Lao Tao Ke, the long-established Taiwanese winter melon brand, is strengthening its presence in Malaysia as it expands retail reach and deepens local market collaboration.
In Malaysia, Lao Tao Ke’s core direction is “Grow Together”, bringing Taiwanese winter melon craftsmanship into dialogue with Malaysia’s diverse food culture, co-creating new applications and products with local partners, and building a pathway from Malaysia to wider global markets. The Malaysian business is led by Managing Director Stan Xiao.
"The winter melon tea is very well-known in Taiwan, and it comes from Tainan, the country's top agricultural city. This drink is not only healthy, but also its special flavour and aroma is something we believe Malaysians would love," said Stan.
"We invite Malaysians to taste the tea and also same time enjoy all our products from the land of Tainan."
Made from real winter melon extract, it is designed for stable flavour, easy storage and scalable preparation, making it suitable for both everyday enjoyment and commercial use. Its production process is built around a rich winter melon profile developed through more than seven days of extraction.
Winter melon tea is one of Taiwan’s enduring traditional drinks, appreciated for its mellow sweetness, depth of flavour and versatility. It remains widely recognised in modern beverage culture, including in Malaysia, where winter melon drinks are also familiar to consumers.
Lao Tao Ke sees an opportunity not only to introduce this heritage beverage to more consumers, but also to reinterpret it through local taste preferences and creative collaborations.
That vision is reflected in the brand promise, “Grow Together.” It is built on the idea of combining Lao Tao Ke’s Taiwanese R&D know-how and decades of production excellence with Malaysia’s multicultural strengths, local creativity and strategic role as a gateway to ASEAN.
Lao Tao Ke’s Malaysia story has been years in the making. In 2016, the company obtained Halal certification across product lines, laying an early foundation for Muslim-friendly market development. In April 2025, Lao Tao Ke established its first overseas office in Kuala Lumpur, marking a new stage in its long-term commitment to Malaysia as a strategic base for growth.
The brand’s direction also aligns with changing consumer tastes. The Food Merchant Pavilion Kuala Lumpur has observed that Malaysian consumers today are increasingly adventurous, more health-conscious and more quality-driven, while seeking authentic taste, trusted origin, natural ingredients and a premium experience. These trends create strong opportunities for Taiwanese products with heritage, consistency and product quality.
Lao Tao Ke’s growth in Malaysia was highlighted at the recent Tainan Premium Pink Guava and Lao Tao Ke Winter Melon Tea Brick Promotional Sales Event in Kuala Lumpur, where Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che, H.E. Vivian Lien, Representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Malaysia, Deputy CEO of Pavilion REIT, Patrick Liao, Group Executive Director of The Food Purveyor, Ivan Tan, CEO of The Food Purveyor, Kok Kian Kee, COO of The Food Merchant, Leong Pei Khim, were among the top guests offering their support and recommendations. The event also introduced Malaysian audiences to selected agricultural specialties from Tainan, including pink guava, pineapple and winter melon.
Lao Tao Ke’s winter melon tea has already reached consumers in more than 30 countries, and the brand is actively expanding through supermarket channels in Malaysia to make this classic Taiwanese flavour more accessible to local consumers. The product is also available at leading retail chains nationwide, including Jaya Grocer, Village Grocer, Hero Market and ST Rosyam. Looking ahead, Lao Tao Ke plans to deepen collaboration with retailers, cafés, F&B operators and manufacturing partners, while developing more locally relevant flavour applications that can grow from Malaysia to regional and international markets.
For Lao Tao Ke, Malaysia is not only a market, but also a place to build long-term partnerships, connect cultures through flavour, and show how a traditional Taiwanese drink can evolve into something locally meaningful and globally scalable.
