Blog

Boxes of Spike Durian Mao Shan Wang and an open tray of durian on an office pantry counter with coffee and plates
Corporate Durian Gifts in Singapore: A Year-End Guide
Is premium durian a good year-end gift for clients or your team? When it works, when it doesn't, and how a corporate order of 30 boxes or more works, from... Read more...
A Spike Durian yellow insulated bag on a table beside a Christmas tree and a wrapped present
Durian as a Christmas Gift in Singapore: What to Know
Durian can be a lovely Christmas or year-end gift in Singapore, if you plan around the delivery. Who it suits, what arrives at the door, and a simple checklist so... Read more...
A box of Spike Durian Old-Tree Black Thorn with its sleeve, and an open tray of Black Thorn durian flesh
Black Thorn Durian in Singapore: Taste, Price, How to Choose
Black Thorn is a Penang durian registered as D200, and it eats lighter and sweeter than Mao Shan Wang. What it is, how the two compare, what moves the price,... Read more...
An opened durian with thick, golden-yellow flesh inside its spiky husk
What Is Mao Shan Wang? Musang King, D197 and Raja Kunyit
Mao Shan Wang, Musang King, Raja Kunyit and D197 are four names for one Malaysian durian. What each name means, where the fruit came from, and why two boxes both... Read more...
Roadside durian stall in Singapore with Mao Shan Wang price signs
Why I Stopped Buying Durian from Roadside Stalls
A few years ago, a good friend of mine — let's call him K — texted me a photo at around 10pm on a Friday night. It was a box... Read more...
Infographic: four steps to thaw and enjoy frozen durian
How to Thaw and Enjoy Durian for the Best Aroma and Texture
Durian’s aroma and texture are highly temperature-sensitive. This article breaks down the science behind proper thawing, explains why tempering matters, and provides a step-by-step method to enjoy frozen durian at... Read more...
Infographic: how to spot great Mao Shan Wang durian by shape, freshness and flesh
How to Spot Great Mao Shan Wang Durian, Even in Season
Being “in season” doesn’t guarantee a great Mao Shan Wang. This practical guide breaks down what actually matters — from aroma and texture to ripeness, freshness, and handling — and... Read more...
Whole and opened durians in a wooden crate
Why Frozen Durian Usually Disappoints (And What’s Different Here)
Why does frozen durian so often taste watery, flat, or disappointing? This guide unpacks the science and supply-chain realities behind frozen durian, from ice crystal damage to poor fruit selection,... Read more...
Spike Durian founders standing together in a durian orchard
Beyond "The Best Is Yet to Be": How Conquering Mandarin Unlocked My Entrepreneurial Growth
For anyone in Singapore, the initials "ACS" conjure a specific image: a school filled with rich heritage, many colourful characters in business and politics, known memes of "we are not... Read more...
Four men smiling together at a restaurant table
Relationships are the blood of business in Asia. Use them wisely.
Some years ago, a close university friend was urgently seeking a management role in finance. She requested that I introduce her to my contact, Mr. E, a long-tenured executive at... Read more...
Two men at Quah Song & Co. cafe holding a Spike Durian bag
Why mentor startup founders? Because you gain from it too. 😊
Since 2011, I advised over 2000 startups 1-to-1, mainly younger startup founders in their 20s and 30s. They basically needed a perspective in their operations, fundraising, strategic direction or even... Read more...
Man on a street in Raub, Pahang, with the caption What's Raub?
😮 What one fruit can do to build a town. ➡️
😮 What one fruit can do to build a town. ➡️I’m currently in Raub, Pahang, visiting farms for Spike Durian. What I saw blew me away. Raub is one of... Read more...