KUALA LUMPUR: Food and beverage manufacturer A1 AK Koh Group Bhd aims to tap into new markets in 2026, focusing on the hotel, restaurant and catering segment.

Chief executive officer Koh Lian Jie said the company is looking to appoint one or two distributors locally and internationally to help expand its reach within the segment.

"We are also working to strengthen our export market by identifying more overseas distributors to help penetrate foreign markets," he told a press conference after the company's listing ceremony here today.

A1 AK Koh Group Bhd made its ACE Market debut today with its share price opening flat at 25 sen, unchanged from the initial public offering (IPO) price, with 30.44 million shares traded.

Koh did not disclose specifically the countries the company is targeting, but said its focus would be on Western countries as it aims to introduce locally flavoured products such as laksa.

The company is also actively participating in exhibitions such as Food and Hotel Asia (FHA) and the Thailand International Food Exhibition (TIFEX) to seek potential customers.

On the company’s outlook, Koh said demand for its products is expected to rise moderately next year. It foresees a stronger pickup in 2027 once its new factory is operational.

The company said in its prospectus that the new factory comprises two buildings - a production floor spanning 17,000 square feet (sq ft) and a storage area of 17,000 sq ft.

The buildings are expected to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2026 (4Q 2026), while the semi-automated production line is scheduled to be operational in 4Q 2027.

The company is targeting a five to 10 per cent growth within two years by capturing market share from competitors.

It aims to raise revenue contribution from exports to 35 per cent from the current 22 per cent and reduce domestic contribution to 65 per cent from 77 per cent, Koh said. - Bernama