What does it take to build a homegrown Malaysian fried chicken brand from Sabah? 

For BFM 89.9’s Malaysia Day special, Borenos Fried Chicken co-founder and CEO Janice Yeo joined Open for Business with host Audrey Raj to share the story behind Borenos, what sets its fried chicken apart, and the realities of growing an East Malaysian brand nationally. 

Listen to the full conversation below, or read on for the key takeaways.

Building a Malaysian Brand from Sabah

Borenos opened in Kota Kinabalu in 2015, but the idea behind the brand started with a simple decision: rather than bringing another overseas F&B franchise into Malaysia, why not build a local brand of their own? 

Janice shared that she and her family wanted to create something that could grow from Sabah and, one day, potentially expand beyond Malaysia. 

That ambition is also reflected in the name Borenos, which Janice explained comes from Borneo, with the “S” representing Sabah, Sarawak and Semenanjung. 

The bigger vision is for Borenos to become a Malaysian brand that people recognise and seek out, whether they are from East or West Malaysia. 

What Makes Borenos Fried Chicken Different?

For Janice, Borenos’ product is not built around one “secret” ingredient. 

Instead, she described it as the result of several factors working together, including fresh chicken, oil-quality management, years of R&D, marination, ingredients and cooking processes. 

The team spent several years developing its fried chicken, with one of the goals being to create a product that does not leave an overly greasy or jelak feeling afterwards. 

Borenos also uses fresh, locally sourced chicken rather than frozen chicken. Janice said the brand maintains a freshness target of less than 24 hours from slaughter to plate, while technology is used to monitor the condition and usable lifespan of its cooking oil. 

Together, these practices form part of Borenos’ focus on freshness, consistency and the overall eating experience. 

Taking Borenos Beyond Sabah

After spending most of its first decade building the brand in Sabah, Borenos expanded into the Klang Valley, with outlets in Puchong, Damansara Uptown and Bandar Baru Bangi. 

Janice described the move as effectively starting from scratch again. 

While Borenos already had strong recognition among local customers in Sabah, West Malaysia meant introducing the brand to a new audience in a highly competitive F&B market. 

The expansion also came with practical challenges, from different licensing and renovation processes to higher rental costs and finding the right locations. 

But Borenos also wanted to bring something distinctly Sabahan with it. 

Janice shared that team members from Sabah were brought over to help carry the warmth of Sabah hospitality into the Klang Valley outlets. She described Borenos as serving “comfort food with peace of mind”, supported by genuine service and a relaxed dining environment. 

More East Malaysian Brands on the National Stage

Beyond Borenos, Janice also spoke about why relatively few Sabah and Sarawak brands have expanded nationally. 

She pointed to the comfort of operating in a familiar market, as well as the fear of the unknown that comes with entering a new business environment. 

Having gone through that journey herself, her advice to other East Malaysian entrepreneurs considering expansion is simple: 

“Go for it.” 

For Janice, growing Borenos is not only about opening more outlets. It is also about showing that a brand can begin in Sabah, cross the South China Sea and build a place for itself on the national stage. 

It is a journey that reflects the original ambition behind Borenos: a Malaysian brand born in Sabah, built for Malaysians across Sabah, Sarawak and Semenanjung.