Empire Sushi chain gears up for Main Market debut with expansion plans

Empire Premium Food (Empire Premium), the operator of local multi-format sushi chain Empire Sushi, is eyeing a Main Market listing on Bursa Malaysia to support its expansion plans nationwide. This comes from a prospectus exposure published on the Securities Commission of Malaysia’s website, dated 2 October.

The company plans to open 56 new outlets between 2027 and 2029, supported by the recruitment of 550 additional service crew to run the new locations. In tandem, Empire Premium intends to upgrade its existing 27 outlets with renovations and updated fittings and equipment. As of October 2025, the chain operates a total of 132 outlets.

Don't miss: Tealive owner Loob Berhad seeks Main Market listing

Founded in 2011 by co-founders Nicole Lim (CEO) and Jordan Tan (COO), Empire Sushi emphasizes innovation in sushi menus and has built a 15-year track record in chain operations. The company also notes that the majority of its outlets are Halal-certified, highlighting its relevance in the mass market and appeal to new customers.

Empire Sushi has built a growing social media presence, boasting over 41,000 followers on Instagram and around 262,000 followers on TikTok. One of its social videos, which featured a staff member playfully asking strangers in a mall their age in a Gen Z-style skit and handing out free sushi, racked up 2.2 million views. Beyond social media, the brand also operates an all-in-one app that offers pickup and delivery services, as well as a membership program and digital vouchers, enhancing convenience and engagement for customers.

Just three days ago, Empire Sushi opened a new outlet in Serai Wangi Mall, following an earlier store launch in Kompleks Arau in September. Positioned as “Premium sushi for everyone,” the brand is brought to life by a trio of 3D animated mascots: a girl in a green kebaya, a variety of nigiri sushi, and a playful green wasabi character. Its logo and branding blend Malaysian and Japanese cultural elements, featuring a woman in a green kebaya holding a banana leaf while eating sushi with chopsticks, reflecting the brand’s unique fusion identity.

The IPO will comprise up to 363 million ordinary shares in Empire Premium, in conjunction with the listing and quotation of the company’s enlarged issued shares on the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia. This includes an offer for sale of up to 145 million existing shares and a public issue of 218 million new shares. Maybank Investment Bank is acting as principal adviser, sole bookrunner, underwriter, and placement agent for the listing.

The public issue is divided into an institutional tranche of up to 293 million shares for selected investors, and a retail tranche of 70 million shares. The retail offering will be open to directors, eligible employees of Empire Premium and its subsidiaries, contributors to the group’s success, and the Malaysian public. The final retail price will be determined based on the lower of the retail or institutional price, with clawback and reallocation provisions as outlined in the prospectus.

A+M has reached out to Empire Premium for further information.

Another local Malaysian F&B brand, Loob, the parent company behind tea and coffee chains Tealive and Bask Bear, is preparing for a Main Market listing on Bursa Malaysia, according to a prospectus exposure filed with the Securities Commission. The IPO is intended to partly fund capital expenditure for the opening of up to 12 new Tealive outlets and 13 new Bask Bear outlets across Malaysia. The proposed offering includes up to 350.76 million ordinary shares, comprising 292.3 million offer shares and 58.46 million public shares.

As of February 2025, Loob operates 831 Tealive stores and 135 Bask Bear stores domestically, alongside 121 franchised Tealive outlets across Myanmar, Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei, Mauritius, Cambodia, Canada, Singapore, and the UAE. The group has been actively growing its presence through creative collaborations, co-branding, recipe partnerships, and strategic intellectual property tie-ins to enhance brand awareness and expand its customer base.

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