KL Cendol Stall Becomes Overnight Sensation After Viral Video By Khairulaming
Its 37-year-old owner has been operating the stall for a decade without witnessing any influx of customers.
By Sadho Ram — 19 Dec 2023, 02:30 PM
In an unprecedented turn of events, a cendol stall in Taman Melati, Kuala Lumpur has experienced an overwhelming surge in customers following a review by content creator and entrepreneur Khairulaming
In response, stall owner Ahmad Nizam Noh expressed his astonishment, stating, "My knees trembled seeing customers lining up in front of my stall because I have never seen such a situation before."
The 37-year-old has been operating his cendol stall for a decade without witnessing any influx of customers. However, all that changed when Khairulaming decided to highlight Ahmad Nizam's business to his massive fan following on TikTok and Instagram, where he collectively has close to eight million followers.
"On Friday morning, he came to my stall, and actually, he has visited many times before, usually with his friends. He is a regular customer and usually orders Mi Bandung and Bihun Sup, besides the Cendol Pulut, which is sold for RM1. On that day, he asked for permission to make a video, and initially, I hesitated because he boasts many followers. Still, he insisted I give it a try," Harian Metro quoted him as saying.
The impact of Khairulaming's video was immediate. It went viral on TikTok, where it has been viewed over four million times.
Customers flocked to the cendol stall, forming long queues that persisted throughout the day.
"Previously, not many customers came, and only five people were working at the stall, including myself, my second wife as a cook, my first wife at the counter, and two other employees.
"But since my stall went viral, I can get around 5,000 customers a day, so I had to hire four more workers. Still, I [continued to] remain as the cook to maintain the taste of the dishes.
"I used to only order 50 packets of Mi Bandung paste from Muar, but now it has increased to between 400 and 500 packets to meet customer demand," the stall owner told the Malay daily.
The unexpected windfall has significantly boosted Ahmad Nizam's profits, increasing from RM800 to almost RM10,000 a day
He expressed gratitude for his change in fortunes, reflecting on his humble beginnings when he operated a three-wheeled cart in front of schools around Taman Melati and Gombak Setia.
"Even though Khairulaming is an influencer and a successful entrepreneur, he is very humble. He doesn't even ask for payment for his review. I am grateful because he is my idol, and I have even sent him a WhatsApp message to express my gratitude, and only Allah can repay his kindness.
"Thanks also to all the customers who come and are willing to line up and wait for an hour or more in hot or sometimes rainy conditions. I hope everyone continues to support me, and I will try to provide the best service and ensure that the food is sufficient so as not to disappoint the customers," he said.
