BioNexus Status company, Glyken Bio Products Sdn Bhd (Glyken), launched its first speciality bird’s nest retail store called GLK Birdnest at 163 Retail Park, Mont Kiara today (July 7).
CEO of Bioeconomy Corporation, Mohd Khairul Fidzal, said that Glyken’s biotechnology enables accessible and innovative bird’s nest products to a wider audience while diversifying Malaysia’s food sources. This contributes to national food security by enhancing nutritional diversity and reducing reliance on limited staple foods in the country.
“In addition to targeting the food and beverage sector, we believe this launch opens doors for targeted medical health solutions, utilising Glyken’s underlying biotechnology to develop advanced nutraceutical and pharmaceutical products from bird’s nest peptides. This initiative aligns with the Healthcare and Wellness Biotechnology thrust of the National Biotechnology Policy 2.0 (NBP 2.0), focusing on leveraging the country’s biodiversity for commercialising natural product discoveries in health, biology, and diagnosis,” said Khairul after officially launching GLK Birdnest.
Khairul also highlighted Malaysia’s significant edge over other major bird’s nest players such as Indonesia, Vietnam, and Cambodia, emphasising the importance of biotechnology collaboration to propel the bird’s nest industry forward. “While Malaysia is not the largest exporter of raw or processed bird’s nest, the country distinguishes itself as a major producer of bird’s nest extracts thanks to the government’s support and policies in positioning bird’s nest as a premium industry.
This is also made possible due to the numerous industry-academia/institution R&D collaborations in the country, including Glyken Bio Products, which is a BioNexus Status company under the purview of Bioeconomy Corporation. We believe this initiative by Glyken will have a significant impact towards the growth of the edible bird’s nest industry, with an export value of RM1.8 billion in 2021 and targeted revenue of RM2.8 billion by 2030,” he added.
CEO of Glyken, Eric Shak said, “As a company backed by R&D and continuous support of Bioeconomy Corporation, we believe we can bring the bird’s nest to a wider market and its products to a larger demography and future generations in a sustainable and technology-based approach. GLK Birdnest aims to introduce new and imaginative ways for the public to enjoy edible bird’s nests and their health benefits, expanding the possibilities beyond what they ever imagined. This is our first store in Malaysia and we plan to expand through a franchising business model for additional outlets in the country before venturing into Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand,” he added.
The 400 sq ft GLK Birdnest store is located in a family-centric neighbourhood centre, offering a diverse range of innovative bird’s nest F&B products. It ensures a hassle-free experience and nourishment for the entire family by providing the exclusive convenience of selecting bird’s nest dishes online, which are then cooked and delivered to customers’ doorsteps, eliminating the need for extensive kitchen hours.
In addition to the online concept, GLK Birdnest offers a range of in-store products enriched with Glyken’s bird’s nest peptides, produced using Glyken’s homegrown biotechnology-based extraction processes. Products include beverages like matcha and white coffee.
Customers can also indulge in a variety of freshly made shakes, smoothies, blended tea, and coffee, all infused with bird’s nest peptides. Their must-try delicacy is the popular bird’s nest peptides ice cream, known for its delightful flavour and smooth texture.
