Most F&B founders measure success by the number of retail outlets they open. But Christine Tham and Leong Hoo Yin quickly realised that relying solely on retail is a "single-layer" business model that inevitably leads to a plateau. Founded in 2022, Gelatomania started as a retail brand but quickly pivoted to a much larger ambition: building an integrated, end-to-end gelato ecosystem for the Asian market. Recognising that Southeast Asia was heavily dependent on expensive, non-localised European brands for ingredients and equipment, Christine and Leong began offering Professional Gelato Training, B2B wholesale supply, and custom recipe development. To date, their academy has graduated over 5,500 "Gelato-maniacs" and helped launch several competing retail brands.



The co-founders join us to share the strategy behind their ecosystem play, the operational nightmare of competing against legacy European ingredient giants, and why true F&B defensibility comes from controlling the supply chain, not just the recipe.

Most F&amp;B founders measure success by the number of retail outlets they open. But Christine Tham and Leong Hoo Yin quickly realised that relying solely on retail is a "single-layer" business model that inevitably leads to a plateau. Founded in 2022, Gelatomania started as a retail brand but quickly pivoted to a much larger ambition: building an integrated, end-to-end gelato ecosystem for the Asian market. Recognising that Southeast Asia was heavily dependent on expensive, non-localised European brands for ingredients and equipment, Christine and Leong began offering Professional Gelato Training, B2B wholesale supply, and custom recipe development. To date, their academy has graduated over 5,500 "Gelato-maniacs" and helped launch several competing retail brands.The co-founders join us to share the strategy behind their ecosystem play, the operational nightmare of competing against legacy European ingredient giants, and why true F&amp;B defensibility comes from controlling the supply chain, not just the recipe.

The flagship entrepreneurship show on BFM, featuring personal business stories from early stage start-ups, all the way to billionaire octogenarians in Malaysia and abroad. Notable guests include Martin Cooper (father of the mobile phone), Julian Assange (founder of WikiLeaks), Ralph Henry Baer (father of video games), Tony Buzan (Mindmap Guru), Isaac Tigrett (Hard Rock Cafe founder), Robert Kiyosaki (Financial Guru), Nick Vujicic (motivational speaker) and more. Tap into this valuable resource of shared experiences for the SME industry, which also touches on news, issues and trends affecting the business community and beyond.

Open For Business

Discover fresh concepts, tackle obstacles, and unleash growth - Open For Business is the dynamic show where BFM engages with entrepreneurs, business leaders, and industry trailblazers, igniting inspiration, sparking success, and exploring new business models.