Happy Potato hits 126 outlets in seven years

The brand opened in four markets in a span of six months.

Malaysian shaker fries brand Happy Potato has reached 126 outlets and entered four international markets in the last six months.

The brand, which first opened in Suria Sabah in 2019 before expanding into Peninsular Malaysia in 2023, added 98 outlets in Malaysia alone, making it one of the country's largest homegrown shaker fries chains.

It now operates 117 outlets in Malaysia alongside three in Bangladesh, two in Indonesia, two in China and two in Cambodia.

The international rollout began in February 2026 when Happy Potato entered Bangladesh and Indonesia simultaneously. China followed in May 2026, with a second outlet opening the following month. Cambodia became its fifth market in July 2026, completing the entry into four international markets within six months.

Edmund Lim, chief executive and co-founder, said the pace of expansion was made possible by years of refining the company's franchise model and operational systems before taking the business overseas.

"Opening an outlet is only one part of expansion. The bigger challenge is making sure customers receive the same experience, product quality and service standards regardless of where they visit us," he said.

Maintaining product consistency across markets has been a central operational challenge for a brand built entirely around a single product. Director and co-founder Colleen Phang said French fries were amongst the most temperature-sensitive products in the food and beverage industry, where even brief breaks in the cold chain could affect texture and crispiness.

Lim said the brand's 2028 plan targets 200 outlets in Malaysia and expansion into three to five additional countries.

"Happy Potato began as a homegrown Malaysian fries brand, and today we're serving customers across five markets. But this is only the first chapter," he said.