06/12/2025

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SATURDAY | DEC 6, 2025

Lamb Weston sees Malaysia and SE Asia as growth markets

Ű BY JOHN GILBERT sunbiz@thesundaily.com

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia stands out as one of the most promising markets for processed potato products in Southeast Asia, with the country’s per capita consumption forecast to grow 4.5% annually until 2029. Lamb Weston, an American food processing company and the world’s largest producer and processor of frozen french fries, sees strong growth opportunities in Malaysia and across Southeast Asia, banking on positive trends. “We are committed to supporting this growth with tailored products and strategic partnerships,” Lamb Weston senior commercial director for Asia Pacific Jeevan Dass told SunBiz . He said Malaysia is among the higher-growth markets in the region, primarily driven by the food service sector (FSR), which accounted for 37.1% of the profit sector in 2024, followed by the quick service restaurant (QSR) sector at 25.6%. Lamb Weston takes several approaches when setting its pricing strategies in Malaysia. “We offer products that cater to market segments, ensuring com petitive value through our global scale and operational efficiencies,” Jeevan said. Lamb Weston is a leading inno vator in the category, offering premium fries designed for partners who want to create excitement for their consumers. An example is Frites Atelier, developed in collaboration with a Michelin-starred chef in Europe and aimed at higher-end restaurants. “Some of our products feature unique cuts, such as our Twister Fries and our upcoming Frenzy Fries, which will also be launched in Malaysia. These items are priced slightly higher due to lower yields per KUALA LUMPUR: Newly listed Geohan Corporation Bhd, a homegrown geotechnical specialist, intends to use its newly raised capital to push beyond Malaysian borders and build a meaningful presence in Singapore’s booming construction sector. Managing director Lee Kim Seng said the company is entering the next phase of its growth trajectory with a sharper regional focus, identifying Singapore as a high-value market offering strong, sustained demand for deep foundation and infrastructure work. “We are all set to capture the opportunities coming from Malaysia’s expanding infrastructure sector and Singapore’s booming construction activities,” he said during the company’s listing ceremony yesterday. Geohan made its debut on the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia at 54 sen, 1 sen below the initial public offering (IPO) price, with 1.56 million shares traded. The company raised RM72.6 million through the issuance of 132 Ű BY DEEPALAKSHMI MANICKAM sunbiz@thesundaily.com

short duration of its projects. “We have a dedicated tender team looking out for opportunities, especially for major infrastructure developments in Johor, the northern region and across Malaysia.” He added that the group is targeting double-digit revenue growth over the next three to five years. To support expansion, Geohan will channel RM14 million of its IPO proceeds into upgrading and expanding its machinery fleet. A further RM25.6 million has been allocated for working capital. The larger fleet is expected to boost capacity, allow the group to take on more complex jobs and strengthen its competitiveness. The group has adopted a dividend policy of paying out 25% of earnings, subject to board approval, reflecting its confidence in its ability to sustain operational performance. With both domestic infrastructure spending and Singapore’s cons-truction pipeline expected to remain robust in the coming years, Geohan believes its dual-market strategy positions it well for the next phase of growth. “We are ready to reach greater heights,” Lee said. partnerships with key distributors to strengthen our distribution network and ensure broader market reach. These partners are deeply attuned to local market dynamics, and we support them with masterclasses and behind-the-scenes collaboration. This keeps us relevant and responsive to both market and consumer needs. “We are also set to launch a retail range in major Malaysian super markets, bringing restaurant-quality fries directly to consumers’ homes, a significant milestone in our growth strategy,” Jeevan said. Lamb Weston is optimistic about its future in Malaysia. “In 2026 and beyond, we will be available in food service and retail channels. We are especially excited for the Frenzy Fries. This innovative product is designed to meet the growing demand among Malaysian consumers for unique and exciting fry experiences, especially as they seek new flavours and formats at home and when dining out. “Our retail range in Malaysia is going to feature a wide variety of products – including Grill Fries, Ziggy Fries, Twister Fries, Waffle Fries, Rustic Fries, and Potato Dippers. “The upcoming launches will con tinue to expand our portfolio and reinforce our commitment to deli vering restaurant-quality fries, con venience, and innovation to Malaysian homes and food service partners,” Jeevan said.

o US food brand aims to tap opportunities via innovative products, strategic partnerships potato during production. By leveraging our global production footprint, we aim to serve customers efficiently while maintaining high quality and value,” Jeevan said. He said Malaysian consumers are increasingly seeking value for money, even as economic conditions recover. “Lamb Weston addresses this by driving efficiencies across our value chain and offering products at various price points. “The expanding footprint of chain operators in QSR, FSR and coffee and tea shop channels has also in fluenced our product development. We work closely with operator partners and incorporate consumer feedback into our new product development pipeline,” Jeevan said. Additionally, there is a growing appetite for experimentation and unique flavours among experience seeking consumers. “To meet this demand, we are launching an exciting range of inno vative products in Q1 2026, including new cuts and flavours. Our diverse portfolio includes skin-on, seasoned, million new shares, with no offer-for sale component. Lee said Geohan deliberately chose not to cash out shares, describing the decision as a signal of commitment to long-term expansion rather than short-term profit-taking. “Our main purpose of this IPO is to grow the company to the next level,” he said. “This is our sincerity in building a stronger company.” Executive director Oh Chin Wah outlined Geohan’s phased entry strategy for Singapore, a market known for stringent contractor qualifications, heavy compliance requirements and intense competition. “We always want to start with a small team first,” he said. “At the moment, we are aiming at important infrastructure projects in Singapore. To be in the market, we need to be a qualified contractor, obtain the required permits and ensure our personnel hold the necessary certifications.” Geohan has already begun the process of registering its Singapore entity and preparing its technical team for the certification standards required in the republic. Oh said the company is working

Jeevan says there is growing demand for experimentation and unique flavours among experience-seeking consumers.

premium labour requirements, analysts raised questions about execution risk. Oh acknowledged the challenges but said Geohan aims to mitigate risk by leveraging its Johor hub, strengthening internal coordination and offering growth pathways to attract Singaporean talent. “Singapore is an open market. Competition is unavoidable. But as we grow our presence there, we believe we can offer strong career prospects to retain local talent.” The group’s entry strategy, anchored on infrastructure before branching into private-sector de velopments, is expected to give it a more stable footing in managing regulatory and cost challenges. Despite the regional ambitions, Malaysia remains Geohan’s anchor market. As of Oct 22, the group held an order book of RM390 million, providing earnings visibility up to 2027. About 20% of this will be recognised this year, with the bulk flowing in 2026. Low said the company maintains a “sizeable” tender book to ensure pipeline continuity, given the relatively for us to localise our strategy by partnering with the right local experts. Our partnerships with key local distributors enable us to understand local tastes better, tailor our offerings to consumer pre ferences, and respond quickly to market dynamics,” he said. Elaborating on Lamb Weston’s plans for expansion and market penetration in Malaysia over the next three to five years, Jeevan said that over the past year, the team has worked closely with local operators to understand their needs better, enabling the brand to tailor its approach to the Malaysian market. “We have established strategic

and speciality-cut fries,” Jeevan said. Asked about challenges, Jeevan said, historically, one of the main challenges in Malaysia has been the high freight costs associated with importing processed potato pro ducts. “Lamb Weston has opened two plants in China, which offer proxi mity, allowing us to serve our Malaysian market more efficiently, and significantly reducing freight and warehousing costs. Regulatory com pliance and adapting to evolving consumer preferences remain on going priorities. “As a US brand entering local markets like Malaysia, it is essential

Geohan switches to expansion mode, plots entry into S’pore

with Singapore counterparts to participate in tenders for infrastructure projects, which will serve as its entry point. “Once we get into the market, that is where we familiarise ourselves with the ecosystem before expanding into the commercial and residential segments.” Chief financial officer Low Kok Din said the group intends to establish an operational hub in Johor, enabling cross-border deployment of resources and equipment while controlling costs and managing logistics efficiency. The southern base will also act as a bridge to address labour and permit issues, especially given Singapore’s tight talent market. “To synchronise our business in Malaysia and Singapore, we are looking to set up an operations hub in Johor,” Low said. “At the same time, we will recruit Singaporean talents who can help us navigate the local market and grow our presence.” With construction costs rising globally and Singapore known for