Not All Snacks Are Created Equal

Superheroes come in all shapes and sizes. One we know assumes the form of a duck. In a bid to save the world from bland, boring snacks, The Golden Duck has been waddling around Singapore and revolutionising the snack scene, chip by chip. 

Meet the brains behind the duck, Chris and Jonathan, as they bring us through what makes their snacks supremely irresistible.

KrisShop: “Not All Snacks Are Created Equal” is a pretty badass tagline. What inspired it?

Chris: Snacks have been pretty consistent since the potato chip was invented about 150 years ago. While the humble potato chip has been constantly improved for better crunch and texture, the flavours that adorn it have been left to food techs and scientists.

We believe flavours should be made in the kitchens owned by chefs. Put that together with the relentless drive of perfecting fresh mediums like crispy fish skin and crunchy seaweed tempura, and you get pretty “snacksational” stuff.

We bring both the crunch, and the flavour.

What do you think makes for a good snack like The Golden Duck’s?

Jonathan: It’s the balance between opposing flavours. For instance, salted egg yolk isn’t just that. It’s curry leaves, a hint of chilli, and the perfect texture of salted egg that is cooked till it’s just a little rough and grainy.

Salted egg range aside, our chilli crab is made with real crab meat, and seasoned with the familiar yellow-streaky eggs that you get in the dish. When you couple great flavour with the perfect medium like our roasted seaweed and fluffy tempura, it’s a hit. It’s all about the love for good food.

Can you tell us some brands that The Golden Duck has been compared to, and are they competition?

C: We’ve been likened to the Tao Kae Noi of Singapore. The famous Thai brand was born to a young founder not unlike ourselves, who also struggled against the odds. While we push ourselves to deliver better snacks than any brand we’ve tried, we don’t see them as competition. In a snacking basket or pantry, there are many brands. We just need to be among the best.

Salted egg and fish skin snacks are a dime a dozen. How do you guys stay different from other brands?

C: Our snacks are made with real ingredients, not just lab-fabricated seasoning.

The chefs in the kitchen work night and day to create sensual Asian dishes; think salted egg yolk prawn, chilli crab or mala xiang guo (a fragrant stir-fry with numbing spice). They then use the same ingredients to create flavours to work with our snacks. At last, they handcraft the most perfectly crunchy mediums to pair them with.

Which flavour do you reckon is your proudest creation?

C: That’s not fair. It’s like asking which is your favourite kid! You’ll have to love them all.

But if I had to give an answer, Chilli Crab was special because it’s the flavour that Singapore has been so proud of for so long. Also because it’s incredibly difficult to do well.

Tell us about the typical Singaporean consumer and how to capture their stomachs.

J: Singaporeans are discerning and picky eaters. You can win them with a novel product of better quality, but you can lose them just as quickly.

One thing you absolutely CANNOT do is cut corners. It’s common to hear “it’s not as good as it used to be”. And we simply refuse to be one of those.

How do you resist bingeing on your own snacks, since it is so irresistibly good?

J: We don’t. Or at least Chris doesn’t. He just goes at it.

What other dish-accurate flavours can snackers look forward to?

C: Drop us a DM and let us know what you’d like to see. We can make it happen. ;) @thegoldenduck.sg @jnshn @thechrishwang

Any advice for new snack creators (also known as “Snackologists” - a term coined and owned by The Golden Duck)?

J: Stay true to yourself and the flavours you love. If you truly believe the product is as good as your grandma’s cooking, you’ll win hearts and stomachs too.