Xiang Yun, Pan Lingling and celebrity chef Cao Yong launch business together, first product is yusheng for CNY

Starting a business together with friends can be rather daunting, but Xiang Yun, Pan Lingling and celebrity chef Cao Yong decided to take that leap of faith with their new venture Ju Xing Ji.

Chef Cao, who owns two zi char hawker stores with his father, represented Team Singapore in the 2015 World Championship Chef Competition in Shanghai, where they emerged champions.

As local veteran actresses Lingling and Xiang Yun feel that most yusheng options in the market are '"too sinful", their first order of business was to create a healthier alternative with 'no colourings or additives' for the upcoming Chinese New Year celebrations.

Lingling tells 8Days that they got the inspiration for the dish while filming the variety show Silver Carnival in October last year.

"Chef Cao Yong created a fruit yusheng for the show and it was so good that we thought, 'Why don't we sell something like this instead?' I wanted something that isn't as jelak as the typical ones you buy outside."

Fruits weren't an ideal option because it spoils too quickly, and they tweaked the recipe to use vegetables instead.

According to their website, the final product consists of Japanese abalone and 13 other organic ingredients such as ice plants, fried taro, and purple cabbage. They also replaced the usual plum sauce with a specially crafted sauce that is "light enough to keep you wanting more".

The team went the extra mile to present the yusheng on a big reusable wooden plate, and the cloth used to bundle everything up also has a unique print.

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Getting over hurdles

Every business comes with its own set of challenges, and the three had to deal with some hiccups.

When they tried placing their orders with factories, they found out that the latter had already stopped taking orders a few months back. The factories later agreed to provide them with what they needed but at a higher price. 

Although this meant a smaller profit margin for the three of them, they decided to proceed nevertheless.

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Despite being new to the F&B scene, they have already received around 200 to 300 orders.

The original price of the yusheng is $138 but it will be going at a discounted price of $108 till Chinese New Year Eve. After that, each plate of yusheng will go for $118.

Only 50 sets are available each day, so place an order fast over here.

melissateo@asiaone.com