KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 28 — While most people are fast asleep, thousands of packets of rice and side dishes, as well as kuih — all traditional delicacies of Kelantan — are transported hundreds of kilometres from the east coast almost daily to reach customers in the Klang Valley, Negeri Sembilan and Melaka.
One of the businesses driving this delivery chain is Nasi Berlauk Kelate Express (NBK Express), operated by Mohd Syafrini Azmi, 38.
Embarking on the venture a decade ago, his delivery service started with about 200 packets per trip before expanding to more than 3,000 packets for each trip to the Klang Valley. The company has also since opened delivery routes to Terengganu and Pahang.
Speaking to Bernama recently about the business, Mohd Syafrini said it was his friend Mohd Yusri Mohd Yusoff, 38, who came up with the idea of bringing Kelantanese food to markets outside the state due to the sizeable Kelantanese community in the Klang Valley and beyond.
“When I first started, I used a Myvi car and at one point rented an Avanza. But as the orders grew, the cars could no longer accommodate the orders, while the food could also be damaged when the packets were stacked on top of one another.
“So, I switched to vans (one each for the Klang Valley route and Terengganu/Pahang route) and have continued using them to this day,” he said.
Mohd Syafrini said initially, he was only delivering nasi berlauk Air Dingin, but the “menu” has since expanded to a wider variety of Kelantan specialities, including rice with chicken, fish and beef dishes from popular “brands” such as Kak Chik, Tengku Noor, Depey Tanggo and Kakak Aisyah, as well as Nasi Kerabu Paloh.
His company also transports a variety of traditional Kelantanese kuih and delicacies, including tepung bungkus, lompat tikam, nasi tumpang, ketupat and nasi kapit sambal.
He said more than 20 suppliers and food operators in Kelantan are now supplying the various dishes and delicacies to NBK Express, with collection taking place at several locations in the state, including Tumpat, Wakaf Che Yeh and Machang.
For the Klang Valley route, the van stops in Gombak, Selangor, where the food packets are handed over to over 80 agents and runners who distribute them to restaurants and other sellers in the Klang Valley, Negeri Sembilan and Melaka.
NBK Express opened the new route to Terengganu and Pahang two months ago, transporting about 2,000 packets of food on each trip to several areas, including Setiu, Kuala Terengganu, Paka, Kuantan and Rompin.
Mohd Syafrini, who resides in Selangor, said for the Klang Valley route, the driver begins collecting supplies in Tumpat at around 10 pm before heading to other collection points.
“The van usually leaves for Kuala Lumpur at around 11pm.
“After about five hours on the road, the van can arrive in Gombak as early as 4am, where the food is collected by agents and runners for distribution in their respective areas,” he said, adding that punctuality is crucial as some agents start selling as early as 6.30am to meet demand from customers heading to work.
However, sometimes the van driver is unable to reach the destination on time due to incidents such as accidents, vehicle breakdowns and punctured tyres.
“In 2017, the van skidded on the highway near Lipis, Pahang, due to slippery road conditions before spinning and overturning, leaving the vehicle completely wrecked.
“When we found out about it, the first thing that came to mind was the driver’s safety. Fortunately, he was safe, but the company had to bear the cost of the food (that could not be supplied that day) and refund payments to the agents,” he said.
For Mohd Syafrini, the most meaningful aspect of running the business is that it has created income opportunities for food operators in Kelantan as well as sellers across the Klang Valley and other states.
“For me, the satisfaction does not come from my achievement alone because, indirectly, this effort also provides a source of income for others,” he said, adding that he is also considering expanding his delivery service to Johor if time and logistical constraints can be overcome.
Meanwhile, Datuk Azri Che Zan, who operates Stesen Bukuh restaurant in Puchong, Selangor, said he has been selling the Kelantan food packets supplied by NBK Express since September 12, after seeing strong demand for the food in several other areas, including Shah Alam and Bangi.
“We did not expect such an encouraging response. Our highest sales reached about 2,000 packets on September 16, which sold out within just three hours, starting from 7am,” he said.
He said the majority of customers were Kelantanese who said the taste was close to what they enjoyed in their home state, with nasi kapit sambal and Kak Chik dishes among the most popular choices. — Bernama
