If you’ve ever enjoyed a good, tasty stick of satay at a BBQ party, chances are that it came from Chun Man Yuan, one of Singapore’s largest and most established satay suppliers. They don’t just make satay – otah, sambal stingray and chicken wings are just some of the goodies they offer now. They also have a subsidiary brand called Spring Ocean Food Supplies.
On Apr 4 2025, the founder of the brand, Madam Wang Yamei, passed away at the age of 85.
The business had very humble beginnings. Madam Wang’s daughter, Bettifer Lee, recalls that her family was very poor, and upon the advice of some neighbours, her mother set up a small stall to sell satay in 1985. “My sisters and I would go and help out after school, grilling the satay and fanning the charcoal, serving customers,” she said. “It was hard work and I hated it because it was so hot and smoky.”
Madam Wang started off using satay from a supplier, but eventually decided to experiment and came up with her own recipe. The popularity of her satay eventually blossomed, and customers began asking her to sell wholesale. The business now supplies satay for many consumers, as well as hawker stalls. One such example is 168 CMY Satay, located in Chinatown Complex.
The stall was recognised in the Michelin guide in 2017, and Bettifer recounted how the stall owners had excitedly called her to tell her that they’d been featured. “It felt like all our years of hard work was being recognised,” she said.
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