BY: Aida Aziz
IPOH: The intention of this young individual from Ipoh to start a food and beverage business with prices set at RM2 has been long-standing; solely to assist the local community.
Muhammad Amiruddin Ramli, 29, is the proprietor of Café RM2, which has been a fixture on Jalan Kamaruddin Isa in Fair Park for nearly a month.
Asked about the main reason for selling all food and beverages at that price, his response was straightforward, he wants everyone to be able to enjoy food.
The eldest of three siblings further emphasized that, despite the low prices, he places significant emphasis on the quality and taste of the food he serves.
“I’m delighted to see people from diverse walks of life enjoying the food we provide. Although the price is RM2, we still prioritize the quality of the food.
Furthermore, our chef is a former hotel chef. Running this business won’t make me wealthy; even with a profit margin of 20 or 30 cents, it’s sufficient for operational costs.
“We sell, people can eat, and our staff earns a satisfactory income,” he stated during an interview.
“The café opens as early as 6:30 AM until 5 PM to enable a wide range of people to purchase food, especially those heading to work. In addition to a vendor-based system, the café also prepares 12 different menu items, including chicken rice, mi bandung, curry noodles, side dishes, and beverages.
“So far, we have more than 30 vendors, and the condition we impose is that the food they provide must be delicious. We taste it first before approving it for sale to customers. We offer items like laksa, roti jala, Korean food, puddings, cakes, and agar-agar,” he added.
His plan for expanding this business with affordable pricing includes branching out to other areas.
“I have indeed offered this opportunity to friends or acquaintances to open branches in Meru Raya, Greentown, and Station 18 here. We’re focusing on Ipoh for now, and, God willing, we’ll open a new outlet in Meru Raya to start with, and if there are no obstacles, it will open in September,” he said.
Meanwhile, visitors to the café generally agree that the prices offered are reasonable and hard to find elsewhere.
Raihanah Sheik Amanullakhan, 33, a nurse, stated that she visited the café for the first time after learning about it from a friend.
She had previously purchased food near the hospital and was pleasantly surprised by the affordable prices at this café.
Aizatul Syazwani Yusuff, 24, who came with her husband, Syazwan Zakaria, 29, mentioned that they had been frequenting the café since its opening earlier this month.
They enjoy the variety of options for breakfast and find it worth the visit.
For private sector worker Nur Syazana Md Khatib, 38, she bought food at the café for her office colleagues.
She praised the affordability and the opportunity to avoid wastage by buying in suitable quantities.
“This is my first time here. If the food is good and suits my taste, I will definitely come back. My friends also asked me to buy food for them, so I did.
“Besides saving money, it’s good to prevent waste because sometimes we buy too much, and when it’s not finished, it’s just thrown away.
With prices and quantities like this, it’s very reasonable,” she said.
