At first glance, The Manhattan Fish Market feels unmistakably international. The name sounds American. The concept feels global. Even today, many diners still assume it is a foreign brand.
The reality is much closer to home. The Manhattan Fish Market is a Malaysian-born brand, built by George Ang, an entrepreneur whose earliest lessons in business were learned not in boardrooms, but on the streets of Kuala Lumpur as a Pizza Hut delivery rider.
Where the Lessons Began
When George Ang acquired his motorcycle licence at 16, he had no idea it would become his first business classroom.
As a college student in the late 1980s, he took up a part-time job delivering pizzas for Pizza Hut, then the first restaurant in Malaysia to offer delivery services. Stationed at the Taman Tun Dr Ismail branch, he earned RM2 an hour, delivering food from house to house just to cover daily expenses.
It was during these deliveries that Ang learned two lessons that would stay with him for life.
“Being the most hardworking person in the room could be very rewarding, and fast food is not rocket science.”
While waitstaff had to pool tips, delivery riders kept their own. Ang noticed that on rainy days, many riders slowed down or waited for the weather to clear. He did the opposite. Orders piled up, and he took on more deliveries.
“When you turn up rain-soaked with hot pizzas in hand, you tend to get generously tipped. RM2 an hour would become RM8 or RM10 an hour. I saw the opportunity created by rainy days.”
It was his first exposure to a principle that would define his career: effort creates leverage when paired with awareness.
Understanding Systems Before Starting a Business
Ang went on to study finance and economics, eventually furthering his education at the University of Western Australia. Even while overseas, he continued working part-time in the food and beverage industry.
That experience shaped a crucial realisation. Running a fast food restaurant did not depend on exceptional chefs or personal flair.
It depended on systems, consistency, and standard operating procedures that could be repeated anywhere.
This understanding followed him into the corporate world, where he worked with OCBC Bank and later BNP Paribas in Singapore. On paper, it was a successful career. But the Asian Financial Crisis of 1997 revealed how fragile even well-paying jobs could be.
At 27, Ang decided he no longer wanted his future dictated by forces beyond his control, and chose entrepreneurship.
The First Big Bet
Together with two partners, Ang co-founded Revenue Valley Sdn Bhd and purchased the Malaysian franchise for a New Zealand fish and chips eatery called The Fish Shop.
The timing was risky. Malaysia was still recovering from the financial crisis. But the downturn also created rare opportunities. Rental rates were low, and mall spaces were available.
Ang opened the first outlet in Mid Valley Megamall at a rental rate of RM5 per square foot, followed by another in Subang Parade. With initial capital of about RM60,000, the business began to gain traction.
For a few years, things went well.
Then the overseas franchisor withdrew support from Malaysia, causing the franchise to collapse almost overnight.
The Manhattan Fish Market: A Malaysian Brand
Instead of shutting down, Ang and his partners chose to rebuild.
They rebranded the business entirely and launched The Manhattan Fish Market, drawing inspiration from Fulton Fish Market in Lower Manhattan, one of the world’s most iconic seafood hubs.
The positioning was intentional. It was no longer just fish and chips. It was positioned as an elevated seafood dining experience, offering a wider variety of dishes and preparation styles.
The strategy worked. Revenue more than doubled. The founders took over struggling Fish Shop outlets and converted them under the new brand. Expansion followed, first locally and then beyond Malaysia.
Scaling Beyond One Brand
As the business grew, Ang recognised a hard truth about F&B. Great food alone does not scale. Systems do.
The group went on to develop homegrown brands such as NY Steak Shack and secured franchising rights for international names like Tony Roma’s and Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen in Singapore. Growth attracted attention from investors.
In 2012, the business brought in Ekuinas, which acquired a majority stake in Revenue Valley to support further expansion.
Ang later explained the thinking behind the decision.
“This business is all about scalability. It’s a challenge to grow from one restaurant to five, but a different thing altogether to grow from five to 20 or 40.”
At the time, the founders retained a minority stake, while Ang stayed on as a director without being involved in day-to-day operations.
A Knack for Turnarounds
Stepping away from Revenue Valley did not end Ang’s involvement in food and beverage.
His most ambitious move came in September 2018, when he acquired A&W Malaysia from KUB Malaysia.
At the time, A&W was a brand rich in nostalgia but weak in execution. Outlets were outdated, systems were inefficient, and service quality had declined.
Ang approached the turnaround by fixing fundamentals. Ingredients were upgraded. Training was improved. Digital payments and delivery platforms were introduced. Outlets were refurbished to feel relevant again.
“One of the things I immediately discovered was that KUB had phased out the cold mugs in most places,” Ang shares.
“At restaurants with al fresco seating, such as the A&W outlets along the PLUS Highway rest stops, there was a high rate of pilferage, with customers taking their trays out and stealing the mugs. These were then replaced with paper cups, which spoils the experience. We also keep our mugs in speciality freezers for that frosted character, but most of the freezers were spoilt and had never been repaired. When customers complained that their drinks weren’t cold, staff would add ice, which then diluted the RB.”
His response was simple and direct.
“One of the first things I did was to repair or replace the freezers to bring back the frosted mugs.”
A Long Game Entrepreneur
George Ang’s story is not about shortcuts or viral success. It is about seeing patterns early, building systems patiently, and knowing when to rebuild instead of walking away.
From delivering pizzas in the rain to building some of Malaysia’s most recognisable F&B brands, his journey shows that strong businesses are rarely born from luck. They are shaped by years of observation, repetition, and decisions made when the outcome is uncertain.
Through Inter Mark Resources, Ang continued to apply the same philosophy beyond The Manhattan Fish Market. Whether operating international franchises or taking on complex turnaround, the approach remained consistent. Fix the fundamentals. Invest in people. Build systems that last.
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