Lee Kum Kee’s Charlie Lee, Part 2

Last week we looked at how sauces company Lee Kum Kee (LKK) evolved from a family business in 1888 to a professionally-run corporation today, where the Family Council oversees the functions each sibling shoulders and includes provisions for future generations to join the company.

The oldest Eddy Lee takes care of family affairs and investment. The next son, David, the prior head of the sauces group, is now in charge of the family foundation. The third son, Charlie, is the current chair of the sauces division. The youngest son, Sammy, heads the health products division.

Last week, through an exclusive interview with Charlie Lee, we saw how LKK treats its employees, customers and business partners with respect.

Charlie detailed how the company provides services for their staff to have balance in family, health and career.

The concept of family is apparently paramount for LKK, as gleaned from the rest of the interview with Charlie.

Q: In the Nov. 16, 2016 edition of EJ Insight, in the article “Lee Kum Kee: The Family Grows and Stays Together” by writer Jeff Pao, you (Charlie) are quoted as prioritizing “family first before business.” In what way is this practiced?

A: Although business is important, it cannot be the only issue of family concern, or the only common issue to link up the family.

It is essential to strike a balance between family harmony and business development.

Therefore, we must develop a fine family tradition to ensure family harmony and provide for unity in action.

We believe that with our actions united, members can handle family transactions well and drive the business to new heights.

Q: What would you consider as the biggest challenge as leader of the sauces group? Would this be the 2013-14 crisis, which made LKK diversify from high-end restaurants to chains (which turned out to be a wise decision)? Or would there be a bigger challenge?

A: LKK was founded in 1888 when our founder Lee Kum Sheung invented oyster sauce. This year we are celebrating our 130th anniversary.

We began with our flagship products, oyster sauce and shrimp paste, to over 200 choices of sauces and condiments, which are marketed to more than 100 countries and regions across five continents.

With a history of 130 years, our challenge is to advance with time and uphold the spirit of “constant entrepreneurship.”

We continue to invest heavily in new product development, rejuvenating our brand with a modern image in the variety of innovative products introduced to the market.

Caring for the community

Like many overseas Chinese, LKK remembers its roots by helping the family hometown, donating to build the Lee Man Tat Bridge (after Charlie’s father) and the Infinitus Bridge in Qibao, Xinhui, to “relieve the mounting pressure from the infrastructure arising from the town’s rapid economic development.”

LKK’s global volunteer team also help out in activities such as tree planting and blood drives.

The company is justly proud of its Hope as Chef program, launched in 2011, which helps less-privileged youth who wish to become chefs through study subsidies at national key vocational high schools in Beijing and Chengdu, China.

In eight years, the program has helped more than 640 youngsters from 19 provinces, with close to 320 students joining the catering industry after graduation, contributing to the development of China’s culinary industry.

Recently, the program expanded to Malaysia, partnering with the Malaysia Selangor and Federal Territory Ku Su Shin Choong Hung Restaurant Association (KUSU) to award over RM 250,000 (over three million Philippine pesos) to 13 outstanding students for them to complete the eight-month Kusu Chef Training Program.

Someday soon, we hope LKK can bring the program to the Philippines as well.