From an Art Gallery to a Food Legacy: The Banafee Story
Every brand has a beginning. Ours starts with an artist.
The artist who fed a city
Banafee's history began with the late Sheikh Abu Bakar bin Ahmad Banafee, an art activist who opened the Malay Art Gallery in Singapore in the 70s. A graduate of Nanyang University of Art, Singapore, he furthered his craft in Europe and was actively involved in establishments in Johor Bahru, including the Johor Malay Chamber of Commerce.
From an artist, he transformed his career into food establishments, and a family legacy was born.
Three addresses, three decades
- 1970 · Banafee opens at Bangunan UMNO, Johor Bahru City
- 1980 · Banafee @ Jalan Ibrahim
- 1990 · Restoran Banafee @ Jalan Segget
Two generations strong
Today the legacy is carried forward by founder Shakib Abu Bakar Banafee, with executive directors Abu Bakar Banafee bin Shakib and Davi Banafee bin Shakib leading operations and the next chapter of growth, from Kuala Lumpur to Saudi Arabia.
The medium changed. The artistry never did.