Cover Jesher Loi, the third generation face of Ya Kun Kaya Toast (Photo: Jesher Loi)
Jesher Loi, the third generation face of Ya Kun Kaya Toast (Photo: Jesher Loi)
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Few brands are as woven into Singapore’s daily life as Ya Kun Kaya Toast. Third-generation leader Jesher Loi reflects on carrying forward his family’s legacy and the responsibility of stewarding one of the nation’s most beloved institutions
On any given morning in Singapore, the ritual is familiar: charcoal-grilled toast slicked with kaya and butter, soft-boiled eggs and a cup of kopi (the colloquial term for coffee)—an experience many associate with Ya Kun Kaya Toast, commonly referred to by locals as just Ya Kun. For Jesher Loi, however, the story extends far beyond the breakfast table. While the food “meets expectation and the nostalgia”, says the third-generation member of the family behind the business, who is currently serving as its director of branding and market development, “it’s also the experience, comfort and atmosphere” that draw people in and keep them coming back. “People come because it feels like a safe place,” he adds.
That sense of familiarity has been built over generations. Loi’s grandfather, Ah Koon, founded the coffee stall that became Ya Kun in 1944. Decades later, his father Adrin expanded the business across Singapore and overseas, transforming a neighbourhood kopitiam (an amalgamation of the Malay word “kopi” and the Hokkien word “tiam” that literally means “coffee shop”) into a national icon.
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Above The classic Singapore breakfast from Ya Kun Kaya Toast: Kaya toast, soft boiled eggs and kopi. Photo: Getty Images
The classic Singapore breakfast from Ya Kun Kaya Toast: Kaya toast, soft boiled eggs and kopi. Photo: Getty Images
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“I’d like to see myself as just a link in the chain,” says Loi. “We’re only as good as the stewards we are for the next generation.” Becoming that link did not emerge overnight. After studying music in the US—a passion encouraged by his artistically inclined mother, who wrote the poems displayed in Ya Kun outlets—Loi, who holds a bachelor’s of arts in music, returned to Singapore with different plans, but eventually joined the family business in 2010. He has since grown into a role that goes far beyond the title he holds today. “I view my true responsibility as making sure the team culture works,” he says. “That people can do their jobs well, and that the organisation functions efficiently with or without me.”
Part of that role also involves looking outward: meeting partners, joining industry committees and tracking developments in technology and consumer behaviour, bringing those insights back into Ya Kun as the business adapts to broader economic shifts, while also overseeing community partnerships with social service organisations and charities. “I remember when I was in secondary school. Ya Kun was almost like a start-up and my parents were completely invested in it,” Loi recalls. “They had so much energy and excitement about what they were building that I felt that when it was my turn, I couldn’t just let the business be.”
Above The exterior of a Ya Kun Kaya Toast outlet. Photo: Getty Images
The exterior of a Ya Kun Kaya Toast outlet. Photo: Getty Images
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But change must be measured. In a brand built on familiarity, reckless reinvention risks alienating loyal customers. “Ya Kun is built on consistency,” says Loi. “It’s not built on waves.” The core of the experience must remain intact. The traditional brew and the distinctive grill marks on the toast cannot change. “You don’t want to turn it into something that feels curated or artificial,” he adds. “People come because it feels real.” Still, those anchors allow subtle progress: app-based orders, digital tools, the occasional new menu item at the edges.
For Loi, Ya Kun’s role extends beyond food or even business. With nearly 90 outlets across Singapore, he believes that the company occupies a unique place in people's daily lives—one that carries responsibility. “We want to be a business of the heart,” he says. “With so many outlets, staff and such a strong presence, we carry a particular responsibility. The question is, how do we use that for good?”
Over the years, that idea has translated into small but meaningful gestures. In one pilot initiative with a mall landlord, the possibility of using Ya Kun outlets as informal rest points for seniors who may have lost their way was explored—an idea Loi believes holds potential if developed further with landlords and social service organisations, drawing on the brand's wide presence and familiarity. Meanwhile, Ya Kun’s app gives out free vouchers and meals to people in need, with tracking and verification in place. The company also works with organisations such as Boys’ Town, World Vision and, more recently, Community Chest, supporting social programmes through its app and broader business initiatives.
That same ethos shapes Loi’s approach to leadership. Running a company, he says, is less about technical mastery than managing people and trade-offs of time, manpower and resources. “The nuts and bolts of F&B aren’t difficult,” he says. “Anyone can learn operations in a few months. What’s harder is finding people willing to learn, good team players, and helping them grow even better.” “It’s all about trade-offs,” he adds. “If one department wants something, someone else may have to give it up.
Deciding where those trade-offs should be made is the real work.” Just as important is giving people ownership over what they do. “I want people to walk away each day feeling like they’ve achieved something,” he says. “If they feel it’s their project—not just the company’s—that’s when people put in a good day’s work.” This emphasis on people also shapes the roles Loi takes on outside the company. Beyond his work at Ya Kun, he serves on the boards of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra and Orchestra of the Music Makers, and chairs the Young Business Leaders Network under the Singapore Business Federation. The roles reflect his focus on youth development, leadership and the preservation of cultural heritage in Singapore.
That same sense of stewardship carries into his personal life. As a father of three sons, Loi approaches the question of legacy carefully. Rather than pushing them towards the family business, he believes that his role is to ensure that Ya Kun remains strong enough for them to choose their own path. “My job is to make sure the business continues,” he says. “Then they have the option to decide.”
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Nafeesa Saini is the Features Editor at Tatler Singapore, where she shapes long-form stories on culture, business, philanthropy, wellness, and the people driving change in Asia. With a deep interest in storytelling that intersects meaningfully with identity and impact, she has profiled a diverse range of visionaries, from scientific pioneers in AI and health to creative trailblazers and literary minds.
Nafeesa’s writing includes cover stories and profiles that spotlight influential voices, alongside commentary on the trends reshaping our world.
Off the clock, Nafeesa unwinds with fiction, a good thrift hunt, and ‘brainrot’ TikTok scroll—while always keeping one eye on her next cultural getaway, usually to Indonesia.
