
Halim (centre) and his colleagues and fellow cheese whizzes at Ripe in Melbourne’s iconic Queen Victoria Market (All photos: Hakim Halim)
Melbourne recently emerged in an online poll as the world’s top gourmet destination, trumping other cities, even famously foodie ones in Japan and Italy.
For Antipodeans, it came as no surprise, given how stellar Australian produce is. Moreover, the country’s reputation as a melting pot has resulted in a diverse pool of talent that now drives Melbourne’s 3,500 restaurants, all of which offer no less than 100 different cuisines to choose from.
First-timers who want a literal taste of what the city has to offer would invariably find their way to Queen Victoria Market. Located in the CBD, it is, without doubt, the country’s largest, having undergone several phases of evolution — from being a site of great cultural significance for the Wurundjeri People of the Kulin Nation (the market sits on clan lands) to its initial establishment in the 1870s. Historic and atmospheric, the sprawling seven hectares of stalls, booths and cafés offer hungry and thirsty visitors all manner of temptation: from furless kiwi berries to freshly shucked Tasmanian St Helen’s oysters, squid ink salami and, of course, cheese — a key contributor to the profitable national dairy sector, which has a market value of around A$2 billion (RM5.6 billion) annually.
A quick look around Queen Victoria Market’s bustling dairy hall testifies to the demand, and one of the most popular names to look out for would be Ripe, hailed as the world’s first all-Australian artisanal cheese retailer. Established in November 2019, Ripe has since grown to include &Cured, an extension of its artisanal offerings but specialising in free-range deli meats, and The Cheese Social, a social enterprise that educates international students on how best to enjoy Aussie cheese.
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Helming all these efforts is not a third-generation Melburnian monger, as so many others in the market are, but Hakim Halim, a fresh-faced Singaporean. Gregarious and chatty, the 36-year-old first arrived in Australia as a student. “It was 2011 and I had come to study for my bachelor of business in marketing from RMIT University, a continuation of my marketing diploma from Singapore,” he says. “Growing up, I wanted to be a chef, but that changed when I discovered I had a natural knack for speaking and being creative, which led me to marketing.”
He talks about how life as a struggling student was tough — “I wasn’t born with a silver spoon in my mouth” — and, undoubtedly, Hakim felt the pressure to do well, considering his parents had to sell the family house to pay his university fees. “I then made the decision to dedicate a significant portion of time to self-study and, hopefully, do well.” The general lack of extra money and self-imposed isolation meant Hakim enjoyed a less-than-vibrant social life, but “it paid off, as my results exceeded all expectations. I graduated with 11 high distinctions (out of 12 subjects) and was invited to be part of the Golden Key International Honour Society”, he smiles.
It was during this time that the Marine Drive boy, raised on a diet of rice and sambal, tried local cheese for the very first time. “Hunger pangs struck during a late night study session and rather than grabbing another meat pie from 7-Eleven, I opted for something different,” Hakim says. His choice of midnight supper? Arnotts’ Jatz crackers and Coon cheddar cheese. “It was as basic as it got,” he laughs. “I mean, I was very lucky to grow up in Singapore. Mum was an incredible cook as were my grandmothers. Their Malay dishes, such as masak lemak cili padi, nasi lemak and kuah rawon, were all amazing. Apart from the occasional slice of Kraft Singles on bread with sugar, cheese hardly featured in my diet. So, it is certainly one of life’s ironies, going from that to owning a fancy artisanal cheese shop now.”
Hakim’s entry into the food industry took place eight years ago, after a contact got wind of a deli owner in Queen Victoria Market wanting to sell up, after 30 years. “Bill’s Farm had a solid customer base but sold predominantly European cheese. It baffled me at that time because Australia offered so much good, artisanal cheese!” Months of valuation and negotiations ensued before he and three other partners stumped up A$25,000 each, using their existing cash reserves to buy into the business with equal shareholding. This included taking over the lease and renovating the initial shop. Hakim sold his shares in 2023 to focus on growing and expanding Ripe.
Despite opening just three months before Covid-19 hit the world, Ripe did well during the lockdown years. “We had come up with ‘Melbourne’s Most Truffle’d Toasties’, which went viral during the pandemic. And it was the result of wanting to help a truffle supplier out, as restaurants just weren’t buying them,” he explains. Malays and many of the Islamic faith believe in the power of niat, or good intent, and, apparently, heaven was watching. The luxed-up hot sandwich — essentially two cheeses toasted in between bread with truffle honey, salt and the pièce de résistance of 13g of freshly shaved Australian truffles — became a veritable phenomenon.
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“It was available from June to August and the toastie became one of Melbourne’s most wanted winter food items,” says Hakim, still sounding astonished. “Priced at A$27, it was seen as an accessible luxury. It probably also helped that people in lockdown were hungry to give themselves a treat. They asked for it every single day; we sold thousands to Melburnians and international visitors alike. Everyone, from local papers to the UK media, wrote about us.”
Leveraging its toastie legacy, Hakim is now ready to introduce Golden, an internationally inspired cheese toastie and coffee bar, to the public. “We will open two locations in Melbourne on May 24, at 55 Collins St and 28 Freshwater Place.” Regulars already know the Triple Cheese Toastie is a must-order.
“That is our OG. Mozzarella, sharp cheddar, blue cheese and caramelised leeks on sourdough with a side of pickles. This is our biggest seller outside truffle season, and we have many customers enjoying this week on week for years. It is the perfect toastie because it fulfils so many flavour and texture profiles in one bite. It is creamy, funky, crunchy and sharp all at once, with notes of umami and acidity, too.”
For all the triumphs, the road to being a cheese whiz was not without challenges, chief of which was Hakim being diagnosed lactose intolerant a couple of years into the job. “By then, I had already put too much time and energy into my career to back out. I did try cutting out dairy when I first found out but it got too difficult. So, now, I indulge but hope for the best. I also live by this philosophy whereby I only eat or sell cheese and dairy items worth my getting sick for.”
Managing Ripe during the pandemic was also no picnic, but Hakim acknowledges that marketing acumen helped see him through the rough years. “We executed a few key strategies, including launching digital touch points and customer campaigns early.” He also got creative, tweaking the cheeky catchphrase of “Netflix and chill” to “Netflix and cheese”. “We knew people would be stuck at home binging on streaming services,” he grins. Ripe was the first to launch weekly online and cheese master classes with local cheesemakers on Zoom as well as private sessions on a retainer basis with companies for their staff and top clients. It also quickly started local delivery services, which have since expanded nationwide, to effectively reach customers within a 40km radius of its location, while partnerships with big organisations, such as Dairy Australia, meant extra credibility.
On a darker note, racism reared its ugly head, with Hakim told to “sell pad Thai and not cheese” on more than one occasion. “When I first started out, I would take those comments to heart and be really upset,” he admits. “Since then, I have educated myself to the point where I know more about cheese than most people. The validations I received, including being a national cheese judge in Australia and winning two business awards, have also helped with my confidence. Now, should I or any of my staff be at the receiving end of racist comments, I will definitely step in and put a stop to things without hesitation! At the end of the day, racists will continue to be racists, and a single interaction with them will not change their minds. So, it is always best to strongly communicate that their presence is not wanted.”
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Ever ambitious, Hakim lets on how he is just getting started. “My family still does not really understand [my obsession with cheese] but they are incredibly proud I have managed to build something for myself in a foreign land. My parents even told me how I once said as a child that my ambition was to become ‘somebody’. In their eyes, I have already achieved that. Nothing beats making your family proud, especially knowing all the sacrifices they have made.”
He muses also about how success is not a static standpoint but an evolving standard. “Ultimately, I know my definition of success changes as I go along. I remain open to change and will adapt my approach as I strive towards a life of purpose, balance and meaningful impact. I used to equate success with substantial financial gain, but my perception has profoundly shifted. I am now driven by a purpose that transcends personal wealth, a desire to make a meaningful impact that extends far beyond myself, and becoming a champion of Australian produce.”
For now, the formerly “chubby boy from Ngee Ann Primary” continues to put in the hours to grow his little empire. “It used to be 6am starts every market day but now I have a store manager who has freed me up to work less in-store, enabling me to focus on strategic planning and growth. But I still
[go in] at 9am or 10am, serving customers non-stop while planning operational, stock and sales needs.”
Hakim only gets to catch his breath around 3pm before heading home to continue working on business expansion plans until dinnertime. “I’ll eat, watch a bit of TV and get more work done on the computer until at least 10pm.”
Despite the hard graft, he admits that moving to and living in Melbourne was one of his best decisions. “Of course, every place has its bad side, but a large part of [my life here] has been amazing,” he enthuses. “This is where I have been able to blossom into the person I am today, and achieve things I never dreamt I could.”
Being surrounded by great Australian produce is a bonus. “I am still in awe of how such high-quality food is available at my doorstep — from organic grass-fed beef to freshly caught seafood and artisan cheese. You can never eat badly here.”
Much as he loves Melbourne, Hakim is a self-confessed Japanophile. “My last trip there saw me gain 5kg in two weeks,” he shrieks. “I still think about a meal I enjoyed in Kyoto earlier this year, at a two Michelin-starred wagyu restaurant called Miyoshi. As a matter of fact, I am about to book my third trip to Japan. This time, to Hokkaido, next January.”
A good appetite — for food as well as life — is essential in Hakim’s chosen field and his dream is to one day balance a media career with endless travel.
“To keep exploring different cultures and trying different cuisines … that’s the ultimate bucket list. Of course, this can only happen once I’ve set up my hospitality empire and have a trusted team run it for me.” Say cheese? Hakim is certainly all smiles.
This article Apr 28, 2025 in The Edge Malaysia.