This startup makes durian season last all year with freeze tech

This article is a part of Startup Spotlight, a series that features young, up-and-coming startups.

A pile of durian / Photo credit: Jinnaritt Thongruay / 123RF

The idea for Spike Durian began with a failed 3 a.m. hunt for durian. In 2011, founder Chris Quek’s pregnant wife had a craving for Mao Shan Wang durian. He found only overpriced, low-quality fruit because it was the off-season.

That disappointment sparked a 14-year search for a technology that could preserve peak-season freshness, a search that ended when he discovered Agrifreeze.

😟 Problem

The durian market faces a supply-demand mismatch from natural harvest cycles, with premium Malaysian Mao Shan Wang only available for about six months a year. During the off-season, supply drops by up to 90%.

This leads to price gouging, inferior quality, or total unavailability for consumers in Singapore. Climate instability has made traditional harvest calendars even more erratic and unreliable.

💡 Solution

Spike Durian uses advanced freezing technology and strategic inventory management to offer premium durian year-round. It decouples consumption from harvest dates by stockpiling peak-season fruit and releasing it during the off-season.

The firm’s solutions include:

• Agrifreeze technology: A proprietary blast-freezing process creates small ice crystals. This preserves the durian’s creamy texture and aroma, unlike standard freezing.
• Extended shelf life: The “fresh-lock” process extends shelf life up to 12 months without preservatives.
• Stock-and-release model: The company procures high-quality durian during peak seasons. It then releases this inventory during the off-season for stable supply and pricing.

Photo credit: Spike Durian

📊 Market size

Spike Durian is unlocking a dormant, off-season market for premium durian in Singapore. The total addressable market is estimated at S$90 million (US$70.3 million).

The startup’s technology also aligns with Singapore’s national Food Story 2 strategy, which emphasizes food resilience and advanced preservation. Its initial goal is to capture 50,000 recurring users within two years.

🤝 Team

• Christopher Quek. Co-founder and CEO. A serial entrepreneur and VC with 28 years of experience. He has mentored over 2,000 founders and exited multiple businesses.
• Han Lin Loh. Co-founder and CMO. Has a decade of experience in F&B operations and FMCG branding. He specializes in turning commodities into lifestyle brands.
• Marcus Choy. Co-founder and COO. Has seven years of experience in supply chain and project management. He manages the Agrifreeze cold chain logistics.

🚀 Traction

🏆 Competition

💰 Financials