Jesse Chan Bakery Taiwan

Overview

The bakery business in Taipei, Taiwan was one of Jesse Chan’s multiple business ventures during the family’s 22-year Taiwan residency (1968-1990). Unlike the nightclub, real estate, and import/export businesses that Jesse managed directly, the bakery was primarily managed by Betty Chan, utilizing her mathematics and management skills developed at Eastern Textile Factory.

Business Details

Management

• Betty Chan managed the bakery
• Jesse owned it as part of his business portfolio
• Division of labor: Jesse focused on real estate, Betty ran bakery

Origin

• Recommended by Uncle Henry (Betty’s brother)
• Uncle Henry was Jesse’s good friend from Manila “Happy Dreamers” days
• Family connection led to business opportunity
• Uncle Henry’s recommendation suggests he had bakery experience or connections

Associate

• Associated with someone named “Joni”
• Relationship unclear (partner? manager? supplier?)
• To be documented

Betty’s Role

Why Betty Managed the Bakery

Skills from Eastern Textile:

• Payroll Supervisor experience
• Supervised 4 people
• Financial management
• Cash handling (2,000 workers’ pay envelopes weekly)
• Mathematics degree background

Family Needs:

• Jesse working late hours on nightclub (until 1 AM)
• Jesse busy with real estate development
• Jesse involved in import/export
• Betty needed daytime role compatible with raising four children

Management Approach:

• Betty’s quote: “I owe so much to Guning” (household help)
• Guning took care of children for 26 years
• This enabled Betty to manage bakery
• Balance of business and family responsibilities

Role in Business Portfolio

Jesse’s Multiple Ventures

Timeline (approximate):

1. Late 1960s: Jesse Chan Nightclub Taiwan (first venture)
2. 1970s-1980s: Real estate (Cherry Hill Development Taiwan, Houses on the Hill Taiwan) - primary/longest
3. Concurrent: Import/export business
4. Concurrent: Bakery (Betty managed)

Diversification Strategy:

• Multiple income streams
• Risk mitigation
• Leveraging both Jesse and Betty’s skills
• Family business model

Comparison to Other Businesses

Nightclub:

• Jesse managed
• Late hours (until 1 AM)
• Entertainment industry
• Social/networking focus
• Transitioned away from this

Real Estate:

• Jesse managed
• Most successful
• Longest-lasting
• Funded children’s education
• Jesse’s primary focus

Import/Export:

• Jesse managed
• Details to be documented
• International trade

Bakery:

• Betty managed (unique among ventures)
• Daytime operations
• Food industry
• Possibly more stable/predictable than other ventures

Historical Context

Bakery Business in Taiwan (1970s-1980s)

Growing Market:

• Taiwan’s economic boom
• Rising middle class
• Western food influences
• Bread becoming more common (traditionally rice culture)
• Chinese bakeries adapting Western styles

Typical Products:

• Bread (Western style)
• Pastries
• Chinese-Western fusion baked goods
• Potentially moon cakes (traditional)
• Birthday cakes

Uncle Henry’s Recommendation:

• Suggests established bakery industry
• Possibly Uncle Henry had bakery connections
• Or saw opportunity in Taiwan market
• Family networks guiding business decisions

Family Dynamics

Division of Labor

Jesse:

• Nightclub (early years)
• Real estate development
• Import/export
• Business networking
• Capital allocation

Betty:

• Bakery management
• Household management (with Guning’s help)
• Children’s education oversight
• Financial tracking

Household Help:

• Guning worked for family 26 years
• Took care of children
• Enabled both parents to work
• Betty: “I owe so much to Guning”

Why This Model Worked

Complementary Skills:

• Jesse: Entrepreneurial, risk-taking, social
• Betty: Detail-oriented, financial, management

Family Economics:

• Multiple businesses required both parents working
• Needed income for Taipei American School ($10,000/year by 1986)
• Four children’s education was expensive
• Both parents contributed to family success

Connection to Uncle Henry

Long-term Friendship:

• Uncle Henry (Betty’s brother)
• Friend from Manila “Happy Dreamers” social club
• Maintained friendship across Philippines → Taiwan moves
• Business advisor and recommender

Uncle Henry’s Role:

• Recommended bakery business
• Possibly introduced “Joni”
• Part of Filipino-Chinese business network in Taiwan
• Family support system in new country

Impact on Children

Parental Work Ethic

• All four children saw parents working hard
• Betty managing bakery while raising them
• Jesse building multiple businesses
• Work ethic modeled daily

Educational Investment

Bakery contributed to:

• Expensive international school tuition
• All four children to US universities
• All received scholarships
• Professional success

Gender Roles

• Children saw mother as business manager
• Not traditional stay-at-home model
• Betty’s professional identity alongside motherhood
• Influenced daughters (Rose, Meg, Michelle)

What Happened to Bakery?

When Family Left Taiwan (1990):

• Likely sold or closed
• Details to be documented
• All Taiwan businesses wrapped up for US move
• 22-year Taiwan chapter concluded

Legacy

Betty’s Professional Identity

Career Arc:

• Manila: Payroll Supervisor at Eastern Textile Factory, Manila
• Taiwan: Bakery manager
• Also taught in Taipei
• Los Angeles: Choir director, taught English to choir members

Betty maintained professional identity throughout life, not just homemaker.

Partnership Model

• Jesse and Betty as business partners, not just spouses
• Complementary skills
• Shared goal of children’s success
• Both worked hard for family advancement

Uncle Henry’s Support

• Family networks crucial for immigrant success
• Business recommendations from trusted sources
• Maintaining Manila friendships in Taiwan
• Filipino-Chinese community supporting each other

Research Questions

• What kind of bakery? (bread, pastries, traditional Chinese baked goods?)
• Exact location in Taipei?
• When did it open?
• When did it close?
• Who was “Joni” and what was the relationship?
• How profitable was it compared to other ventures?
• What was Uncle Henry’s connection to bakery industry?
• Did Betty have employees? How many?
• Photos of the bakery?
• What happened to it when family moved to LA?
• Did children help at bakery?
• What products were most popular?