Malaysian-based Philippine actor, Mark Adam recently jumped on the food business bandwagon by participating in a food festival in Shah Alam where he sold Satays.
Known as the Satay Bhalut, the snack is unlike the typical Satay Malaysians are used to. The meat is “encased” in a layer of thick, crispy, deep-fried Popiah-like skin, with each Satay weighing 30 grams. The meat sticks consist of lamb, beef, and chicken.
Malaysian netizens, however, were shocked by the pricing.
1 set is priced from RM19.90
Mark’s Satay sets are priced from RM19.90 to RM24.90, depending on the choice of meat. Each set also comes with a Blue Lemon Soda beverage.
Following the criticisms on his pricing, Mark decided to explain the rationale behind the prices via a nearly 10-minute video on his TikTok post @officialmarkadam where he patiently and carefully calculated the capital of his items and clarified that despite the high prices, he didn’t make that much of profit.
“Premium beef and extra peanut sauce”
In his video, Mark said that he sourced only premium beef for his Satay Bhalut and when it comes to the must-have peanut sauce to compliment the Satays, the actor said he was never stingy with the portion.
He even gave extra portions to the customers.
Mark then took out his calculator to calculate his capitals, and here’s the breakdown.
“The capital for 1 Satay is RM2.50. For 3 sticks, it’s RM7.50.”
“I used big cups for the beverage, including the lemon, let’s give this a capital of RM3. So, it’s RM10.50 now.”
Mark continued to explain the logistic side of his business including stock ordering and the salary for 10 employees, whom he paid “around RM500 for 3 days”.
With the miscellaneous factors taken into account, such as the maintenance and stall decoration, Mark estimated his capital to be RM19.
“For instance, one set costs RM21.90. This means my profit is only RM2.90. So, tell me, is this considered expensive?”
Mark also said that he is still new in the F&B industry, and he welcomes anyone to correct him if he is wrong with his calculation.
“For your satisfaction, let’s just imagine if my total profit is RM2,900. Do you think this is even enough for my rental?”
He also expressed that he understood the difficulties of running a business, but stressed that he prioritises quality.
@officialmarkadam Kalau saya silap boleh ajar saya, saya nak belajar, saya belum pandai sangat lagi dalam bidang ni tapi saya nak belajar, teruskan semangat team #SatayBhalut
What do you think of Mark’s explanation? Would you try Satay Bhalut for over RM20?
Also read: “34 different flavours” – M’sian Makes Over RM10K Daily by Selling Fruit Juices at Ramadan Bazaar
