FOR FYE 31 DEC 2025 GUAN CHONG'S REVENUE WAS RM14.9 BILLION, NET PROFIT RM227.9 MILLION

Brandon Tay is best described as Malaysia's Cocoa King. He built up the family business of Guan Chong since 1993 into Malaysia and Asia's largest manufacturer of cocoa-derived food ingredients. Guan Chong Berhad reported revenue of RM14.9 billion  in FYE31 Dec 2025 and net profit of RM227.9 million. 

When Guan Chong was listed in 2005 its revenue was only RM418 million. Brandon's dynamic leadership did not go unnoticed and he was EY Entrepreneur of the year 2012. A graduate of the University of Toledo, USA with a business degree, this Muar boy joined the family business because as eldest son, he was expected to follow his father into the cocoa trading and cocoa beans processing business. The family owned factory was in Pasir Gudang Johor and was doing a modest 6,000 tonnes grinding capacity. Brandon learned from his novice days that the cocoa business was never certain with unpredictable changes in supply of cocoa beans, vagaries of weather, demand etc. So it is risky, and requires heavy capital investment for new plants. Despite the odds, he has a passion for the cocoa business. In Oct 2025 Brandon was elected as the Chairman of Cocoa Association of Asia in recognition of his leadership in the industry. He is also a  permanent member of the Malaysia Cocoa Board. 

As World Number 4 cocoa grinder, Guan Chong trails behind the 3 cocoa giants - Switzerland's Barry Callebaut AG, USA's Cargill Inc and ofi (Olam Food Ingredients) headquartered in Singapore. But it is Brandon's dream to keep going higher. Guan Chong has production facilities in Côte d’Ivoire (world's largest cocoa bean origin), chocolate production facilities in the UK and Germany, powder mill in the USA.  The company's growth strategy is to reinforce its position as a global leader in the chocolate supply chain. 

At top management of Guan Chong is Brandon Tay as MD/CEO with his number two since 2005 as ED/COO cousin Tay How Sik (66). Brandon's sister, Tay See Min (54) is Commercial Director and another cousin, Tay How Yeh (60) is Director of Guan Chong Cocoa Manufacturer. How Yeh is How Sik's brother. 

Brandon Tay Hoe Lian, 61, was appointed as the Managing Director and CEO of Guan Chong Berhad (GCB) on 8 January 2005. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the College of Business Administration at the University of Toledo, US, in 1993. Upon graduation, he joined JB Cocoa Group Sdn. Bhd. as a Transport Division Manager. In 1997, he became Marketing Manager at Guan Chong Cocoa Manufacturer (GCCM), where he gained extensive experience in marketing cocoa powder across the European, Middle Eastern, and South American markets. In 1999, he was appointed as a Director of GCCM, later advancing to General Manager in 2002 and Managing Director in 2003. His strong commitment was instrumental in expanding GCCM’s production capacity, positioning the company as a global leader in cocoa bean processing, both in terms of capacity and market share. Since 1 February 2023, he has been serving as a Member of the Malaysian Cocoa Board which is under the purview of the Malaysian Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities,  In October 2025, he was appointed as the Chairman of Cocoa Association of Asia, leading the team to drive growth and success in the industry.  

Tay How Sik @ Tay How Sick,66, was appointed as the Executive Director and COO of GCB on 8 January 2005. From 1987 to 2003, he served as a Director at JB Cocoa Group Sdn. Bhd., where he played a pivotal role in establishing the company’s cocoa bean processing plant and overseeing the setup of the production line and machinery installation. In 1989, he took on the dual roles of Director and Factory Manager at GCCM, and has since maintained responsibility for the company’s factory operations. Over the course of his career, he has developed deep expertise in producing cocoa-based food ingredients, while also refining his ability to maintain and adapt machinery to improve production efficiency and product quality. He is the cousin of Brandon Tay Hoe Lian, the Managing Director, CEO, and a shareholder of the Company.

KEY SENIOR MANAGEMENT
Tay How Yeh, 60, was appointed as Director of GCCM in January 2003 and currently also serves as Director at GCBCS and GCBCM. He graduated with a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from the University of Toledo in 1989. Between 1990 and 1995, he worked as Manager at GCT, handling cocoa bean sourcing in Tawau, Sabah. In 1995, he joined GCCM as Production Manager, playing a pivotal role in expanding production capacity and overseeing planning and quality. He is the cousin of Brandon Tay and the brother of Tay How Sik, who is also a substantial shareholder of the company.  

Tay See Min, 54, was appointed as Commercial Director of GCBCS on 10 December 2010. She graduated from Monash University, Australia, with a Bachelor’s in Information Systems in 1993 and initially worked in the IT industry, as an IT Manager at AIA. Since joining GCCM, she has played a key role in trading cocoa beans and expanding the sales and marketing of cocoa products. She successfully set up GCBCI in Jakarta, managed the Indonesian market, and was later appointed as Director of newly set up overseas subsidiaries in Côte d’Ivoire, the UK and Switzerland. Her responsibilities span both commercial and IT functions within the Group.

SOURCES

1. Guan Chong Berhad. 2025 Annual Report. https://disclosure.bursamalaysia.com/FileAccess/apbursaweb/download?id=251354&name=EA_DS_ATTACHMENTS
2. Cocoa Association of Asia. https://www.cocoaasia.org/leadership
3. The Edge Malaysia. 16 December 2025. Kang Siew Li. https://theedgemalaysia.com/node/785314
4. Vistage. https://vistage.com.my/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Member-Reflection-Brandon-Tay.pdf
5. The Edge Malaysia. 3 December 2012. 
6. https://theedgemalaysia.com/article/ey-entrepreneur-year-tay-says-focus-important-business
7. The Malaysian Reserve. 25 July 2019. Shaheera Aznam Shah. https://themalaysianreserve.com/2019/07/25/desire-for-chocolate-a-boost-for-guan-chong/