Chinese New Year (CNY) is usually the time when local companies hold dinners for their staff.
The annual shindig is often a raucous affair, with colleagues able to let their hair down with one another for once.
However, a Singapore company has seemingly outdone such events with its massive gala in Taiwan that saw 26,000 people in attendance.
The event was so lavish that there were fireworks and ‘live’ performances by famous singers like Wakin Chau (周华健).
Source: Riway International on Facebook
The extravaganza took place on Tuesday (10 Jan) in Taiwan’s southern city of Kaohsiung, reported the Commercial Times.
The folks behind the gala were wellness product company Riway International, which has its headquarters here in Singapore.
Source: Riway International on Facebook
Besides CNY, the occasion was also their 15th anniversary. They even composed a nifty logo and slogan, “No Hold Back”, to mark the milestone.
The fact that a company with just 15 years of history can stage such a huge event is certainly impressive. But despite its age, Riway International apparently has at least 26,000 employees across Asia.
Source: Riway International on Facebook
The staff flew in from countries like Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Japan to attend the company dinner.
Source: Riway International on Facebook
Due to its sheer scale, the event had to be held outdoors. The company chose Kaohsiung as Taiwan Riway’s founding director Hu Xiaohua said only the weather there is suitable for a grand outdoor dinner.
Source: Riway International on Facebook
They thus leased an empty piece of land in the city for their first anniversary dinner overseas in 14 years.
Source: Riway International on Facebook
Mr Brian Aiello, president of the American Chamber of Commerce Kaohsiung, described it as the largest outdoor dinner ever in Taiwan.
Planning for the company dinner started in September 2022, Commercial Times quoted Ms Hu as saying.
Venue preparation, the setting up of 2,600 tables and food alone cost S$1.3 million (NT$30 million).
Add that to other costs like rental, staging and performance fees and the event cost about S$4.36 million (NT$100 million) in total to produce.
According to Ms Hu, they booked high-speed rail tickets to Kaohsiung one to two months in advance to transport 26,000 attendees to the venue.
A fleet of 350 tour buses was also deployed.
The event-goers reportedly checked into five-star accommodation in the city on Sunday or Monday. They checked out only the morning after the dinner event.
Looking at the photos on Riway International’s Facebook page, anyone would have thought it was some sort of New Year’s Eve countdown party.
But pictures of attendees showed them dressed to the nines, ready for a glitzy night.
Source: Riway International on Facebook
Their formal wear could have been because of the awards ceremony, where several people went on stage to receive prizes for their contributions to the company.
Source: Riway International on Facebook
Of course, no celebration is complete without stars, and Riway invited not one, but three well-known Taiwanese acts to perform ‘live’ — veteran singer Wakin Chau (周华健), rock group Power Station (动力火车) and singer-songwriter Ricky Hsiao (萧煌奇).
(From left) Wakin Chau, one-half of Power Station and Ricky Hsiao. Source: Riway International on Facebook, Facebook & Facebook
Another highlight of the affair, of course, was the fireworks, which lit up the night sky for a resounding finale.
For those who might wonder what exactly Riway International does to have such deep pockets, they apparently sell health supplements.
One of their products is called Purtier Placenta.
Source: Health Sciences Authority
Since 2016, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has been warning Riway about the “false and misleading health claims” they and their sellers have been making about the product, HSA said in a 2021 media release.
HSA also debunked the claims that Purtier Placenta cures or treats illnesses like cancer and diabetes.
The agency has directed Riway to ensure that their downstream sellers stop making the claims.
Source: Health Sciences Authority
However, in 2019, HSA found that Riway had published marketing materials that contained “objectionable claims”.
The company was thus convicted in court in 2021, and fined S$3,000 under the Medicines Act.
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Featured image adapted from Riway International on Facebook.
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