In 1933, an enterprising Singaporean hit upon the idea to sell bakkwa (barbecued meat) from his mobile stall by peddling on the streets of Chinatown. Business was especially good during the festive seasons.

From the early days, Bee Cheng Hiang began to participate actively in events like the Singapore Food Carnival organized by the Tourist Promotion Board of Singapore. Bee Cheng Hiang is also one of the first to make use of mobile advertisements by placing advertisements on lorry and trucks.

Against all odds, the business strived and grew. Today, Bee Cheng Hiang has successfully established itself as the market leader in the barbecued meat industry, with 28 retail outlets in Singapore and 46 outlets located across 6 countries (Malaysia, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan Indonesia and Philippines).