By Xavier Kong
In this part of the Mamee-Double Decker Enterprise series, KiniBiz goes on a whirlwind trip to the brand’s facility in Ayer Keroh, Malacca.
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KiniBiz was among the publications invited to participate in the media tour of Mamee-Double Decker Sdn Bhd’s noodle production facility in Malacca, at which KiniBiz found this too good a chance to pass up. The first time members of the media are allowed in? Of course we’ll be there!
Then again, KiniBiz might have been over-enthusiastic about the matter. Come on, who would expect the morning of the trip to be so delectably cold and overcast? But, KiniBiz digresses. Other than the (awfully long) wait for a misguided fellow of the media, the entourage departed the meetup point without mishap.
Upon arrival, the party was greeted by none other than Pang Chin Hin himself. The founder of the Mamee-Double Decker Enterprise, along with his entourage, directed the new arrivals towards an antechamber, where began a briefing of the company’s background, which was delivered by Pierre Pang Hee Ta, the group’s general manager for sales and marketing.
The briefing also included a show, which carried the aim of showcasing the mi tarik technology that the group utilised in its latest products, as well as the use of fresh ingredients in its concentrates. The entourage was led outside for a demonstration by Chef Ismail, celebrity chef, Malaysia’s tourism ambassador, and also a member of the research team for the Mamee Chef line of instant noodles.
The demonstration showcased the ingredients used in the seasoning of the noodles, as well as the use of the la mian techniques that are incorporated into the company’s noodles. Dubbed the Mi Tarik line, the company had brought in a la mian expert from China to aid them in their research of adding the springiness of hand-made noodles to the noodle cakes that the company already has, with the expert and the celebrity chef both showing their skills.
An interim activity
After the briefing, the entourage was split into two parties, with explanations that the tour area could not accommodate such a large number. It was also explained that KiniBiz would be in the second party taken on the factory tour, with instructions to join in the activity set in place for the waiting group.
Watching the first group led off towards a doorway at the back of the reception hall, KiniBiz found a table and sat down, scribbling a bit while waiting for the aforementioned activity to begin. This led to a short wait as the staff readied some specimens for the activity, which turned out to be a blind taste test.
What this involved was that each participant would try two different samples of noodles, and indicate which one was preferred. In hindsight, it really was not all that “blind”, considering one of the samples had extra ingredients in it, matching the contents of the company’s seasonings and condiments, while the other sample was totally plain. However, KiniBiz, (as well as the rest of the entourage, it seemed) decided to play along with the taste test. Votes were stuck on a board that was labelled A or B for one of the two, and the last sticker was put in place just as the first tour party came back into the main hall.
The second party of the entourage was assembled and led through the depths of the facility, though in reality it was just a few flights of stairs, which led to an observation deck for the factory floor. While the word “deck” is used, it was more of a corridor, really, with windows on both sides overlooking the factory floor for the production of the instant noodles, as well as the Mamee Monster noodle snack.
The factory floor
The tour was led by Kenneth Pang Hee Lip, the company’s deputy general manager, who also explained the workings of the production line, and answered the technical questions that the party had.
The first section was where the flour was mixed to form the dough for the noodles. Following a ratio of 60% flour, 30% water, and 10% starch, the initial ingredients are mixed in this machine for twenty minutes, while the process is supervised by an employee watching for malfunctions.
This raw material is then piped to phase two, where the dough is formed into a long, continuous sheet. This is done by passing the dough through a total of eight rollers, which, according to Kenneth Pang, standardises the thickness of the noodles. This phase also prepares the dough for cutting.
Following the dough to the next phase, KiniBiz watched as a machine sliced the dough into its noodle form. It was also explained that the width of the blades can be adjusted, with the dough cut evenly to the width chosen for different levels of thickness in the noodles.
After being cut into noodles, the dough is then steamed for three minutes. This steaming process is to maintain the springiness of the noodles, with the noodles ending up half-cooked at 98 degrees Celsius. This also maintains the form of the noodles, and prevents the dough from clumping together again.
The noodles, now half-cooked, are moulded into the blocks found inside packaging, in the form readily recognisable as instant noodles. The noodles are then fried in palm oil, to keep its form and to cook it the rest of the way through. Two employees are always on duty here, to make sure the noodle cakes are properly in place on the compartmentalised conveyor belt before the noodles are fried.
Post-frying, the noodle cakes, as they are referred to, are then put through a cooler/dryer combination, which, as the name implies, cools the noodles in preparation for the final phase, and dries the noodles of any excess oil. The excess oil has to be removed as it would hinder the packaging process, and also affect the quality of the noodles themselves.
At the final phase, the noodles are packaged into their respective containers, be they packet noodles, which go five in a pack and have seasoning placed in the individual packages, or cup noodles, which go six in a pack and include a fork along with the seasoning. The noodle cakes also pass through two metal detectors before being packaged, to ensure that there are no metal pieces within the noodle cakes. This is also the phase where quality control kicks in, and careful inspection is performed before the packets are sealed and packed.
There’s more?
After the tour of the facility, was a second tour for the media, to showcase the company’s brand new concept store on Jonker Street. The concept store, coined the Jonker House, features a cafe, a souvenir shop featuring Mamee-themed products, a museum of Mamee’s history, as well as family activities, which include two workshops, named the Noodle Doodle and Lil’ Monster Kitchen, largely targeted at children.
The first workshop involved providing participants with a noodle cup of their own, with no colours on it, where they can exercise their creativity in designing their own cup. After that, the cups are packed with noodles, as well as condiments of choice. This method of packing lets the noodles be kept for only two weeks, as the entourage was informed, as the packing was not done in the clean-room-environment of the production facility.
The second workshop involves an instructor teaching the participants how to make the Mamee Monster snack, including every process from the preparation of the dough, to the cutting and frying of the noodles, as well as the seasoning of the noodle cake after it has been fried.
With the end of the tour of the Mamee Jonker House, the entourage was led back to the arranged bus, signalling the end of the media tour of Mamee’s facilities.
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