PopeJai’s contributions to society has been duly recognised. It has been named as a “Champion of Good 2020” by the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre’s (NVPC) Company of Good. This is the first time that the restaurant chain is being conferred this award.
The Covid-19 pandemic has affected almost all sectors of the economy among which, the food and beverage sector has been especially hurt, no thanks to the circuit breaker measures which banned in-restaurant dining, and subsequently, a strict cap on group sizes and operating hours.
However, this has not deterred PopeJai, a Thai restaurant chain cum social enterprise from integrating acts of good into their operations. Founded by Daniel Teh – a reformed gang member – the company looks to providing a safety net of sorts for individuals such as youth at risk or persons with disabilities who encounter difficulties securing employment. As such, a vast majority of its employees are individuals from marginalised or vulnerable backgrounds.
