[Feature] ORTO: How A Singapore Millennial Reinvented Her Father's Legacy Prawning Business

The Corporate Snapshot

In the heart of Yishun, Singapore, lies a sprawling 51,000-square-foot leisure destination that defies easy categorization. ORTO, formerly known as Bottle Tree Park, is a multi-faceted recreational hub built upon a unique and enduring legacy: prawning. What began as a simple fishing pond has evolved under new leadership into a vibrant community space, navigating the delicate balance between honouring tradition and embracing modern leisure demands.

• 🏢 Entity: ORTO Pte Ltd
• 🎯 Area of Expertise: Leisure & Entertainment, F&B, Aquaculture
• 📍 Market Status: Niche Market Leader & Lifestyle Challenger

The Scoop: What's New?

The story making waves isn't about a new product launch or a funding round. It's a story of succession, resilience, and strategic pivoting. In 2022, Ms. Bernadette Lim, a millennial with no prior experience in aquaculture or F&B, took the helm of ORTO following the passing of her father, the founder. Faced with the immense pressure of continuing a beloved family business and a 50% drop in revenue during the pandemic, she embarked on a mission not just to save the business, but to reimagine it for a new generation.

Executive Insights: The Conversation

Stepping into her father's shoes was, as Bernadette Lim describes, an act of "love and duty." The initial months were a crash course in everything from water filtration systems to prawn feed cycles. She recalls the daunting reality: "The numbers were stark. We couldn't rely solely on the core prawning activity anymore. The market had changed; people sought experiences, not just a catch."

This realization sparked a strategic overhaul. Lim's vision was to transform ORTO from a dedicated prawning spot into a "one-stop leisure destination." She spearheaded the diversification of offerings, introducing new concepts like a mussel fishing pond and significantly expanding the food and beverage lineup. "We had to give people more reasons to come, and more reasons to stay longer," she explains. The goal was to create a social ecosystem where families, friends, and corporate groups could find multiple avenues for engagement under one roof.

When asked about the challenge of modernizing a legacy business, she emphasized the importance of subtle evolution. "We didn't want to alienate our loyal regulars who come for the peace and tradition of prawning. The key was addition, not replacement. We enhanced the ambiance, improved service touchpoints, and introduced complementary activities that shared the same relaxed, communal vibe." This approach reflects a deep understanding of her brand's core equity while boldly expanding its perimeter.

Professional Highlights & Track Record

• Successful Leadership Transition: Navigated a high-stakes, emotional succession plan, stabilising operations and steering the business post-founder within a year.
• Strategic Business Model Pivot: Engineered a diversification strategy that reduced revenue dependency on core prawning, introducing mussel fishing and expanding F&B outlets to boost average customer spend and visit duration.
• Post-Pandemic Recovery Led the business through the aftermath of COVID-19, implementing operational efficiencies and new marketing initiatives to recapture and grow the customer base.
• Brand Evolution: Managed the sensitive rebranding and repositioning of a well-known local landmark, balancing modernisation with respect for its established heritage and community standing.

The Verdict

Bernadette Lim's journey with ORTO is a masterclass in next-generation SME leadership. It transcends a simple business turnaround, showcasing how emotional intelligence, adaptive strategy, and respect for legacy can combine to future-proof a traditional family enterprise. Her story resonates deeply in Malaysia's own business landscape, where countless family-run SMEs face similar succession and modernisation challenges.

• 📈 Market Impact: 7/10 (A strong niche play demonstrating how to expand a market by redefining the customer experience.)
• 💡 Innovation Level: 8/10 (Innovation here is contextual and brilliant—applying ecosystem thinking to a single-activity leisure model.)
• 🚀 Growth Potential: 8/10 (The diversified model presents clear pathways for replication, concept licensing, or curated expansions within the region.)

"The most valuable inheritance isn't the business itself, but the permission to reinvent it for a new era, while keeping its soul intact."