Popular Singapore-style ramen hawker stall, A Noodle Story, has expanded overseas with a flagship franchise outlet in Hong Kong.

Co-founded by Gwern Khoo and Ben Tham in 2013, the noodle stall started out as just one food stall in Amoy Street Food Centre.

Outlet in Hong Kong

Their flagship franchise outlet in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, was launched on May 17.

In a Facebook post announcing the franchise outlet, they said they managed to "break new ground" after much perseverance and constant improvements to their food.

"Just the start"

The Hong Kong shop might just be a start for the Singaporean hawkerpreneurs.

They said they have "bigger plans ahead": "I have bigger plans ahead. Bolder dreams to achieve. We are going to break new grounds and soar new heights together."

Not an easy journey

However, this milestone did not come easy for them.

The struggles in running the business for the past five years include having to work 14-hour days and skipping meals to ensure the stall was ready for the lunch crowd at Amoy Street Food Centre.

The post said:

"I can still recall vividly how we started back 5 years ago in a tiny corner stall at Amoy with just the 2 of us. Those days were tough.

The preparation work were mountainous, and everyday was a mad scramble to be ready in time for lunch service. We had our first meal of the day at 4pm. And at the end of 14 hours, my t-shirt is all wet and drenched with perspiration.

There were many days when we doubted ourselves."

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Previously vocal about hawker industry

This is not the first time A Noodle Story has shared an insider's account of how hard it is to be a hawker in Singapore.

In February 2018, the hawkers behind A Noodle Story also revealed some hard truths about the cutthroat F&B industry here.

They explained that artificially low prices usually come at the expense of hawkers and their assistants who slog hard for little and often unfair remuneration.

In justifying the price increase in their food, they were also radically transparent in breaking down the individual ingredient retail prices.

Top photo from A Noodle Story Facebook