After a 92-year run, the homegrown brand Lee Pineapple, known for its tangy and saccharine pineapple drink and other pineapple-related canned products, will close for good by end-2023.
Closed briefly between Jul. 30, 2023 to Aug. 6, 2023
A Facebook post in a foodie group on Aug. 3, 2023 shared that the factory in Johor, Malaysia will be ceasing operations.
According to the Lee Pineapple website, the factory in Jalan Skudai, Johor Bahru is its only factory.
The other listed location is the OCBC Centre located at Chulia Street in Singapore.
News of the factory's impending closure was subsequently confirmed by several Malaysian Chinese media from as early as Aug. 8.
According to China Press, the Lee Pineapple factory was closed between Jul. 30 and Aug. 6.
To cease production by end-2023
From farm to factory, the company grows and harvests its own pineapples before processing and packaging them into various canned pineapple products.
A company executive, who declined to be named, reportedly said the plot of land where pineapples grew is no longer conducive for farming the fruit, according to Nanyang Siang Pau.
As such, the company is reportedly pivoting to planting and harvesting palm oil, an ubiquitous cash crop in Malaysia.
The factory, while open, is currently limiting what it produces and will reportedly stop producing canned pineapple products by the end of 2023.
Eager individuals flocked to factory
After news broke about the factory's impending closure, numerous eager fans of the brand rushed to the factory to get their hands on Lee Pineapple's canned products for what is likely the final time.
From motorcycles, minibuses to lorries, all of the individuals went prepared to stock up on their favourite Lee Pineapple canned products for a very long time.
Image from Nanyang Siang Pau website.
Image from China Press website.
Founded by Lee Kong Chian in 1931
The late Singapore businessman Lee Kong Chian, who was also known as the "Pineapple King", bought over the factory with his brother-in-law surnamed Lin in 1930.
The company was established after the factory name was changed to Lee Pineapple in 1931.
If you are wondering why the company's Singapore location is listed as the OCBC Centre, that is because Lee was the bank's chairman.
He held the position from 1938 to his death in 1967.
For the past 92 years, the Lee Pineapple factory has not stopped, not even during wartime, and has been occupying the same building in Johor Bahru.
Here are some pictures of the building traversing through time:
Sometime between 1935-1950. Image from National Archives of Singapore.
1960. Image by found-film.co.uk via everthingvintage.uk.
2021. Image from EMRO Malaysia website.
Top image by Fiona Tan and from found-film.co.uk via everthingvintage.uk