Har Har Chicken! eyes mass market appeal in taste and branding

The brand was developed to cater to on-the-go Singaporean diners.

Fast food outlets in Singapore comprise only around five percent of all food establishments, yet they contribute around 16% to Singapore’s food service operating income according to Statista. Har Har Chicken!, the newest takeaway food concept in Singapore, is banking on the popularity of fast food takeaways in the country’s fast-paced lifestyle to grow into a new brand that can challenge the international scene one day

Har Har Chicken! has a simple concept: making Singapore’s popular zi char dish, har cheong gai, more accessible whilst maintaining high quality for the mass market.

“If, for example, we go to a traditional zi char, we can only order the required minimum number of chicken pieces per plate which is usually 8 to 10 pieces. Not one piece or two pieces. Har Har Chicken! is a fun brand that allows you to buy one piece or two pieces or have har cheong gai in various forms like a burger, chicken rice, on its own, or with fries,” said LG Han, chef and owner of the fine dining restaurant Labyrinth and one of the founders of Har Har Chicken!.

Originally a banker, LG Han founded Labyrinth, a fine dining restaurant serving Neo-Singaporean cuisine, which is ranked amongst the 50 best restaurants in the world and Asia. Together with social media personality Lennard Yeong, restaurateur Tay Jianli, and investment professional Bevin Desker, they founded Har Har Chicken! which features brightly coloured imaging to depict a vibrant and fun brand.

After refining Har Har Chicken!’s concept for two years, Chef LG believed the market needed a scalable option that celebrated a dish he loves, making har cheong gai the centerpiece of the concept.

Har cheong gai, a classic Singaporean fried chicken dish made with fermented shrimp paste, salt, and sugar, boasts a distinct strong umami flavour. Whilst it may remind some of Korean fried dishes, the unique taste is familiar across Southeast Asia, appearing in various forms in countries like Thailand, Hong Kong, Macau, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Har cheong, fermented shrimp paste, is commonly used in chicken dishes in Singapore and Malaysia, whilst in Thailand, it's prevalent in rice and soups.

Crafting the menu

When LG was conceptualising the menu, he knew that one of the biggest challenges would be to make the taste appeal to the masses.

Unlike Labyrinth, which serves elevated traditional Singaporean cuisine in a fine-dining setting, har cheong gai is a well-known dish amongst Singaporeans. Tweaking its taste profile to appeal to the masses whilst offering something new was a significant focus for LG.

“We looked at how to standardise SOPs, how to find a constant source of prawn paste, and how to ensure that everything going out to customers stays consistent. This is crucial because we are producing food en masse, unlike fine dining where we serve about 30 people a day,” LG said.

Har Har Chicken!’s menu includes the Har-burger, a whole fried har cheong gai boneless thigh served between buns with tomatoes, lettuce, and mayonnaise. The burger will also have a spicy version made with sriracha mayo. Meanwhile, a snack option is also available called Har Har Pops, which is popcorn chicken served with mayonnaise or chicken rice chilli.

LG had to revise the recipe over 12 times. “We tested the recipe extensively to understand the flavour balance and received feedback from consumers to gauge public preference across different age groups.” 

“Another key challenge was ensuring the chicken stayed crispy even an hour after delivery,” LG added.

Looking ahead, LG plans to build at least 20 more outlets in Singapore and eventually franchise internationally. Whilst Har Har Chicken! will continue as a takeaway concept, LG said he is open to introducing a dine-in format if demand arises.