In March 2020, Suthan Mookaiah decided that because he had to close the local tech office of an international mobile content service provider due to the pandemic, the next business he planned to open should not be affected by the pandemic.
His thinking led him to consider cooking gas, which is a necessity in many Malaysian houses. With his experience in the tech industry, where lifetime value and customer happiness are key, he applied these ideas to BeliGas, allowing consumers to not only conveniently order cooking gas online but also to have a positive experience doing so.
BeliGas’s first outlet was opened in Bandar Mahkota Cheras in July 2020. Suthan had to learn and adapt during the early phases of his business because he had no network and no experience in the logistics and operation of a gas delivery business.
He delivered two barrels of gas each day for the first week, and within six months, his company had grown to include one warehouse, ten locations, and 40+ team members, bringing in their first RM1 million in sales.
Suthan wants to give back to society by hiring solely Malaysians for his business; more than half of his team members are from the B40 who lost their jobs as a result of the pandemic.
In addition, he implemented the CSR BeliGas Prihatin Programme last year to deliver cooking gas at a lower cost than the market to NGOs, frontline organisations fighting the pandemic, and places of worship.
Currently, an average of 9,000 gas cylinders are sold each month, with 30% of sales originating from internet sources. He intends to double the size of his company before the first year of operation of BeliGas.
BeliGas has been registered as a social enterprise by MaGIC and has been accredited by MPC under the Shared Prosperity Organization (eSPO) to demonstrate their commitment to social principles.
