F&B Digital Marketing Lessons from Amacha’s Rise

150,000+ cups sold in 8 months. 3 outlets opened fast. And a concept most people would’ve dismissed as “too niche”: TCM-inspired herbal milk tea.

Amacha’s story (founded by Sebastian Ang and Alex Ng) isn’t just a fun Singapore F&B headline—it’s a clean case study in Singapore startup marketing done right: a differentiated product, a brand people want to show off online, and operations strong enough to turn buzz into repeat purchases.

If you’re running an SME in Singapore—especially in F&B—here’s the stance I’ll take: social media doesn’t “build” your business; it amplifies what you’ve already built. Amacha grew because it gave social media something worth amplifying, then backed it up with product quality, consistency, and pricing discipline.

A “viral” product starts with positioning, not posting

Amacha didn’t win because it posted more. It won because it positioned itself in a gap customers already felt.

Traditional liang cha has baggage in Singapore: bitter taste, “medicinal” vibes, and the assumption you only drink it when you’re unwell. Amacha reframed the category into something you reach for because you want it—by blending heritage ingredients with a milk-tea-like experience and a modern brand aesthetic.

That’s a positioning move, and it’s the first lever SMEs should pull before spending a dollar on ads.

The positioning checklist SMEs should steal

Use this as a quick sanity test before you plan content:

1. What category are you in… really?
   • Amacha isn’t selling “herbal medicine.” It’s selling a treat with wellness cues.
2. What friction are you removing?
   • Bitter taste and “only when sick” framing.
3. What signal do customers get when they buy it?
   • “I’m health-conscious, but I still enjoy nice things.”
4. Can someone explain you in one sentence?
   • “TCM turned into milk tea.”

That last point matters more than most founders think. The best-performing content is often just customers repeating your one-liner in their own words.

Product innovation that translates into content people share

Amacha’s menu sits around 20 drinks, typically around S$5.90, with recipes that nod to traditional beliefs (e.g., ingredients like lily bulb, dried pear, red dates) but are shaped for modern taste.

Here’s what’s clever from a digital marketing standpoint: the product names and ingredient stories create built-in content angles.

When a drink is called something like “Grandma’s Remedy” (a modern reinterpretation of a founder’s family recipe) it gives you:

• a founder story for PR and “About us” content
• a short-form video script (origin story + pour + reaction)
• an easy UGC prompt (“try this if you’re…”) without making medical claims

A practical SME content framework: Story × Proof × Habit

If you’re marketing a food or beverage brand in Singapore, you can model your content into three buckets:

• Story content (top-of-funnel): founder background, cultural roots, behind-the-scenes prep.
• Proof content (mid-funnel): queue shots, repeat customers, sell-out moments, taste tests, menu explainers.
• Habit content (bottom-of-funnel): “weekday routine” prompts, bundles, family purchases, limited-time rotations.

Amacha’s story naturally feeds all three. Many SMEs only do Story (because it’s easy) or only do Proof (because it feels safe). The habit bucket is where consistent sales come from.

Social media helps you get discovered—operations decide if you scale

Amacha’s founder is blunt about it: marketing isn’t enough for sustainability. I agree.

This is the part that many “viral” F&B brands get wrong: they optimise for first purchase instead of second purchase.

Amacha reportedly brews its herbal drinks in-house every morning, with prep taking 4 to 6 hours depending on the beverage. That’s operational pain—but it’s also the reason the product can earn repeat customers.

What SMEs should learn about “quality content”

If your ops can’t support quality, your content becomes expensive fast.

A common pattern in Singapore SME digital marketing:

• a brand goes viral on TikTok
• footfall spikes
• wait times get messy, quality drops, reviews turn
• the next month’s ad spend doubles just to maintain sales

Amacha’s focus on consistency (and building a team of 17 employees as it expanded) is the unsexy work that makes the marketing pay off.

Actionable takeaway: before scaling ad budgets, tighten these three:

• prep SOPs (timings, measurements, batch logs)
• peak-hour staffing model (who does what at 12–2pm and 6–9pm)
• feedback loop (daily review mining: what people love, what annoys them)

Marketing should pour fuel on a stable fire—not a fire you’re still trying to start.

Pricing strategy is part of digital trust

One detail from Amacha’s expansion is easy to miss but worth copying: when the Tampines outlet opened, they adjusted prices downward by about 15% because ingredient costs could be spread across more outlets.

That kind of move builds a reputation that money can’t buy: fairness.

In Singapore, customers compare fast. They screenshot menus. They post stories with price overlays. If people feel you’re arbitrarily expensive, your comments section becomes your competitor’s billboard.

How to talk about price without sounding defensive

For SMEs, pricing communication is a content format on its own. Try:

• “Why we don’t do 12 toppings” (explain your product philosophy)
• “What goes into the brew” (show the process, not just the final cup)
• “How we keep prices stable” (seasonal ingredient changes, supplier shifts)

Be specific. People trust specifics.

Location, visual identity, and offline-to-online loops

Amacha’s first outlet at Pagoda Street benefited from strong footfall and a Chinatown setting that matched its heritage cues. It also had a memorable visual: tucked behind a statue of a Samsui woman, which aligned with the brand’s eventual identity.

This matters for Singapore startups marketing regionally too: your offline experience is content infrastructure.

Build “content surfaces” into your store

If you run an outlet-based SME, design for shareability without making it cringey. The basics work:

• one “signature angle” in-store (counter + lighting + product display)
• packaging that reads well on camera (colour contrast, recognisable icon)
• cups that look distinct from 2 metres away

Amacha’s porcelain-inspired motifs tied to wan shou wu jiang (boundless longevity) is a good example of a repeatable pattern customers recognise in feeds.

Rule: if your cup looks like everyone else’s cup, your customers can’t market for you.

What SMEs can copy next week: a 14-day content and leads plan

This series is about Singapore startup marketing, so let’s make this practical. Here’s a two-week plan for an F&B SME that wants both awareness and leads (not just likes).

Days 1–5: Build your core story assets

• Film 3 short videos:
  1. “Why we started” (30–45s)
  2. “How it’s made” (15–25s)
  3. “What to order if…” (three variants)
• Create 1 pinned post that states:
  • what you sell
  • where you are
  • your top 3 sellers
  • your opening hours

Days 6–10: Turn product into proof

• Ask every 10th customer for a quick reaction clip
• Post a daily “menu spotlight” with ingredients and taste notes
• Run a simple UGC prompt: “Tag us with your first sip reaction”

Days 11–14: Add a lead capture loop

Even if you don’t run heavy ads, you need a way to re-contact people.

• Create an offer: “New drink tasting list” or “monthly menu drop”
• Capture leads via:
  • QR code at counter
  • IG Story highlight “Menu drops”
  • a simple form tied to email/SMS

The point: social algorithms change. Your customer list is the asset.

People also ask: “Do I need TikTok to grow my F&B business in Singapore?”

You don’t need TikTok, but you do need a channel that supports discovery.

For most Singapore SMEs:

• TikTok/Reels = discovery
• Google Business Profile = high-intent conversion (maps + reviews)
• Instagram = menu clarity + brand memory

If you pick only one focus this quarter, I’d pick Google reviews + short-form video. Reviews convert. Video fills the top of the funnel.

What Amacha’s growth really signals for Singapore SME marketing in 2026

January is when many SMEs reset budgets and plan campaigns. The temptation is to start with ads. I’d start with the Amacha lesson: win a clear niche with a sharp story, then scale the repeatable parts.

Amacha combined cultural familiarity (herbal tea) with a modern consumption pattern (milk tea), invested S$250K into getting the first outlet right, then expanded while worrying about the correct thing—consistency.

If you’re building a Singapore F&B brand and thinking about regional expansion later, your marketing job is to make your concept easy to understand, easy to share, and easy to repeat. The rest is operational discipline.

Where do you want your customers to find you first: a random viral video, or a brand story they can explain in one sentence—and order again next week?