Wrapped in Flavor, Designed with Purpose: Darren Lee

Darren Lee is the General Manager of Lee Wee & Brothers and a proud second-generation owner passionate about honoring his family’s otah-making legacy. With an open mind and a deep appreciation for design as a strategic tool, he’s reshaped the brand to stay relevant, agile, and meaningful to today’s customers. to you?

You’ve led a powerful transformation of Lee Wee & Brothers from a traditional F&B brand into a modern lifestyle business. What role did design play in guiding that transformation, and how did you approach it as a non-designer?

Design helps us connect more deeply with our customers and stay agile in a constantly evolving market. It drove product innovation, enabling us to introduce exciting new formats, while also fostering a culture of collaboration, creative problem-solving, and continuous improvement within the team.

As a non-designer, I approached this by recognising the power of design to shape customer experiences and create meaningful connections. Staying open to fresh ideas and valuing design as a strategic tool allowed us to drive transformation and align with changing consumer expectations.

Many businesses think of design as packaging or visuals. For Lee Wee & Brothers, how has design influenced deeper decisions – from branding to customer experience and even product innovation?

We see design as a way to improve functionality and build meaningful connections. Our branding is crafted to resonate across generations, striking a balance between freshness and familiarity. In the customer journey, design shapes each interaction to be clear, efficient, and enjoyable — from how menus are presented to the flow of ordering and takeaway — while reinforcing our values and making the experience more memorable.

Design has also guided how we reimagine fresh takes on the classics. Our Frozen Otah Croquette, Otah Fries, and Otah Fuzhou Fish Ball are designed not just for convenience, but to appeal to a younger generation with fun, snackable formats — while still being familiar and nostalgic for older customers. These choices in format, flavour, and packaging help us stay relevant and bridge generational preferences, offering a new way to enjoy Otah.

Design is often seen as a cost rather than an investment, especially in tough times. What ROI—whether in customer loyalty, market reach, or internal culture—have you observed since the rebrand?

This has increased customer satisfaction, with more positive feedback reflecting the enhanced experience. Design has enabled us to expand our product offerings, with more options suitable for different occasions and events, making our products more accessible and attracting new customer segments. We’ve also seen steady sales growth, particularly for new products that cater to shifting consumer trends.

Internally, the rebrand has boosted our team’s sense of pride and purpose, driving innovation and improving customer service. It has also increased brand recognition, allowing us to stand out in the market and engage with customers more effectively.

You’ve shown that design can live beyond aesthetics—into product innovation, community storytelling, and even workplace inclusion when you hired a hearing-impaired staff. How do you cultivate a company culture where design thinking and creativity can thrive?

We believe that empowering our team to share their unique viewpoints leads to better decision-making and fresh ideas that challenge conventional thinking. We create a culture of open communication, collaboration, and diversity. Every team member, regardless of their role, is encouraged to contribute ideas. This openness fosters creativity, where innovative solutions emerge from diverse perspectives.

We also prioritize continuous learning and development, ensuring our team stays inspired and up-to-date with the latest design trends and business practices. This commitment to growth allows us to stay agile and adaptable, integrating design into all areas of our business—from product innovation to customer experience.

You recently attended our Design Thinking in Action (DTIA) Get-Together. What were your key takeaways, and how did the conversations there resonate with your own experience applying design thinking in a heritage F&B business?

One of the key takeaways was the importance of creating a space that encourages free thinking. This means fostering an environment where our team feels empowered to experiment, embrace new ideas, and not be constrained by traditional ways of doing things. This openness also ties into how we view technology, such as AI, as a partner rather than a solution in itself.

Another inspiring takeaway was the importance of true inclusive design. In the F&B industry, it’s not just about making our products accessible, but about creating experiences that emotionally and socially connect with our diverse customers. By ensuring every decision fosters dignity, acceptance, and freedom, we’re able to build a more inclusive, welcoming environment that reflects the values we stand for.

At DBCS, we believe that design has the power to drive transformation across sectors. From what you’ve seen at the DTIA Get-Together and within your own company, how can businesses embed design thinking more meaningfully—not just in products, but in operations and strategy?

I think businesses can embed design thinking meaningfully by integrating empathy-driven insights into operations—starting with customer research to redesign packaging and service touchpoints for both emotional and functional impact; involving frontline staff in rethinking workflows to boost efficiency and morale; using low-risk prototyping to test strategic ideas before full rollout; and fostering a company-wide design thinking mindset by training cross-functional teams in creative problem-solving, and rapid ideation, allowing innovation to emerge from all levels.

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