Specialising in Nashville fried chicken, Hot Bird has grown to 2 stores & plans to franchise

I have yet to find someone who hates fried chicken. You might dislike certain fried chicken brands or parts of the chicken, but most people seem to share the consensus that fried chicken done right is just really, really delicious.

Beyond international brands like KFC and Texas Chicken, many homegrown offerings have been mushrooming over the years. One of those offerings is Hot Bird, touted to be one of the first Nashville-style hot chicken specialists in Malaysia.  

Hot Bird was founded by Kelvin and Ee Wen, a Malaysian husband-and-wife duo. The couple met in Melbourne, Australia, during their final year in university.

While Ee Wen’s background is in marketing, Kelvin had always been involved in the culinary scene. Having worked at Lucy Liu and Rock Pool in Melbourne, then at Jing Ze, Malaysia, he always dreamt of opening his own restaurant.

The moment that pushed the couple onto the path of entrepreneurship was the pandemic.

“The MCO made us think hard about our future and our ability to have more control over our financials,” Ee Wen shared with Vulcan Post. “Hence, we started experimenting our products and decided to take a chance and open Hot Bird, introducing what we believe is very niche in the market.”

Hot Bird was thus established in April 2022.

Heating up the scene

If you’re a fried chicken lover and have never been to Hot Bird, you’re missing out. Even more so if you love spicy foods.

Hot Bird, as its name points to, offers a variety of spice levels—Mild, Hot, Super Hot, Burn Baby Burn, and Reaper.

With both Kelvin and Ee Wen having high spice heat tolerance, it makes sense why they decided to go for hot chicken.

But while many Malaysians seem to pride themselves on having an affinity for spicy foods, not everyone can say the same.

Keeping this in mind, the couple did their best to find a range to fit Malaysians’ tastebuds when curating the heat levels.

“Aside from the heat levels, the original Nashville style is oilier and more bitter than what we are serving,” the co-founder added. “Through our own R&D and customers’ feedback, we have localised our product to be more acceptable to local tastebuds.”

Ee Wen said that many compare the bestselling Hot option to the flavour of local chili padi. Meanwhile, the least selling heat level is definitely the reaper, as not many can take it.

“This level caters more towards thrill seekers,” she said.

For the spicy intolerant folks, there’s also a “no heat” option.

If you’re worried the flavours would be lacking, there’s a range of add-on sauces including Garlic Mayo, Smokey BBQ, Cool Ranch, Southern Gravy, Tang Buffalo, and Comeback.

For that perfect southern soul food experience, there’s also items like Cajun fries, mac and cheese, as well as milkshakes.

“Currently, all our ingredients are sourced from halal suppliers,” Ee Wen assured. “We also ensure no pork or alcohol is served in our premises.”

Fanning the flame together

It’s true that Hot Bird does have a pretty unique offering (and a well-executed one, if I say so myself), but even with a clear USP, it’s not easy to sustain a business through the pandemic and even beyond.  

Ee Wen credits their success to the strict SOPs that their team follows. “It is thanks to our employees who have maintained our quality and service and that has helped expanded Hot Bird to what it is today,” she said.

Leading these employees are Ee Wen and Kelvin, of course. While being a couple can bring synergetic effects, it also comes with its own challenges—something that Ee Wen acknowledges.  

“The most difficult part is knowing when to draw the line as we both have very strong opinions,” she said. “However, a clear demarcation between roles and duties really helps to iron this out.”

As of today, the couple has grown Hot Bird to a second branch in Subang, opened last December.

Comprising two storeys, the SS15 outlet seats 90 pax, a major upgrade from its one-lot outlet in Damansara Utama.

“We were initially offered to take up two lots, but being so new in the market, and with it being our first outlet, we decided to just take up one lot,” she said. Because of that, you’ll often see queues outside of the Damansara outlet.

They also shared with Vulcan Post that they will be opening a third store in KL come December 2024.

This steady growth is a testament to Hot Bird’s intentions, aiming to focus on quality rather than quantity. That said, it seems like the team is finally ready to ramp up their expansion plans.

“In 2025, we are planning to open two more outlets in Klang Valley as well,” she said. “We have already secured a location for one of it and we’re in the midst of looking for one more location.”

Ee Wen also revealed that the team does have intentions to franchise in the near future. On top of that, they may also be looking into entering the retail products space with spices or sauces.

Keeping the passion burning

F&B is a very competitive industry, and this is especially true with fried chicken. Being such a mass-friendly and popular item, there are many local and global brands in Malaysia offering it.

“It is a demanding industry and people always want to try new things,” Ee Wen acknowledged.

However, she is confident that their product quality and service sets them apart.

That said, manpower and labour is a big challenge, especially as the team scales. With that in mind, they claim to try their best to ensure that employees are well taken of. This means offering competitive remuneration and a good working environment.

Ee Wen’s advice for fellow entrepreneurs—and for herself—is as such: “Treat your employees well and with respect, be open to criticism and advice, and be prepared to work long hours to grow your business.”

With these values, the team hopes to expand Hot Bird throughout Malaysia, and even into neighbouring countries.

Featured Image Credit: Hot Bird