Run by former colleagues, Christina Chan (left), 42, and Ailyn Khoo (right), 48, That’s My Pizza quickly became one of Bukit Timah Market & Food Centre’s most popular stalls with their house-made Neapolitan-style pies. Back in 2022, Christina jumped at the chance to open a stall in the hawker centre that she frequented, roping in her pal Ailyn, who had been enjoying a break after her family’s chemical business shut down during the pandemic.
On October 1, the duo relocated their two-year-old pizza stall to the interim hawker centre close by after Bukit Timah Market & Food Centre was shuttered to make way for an integrated development. They also expanded by opening a second stall, That’s My Brew, which serves local craft beers on tap and kombucha.
Why expand into beer?
On why they have decided to open a craft beer stall, Christina shares matter-of-factly: “All along, we thought pizza must go with beer.”
That’s My Brew is a natural extension of their business, fulfilling a long-time dream to pair their pizzas with quality brews. The hawkers invested around $20K to set up a second stall.
That’s My Brew currently offers three beers on tap from Singaporean brewery Brewlander, from $11 a pint. “The main focus is to support local breweries. We plan to rotate the draught beers every two to three weeks. We’re bringing in Sunbird Brewing Company next,” shares Christina. Locally brewed kombucha sourced from different suppliers is also available.
Although That’s My Pizza and That’s My Brew are located separately in the food centre, both offer bundled menus where customers can order pizza and craft beer at either stall. You can also make a pre-order via their website.
Biz dropped 30% after move to interim hawker centre
Despite their excitement over expanding, the move hasn’t been without challenges. Business has dropped by 30 percent, while rent at the new location is about 30 percent higher for a similarly-sized stall. Christina notes that overall foot traffic at the interim hawker centre has decreased. To set up their pizza and beer stalls here, the hawkers invested around $40K, expecting to operate in this temporary space for the next four to five years.
Few regulars at temp market
They are puzzled by the decline, especially since the new food centre is “just across the road”. “We haven’t seen some of our regular customers at the new location,” says Christina, adding that she suspects some may not be aware they’ve relocated.
Though the adjustment has been tough, the pair remain hopeful. Christina has noticed their beer stall attracting a new and more diverse crowd, including a growing number of foreign customers. “Business is slower at the start due to the new location, but we see that it is picking up. It will not continue to be slow,” she says hopefully.
Once the permanent food centre is ready, they plan to move back in and integrate both the pizza and beer stalls into a single space.
Expanded menu with new flavours
Since their early days, That’s My Pizza has grown its menu significantly from an initial dozen flavours to over 20 options today, including options like Japanese Chashu Kurobuta ($28) and Mala Smoked Duck ($22). Their hand-stretched Neapolitan-style pizzas are made from fine-grained doppio zero flour imported from Italy for a delicate yet chewy texture – with the dough now fermented for 72 hours instead of the previous 48, for an even better rise.
Although the hawkers have recently hired a full-time staff to assist with pizza-making, Christina insists on preparing the dough herself. “I need to be the one controlling the quality and ensure they’re made consistently,” she says.
In addition to their classic tomato and rosemary garlic bases, they’ve introduced more options, like a white pizza made with house-made truffle cream and a house-made pesto base. Limited-time specials include a fancy wild-caught Sea Prawn Bisque Pizza ($38).
Prices range from $18 to $38 for a 10-inch pie. Despite a 30 percent rent increase at their new location, Christina and Ailyn have only raised prices on two menu items.
Franchised stall in Newton Food Centre
This year, Christina and Ailyn also ventured into franchising for the first time – albeit unintentionally. “We weren’t thinking of franchising at first. But when we took up two stalls, we started looking into hiring staff,” Christina explains. The pair had run the stall on their own for the past two years, with Ailyn managing orders and finances while Christina handled pizza-making.
“My friend came to help us out for a couple of months and after that, he thought it was something he could do with his wife. They decided they wanted to start their own pizza stall,” she shares.
The couple saw potential in running a franchise outlet of That’s My Pizza. “Since the trust was already there, and we know how passionate they are about pizza, we agreed to go ahead,” shares Christina. In August, their friends-turned-franchisees opened a stall at Newton Food Centre, with the franchise fee set at a “five-figure sum”.
Will we see more That’s My Pizza outlets in the future? “Now, we’re more open to it,” says Christina, emphasising that they’d only consider collaborating with like-minded partners.
Family now accepting of hawker job
Two years into their hawker journey, Ailyn’s family is now unfazed by her ventures. “When I told them I was opening a second stall, they just said, ‘Okay, go ahead,’” she says with a laugh. It’s a far cry from their initial reservations – Ailyn’s mum had told her it’s xim tia (heartache in Hokkien) to see her becoming a hawker. Ailyn previously told 8days.sg that she “seldom visited hawker centres” and preferred air-conditioned establishments.
Despite the hard work, Ailyn finds the experience “very exciting”. “It’s rewarding to have survived these two years,” she shares. For Christina and Ailyn, the journey has been filled with both highs and lows. One of the greatest highlights has been receiving five-star reviews from customers who appreciate the experience they offer. “Being able to converse with our customers and seeing regulars come back has been special,” shares Christina. The hawkers cite dealing with the heat and the unpredictable crowd flow as their biggest challenges. But their friendship remains as strong as ever.
That’s My Pizza is at #01-071 Bukit Timah Market & Food Centre (Interim), 2A Jln Seh Chuan, S599213. Open Tues to Sun 11am-2pm; 5pm-8pm. Tel: 9753 1577. More info via website and Instagram.
That’s My Brew is at #01-067 Bukit Timah Market & Food Centre (Interim), 2A Jln Seh Chuan, S599213. Open Thur to Sun 5pm-8pm. More info via Instagram.
Photos: Aik Chen & That’s My Pizza
Top In Asia
