NEW YORK/SAN FRANCISCO - Killiney Kopitiam’s outpost in Palo Alto, California, has something that its Singapore outlets do not have – outdoor heat lamps, for al fresco dining when the weather turns cold.

From buying heat lamps to swopping ingredients for close substitutes more easily available in the United States, Singaporean food and beverage businesses like Killiney Kopitiam, snack brand Irvins and the Urban Hawker food hall in Manhattan have had to adapt to establish a foothold in the country.