At the year of 2025, Kafu and Tong Seng Group has received a series of exciting good news. In December 2024, the group’s co-founder, Tong Tiansheng (Master Tong), was awarded the "Special Agricultural Product Zero Residue Award" at the 7th Malaysia Shennong Model Awards. However, the exciting news doesn’t stop there. From January 10 to 12, 2025,Kafu and Tong Seng Group was invited to Beijing, China, to attend the "Same Roots, Same Dream • 2025 Global Chinese Spring Festival Gala and Model Figures Annual Celebration," offering a cross-border cultural feast to global Chinese.
Tong Tiansheng, invited for his outstanding contributions to the industry, delivered a passionate and insightful speech. He shared the origin story of Malaysia's Musang King durian and how it broke into the Chinese market through effort and innovation, becoming a "star fruit" in the China-Malaysia trade relationship. His speech was met with enthusiastic applause, drawing the world’s attention to the unique charm of Malaysian durian.
Kafu and Tong Seng Group's achievements continued to grow, with the company receiving the "Chinese Model • 2024 Industry Leadership Brand" award, adding a bold chapter to the Musang King durian story. Additionally, Tong Tiansheng’s exceptional contributions were widely recognized, with a two-page feature in China Business Leaders Model Journal that highlighted his remarkable achievements as the "pioneer of Musang King durian seedlings."
Dato’ Wong Chong Lin, another co-founder of the group, expressed his excitement during an interview with Agriculture World Network, saying, "This event was of great significance. It is a proud moment for us that Master Tong represented Malaysia on the global Chinese elite stage. He not only showcased the unique value of Musang King durian but also conveyed the spirit and wisdom of the Malaysian Chinese people to the world." Wong also emphasized Tong Tiansheng’s meticulous preparation: "To prepare for this speech, Master Tong revised his manuscript repeatedly in his hotel room to perfect every detail. His hard work paid off, as he captured the full attention of national leaders and distinguished Chinese figures from 57 countries, creating an atmosphere of complete silence in the room. Clearly, the story of Musang King durian has deeply captivated their attention."
The awards are not just an honor, but also a source of motivation for the group to move forward. Wong believes that the recognition and invitation to this event reflect Kafu and Tong Seng Group's years of efforts in promoting agricultural cooperation between China and Malaysia. Especially in 2023, the group received high praise from visiting Chinese officials, including Zhao Zenglian, Director General of the General Administration of Customs, and Li Wentao, Director of the China Inspection and Quarantine Institute, for its excellence in agricultural product quality and ecological innovation. These recognitions have helped build a solid foundation for the group’s credibility and brand image.
During their visit to Beijing, Kafu and Tong Seng Group not only returned with accolades but also reached an important cooperation agreement with Beijing Xinfadi Agricultural Products Group. Tong Tiansheng revealed that through the introduction of Professor Fu Qiang, a national research expert, they were able to meet with Xinfadi Group's Chairman Wang Deping and establish a partnership.
Tong first met Professor Fu in 2017 and formed a strong collaborative relationship. Professor Fu had visited the group’s durian farm in Pahang, Malaysia, to introduce China's zero-residue agricultural technology, which was initially applied to durian cultivation. After seven years of improvements, this collaboration finally yielded satisfying results.
Tong shared, "I am very strict about the effectiveness of zero-residue technology. It must focus on 'agriculture and health,' while ensuring high yield and quality. This is not only a commitment to consumer health but also an important step towards the internationalization of Malaysian durian."
The collaboration with Xinfadi Group will also focus on the use of soft freezing technology to preserve the freshness and quality of durians for export. Tong expressed admiration for the scale of the Xinfadi wholesale market, covering 1800 acres (around 300 hectares), and the group's focus on the health of the population, aligned with the Chinese government's strategy for the "health China" initiative.
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