By turning tuak fizzy, this S’wakian wants to bring the Bornean alcohol to the world stage

At 25 years old, Shaun Chang is the co-founder of Endu, which claims to offer Malaysia’s first naturally carbonated sparkling tuak.

Based in Kuching, Sarawak, Shuan’s roots are a mix of Chinese and Iban heritage. He embarked on the Endu journey in November 2021 alongside his mother, who taught him the art of tuak, using a family’s recipe that’s been passed down through generations.

After trial and error, the mother-son duo began receiving positive feedback from friends who encouraged them to sell their tuak on online platforms, transforming a beloved hobby into a thriving business.

Although the business was doing relatively well at the time, a pivotal moment arrived when Shaun crossed paths with a seasoned master brewer, who would end up being Endu’s co-founder.

This mentor shared his insights on how to naturally carbonate the tuak, which led the two of them to establish Thirsty Craftsmen Asia (TCA). Under this company, the two aim to combine their expertise in traditional brewing and the craft industry.

Harnessing a family recipe to commercialise tuak

The name “Endu”, Shaun explained, is significant for two reasons.

“Not only is it my mother’s endearing nickname, but in the Dayak language, it symbolises women—a tribute to the traditional role of women as tuak artisans, including yeast cultivation,” he shared. “Thus, Endu embodies both familial heritage and cultural homage.”

After perfecting the formulation of traditional tuak with his mother, Shaun and his mentor introduced the innovative sparkling concept.

“The decision to introduce the sparkling concept stemmed from a desire to innovate while honouring tradition,” Shaun explained. “Endu’s mission revolves around commercialisation, brand identity, and product consistency to promote our heritage beverage to the outside world.”

As such, he saw the need to evolve and adapt to promote tuak to a wider audience. While he understands that tradition holds immense value, he also believes embracing innovation allows them to elevate tuak’s profile. Plus, carbonation gives greater consistency to the drink’s flavours.

Their products are not produced at home, but rather at a factory with proper manufacturing equipment as well as the appropriate licences.

Legitimising the business

“Going from a 100-litre home bucket setup to a 1,000-litre tank at the factory was no easy feat,” Shaun said. “There were many challenges during the process of making it. Thankfully, the first batch we made worked out well.”

He credits the success of the sparkling element to the brewmaster’s expertise.

From there, they started selling Endu in some restaurants in Kuching and Kuala Lumpur. They gathered feedback from these establishments, implementing the feedback to produce the second batch—which came out even better. 

Feedback is a cornerstone in Endu’s development, Shaun revealed. For one, market validation was integral to the brand’s pre-launch phase.

Throughout each phase of their three-month process of transitioning from trial batches to full-scale production, the team closely monitored factors such as sales per outlet, price point, and consumer acceptance.

Endu currently has two products—Endu Classic and Endu Roselle. The Endu Classic is a sparkling tuak that is fermented with rice, while the Endu Roselle is a sparkling tuak that is fermented with roselle. 

These products are available in select outlets across Kuching, Miri, and Kuala Lumpur, but the team plans to expand to Singapore soon.

Pricing varies from outlet to outlet, but typically ranges between RM120 to RM168.

Facing challenges at every corner

Shaun explained that no alcohol manufacturing licences are issued in Malaysia anymore, so they had to search for a production facility that has the specific licence to produce rice wine.

“Having said that, we remain optimistic about obtaining our own manufacturing licence in the near future,” he said.

There’s also the topic of competition, as tuak businesses seem to be on the rise these few years. Shaun agreed that he has seen an uptick in terms of tuak businesses, especially after the pandemic.

“However, we are happy to see that,” Shaun shared. “We are happy that our culture and heritage is starting to gain more recognition from the outside world.”

Another major challenge Shaun faced is trying to educate the market about Endu.

Despite tuak having been around for a long time, the co-founder realised that not many people actually know about it, especially when it comes to the culture and heritage behind it.

“We will do our best to educate the market through marketing campaigns and this is why we are happy that there are many more tuak brands out there,” he said. “I see a bright future in this industry for everyone involved, let’s educate the market together.”

Putting Malaysia on the map

Today, Endu is the 25-year-old’s full-time job—something he didn’t always plan on.

“We started this from scratch, not knowing it would be a legitimate business,” he explained.

But after a year of nurturing Endu as an online platform, he became fully committed to the business. He saw a true potential for the product, and thus took the leap of faith to commit to the business fully. The support of his mentor also empowered him to make the decision.

“I love and I am proud of what I am doing, so why not take the risk to have my own business while I am still young,” he expressed.

Currently, the Endu team comprises four individuals based in Kuching, Singapore, and Kuala Lumpur.

From here, he said that the Thirsty Craftsmen Asia label also plans to have more brands in the future, proudly producing more Bornean craft beverages.  

But funding will be an issue. Even now, the team is actively looking for suitable investors and applying for grants to expand the business.

After solidying their presence in the Malaysian market, the Endu team believes there’s potential to expand into foreign markets.  

This aligns with Shaun’s long-term vision, which is to put Malaysia on the map for alcoholic beverages, showcasing the local culture and heritage on the world stage.

Featured Image Credit: Endu