Tan Kah Kee migrated to Singapore at the age of 17. He obtained his working experience as an apprentice in his father, Tan Kee Peck's rice trading company, Soon Ann. Tan proved himself to be an exceptional worker and was promoted to manager of the rice company. Unfortunately, Soon Ann did not do well and eventually failed in 1904. The young Tan Kah Kee resolved to be an entrepreneur to regain the family's fortune.

One of his first businesses was a small pineapple canning factory which he managed to start with a small capital of seven thousand Straits dollars. He was rather successful at the business and managed to get additional funds to open another firm. This time, it was a return of his family's old trade. Named Khiam Aik, the rice company was situated at North Boat Quay.

Tan's fortune really turned for the better in 1905. It was then he bought a 500-acre undeveloped forested land in Singapore. He started to open up the land, removing the thick foliage and started the Hock Shan Plantation there. Tan Kah Kee was already aware of the growing pineapple industry and that demand outstripped supply. He was determined to get into this business.

Tan's pineapple canneries for Southeast Asia had wider implications than just building up his personal fortunes. His industries were seen as the forerunners of an indigenous industrial revolution in Southeast Asia. It showed the rest in the region that industrialization is possible given the commercial impetus to do it.

Tan Kah Kee was also aware of the potential that the rubber trade had in 1906. He allocated part of the cleared land to plant rubber saplings. He also had the vision that he would go into rubber manufacturing and wanted to have his own supply of raw rubber. An ambitious man, not only did he want to go into the rubber industry but also he wanted to enter it in a big way. At his peak, Tan Kah Kee had more than 10,000 acres of rubber plantations.