This M’sian chef went from running a tong sui stall to owning a dessert chain with 4 outlets

There’s a bunch of modern desserts available nowadays, from icy bingsu to creamy gelato. 

But to me, nothing hits the same as good old tong sui. Perfectly light and refreshing, it makes for a delectable treat after a heavy meal. 

Of course, I’m not the only one who enjoys a good bowl of tong sui. That’s why there are so many brands on the market offering them now. 

One such brand that I’ve personally frequented is Sik Thong Ba. With four outlets across the Klang Valley, Sik Thong Ba has become a neighbourhood favourite wherever it ends up, with thousands of fond Google reviews for every single outlet. 

Using Chinese desserts as a medium 

Like many, the founder Karen’s first business was in a coffee shop. But she wasn’t selling coffee. 

Having always been interested in baking and desserts, she decided to study culinary arts in college. Upon graduation, she honed in on her love for Chinese desserts and opened a small stall for her desserts in a coffee shop. 

Karen worked on this stall for a year, and found that she really enjoyed doing it. With the dream of improving her business, she launched her own brick-and-mortar store specialising in tong sui. 

This concept might not sound novel now, but at that point in 2019, Karen felt like there weren’t many modern Chinese dessert offerings on the market. 

From my own memory, it’s true that many tong sui offerings back then were old-school stalls or more traditional shops. Modern cafe-style tong sui spots were quite the rarity still. 

“I remember that I really used up all my savings when I opened the first store in Cheras Traders Square,” Karen reminisced about her first shop. 

Today, that first outlet is still standing strong, with a whopping 4.8 stars on Google, amassed from 3.9K reviews. In fact, all outlets have 4.8 to 5 stars on Google. 

However, that doesn’t mean things came easily for Karen and Sik Thong Ba. 

“Looking back on 2019, Sik Thong Ba had only been in operation for six months before the MCO came into effect,” the founder recalled. 

Thankfully, the business was still able to operate, albeit only through delivery orders. To stay afloat, the team created tong sui party packages for customers to enjoy at home.

“Since then, STB has grown bigger to a few more outlets and we try to bring customers different and more innovative traditional desserts,” Karen proudly shared. 

Championing quality

After Sik Thong Ba got its start, though, many more tong sui businesses have been popping up. 

“Yes, there are many more dessert shops in the market this year,” Karen agreed. “To be honest, it is very competitive.” 

But Sik Thong Ba has been able to grow a following of regulars, thanks to its consistent product quality, achieved through the help of a central kitchen. 

She pointed out, “For me, training 10 people from the central kitchen is easier than training 70 people from the outlets.”

On top of that, the Sik Thong Ba founder will go to the store regularly to check the quality of the products. 

“I’ve been the R&D chef from the start and continue to hold that role,” Karen added. “Although I’ve tried to find a suitable pastry chef, it’s been quite challenging. Maybe I’m being too picky? Just kidding!”

But it’s true that finding the right talent is integral, and would allow Karen to step back and look at the business’ bigger picture. 

With that in mind, she shared that she really hopes to get a pastry chef who’s passionate in both eating and cooking to join her R&D team. This will help grow the brand’s product range, as they typically develop two to three new menu items per season. 

Rising again 

While researching the business, I learnt that Karen actually had a venture in the past called Happyxixi, a place that served hot food and desserts. 

“The idea behind starting the business came from frequent requests from customers at Sik Thong Ba who wanted hot food,” she explained. 

Since the team at Sik Thong Ba was very stable at the time, Karen decided to give it a go. 

However, moving too quickly isn’t always good. They hadn’t anticipated the lasting impact of COVID at the time, and when they were about to launch, the second MCO hit. 

On top of that, the location had limited crowd capacity and parking, which contributed to the lack of profitability. This ultimately led to the closure of the sister brand. 

“I feel sorry for the amazing team at Happyxixi,” Karen admitted. “Despite everything, I’m happy that after two years, there are still customers who remember us and reach out via WhatsApp. I always recommend they visit Sik Thong Ba, as they miss it and enjoy it so much.”

After Happyxixi closed in 2023, she returned her focus to Sik Thong Ba. It turned out to be a good decision as business boomed in 2023, allowing them to open a third outlet before the end of the year. 

Knowing your audience

With four popular outlets, Sik Thong Ba seems to have grasped the winning recipe for finding the right locations. 

This can be credited to the fact that Karen knows its customer base well, and caters to them. Sik Thong Ba is all about serving families, as people of all ages can enjoy their dishes. So, they always open near crowded residential areas.  

Having learnt their lesson with Happyxixi, they also prioritise spaces with ample parking spaces. 

Looking ahead, Karen plans to keep using their strategies to expand into other places. 

“There’s a project where we’re rebranding Sik Thong Ba, which will be opening soon in Puchong in May,” she revealed. 

Sik Thong Ba is no flashy business with avant-garde dishes. But by executing simplicity well, Karen has been able to grow the business into four well-performing outlets, serving up familiar flavours in a comfortable space. 

Featured Image Credit: Sik Thong Ba