A school dropout at 13, Koufu founder Pang Lim is a bookworm & ‘obsessed’ with learning

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You see, I’m a big fan of Koufu’s coffee and tea.

Their drinks have not disappointed me so far, or maybe you can say I have “Koufu”, which means good fortune with tasty food in Mandarin.

So I was looking forward to finding out the secret to Koufu’s success, in particular, why their coffee and tea are so good, prior to my interview with their founder Pang Lim.

While Pang did not share with me the secret ingredient that Koufu includes in their coffee, I was happy with the takeaway from my conversation with him.

What made an impression on me was his passion for learning. Not just for himself, but also for his employees.

A bookworm

As someone who dropped out of school at the age of 13, the 67-year-old shared that he enjoys reading, writing and thinking.

“Reading enlivens my life,” Pang said, and also mused that he has to be a good role model due to his involvement in some community book clubs.

Pang had shared in a previous interview that he loved reading since young, but had to quit school due to his family situation, not because he hated books.

This may come as a surprise to some, or at least it did to me. I would expect the F&B group founder to tell me he’s a big foodie.

Pang said that his reading preferences change with time, depending on his interest at different stages of his life.

He now enjoys reading about philosophy, business management, self-improvement and some classics.

As Pang did not have the opportunity to further his studies when he was younger, he has become a strong advocate of education.

You can tell from his contribution back to the society which includes Koufu Endowed Bursary for NTU ASEAN undergraduates, as well as setting aside profits to create scholarships or bursaries for children of Koufu group’s employees from primary school to tertiary level.

Learning sessions for employees

The founder’s personal belief undoubtedly has a strong influence on Koufu’s culture.

Pang shared that there is a department in Koufu that organises monthly learning sessions, where he spares time to attend and speak to the participants.

The attendees are those who are undertaking managerial or supervisory roles.

He would usually greet his employees and interact with them before sharing his views or reinforcing what they are taught during such sessions.

Pang also elaborated on why upskilling is important from an employer’s perspective:

“Upskilling is essential for us to remain current and competitive in the market. There are two goals in mind when we educate and train our staff. The first benefit is it demonstrates to our staff how much we care about their career development. Secondly, staying relevant through upskilling helps the company to improve overall performance and growth.”

What were some things he shared with his employees?

Pang recalled telling his employees that “there are always more solutions than problems so don’t be afraid of problems” and “if one solution doesn’t work, find another one”.

While he encourages employees to be flexible with solutions, he also reminds them to be firm with principles.

That is, to be serious at work, don’t stop learning and improving so that they can stay relevant.

Training and upskilling for employees

The learning and development department was also set up to ensure employees are well-trained and for newcomers to understand the vision and mission of the company.

The SkillsFuture Employer Award Winner in 2021 has enrolled its supervisors, mostly in their 40s and 60s, in the SkillsFuture for Digital Workplace programme as the business digitalises.

Pang added that they keep abreast of the latest courses to meet the evolving needs for their employees by referencing the Skill Framework.

Doing so helps them analyse training needs and identify necessary skills for their employees as they sign up for the courses in the SkillsFuture Enterprise Credit (SFEC)-funded programmes.

Koufu also provides regular on-the-job training, and they sponsor their employees to attend relevant courses and seminars from time to time.

Pang said that it is important for the Koufu group to be able to create value for customers, employees and society.

This is also how Koufu can be sustainable as a business, and what differentiates it from other business ventures he had tried previously such as managing a hawker stall or a coffee shop.

It’s more than just the good food and drinks.

The writer of this sponsored article had a different take away from Koufu this time, not the usual kopi siew dai.

Top image by Mothership