Latest news with #Liaw
Daily Express
4 days ago
- Business
- Daily Express
Life Water Berhad acquires Twinine
Published on: Friday, May 30, 2025 Published on: Fri, May 30, 2025 Text Size: Twinine recorded steady audited revenues of RM8.60 million in FY2022 and FY2023, and an unaudited RM8.50 million in FY2024, with a three-year average profit after tax (PAT) of RM0.91 million. Kota Kinabalu: Life Water Berhad, one of Sabah's leading beverage manufacturers, is taking a major leap beyond its core business with the RM10.5 million acquisition of Twinine Sdn Bhd, a seasoned player in the sauces and condiments market. Life Water Managing Director Liaw Hen Kong, said the move marks a significant milestone in Life Water's diversification strategy, while its core drinking water segment is set to grow by 40 percent with new production capacity coming online by the end of 2025. 'The acquisition was formalized via a Share Sale Agreement (SSA) to acquire 100 percent equity interest in Twinine, a company with over 35 years of experience and market presence across Sabah's West Coast, parts of Sarawak and Brunei,' he said in a statement. He said Twinine recorded steady audited revenues of RM8.60 million in FY2022 and FY2023, and an unaudited RM8.50 million in FY2024, with a three-year average profit after tax (PAT) of RM0.91 million. 'This is a strategic step forward in expanding our presence within the broader FMCG space. 'Twinine's product line complements our distribution capabilities, and we see clear potential to accelerate growth through cross-branding and tapping into shared consumer segments. We're particularly excited about bringing their products deeper into the East Coast of Sabah, where our existing network gives us a strong foothold,' he added. Advertisement As part of its integration plan, he said, the company will introduce dual-shift operations at Twinine's existing facility to boost production. 'The Group is also exploring the establishment of a new manufacturing site at the Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park to support long-term growth in the condiments category. Twinine's founder will remain on board for two years to guide the transition and help drive expansion plans,' Liaw said. The acquisition is expected to enhance group earnings and accelerate Life Water's entry into new consumer markets under its broader fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) strategy. The company also revealed that its core drinking water operations are on track for a 40 percent capacity increase by the end of 2025. Liaw said The Group's new Keningau plant, operational since early this year, has already added 59 million liters of annual production, pushing total capacity to 448 million liters per annum. Further expansion is underway at the Sandakan Sibuga Plant 1, where a new manufacturing line is being commissioned and expected to be completed in the second half of 2025. 'This will add another 178 million liters of annual capacity, raising the Group's total production to 626 million liters—a 40 percent increase compared to current levels,' he said. The company also announced its financial performance for the third quarter ended 31 March 2025 (Q3FY25), reporting RM43.12 million in revenue—up 0.95 percent from the previous quarter—driven by seasonal demand for carbonated and fruit beverages. Liaw emphasised that the drinking water segment remained the largest contributor, accounting for 82.6 percent of revenue. The Group achieved a gross profit (GP) of RM19.52 million with a GP margin of 45.3 percent, while profit before tax (PBT) was RM8.11 million and PAT stood at RM6.48 million. Margins slightly moderated due to the implementation of the minimum wage policy and temporary inefficiencies linked to expansion. For the nine-month period ended March 31, Life Water recorded RM128.42 million in revenue and RM20.97 million in PAT, maintaining a solid PAT margin of 16.3 percent. With a two-pronged strategy of organic growth and strategic diversification, Life Water is positioning itself as a rising multi-category FMCG player in East Malaysia. The Twinine acquisition enhances its product offerings and opens new growth channels, while the expanded production footprint ensures continued leadership in the bottled water space. Liaw said, as consumer demand evolves and competition intensifies, Life Water remains optimistic about its growth trajectory for FY2025 and beyond. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
The Advertiser
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Advertiser
Cook Up's Adam Liaw shows off his magic oven
One of the impressive things about this show is how Liaw and the guests can carry on a conversation while cooking. Well, it's impressive to me, anyway. If I'm putting a meal together, I have to focus on that and any potential discussion goes by the wayside. But the guests here - chef Mark Olive and Food Safari's Maeve O'Meara don't seem to have any problems with that at all. As a tie-in with it being SBS's 50th this year, they're making Special Broadcasting Suppers. Because the initials are SBS, geddit? For me, the winner is Liaw's Portugeuse roast chicken rice. Though it is a little jarring to see him put the chicken in the oven and seemingly pull it back out seconds later completely cooked. There's not even a hint of "here's one I prepared earlier". The only explanation is that Liaw has a magic oven. What has happened to this show? It used to be an oasis of wholesomeness in the oft-sleazy world of dating shows (yeah, MAFS, I'm talking about you). But in this season, things have gone really pear-shaped. Two farmers were allegedly axed before the show went to air for hooking up with other women during the production. So, more Farmer Wants a Booty Call than anything else. Now, Farmer Thomas appears to have been texting one of the women who had already left the farm, while the remaining ladies were trying to woo him. That saw him leave his own farm at the end of the last episode. And probably had the producers rubbing their hands with glee about all the plotlines this delivered. In tonight's episode, the farmers and the ladies are all going to a "Country Ball", which sounds like a rural tradition but is really a staged event where they are the only attendees. The big mystery is whether or not Farmer Thomas will come back to the farm or if the ladies will have to bring in the wheat themselves during harvest time. The title of this series about mixed martial arts definitely suggests some nefarious dealings. But that's not the case, at least not in this first episode. The episode deals with a fighter named Kimbo Slice, who became famous on the internet for his videos of illegal bare-knuckle backyard fights. That fame led him to look at becoming an MMA fighter - well, the fame and the fact he could make a lot more money that way compared to punching on with people in a suburban backyard. Once he developed some wrestling skills rather than just relying on his fists, Slice did pretty well in the cage. He did pretty well out of it as well, becoming one of the sport's recognised faces and appearing on plenty of talk shows. But he was facing some serious health problems. It was known that he suffered high blood pressure but what wasn't known is that it was linked to an enlarged heart. At the age of 42, when he was on the list for a heart transplant, Slice was feeling unwell and was admitted to hospital. Three days later he died from congestive heart failure. So this episode is more about the Sad Side of The Cage, rather than the Dark Side. One of the impressive things about this show is how Liaw and the guests can carry on a conversation while cooking. Well, it's impressive to me, anyway. If I'm putting a meal together, I have to focus on that and any potential discussion goes by the wayside. But the guests here - chef Mark Olive and Food Safari's Maeve O'Meara don't seem to have any problems with that at all. As a tie-in with it being SBS's 50th this year, they're making Special Broadcasting Suppers. Because the initials are SBS, geddit? For me, the winner is Liaw's Portugeuse roast chicken rice. Though it is a little jarring to see him put the chicken in the oven and seemingly pull it back out seconds later completely cooked. There's not even a hint of "here's one I prepared earlier". The only explanation is that Liaw has a magic oven. What has happened to this show? It used to be an oasis of wholesomeness in the oft-sleazy world of dating shows (yeah, MAFS, I'm talking about you). But in this season, things have gone really pear-shaped. Two farmers were allegedly axed before the show went to air for hooking up with other women during the production. So, more Farmer Wants a Booty Call than anything else. Now, Farmer Thomas appears to have been texting one of the women who had already left the farm, while the remaining ladies were trying to woo him. That saw him leave his own farm at the end of the last episode. And probably had the producers rubbing their hands with glee about all the plotlines this delivered. In tonight's episode, the farmers and the ladies are all going to a "Country Ball", which sounds like a rural tradition but is really a staged event where they are the only attendees. The big mystery is whether or not Farmer Thomas will come back to the farm or if the ladies will have to bring in the wheat themselves during harvest time. The title of this series about mixed martial arts definitely suggests some nefarious dealings. But that's not the case, at least not in this first episode. The episode deals with a fighter named Kimbo Slice, who became famous on the internet for his videos of illegal bare-knuckle backyard fights. That fame led him to look at becoming an MMA fighter - well, the fame and the fact he could make a lot more money that way compared to punching on with people in a suburban backyard. Once he developed some wrestling skills rather than just relying on his fists, Slice did pretty well in the cage. He did pretty well out of it as well, becoming one of the sport's recognised faces and appearing on plenty of talk shows. But he was facing some serious health problems. It was known that he suffered high blood pressure but what wasn't known is that it was linked to an enlarged heart. At the age of 42, when he was on the list for a heart transplant, Slice was feeling unwell and was admitted to hospital. Three days later he died from congestive heart failure. So this episode is more about the Sad Side of The Cage, rather than the Dark Side. One of the impressive things about this show is how Liaw and the guests can carry on a conversation while cooking. Well, it's impressive to me, anyway. If I'm putting a meal together, I have to focus on that and any potential discussion goes by the wayside. But the guests here - chef Mark Olive and Food Safari's Maeve O'Meara don't seem to have any problems with that at all. As a tie-in with it being SBS's 50th this year, they're making Special Broadcasting Suppers. Because the initials are SBS, geddit? For me, the winner is Liaw's Portugeuse roast chicken rice. Though it is a little jarring to see him put the chicken in the oven and seemingly pull it back out seconds later completely cooked. There's not even a hint of "here's one I prepared earlier". The only explanation is that Liaw has a magic oven. What has happened to this show? It used to be an oasis of wholesomeness in the oft-sleazy world of dating shows (yeah, MAFS, I'm talking about you). But in this season, things have gone really pear-shaped. Two farmers were allegedly axed before the show went to air for hooking up with other women during the production. So, more Farmer Wants a Booty Call than anything else. Now, Farmer Thomas appears to have been texting one of the women who had already left the farm, while the remaining ladies were trying to woo him. That saw him leave his own farm at the end of the last episode. And probably had the producers rubbing their hands with glee about all the plotlines this delivered. In tonight's episode, the farmers and the ladies are all going to a "Country Ball", which sounds like a rural tradition but is really a staged event where they are the only attendees. The big mystery is whether or not Farmer Thomas will come back to the farm or if the ladies will have to bring in the wheat themselves during harvest time. The title of this series about mixed martial arts definitely suggests some nefarious dealings. But that's not the case, at least not in this first episode. The episode deals with a fighter named Kimbo Slice, who became famous on the internet for his videos of illegal bare-knuckle backyard fights. That fame led him to look at becoming an MMA fighter - well, the fame and the fact he could make a lot more money that way compared to punching on with people in a suburban backyard. Once he developed some wrestling skills rather than just relying on his fists, Slice did pretty well in the cage. He did pretty well out of it as well, becoming one of the sport's recognised faces and appearing on plenty of talk shows. But he was facing some serious health problems. It was known that he suffered high blood pressure but what wasn't known is that it was linked to an enlarged heart. At the age of 42, when he was on the list for a heart transplant, Slice was feeling unwell and was admitted to hospital. Three days later he died from congestive heart failure. So this episode is more about the Sad Side of The Cage, rather than the Dark Side. One of the impressive things about this show is how Liaw and the guests can carry on a conversation while cooking. Well, it's impressive to me, anyway. If I'm putting a meal together, I have to focus on that and any potential discussion goes by the wayside. But the guests here - chef Mark Olive and Food Safari's Maeve O'Meara don't seem to have any problems with that at all. As a tie-in with it being SBS's 50th this year, they're making Special Broadcasting Suppers. Because the initials are SBS, geddit? For me, the winner is Liaw's Portugeuse roast chicken rice. Though it is a little jarring to see him put the chicken in the oven and seemingly pull it back out seconds later completely cooked. There's not even a hint of "here's one I prepared earlier". The only explanation is that Liaw has a magic oven. What has happened to this show? It used to be an oasis of wholesomeness in the oft-sleazy world of dating shows (yeah, MAFS, I'm talking about you). But in this season, things have gone really pear-shaped. Two farmers were allegedly axed before the show went to air for hooking up with other women during the production. So, more Farmer Wants a Booty Call than anything else. Now, Farmer Thomas appears to have been texting one of the women who had already left the farm, while the remaining ladies were trying to woo him. That saw him leave his own farm at the end of the last episode. And probably had the producers rubbing their hands with glee about all the plotlines this delivered. In tonight's episode, the farmers and the ladies are all going to a "Country Ball", which sounds like a rural tradition but is really a staged event where they are the only attendees. The big mystery is whether or not Farmer Thomas will come back to the farm or if the ladies will have to bring in the wheat themselves during harvest time. The title of this series about mixed martial arts definitely suggests some nefarious dealings. But that's not the case, at least not in this first episode. The episode deals with a fighter named Kimbo Slice, who became famous on the internet for his videos of illegal bare-knuckle backyard fights. That fame led him to look at becoming an MMA fighter - well, the fame and the fact he could make a lot more money that way compared to punching on with people in a suburban backyard. Once he developed some wrestling skills rather than just relying on his fists, Slice did pretty well in the cage. He did pretty well out of it as well, becoming one of the sport's recognised faces and appearing on plenty of talk shows. But he was facing some serious health problems. It was known that he suffered high blood pressure but what wasn't known is that it was linked to an enlarged heart. At the age of 42, when he was on the list for a heart transplant, Slice was feeling unwell and was admitted to hospital. Three days later he died from congestive heart failure. So this episode is more about the Sad Side of The Cage, rather than the Dark Side.
The Star
26-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
Store expansions set to buoy Focus Point
PETALING JAYA: Despite the ongoing challenges in retail sentiment, Focus Point Holdings Bhd remains optimistic of its prospects, supported by resilient demand for vision care services, increasing contributions from its expanding corporate client base, and aggressive store openings across the country. President and chief executive officer Datuk Liaw Choon Liang said the optical business remains to be an essential business. He noted that the group has quite an 'aggressive' store expansion plan this year, particularly for its optical segment. Liaw said the company may even surpass its previously guided target of eight to 10 new optical outlets. 'In the last five months, we have already opened about five new optical outlets. There are a few more in the pipeline this year,' Liaw told the media following the group's annual general meeting last Friday. Focus Point also aims to expand its optical retail presence in East Malaysia by opening its first Focus Point Concept Store in Bintulu and a new outlet in Miri. 'We are quite focused in East Malaysia now. We see a huge untapped market in Sarawak and Sabah,' Liaw said. The optical and food and beverage (F&B) operator opened its 200th optical store earlier this month. On the optical segment, Liaw shared that while the retail division still contributes the bulk of revenue, corporate sales have been growing steadily. The group currently serves over 700 corporate clients under its optical programme. 'In the last three years, we have seen significant growth in the optical corporate segment. We registered a very strong double-digit growth in 2024 compared with 2023. 'Currently, the optical corporate segment contributes less than 20% of our total revenue, but there is a big opportunity for further growth. 'We continue to see the number of participating companies increase every month,' he said. Under its F&B segment, Focus Point operates its homegrown premium Japanese bakery brand, Komugi. Recently, the group also introduced Happi, a new concept focusing on frozen yogurt. The first Happi outlet opened at Mid Valley Megamall in early 2024. Liaw said the group targets to open two to three stores for its F&B division this year. 'Unlike our optical business, which allows us to expand more aggressively and flexibly, F&B growth requires more careful planning,' he said. On the Happi business, Liaw said the current store has yet to meet their expectations and there is still much room for improvement, particularly in terms of concept quality and marketing efforts. 'Since we only have one store, we have not achieved the economies of scale in purchasing and procurement. We are still monitoring this business and will approach expansion cautiously,' he said. Focus Point operates two central kitchens in Kota Damansara. While the first central kitchen is fully utilised, there is still some capacity available in the second central kitchen. On this note, Liaw said the group is actively engaging in talks with new corporate clients apart from existing ones like Family Mart and Aeon Co (M) Bhd. 'We are also exploring opportunities with new operators, particularly coffee chains,' he said. Last year, the group had a capital expenditure (capex) of RM16mil to RM20mil. While Liaw did not disclose the exact capex planned for this year, he said it would be 'quite close' to last year's figures. 'Our capex is mainly used to open new outlets and refurbish existing ones,' he said. Liaw said the company will refurbish and also rebrand some of the stores every year. With rebranding, some outlets may be transformed from Focus Point stores into Optometris Anggun outlets, while others may be converted to Focus Point Signature stores. 'We found that after refurbishing or rebranding our stores, sometimes those outlets can grow by another 20% to 30%, even if they were previously very old stores,' he said. This year, Focus Point has identified six to eight outlets for refurbishment. Speaking about US tariffs, Liaw said it may play to the group's advantage, by boosting its bargaining power with suppliers from China and South Korea, who are still grappling with export restrictions. 'These manufacturers may dump their excess stock soon, allowing us to leverage our volume for better deals,' he said.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Canadian man gunning for third straight Jeopardy! win tonight. Who is Brendan Liaw?
Anyone looking for a Canadian pride bandwagon to jump on should probably watch Jeopardy! tonight. Vancouver's own Brendan Liaw, a 25-year-old self-described 'stay-at-home son,' scored back-to-back victories on the game show this week and will look for a third straight win in an episode airing at 7:30 p.m. ET. A win in tonight's pre-taped show will further pad his two-day total of US$38,798 ($53,787) and see him defend his title again on Friday. It could also help get him out of his parents' house in Richmond, where he lives, having recently completed a master's degree in political science at the University of British Columbia. According to CBC, he's applied to UBC's law school for this fall. Last week, Liaw posted on social media that he would be a contestant, fulfilling 'a lifelong dream of questioning answers on national television.' 'Did I have fun? Well, yes!,' he wrote. 'Did I make awkward small talk with a personal hero of mine? Almost certainly!' The hero is host Ken Jennings, whom he identifies as a fellow resident of Cascadia — a term referring to a Pacific Northwest bioregion encompassing parts of British Columbia and Washington, where Jennings has roots. 'Pretty good gig,' he agreed with Jennings regarding his living situation during their pre-game banter. In an interview with CTV, Liaw called himself a 'professional loiterer.' 'I think they want to promote me to away-from-home son soon,' he said. 'But we'll see how the games turn out.' How the games turned out so far In his first appearance, Liaw actually got off to a somewhat shaky start in his bid to unseat Mitch Loflin, the reigning three-time champion from California, and hold off fellow newcomer Wendy Poush of Iowa. By the end of the first round, Single Jeopardy!, Liaw found himself in third place with just $1,600 and Poush at $6,200, according to a recap from TV Insider. Liaw rebounded and took the lead early in Double Jeopardy! After his opponents closed the gap on the strength of respective successful Daily Double wagers, he correctly responded to several high-dollar value clues to close out the round with $19,200, giving him a $6,800 lead over Loflin heading into the last round. In Final Jeopardy!, none of the players got the NFL Geography category answer correct, leading to what fans of the show call a triple stumper. 'I don't watch a lot of American football as a Canadian. But I suspect, as an American, I would also not watch a lot of American football. So, hey — it would have been tough for me either way,' he remarked to CityTV. Thanks to strategic wagering, Liaw finished ahead of Loflin to secure the win and $13,599. He followed up his come-from-behind win with a mostly dominant performance on Wednesday. Liaw correctly answered his first 15 questions and came away from Single Jeopardy! with a $6,600 lead over New Yorker Romy Negrin. She and Colorado native Sam Macken tried to keep it close, but the Canadian had $25,200 by the end of Double Jeopardy!, more than double his competitors, thanks largely to a Daily Double that awarded him $8,800. Final Jeopardy!'s 2024 World News question was another triple stumper, but Liaw bet only $1 and secured his win. Third time was a charm for Liaw Liaw has wanted to appear on Jeopardy since he realized around nine or 10 that he had an aptitude for the reverse quiz show. But getting on is not easy. According to the show's FAQ on becoming a contestant, it starts with a 50-question 'anytime test' that gives you 15 seconds to respond to each. You can only take a test once every 12 months. Pass the test and you end up in an audition pool and hope to be randomly selected. Liaw told Global he did his first audition in 2018 and another in 2021 before finding success in 2023. The audition consists of another 50-query quiz and a mock game with other applicants, all online. Perform well and you'll earn a coveted spot in the contestant pool, but even that 'does not guarantee that you will be invited to appear on the show.' That invite typically arrives a month before their taping date, which is about how long Liaw said he waited before getting the call. Liaw joins a relatively short list of Canadians who have collected two or more Jeopardy! victories. Others include 13-game champion and 2024 Tournament of Champions quarterfinalist Ray Lalonde of Toronto, and Vancouverite Bob Blake, a five-game winner in 1983 who came back to collect $100,000 in the 1990 Tournament of Champions. But the undisputed reigning all-time Canadian Jeopardy! is Mattea Roach, a tutor from Halifax, who won 23 consecutive games in 2022 to claim $560,983, good for sixth in the show's regular-season winnings. Factoring in tournament play, Roach has raked in over $800,000 from Jeopardy! National Post has contacted Liaw for more information about his Jeopardy! experience thus far. Ken Jennings crowned Jeopardy's Greatest of All Time George Wendt, who played beloved barfly Norm on Cheers, dies at 76 Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here.
Calgary Herald
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Calgary Herald
Vancouver 'stay-at-home-son' on Jeopardy! roll
Article content Vancouver's Brendan Liaw is on a Jeopardy! roll. Article content With a two-day total of USD$38,798, the UBC graduate is the returning champion on Thursday's episode of the iconic television game show. Article content When asked about the show, Liaw was tight lipped. Article content 'All I can tell you is: it's on at 7:30 p.m. on CHEK (on TV or streaming on their website) or KOMO/ABC,' said Liaw in an email to Postmedia about his third Jeopardy! appearance. Article content Article content Liaw, 27, has a master's degree in political science, but that wasn't the description he used when it came time to talk to host Ken Jennings during Tuesday's episode. Article content 'I was unemployed at the time of taping, still am, unfortunately, and I figured 'unemployed' didn't sound great on TV. I decided to have some fun with it and suggested 'stay-at-home son,' which the producers loved,' said Liaw. 'I figured, if I lost, at least I could make some people laugh.' Article content Article content While he is still at home, Liaw says his parents are managing that reality a little better these days. Article content 'With two wins and $38,798 under my belt, I think they're pretty content,' said Liaw. Article content Money and happy parents aside, Liaw says he is open to job offers. Article content 'If anyone out there wants to hire a guy who's mildly funny and has broad-based knowledge, please get in contact,' he says. 'I'm looking for employment.' Article content Article content When asked about what his dream job would be, Liaw said: 'something like what Anthony Bourdain did, a travel writer/host of sorts or being one of Conan O'Brien's lackeys. Article content Article content 'More realistically, I'd like to end up in government/law or do research work of some kind.' Article content To get on Jeopardy! you have to do two 50-question online tests, a mock game and an interview. Article content 'I was probably nervous, but I can't even remember. And there's really no time to even process that you're nervous,' said Liaw. 'The game starts and you just have to play. No time to worry or be nervous. Article content 'I obviously expected it to be difficult, but I was surprised at how difficult it was. Nothing can prepare you for having to compete against other smart people on stage with lights, cameras, and an audience,' said Liaw, adding that he was surprised at how small the studio and set were.
