According to e.vnexpress.net, Chicken Claypot House Holdings (CCHH), a Nasdaq-listed Malaysian restaurant operator, has secured a US$50 million three-year contract to deliver technical and operational support services for data center infrastructure projects in Malaysia.
From claypot soup to server racks
Founded in Penang, Malaysia in 2015, CCHH operates a chain of chicken hotpot restaurants — known locally as “chicken claypot” — with more than a dozen outlets nationwide. Most locations maintain Google ratings of at least 4.3 stars, with customers consistently praising the signature chicken claypot soup, per The Rakyat Post. The company went public on Nasdaq last October, debuting at a closing price of US$4.44.
CCHH’s restaurant business remains central to its identity: CEO Goh Kok E affirmed continued commitment to strengthening core operations while expanding into adjacent infrastructure services. “We intend to continue strengthening our restaurant operations while leveraging this partnership to expand into data centre support services and broader AI infrastructure opportunities,” he stated in the official press release.
Dual-engine strategy amid financial pressure
For the financial year ended December 31, 2025, CCHH reported a net loss of RM2.68 million, reversing from a net profit of RM913,400 in the prior year — despite a 7.5% revenue increase to RM9.59 million from RM8.92 million, according to Bloomberg data. The company’s shares have declined nearly 46% since the announcement of the data center agreement and are now trading near 19 U.S. cents, down roughly 96% from its debut price.
The contract was signed by CCHH’s wholly owned subsidiary under a sales and service agreement with “several strategic clients” — names withheld due to non-disclosure agreements. The scope includes maintenance, computing capacity allocation, deployment coordination, technical consulting, and operational advisory services for data center facilities across Malaysia. CCHH noted the agreement could extend to additional markets as its clients scale internationally.
Ownership and governance structure
CCHH remains tightly held by founders and key investors. Goh Kook Fong, former CEO and brother of current CEO Goh Kok E, holds a 44.28% stake. Lim Soon Huat, largest shareholder of Asia File Corp, owns 25.42%. This concentrated ownership underscores the founders’ ongoing influence over strategic pivots — including the newly announced “dual-engine strategy” aimed at diversifying revenue and bolstering long-term resilience.
The move reflects a growing trend among non-tech firms entering infrastructure-adjacent services, particularly in Southeast Asia, where data center investment surged 37% year-on-year in 2025, per regional industry reports. While peers such as DHL and Keppel Data Centres focus on logistics or facility development, CCHH’s entry targets the operational support layer — a niche requiring certified technical staffing, SLA-driven response protocols, and integration with cloud platform APIs.
“We intend to continue strengthening our restaurant operations while leveraging this partnership to expand into data centre support services and broader AI infrastructure opportunities.” — Goh Kok E, CEO of Chicken Claypot House Holdings
For supply chain professionals, the shift signals increasing demand for cross-domain talent — especially technicians trained in both facility operations and enterprise IT environments. It also highlights how asset-light service models can offer rapid scalability in infrastructure markets, even for companies without legacy engineering footprints.
Source: e.vnexpress.net
Compiled from international media by the SCI.AI editorial team.
