05/03/2024 (Malaysia) - Berjaya Corp Bhd founder and advisor, Tan Sri Vincent Tan Chee Yioun, called for an end to the Starbucks Malaysia boycott, explaining that the franchise was locally owned by Berjaya Food Bhd (BFood), employing an entirely Malaysian workforce at both the head office and its stores. During a press conference at the Four Seasons Resort & Private Residences Okinawa groundbreaking ceremony, Tan highlighted that Starbucks Malaysia was a Malaysian venture, pointing out the lack of foreign employees in any part of the operation and questioning the purpose of the boycott.
Tan noted that approximately 85% of the staff in Starbucks Malaysia stores were Muslim, underscoring the company's local and inclusive employment practices. He observed a positive change in public sentiment, with sales beginning to recover as people adopted a more "realistic" viewpoint.
He clarified misconceptions about the franchise's ownership, stressing that it was not American-owned but a Malaysian operation, part of a global brand with varying ownership structures worldwide. Tan pointed out the widespread use of American products, such as Apple, to argue against the rationale of the boycott, urging Malaysians to reconsider their stance.
Looking forward, Tan was optimistic about a sales rebound in the third quarter of 2024, attributing this to shifting consumer attitudes. Despite the challenging second quarter of 2024, where BFood's revenue fell by 38% year-on-year to RM182.55 million and the company suffered a net loss of RM42.58 million, he believed the situation would improve. This downturn was largely due to the boycott's impact, highlighting the significant challenges the company faced during this period.