BananaBro and Boat Noodle founder Tony Lim dies at 47

An undated photograph shows Tony Lim outside a BananaBro outlet. — BananaBro pic

By Malay Mail

First Published: Monday, 02 Nov 2026 3:09 PM MYT

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 2 — Popular homegrown food and beverage chains BananaBro and Boat Noodle are mourning the death of their founder, Tony Lim, whose passing at the age of 47 was confirmed in heartfelt tributes released by both brands today.

In a statement, the BananaBro team said it shared the news “with heavy hearts”, remembering Lim as a passionate visionary determined to take Malaysia’s traditional banana leaf dining culture to the global stage through generosity, resilience, and creative conviction.

“Tony gave more than just his vision. He gave his heart to the people and the journey he believed in,” the statement read, adding that his legacy would continue to live on “in every banana leaf we serve and every life he has touched.”

Boat Noodle, the popular Thai street dining chain Lim founded in 2014, remembered him as “a dreamer, a fighter, a mentor, and above all, someone who truly believed in people.” The company noted that Lim built the enterprise on sheer determination and continuous progress, motivating staff with the conviction that they could always improve, even by just 1 per cent each day.

The company explained that Lim’s operating philosophy was encapsulated in the motto “Together We Grow,” stressing that the sentiment “were never just words” to the late entrepreneur, whose daily mentoring focused on resilience, self-belief, and shared accomplishment.

Expressing gratitude to patrons who had “shared a bowl, a smile,” or accompanied the franchise along its journey, Boat Noodle pledged to safeguard his memory by preserving his fighting spirit, warm smile, and faith in his employees. Both memorial statements closed with warm expressions of gratitude, signed off by “The BananaBro Family” and “Your Boat Noodle Family.”

An automotive engineer by training, Lim took a bold leap into the Malaysian food scene in 2014 when he launched Boat Noodle, sparking a nationwide dining craze by introducing halal

Thai boat noodles served in traditional small bowls across local shopping malls. He followed that success in 2018 by founding BananaBro, modernising the classic banana leaf rice format into a contemporary, quick-service brand for urban diners.

Neither brand disclosed the cause or date of Lim’s death, and details regarding memorial services or funeral arrangements have yet to be made public.