'I don't regret the decision': Singapore burger hawker chain Ashes Burnnit shutters New York outlet after 1 year

Running a food business is hard work, especially when you venture overseas.

In 2022, local hawker chain Ashes Burnnit, which specialises in burgers, opened an outlet in the city of dreams, New York City.

Unfortunately, the dream did not last too long and after just one year of operations, the New York City outlet has closed for good.

Owner Lee Syafiq Muhd Ridzuan Lee cited economic uncertainty and difficulties in obtaining work visas for his workers as reasons behind the closure.

Located near the iconic Times Square, Ashes Burnnit was housed within Urban Hawkers, a food centre featuring other Singaporean F&B businesses.

As reported by Berita Harian, the business owner felt he had little choice but to close the New York outlet as he was struggling with daily operations.

"Although we received a good response during the first three months since opening, it gradually got harder in the following months," Syafiq told Berita Harian.

The 31-year-old explained that operational costs was an issue and running a stall in New York as compared to Singapore can be about 50 per cent more expensive.

In the US, the average monthly salary for a cook can be more than $5,360 while in Singapore, it's about $2,300.

Another issue for Syafiq was the struggle to get permanent work visas for his Singaporean staff in New York.

Despite all these, the toughest challenge for the young business owner was actually balancing operations between Singapore and New York.

The 13-hour time difference didn't help and this took a toll on his personal life as well.

Now that the New York outlet is closed, he's had time to be more introspective and rethink his business strategy.

"The important thing is that I don't regret my decision [to open an outlet in New York]," he told Berita Harian.

 

 

 

 

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Those living in New York should be on the lookout for an Ashes Burnnit stall in future as Syafiq is keen on bringing his business back to The Big Apple, as early as 2024.

For the rest of us, there are still six outlets scattered around hawker centres in Singapore where we are still able to enjoy their burgers and Western specialties.

ALSO READ: Mee rebus for $19: New Yorkers amazed by 'reasonable' price of Singapore food at Urban Hawkers

amierul@asiaone.com

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