (2009). The podanys | welcome to our word: bak kut teh night!. [online] Retrieved
from: http://thepodanys.blogspot.com/2009/02/bak-kut-teh-night.html [Accessed: 11 Jan 2014].

Limwahthai.com. (2014). Welcome to lim wah thai local food marketing sdn bhd. [online] Retrieved from:
http://www.limwahthai.com/aboutus.asp [Accessed: 11 Jan 2014].

Penangstreetfood.com. (2014). Battle of the biscuit: ghee hiang v him heang | penang street food |
penang delicacies. [online] Retrieved from: http://penangstreetfood.com/2010/12/battle-of-the-biscuit/
[Accessed: 11 Jan 2014].

Penang-traveltips.com. (2014). Kimberley street (lebuh kimberley), george town, pulau pinang. [online]
Retrieved from: http://www.penang-traveltips.com/kimberley-street.htm [Accessed: 11 Jan 2014].