Kombucha has exploded in popularity over the years, with rows of brightly labeled bottles now lining supermarket shelves. But with so many options available, how does a new player stand out?
For Bryan and Justin Yee, the answer wasn’t to compete on price or flashy branding but to redefine what kombucha could be. Their company, Finding Hylas, doesn’t just sell kombucha—it personalizes it. Every bottle is brewed to order, tailored to individual health needs, and delivered straight to customers on a subscription basis.
A Business Born from Lockdown Innovation
Finding Hylas wasn’t always about kombucha. The Yee brothers initially set out to provide logistics, marketing, and customer service solutions to home-based vendors during the pandemic. But as they experimented with different products and services, they stumbled upon a niche: functional kombucha.
“Each individual has different health needs,” says Justin, a physiotherapist by training. “We wanted to create a drink that actually helps people, whether they need a low Glycemic Index option, an energy booster, or better digestion.”
With their subscription model, customers take a health quiz, and the team tailors a kombucha blend to their specific needs. Plans start at RM99 per month for 500ml weekly deliveries, scaling up to RM159 for 1L per week.
The Brothers Behind the Brew
Justin (left) and Bryan (right) make up the two brothers who cofounded Finding Hylas in 2021 during the Movement Control Order.
The ‘Dai Gor’ (eldest brother in Cantonese) Bryan, 29, brings a wealth of experience from the oil and gas industry. After earning a degree in chemical engineering from Ohio State University, he spent six years working across the U.S., Singapore, and Europe. He managed process control in the Oil & Gas industry and later transitioned into corporate strategy, where he prepared business decks for senior executives.
“I was really fortunate to have great mentors,” Bryan shares. “One of the first lessons I learned was to walk the talk.”
“We used to do remote support for companies around the world, and some nights we’d end at 2 AM. If it’s 2 AM for us, it’s 2 AM for him. He’s right there with you.”
They brought this ethos to their production line at Finding Hylas.
“We’re there for every production, we’re tasting it ourselves, we’re caring about it. It makes a difference in the morale of an operation.”
Bryan’s time in the U.S. also shaped his entrepreneurial mindset. “The culture there is all about challenging the status quo and finding opportunities. That rubbed off on me—every problem felt like a chance to create something new.”
The younger of the two brothers, Justin, 27, took a different path. A physiotherapy graduate from Sheffield Hallam University, he built a YouTube channel with 40,000 subscribers, sharing insights on pain management and rehabilitation.
His work exposed him to high-profile clients—business owners, influencers, and politicians—teaching him how to communicate effectively and understand people’s physical and emotional pain points.
“Trust is everything,” he explains. “If someone comes to me with back pain and I can pinpoint exactly where it hurts, they’re more likely to trust my solution. That same philosophy applies to our business—if we can identify the specific problems our customers face and solve them, they’ll stick with us.”
Late Nights, Broken Bottles, and a Turning Point
Bryan (left) shows IRL the rows and rows of jars of kombucha in their shop. They sometimes do “Make your own Kombucha” workshops as well.
Finding Hylas wasn’t an instant success. In the early days, Bryan and Justin juggled full-time jobs while brewing kombucha at night.
“We’d get home at 6 PM, eat dinner, then start at 8,” Bryan recalls. “Back then, our process was so inefficient—it took five hours to make just 10 bottles. We’d be up until 2 AM, then wake up for work the next day.”
Justin laughs, “Now we can produce 300 bottles in eight hours. But back then, something would always go wrong. A bottle would break, we’d get frustrated with each other—but we learned to rely on each other, to trust that we had the same goal.”
As they refined their process, they also refined their niche. A conversation with Justin’s physio manager and mentor provided a breakthrough.
“He told us, ‘You should really target people with specific health goals. What does kombucha actually do for a person’s health?’”
Bryan recalls. “That’s when we really leaned into research and development.”
They started engaging directly with customers, asking about their health struggles. Bloating, acid reflux, inflammation—real problems that people were desperate to solve.
“We basically turned our customers into an ongoing focus group,” Justin explains. “One nurse told us that our kombucha helped clear her breakouts after night shifts. That insight helped us refine our formula even more.”
Try Finding Hylas today: Use PROMO code “HylasIRL” and get RM20 off your first month!
Lessons in Business and Brotherhood
The Finding Hylas store is located at 3-11, KEDAI KL, Mahsa Avenue, Jalan Ilmu, Universiti Malaya, KL.
Running a business together has been a learning curve for both brothers.
“We’ve learnt not to compromise on our ideas. We don’t do it half-heartedly just to please one’s partner, which is also a truism in romantic relationships. It’s a form of trusting the other person – if you feel strongly about it, then let’s do it,” shares Bryan.
For example, Justin had this idea to make smaller versions of the kombucha and package them in 250ml bottles that they would stock in 7-Elevens and coffee houses.
Back then, Bryan was not keen on the idea, because he couldn’t see the ROI since the effort in packaging the bottles would outweigh the returns. But after some time, he agreed, and they launched a mini version of this product in Bukit Jalil. Now it acts as a gateway to the subscription service.
“Back then we would have been stretched too thin. It would have been lost on people.” But I decided to trust my brother, and now it has really taken off.”
Why Subang is the Perfect Incubator for Entrepreneurs
Bryan and Justin both grew up in Subang, an area known for both an affluent middle-class and for breeding a hustle mentality in its millennial and Gen-Z kids.
“There’s something about growing up here—it’s not about extreme hardship, but we’ve all seen our parents work their way up,” says Bryan. “That balance of security and drive makes it easier to take calculated risks.”
Malaysia, the brothers believe, is an underrated environment for startups.
“People here are curious about new ideas, and there aren’t as many barriers to entry as in, say, New Zealand,” Justin explains.
“Yes, things don’t always work perfectly—unlike Singapore, where everything works, sometimes the MRT breaks down—but that just means Malaysians are natural problem-solvers. That mindset is invaluable for business.”
Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
For those looking to start their own venture, Bryan and Justin offer straightforward advice.
“Just get started. You’re not gonna have it figured out. Find someone you trust to do things with,” says Bryan.
“Ideally, you should find someone you value above the business to work with as your business partner. So that if we end up disagreeing on where to take the business, and if it really goes down that path, we’ll walk away from the business to preserve the relationship.”
The Future of Finding Hylas
Bryan and Justin are helped by a team of part-timers and friends.
Looking ahead, the brothers have ambitious goals.
“Long term, it’s about making a difference in people’s lives. Making a bigger impact – maybe branching out to other health-related solutions to customer issues.”
For these two brothers, Finding Hylas is more than a business—it’s a journey of constant discovery, innovation, and problem-solving. And in a world where gut health is increasingly linked to overall well-being, their kombucha might just be the perfect tonic for modern life.
Try Finding Hylas today: Use PROMO code “HylasIRL” and get RM20 off your first month!
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