KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 2 — The polished concrete of the balcony turned dining area mirrors that of a bodybuilding gym. A bar framed by yellow and black traffic stripes offers protein drinks, healthy smoothies and coffee (caffeine for a pre-workout pump, you see).
Little details such as weightlifting belts and straps as well as transformation photographs of happy clients give an idea of the café’s overarching theme. Welcome to Oomph Asia, a haven for nutrition and fitness enthusiasts in Taman Desa and beyond.
Founded in 2016 by YT Kuan, 28, and Vickie Lee, 27, Oomph Asia began as a fitness café (i.e. Oomph Café) before pivoting their business model earlier this year to encompass freshly-prepared, travel and diet friendly meals.
The strong targeting of the fitness and bodybuilding audience, beyond the general health-conscious crowd, arose when Kuan observed that his “methods and beliefs in the relationship between food and workouts were very different from what is commonly practised by most people here. I saw a place in the industry that I could contribute my knowledge and experience to help people achieve their goals.”
Health has also been a big part of Lee’s life since young as she recalls that her eating habits had always been different from that of a typical Malaysian’s. She says, “As I had a really bad skin allergy as a teen, I became very cautious when it came to eating oily, fried, heavily spiced and seasoned food. Nutritious and natural food was something I focused strongly on.”
Kuan organises everything from the workflow to scheduling meal delivery times by location. He personally attends to customers, particularly their questions on dieting. It was whilst studying international business Down Under – “The Australian culture was a very big eye opener to me,” he says — that he gained most of his knowledge about fitness and health transformation.
Lee is the creative face of the business, as she majored in arts and creative design. She says, “I assist Kuan in putting his ideas and concepts into pictures. As I am more tech savvy, I also handle most social media and Facebook postings, answering enquiries and creating content.”
As most entrepreneurs would tell you, where you begin isn’t where you end. Challenges and opportunities will arise along the way and it takes a canny entrepreneur (or two, in Oomph’s case) to adapt when necessary.
Lee shares, “In the beginning, Oomph started out as an idea of a coffee shop crossed with a fitness eatery. However, this was easier said than done. A typical café serves desserts and comfort food, so implementing healthier and effective dieting methods does not match with that theme.”
When the pair realised this, they went through a difficult period of realigning their business model. Repositioning their business towards a more refined dieting concept meant biting the bullet and setting aside their initial café model; it also meant the two founders were now more excited than before to pursue their passion.
A direct result of this sea change is the development of new products to sell directly to consumer. Currently their bestseller is their Grab & Go Packs, positioned as convenient, travel-friendly vacuum-sealed meal packages that contain no preservatives and require no cooking.
Kuan says, “We came up with Grab & Go Packs because we are athletes ourselves. Whether it’s during the flight or when we reach our travel destination, it can be tough to find healthy meals with the right macronutrient count. Not only do we want to provide dieting methods, but we also want to make dieting as accessible and as fuss free as possible.”
There are six Grab & Go meal options including Spice Baked Chicken Breast, Black Pepper Beef Tenderloin, Spicy Lime Tilapia and Sesame Kebabs. According to Kuan, customers have brought these meal packs with them on trips overseas to countries including the US, Japan, Korea and Taiwan.
The transition wasn’t without teething issues. The topic of “clean eating” in Malaysia (and indeed elsewhere in the world) remains a nebulous term, a potential minefield when one considers the various dietary trends from vegan to the Paleo Diet.
Kuan explains, “Most people are hesitant towards the concept of clean eating because they have too many misconceptions about what is ‘healthy’. I always believe knowledge gives power to execution.”
Aside from future product development, Oomph also plans to expand their reach beyond Malaysia. Exciting times await the duo and their team. Often we think we need to do toe the line, such as running a more traditional business to support one’s passion, but it takes courage to truly focus, to embrace being niche and to stand out from the crowd.
Oomph Asia
First floor, 52B, Jalan Desa Bakti, Taman Desa, Kuala Lumpur
Open Mon-Sat 12pm-9pm; Sun closed
Tel: 017-7659066
www.oomph.asia [Follow their Instagram @oomph.asia for new product announcements]
