13 minute read
Vanilla Crepe’s Layers of Love
Like the lovely layers of the crepe cake all stacked up neat and tall, CEO and Founder of Vanilla Mille Crepe Kitchen Sdn Bhd and Ezzybucks Sdn Bhd NELSON LIEW has been adding retail outlet over retail outlet even in the thick of the pandemic. He shares with RACHAEL PHILIP what worked.
enerally, when one has
Gsuccumbed to the gentle promptings of the heart and is already indulging in a generous slice of dessert, one does not spoil the moment by counting calories. But that was not to be.
Nelson Liew, CEO and Founder of Vanilla Crepe™, is eager to do the math for me. However, like well whipped cream, the numbers do not break the mood but hold up and add to the crescendo that is swelling within me. “A slice of a regular cheese cake is about 400 calories but the Vanilla Crepe™ Original
Flavour packs in just 220 calories. You can burn off the 220 calories by doing 25-30 minutes on the treadmill,” he offers.
Not sinful after all! This nicely compliments the next two facts he shares: ‘Desserts’ is stressed spelled backwards; and, it has been proven that in times of crisis people eat more desserts.
CRISIS-PROVEN BUSINESS
At the time of the interview, some 500 days into the pandemic, Vanilla Crepe™ has grown to 35 outlets, opening roughly one outlet per month during the pandemic. At the start of the pandemic, however, things certainly didn’t look this sweet.
“On March 17 2020, when the government announced the first lockdown, we were extremely worried. This meant that overnight we would see our business crumble as 70% of our outlets were located in shopping malls,” says Nelson.
“If we counted on the courier companies for delivery of our products, we stood to lose a hefty 30% of our revenue. At the end of the day, we would be losing profit from every single slice of cake we sold.”
The outcome of a quick brainstorming session with his team showed that, in order to move forward, they had to overhaul their strategy and introduce new marketing initiatives.
“What was our big, blue ocean? We decided to capture new market share by putting our products online. We were not just selling cakes and desserts but emotions and moments of love.
“We received positive response. The people in the service industry for instance, insurance and real estate agents, who wanted to remain
connected with their clients during the lockdown, approached us to deliver our products with some form of personalisation such as ‘stay safe’ messages.”
He also used social media platforms to launch their digital content such as videos and short films that tug at the hearts of their fans.
“If previously we hesitated spending money on content creation, now we don’t mind hiring professionals to do our videos for us.” Needless to say, their digitalisation efforts have paid off with hypnotic videos of pancake making in slow-mo.
PERFECT PAIRINGS
Another creative strategy launched by the team are crossovers. In the last two years, Vanilla Crepe™ has paired with over 20 enterprises, both local and international players, to complement their business.
It has done crossovers with ingredient makers such as whipping cream producers Debic, Elle & Vire, famous food labels such as Nestle’s Milo and KitKat, food brand Penang Chendul, Vanzo, Blackwhale, Samonyu, Penny Essential’s Collagen, Café Richard and even a cross over with hair salon Philo Vanilla in Johor.
“Customers come in for a haircut and styling, after that they sit down to catch up over our coffee and crepe cakes,” he explains.
In the Subang SS15 outlet where we are at, Vanilla Crepe™ has partnered with Wok It, a food brand that makes stir-fried meals in minutes. Their customers here have the option of filling their tummy with a savoury course and ending the meal with some moodimproving dessert.
“The pandemic has made us look at a lean model. We are now considering to expand our Grab and Go kiosk model which requires just two staff a day. We are out from the price war. We are looking at a unique positioning of our products for better value.”
Their themed crepe cakes also bring a spike in business. In 2020, the company sold out 2,000 boxes of its Mid-Autumn Mooncakes, the Mille Moon crepes, to Malaysians within the first few weeks. The following year some 11,000 sets of moon crepes were flown out to Hong Kong and Singapore, and sold in their supermarkets.
NUTS AND BOLTS
Nelson says that even if you have the most fantastic product, it takes hard work in ensuring that the products remain appealing to their customers. Here is where team work comes in.
“I am not in the game alone; my family and my staff are my backbone. When I started on this journey, I didn’t know the power of a great team. In the early days I was frequently exhausted because I was trying to do many things, from marketing to graphics and networking.
“Then I learned the art of delegation and empowering my staff. The secret is to trust your staff. Trust that this person can do a better job than you and empower him or her to do it. At the end of the day, you will find that you can achieve more because of this person.”
This employee strategy of empowering every staff was gleaned
Cover Story from Zhang Yong, the founder of hot pot restaurant HaiDiLao.
During this time, Nelson also harnessed the power of networking, turning to associations like the MRCA for support. He says it’s all about knowing the right people.
“Even our competitors are healthy competitors, and we can motivate each other.”
In business, more so during pandemic times, he says it is important to remain adaptive, versatile, not to stay complacent.
“In the first three years of my business I was complacent. The numbers were growing organically and I was happy. But one of my mentors stopped me in my tracks. He said I have a good product but I am getting too comfortable. I must always keep upgrading, not be satisfied with being average but aim to be a champion, the best in what I do.” He names Datuk Seri Garry Chua, Dato’ Winnie Loo, Datuk Irwin Cheong and Dato’ Seri Raymond Liew as his mentors.
This piece of advice has taken him on a journey which began at the foundations of the F&B industry – food science, the psychology of customer behaviour and optimising customer experience. He says, however, that for the next norm this is not enough.
“More people are IT savvy, they are more health conscious. We
MILESTONE
• Top 3 Winner of JCI Creative Young Entrepreneur Award (CYEA) • Top 100 Talents Award accredited by Tourism Malaysia & Finas • Outstanding Business Growth Award by Portman Education Group & MoneySave • Awarded The 100 Most Influential Young Entrepreneurs (MIYE) Nominated as Best Dessert Cafe by World Gourmet • Sold over 400,000 slices of mille crepe in Malaysia (2 years) • Top Pick Mille Crepe Cake in KL by editor Sue Anne
2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016
• The Star Outstanding Business Award (SOBA) Best in Retail 2020 • Malaysian Book of Records for the Largest Mille Crepe Retail Chain • Best Brands Award 2019 by BrandLaureate • Awarded by Elle & Vire Paris as the only endorsed authentic mille crepe manufacturer in Malaysia • Won the Best Mille Crepe Cafe in Malaysia by Food Advisor • Nominated as Best Dessert Cafe by Timeout KL
Cover Story have to look at calories and GMO, halal and HACCP certifications. We secured shuttler and Olympic silver medalist Goh V Shem to be the face of the brand.
“We will create a healthy series featuring premium ingredients and a lower calorie count to complement our regular series. Our R&D team is already looking at plant-based ingredients and a dragon fruit flavoured crepe.”
TRICKS OF THE TRADE
As an entrepreneur, Nelson admits that he has come a long way. In 2015, he bought over a café in Paradigm Mall called Vanilla. His IT background helped him with the back end of the cafe but not in monetizing the new business, mall strategy and dealing with business on slow days.
“There were many challenges in those early days but the owner of the business saw the potential in me. Back then I was the founder of Wax-Hand Union, a company I created in 2006. I am the Master Franchisor with more than 60 outlets in Malaysia. I have also franchised out to more than 14 countries. We also cater to major events.
“This friend suggested that I take over his company. He will supply the cakes while I handle the marketing. With this strategy, we found that the business was scalable. I could see the numbers growing organically.
“We then decided to scale it up. We opened our second outlet in Sunway Pyramid. Then telephone calls started coming in for licensing opportunities. Our next two outlets were opened in Ipoh SoHo, IOI City Mall. Within two years, we had eight outlets – just through word of mouth.
“In that year we took over the central kitchen and trademarked our products. We were able to do more with our own kitchen in Ara Damansara.”
NEW BEGINNINGS
The new year will see some big changes for the company. After years of renting the central kitchen in Ara Damansara, and recently doubling its size by leasing a second space next to the first, Nelson is now aiming for his own building in March 2022 in Sunway Subang’s industrial zone.
To be called Wisma Vanilla Crepe, the plant will be halal and HACCPcertified, and will double the size of his current space to 6,000 sq feet.
The expansion plan will also be seen in Sabah where he will be launching his first three outlets in the first quarter of 2022, in City Mall Kota Kinabalu, Suria Sabah Shopping Mall and IITC Mall. This prompted him to secure a central kitchen in the state as well.
“Each kitchen can cater to 60 outlets. All these expansions are happening simultaneously. It is massive work but it means more mileage for our expansion activity.”
OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS
Nelson says his talent lies in spotting opportunities and acting on them almost immediately.
“Some people think, over think and delay – and the opportunity passes. Opportunity knocks on the door, especially when we least expect it. We have to be ready to open the door.”
An avid reader of self-help books, Nelson used his lunch time as an IT executive at the start of his working life to read life-changing books such as Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Rhonda Byrne’s The Secret and Sun Tzu’s The Art of War.
“Currently I’m reading Principles by Ray Dalio. I also listen to audiobooks on Spotify on my runs. It fuels me up and keeps me going,” he says.
“The pandemic has changed everything. As SMEs, we must stick together, share secrets, best practices and help each other,” he says when asked about his willingness to share his secrets in entrepreneurship and his business’ competitive advantage.
“In the social media era, team work and transparency are the new norm of doing business. That, and being approachable. In the digital age, we have lost the art of connecting with others. Through my cakes I want to facilitate connections and as an entrepreneur I also want to be more adaptive and approachable to my customers.”
PCA Group Delivering roup Delivering Engineered Solutions Globally Single Source Solution Provider
HQs in Malaysia, established in 1991 with four main factories : Nilai Malaysia; Zhongshan China; Ahmedabad India, Mexico City Mexico, with 14 service centres around the world. 75% of products is exported to 105 countries in all continents around the globe.
From design, conceptualisation, manufacturing, supply, installation, construction, renovation, to maintenance.
Clientele
Global super major multinational, regional brands to local multiple sites retail chains. Covering Petrol Retail, QSR, Automotive, Telecommunication, Health & Beauty, Multiple Retail Chain Stores.
Made For Retail
Brand equities elements(signage), shops and display, POP, shelving & xtures, furniture, LED light source, digital screens, all other elements to enhance customers journey and experience.
Gold award Export Excellence(mid tier) year 2018; Gold Award for Best Global Market year 2019; Asian Export Award by Asia Business Review Year 2020.
Export Awards Winning Company
Value propositions
General construction & renovation for retail outlets; Brand Equity Elements (Signage); Total shop t out; Modular building & shop furniture systems; energy saving LED light source; Nationwide installation & maintenance; End to end single source provider.
Core Strengths
Total Retail Solutions : Conceptual design, manufacturing, project management, construction, installation and maintenance.
Manufacturing: Design, Value engineering, R&D from conceptual design to detailed engineering, prototyping and manufacturability.
Certi cation: ISO 9001:2000, ISO 14001, UL and CE compliance. TNB Grade A Electrical Contractor.
Innovation: Sustainability applications using energy conservation solutions including LED, Solar and advanced materials. Proprietary at pack fast assembly furniture systems.
Customer Journey & Experience
Total solution involves creation of innovative retail solutions focused on the customer journey and experience in all retail outlets, shops, restaurants and kiosks. Our services include conceptual design, prototyping, submission drawings, roll out documentation, project management, construction, renovation, installation and maintenance.
Operation Ef ciency
Latest design and supply of kiosks, modular buildings, containerised fuelling kiosks and at packed, fast assembly store furniture for best operation ef ciency.
Digitalisation
We help our customers to compete with latest digital technologies. . PCA supply LED and digital screen display products, with our software, integration, CMS and content development, relevant and effective in the retail environments.
Sustainability
We provide EV charging stations to retail outlets sites; modular buildings, kiosks, containerised fuel stations and packed fast assembly furniture with minimum time on site location, capable to be refreshed and re-located to other sites in future; environmentally friendly construction materials and methodologies; high ef ciency energy saving LED light source. PT 3266 Jalan Mutiara Arab - Malaysian Industrial Park 71800 Nilai Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia
Malaysia is our base, the world is our home.
Contact Mr. Kalvin Ooi Executive Director kalvinooi@pcagroup.com +6017-876 7727 Contact Mr. Keith Brljevich Creative Director keithbrljevich@pcagroup.com +6012-369 5360
