Like many young professionals in Malaysia, Chuah Kee Wei defined success by how high he could climb the corporate ladder. After graduating with a degree in Accounting and Finance in the UK, he returned to join one of the Big Four accounting firms in Kuala Lumpur.
While he quickly rose to the role of Audit Assistant Manager, Kee Wei felt something was missing in his journey. “I didn’t hate the job, and I loved my team. But the rigid corporate environment, the hierarchy, the repetition… it just didn’t feel like me,” he shares.
After years of preparing financial statements for others, Kee Wei realised he wanted to build something of his own, not just retrospectively analysing businesses, but creating one that added real value to people’s lives.
Food was the obvious choice for him.
“I’ve been a foodie all my life. On my 10th birthday, I insisted on cooking fried rice and noodles for my friends.”
So when his cousin Jason called him on the night of his 25th birthday about an opportunity to acquire a café, Kee Wei saw it as a sign. But, he wasn’t ready to quit the security of his day job yet, so he juggled both roles – auditor by day and café operator by night.
It was a gruelling period, but it taught him everything from officially registering his business to managing suppliers to creating and designing menus.
Kee Wei’s first venture, The Townsmen Café, wasn’t a big commercial success. But it became the crash course in entrepreneurship he didn’t know he needed.
Most importantly, it set the stage for Agrain.
Finding An Opportunity In Malaysia’s Changing Food Scene
Kee Wei began noticing a shift in Malaysia’s eating habits. Urban professionals like himself were becoming more health-conscious. Yet, when stressed or tired, he still turned to food as comfort, only to feel sluggish and regretful afterward.
“Why couldn’t there be food that makes you feel good while eating, and even better afterward?” he wondered.
He and his co-founders, Jason and Kendrick, started exploring how they could make healthy eating more appealing to Malaysians.
They realised one thing, Malaysians love mixed rice concepts, where you pick and mix dishes, whether it’s nasi lemak, Chinese mixed rice, or nasi kandar.
So they thought, why not give mixed rice a healthier, modern twist?
Their mission was clear, serving 100% real food without processed ingredients, MSG, artificial flavourings, or preservatives. They wanted everything on the menu to be made from scratch and easy to recognise, nothing you couldn’t pronounce.
Even the brand name, Agrain, carries meaning.
“It comes from ‘again’ and ‘grain’. We want people to keep coming back again and again, and grain is the heart of what Malaysians eat,” Kee Wei explains.
Building The “McDonald’s Of Healthy Food”
Agrain launched in 2018 with the bold vision of becoming the “McDonald’s of healthy food.”
In the beginning, it wasn’t easy. People were skeptical about healthy food being tasty, convenient, and affordable. But the idea quickly caught on.
Sales picked up as customers embraced Agrain’s build-your-own bowls, packed with Western-inspired recipes and Asian fusion flavours.
Think tikka masala tofu, BBQ cauliflower, honey soy chicken, cajun eggplant, garlic pak choy, garlic Gochujang shrimps, turmeric chicken and herbed potatoes, all paired with sauces like truffle teriyaki, salted egg yolk, thai green curry and basil pesto.
This is made entirely from real fresh ingredients.
Unlike many poke bowl brands that focus on raw or blanched ingredients, Agrain’s menu is almost entirely cooked and bursting with flavour.
Kee Wei proudly describes Agrain as the “westernised fusion” version of healthy mixed rice, served in a modern poke bowl format.
Surviving The Pandemic: A True Test Of Resilience
Then came Covid-19. With five outlets located in corporate districts, Agrain’s core customers vanished almost overnight as work-from-home became the norm. Over the pandemic years, Agrain loss RM2.5 million.
Kee Wei tried various ways to keep the brand alive, launching Agrain Grocer, testing new outlets with different demographics, and pivoting to B2B catering.
But the toughest decision came when he had to shut down six outlets and the central kitchen, reducing Agrain’s operations by 80%. From a HQ team of 10, only Kee Wei remained as a full-time employee.
At its lowest point, Agrain was on the brink of bankruptcy, until a close friend and believer in the brand, Ai Lin, stepped in.
Not only did she inject a substantial amount of funds to keep the business afloat, but she also played a pivotal role in driving many of the brand’s pandemic-era pivots and survival initiatives.
“Without Ai Lin’s support, both financially and strategically, there’s a high chance Agrain wouldn’t be here today,” Kee Wei reflects.
Despite various challenges, Agrain survived. The two remaining outlets ended up outperforming the original eight stores in both sales and profitability.
“That was a huge turning point for me as a co-founder,” he shares.
Rebuilding And Growing Stronger
Today, Agrain is thriving again.
Since launching, Agrain has racked up over RM25 million in total revenue. This past year alone, they’re expecting to hit RM4.5 million from just two outlets, growing nearly 30% compared to the year before. And Kee Wei isn’t planning to slow down anytime soon.
His goal? To double Agrain’s sales and profits every year for the next ten years. Ambitious, but if anyone’s up for the challenge, it’s him.
Agrain has also diversified its business. Beyond dine-ins and takeaways, Agrain also offers large-scale corporate catering.
One of Kee Wei’s proudest initiatives is Agrain For Good, a platform to deliver meals to frontliners, shelters, and care homes. To date, Agrain has donated close to RM300,000 worth of meals.
A Unique Expansion Strategy
Currently, Agrain operates three self-owned stores, including its latest outlet in Mutiara Damansara, which runs under a joint venture (JV) model where Agrain retains majority ownership.
“Our first JV partner, Chloe, was actually a loyal customer who believed in what we’re building,” Kee Wei shares. Under the JV arrangement, partners fund the outlet setup while Agrain maintains brand control, an approach he believes is key to sustainable growth.
“It’s our way of showing we’re equally, if not more, committed to the outlet’s success.”
Construction for Agrain’s fourth outlet is already underway, following the recent signing of its tenancy.
Kee Wei reveals that the team is also exploring strategic mergers and acquisitions, with the aim of accelerating expansion alongside strategic investors or partners.
Looking Beyond Malaysia
In the short term, Kee Wei’s focus is on expanding within the Klang Valley, targeting high-traffic corporate and urban areas. He’s also working towards Halal certification to serve a broader market.
Longer-term, Kee Wei envisions Agrain growing to 50 outlets across ASEAN, evolving into a brand that could export ready-to-eat meals and beverages, ready to cook meals, sauces and pastes regionally.
“Healthy living shouldn’t be a luxury,” he says. “We want to build something that lasts.”
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