[Watch] USD15,000 In 30 Minutes: Inside Malaysia’s Durian Livestream Gold Rush
Malaysian durian entrepreneur Edison Ang made USD46,000 in his first livestream sale to Chinese consumers in 2021, launching him into social media stardom.
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When 35-year-old Edison Ang held his first livestream sale targeting Chinese consumers in 2021, he could hardly believe the response.
Within minutes, orders flooded in, and by the end of that session, he had racked up US$46,000 (approximately RM191,544) in sales.
Ang, a sixth-generation Chinese Malaysian who owns the MyBolehBoleh Durian shop in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, recalled that it was amazing that day, with more than 8,000 people watching him livestream.
I said, ‘Malaysian durians are coming, so you guys ready to buy it?’ Then they just bought it crazily. In a few minutes, I got a few thousand orders. It’s still very memorable for me.
Three years on, Ang has become a social media star with 1.2 million followers on Douyin, China’s version of TikTok, where he goes by the nickname “Malaysian Cousin”.
During durian season, he livestreams almost daily, connecting directly with Chinese customers hungry for the pungent fruit.
Fresh Durian Fuel Sales Boom
The durian trade between Malaysia and China has exploded in recent years.
From 2018 to June 2025, Malaysia exported fresh durians and durian ‘pulp and paste’ to the Chinese market, totalling 115,359 metric tonnes worth RM6.37 billion, based on official data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (KPKM).
The game-changer came when China allowed the import of fresh Malaysian durians – not just frozen ones – in 2024.
Sales skyrocketed almost immediately.
On an average day, Ang can pull in about USD15,000 (approximately RM62,460) in sales during a 30-minute livestream session.
“It’s not perfect yet,” he said modestly when asked if that was a good day. “I think it’s a common day. Average day.”
Building A Community Around Durians
Ang’s success lies not just in selling durians but in creating an experience.
He emphasises quality, ensuring his durians – particularly the prized Musang King variety – are harvested at the right time for peak freshness and flavour.
Ang, who hails from Alor Setar, Kedah, uses livestreaming to interact with customers in real time, answer questions, and build a loyal community around his brand.
The strategy has clearly paid off, with Chinese fans even making pilgrimages to his Kuala Lumpur shop.
A Chinese student at a local university even brought friends and family to meet Ang at his shop, a testament to his growing celebrity status among durian enthusiasts.
A Double-Edged Sword
China currently imports fresh durians from five Southeast Asian countries, and the opening of its market has created lucrative opportunities for farmers and sellers across the region.
However, the rapid expansion of durian plantations in Malaysia has raised concerns about environmental impacts, including deforestation and depletion of water resources as land is cleared for new farms.
Questions about land ownership and indigenous rights have also emerged as the industry grows, creating tensions in local communities grappling with the changes this profitable crop brings.
Malaysian Chinese farmers in Raub, Pahang have been facing conflicts over land rights with state-linked firms and other entities—farmers allege unlawful seizures and actions by authorities aimed at removing their plantations.
@hasssssssssh Ingkar Titah Sultan Pahang!!!Terang2 ceroboh tanah kerajaan & tanam Musang King!.. MP Raub pulak menghalang tugas penjawat awam!… #hutansimpan #fyppppppppppppppppppppppp #anakraubpahang #musangking #tanahharam #sayangialam #durian #raubpahang #pahang ♬ original sound – 🕊HH🕊
Despite these challenges, entrepreneurs like Ang continue to capitalise on the booming demand, demonstrating how traditional agriculture can be transformed into a modern business through innovative marketing and direct engagement with global consumers.
Through his daily livestreams from Kuala Lumpur, Ang connects Malaysian durian farms with Chinese dinner tables thousands of kilometres away—part of a new generation profiting from global demand for Southeast Asia’s most controversial fruit, even as questions about sustainability and equity remain unanswered.
READ MORE: [Watch] Durian Dreams Turn Sour: Malaysian Fruit Vendor Reports RM5,000 Loss In Challenging Market
This article has been produced from original reporting by Al Jazeera.
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