What’s the secret to being a beloved Malaysian brand for nearly three decades? If you ask Secret Recipe, it’s that there really is no secret. Since 1997, the iconic brand has been serving up more than just slices of cake, quietly perfecting the art of staying relevant, irresistible, and everywhere.
In a world where brands often guard their strategies tighter than the embargo on a PETRONAS Merdeka ad, Secret Recipe is happily spilling the beans (or baking powder, perhaps?). The team openly credits a blend of nostalgia, digital fluency, and quirky collaborations as the not-so-secret ingredients behind its enduring success.
We sat down with Patrick Sim (Group CEO), Evelyn Lee (Head of Marketing), and Ryan Chung (Marketing Manager) to get the full story on how they’ve built a brand that’s equal parts heritage and hype, and why, when it comes to their recipe for success, they don’t mind letting everyone have a taste.
What’s the biggest “secret” about Secret Recipe that’s not really a secret anymore?
Patrick Sim: The biggest “secret”, I would say, is that we’re no longer just about cakes. Sure, we’ll probably always be known for our iconic cakes. That will always be at the heart of who we are. But today, we have also built a name for being a full-fledged café, also serving hot meals, pastries, and creative beverages in a menu that’s constantly being updated.
Many of our outlets have become go-to spots for birthdays, family gatherings or an escape for those looking for some soul-soothing relief after a busy day. We’re that place that’s become part of everyday moments.
Evelyn Lee: I believe one of the reasons we’ve achieved this is in our ability to remain relevant. While maintaining our essence and “character”, we’re also constantly updating the brand to stay relevant with the times, which can be seen through collaborations and seasonal launches.
So the real “secret”, I would say, is that we’re not just selling cakes, or even food, but moments of comfort and familiarity that keep people coming back. If someone comes back even once, we’ve done something right.
Secret Recipe has been around since 1997. What’s the recipe behind keeping the brand fresh and relevant while staying true to heritage? How do you balance nostalgic storytelling with modern marketing demands?
Evelyn Lee: There’s no denying that cakes will always be part of our heritage. I don’t think that will ever change. We have embraced this heritage, and many of our fan-favourites such as the Marble Cheese Cake and Chocolate Indulgence® have become a source of nostalgia and comfort for many.
By the way, there are also newlyweds who have used our cakes as their wedding cakes, as proven by our 2021 photo contest winner! But nostalgia and familiarity alone won’t ensure success. And that’s where it’s important to always keep with the times through continuous innovation.
Ryan Chung: These “innovations” include routine ones, such as the introduction of new cake flavours like onde-onde and sweet potato. But as a brand, we’ve also delved into playful seasonal launches that extend beyond cakes.
For example, our Lay’s Golden Egg Krup Krup Chicken Chop – yes, think chicken chop battered with Lay’s chips – was a huge hit. We’ve also thought out-of-the-box beyond F&B and had fashion tie-ins with Bayu Somerset in conjunction with Hari Raya Haji, where our cakes have inspired festive baju kurung prints.
We also embrace other cross-category collaborations to connect with younger audiences, such as turning our iconic Chocolate Indulgence® into an Inside Scoop ice cream flavour, or reimagining our cake flavours as lip balm with Wunderbath.
More recently, we partnered with Bichi Mao, a Malaysian IP creator who many fans didn’t realise is actually homegrown but internationally recognised. The idea came from our commitment to supporting local artists in meaningful ways.
It reminded us that quirky, shareable content often gains more traction than traditional ads. It’s this mix of embracing heritage while prioritising innovation that has kept us relevant for 28 years.
With the market saturated with trendy cafes and bakeries (which seem to be sprouting up every day), how does Secret Recipe stay top-of-mind?
Patrick Sim: That’s true, new cafes come and go, but Secret Recipe is forever! I think one of our biggest strengths is in having created an instantly-recognisable brand with consistency, accessibility and emotional connection at the core. We’re also everywhere, all over Malaysia, so customers can find us wherever they are, and as mentioned before, our food is about comfort.
As Evelyn and Ryan have pointed out, initiatives such as seasonal menus, innovative collaborations, and digital storytelling ensure that while we’re all about familiarity, there’s still something new to discover every single time.
Tell us more about your digital storytelling. You’ve gone digital-first with your marketing. What surprising lessons have you learned from moving your marketing primarily online?
Evelyn Lee: One of the biggest lessons we’ve learnt is that authenticity wins. Sure, there is a place for over-the-top creative and polished campaigns, but very often, the simplest, most relatable content are the ones that connect with our audiences authentically. For instance, we leaned into the viral AI trend with our “fake flavour” post. The idea itself was simple, but it instantly resonated and sparked real conversations.
Ryan Chung: We’ve also learned that the power of real-time engagement, responding to comments, joining trends, and creating moments of fun with our audience helps to build deep loyalty. In this regard, communication is more effective being two-way than just one.
Which digital or social media campaign made you think, “Wow, we nailed it!”?
Evelyn Lee: Our very first digital ad for the Merdeka Slice Cake Promo in 2016 was a real “wow” moment. We offered cake slices at RM5.90 in conjunction with the 59th Merdeka, backed with just RM1,000 for media spend.
To our surprise, the message spread like wildfire online and on the promo day itself, long queues formed at outlets nationwide. It was a turning point that showed us the true power of digital marketing, that with the right message, even a minimal investment can go viral and deliver tangible results in-store.
You hinted earlier that Secret Recipe actively “trend-jacks” viral content. What’s the riskiest or most humorous trend-jack you’ve attempted, and how did it turn out?
Ryan Chung: One of the most memorable trend-jacks we attempted was when news about Pak Razif, a Malaysian uncle who was not able to get his wife a birthday cake had to resort to getting a burger for his wife’s birthday, went viral. We saw the story and, with the help of fans on Twitter, joined the search to find him.
In less than a day, the community helped us track down Pak Razif and his wife, and we invited them to our Sungai Petani outlet for a birthday celebration. What started as a simple, heartwarming story quickly turned into a nationwide feel-good moment, with coverage spreading widely online, achieving five million organic impressions in five days.
Evelyn Lee: All the more, this iterates the fact that authenticity and being genuine resonate far more than any polished campaign could.
What’s one marketing trend you initially doubted but later embraced fully?
Patrick Sim: To be honest, when the team came to me with the idea for the lip balms inspired by our cakes, I was skeptical. The idea of linking cakes with beauty or fashion seemed rather unconventional. But I’m glad we gave it a go, because the response was overwhelming.
It showcased how Secret Recipe is not just about dining, but can also be about lifestyle and culture. And for our fans, I think it’s exciting when we show up in unexpected places. And this campaign got the ball rolling for many other collaborations.
If you could dream up any unconventional partnership or product for Secret Recipe, what would it be?
Ryan Chung: We’d love to explore something like a Secret Recipe x LEGO collab, where fans could literally build their own “slice” of fun. It ties back to the creativity and joy of baking.Just as every cake is crafted layer by layer, a LEGO set lets fans reimagine that experience in a playful, hands-on way.
This unconventional collab would also take us further beyond dining and into lifestyle, blending food, play, and culture in a way that deepens emotional connection and keeps the brand fun, modern, and unexpected.
How do you decide which brands align well enough to become Secret Recipe partners?
Patrick Sim: We look for partners who share mutual values such as quality, creativity and accessibility. Collaborations must also feel authentic and meaningful, not contrived or forced.
Evelyn Lee: It’s important to ask pertinent questions. Will the partnership bring surprise, delight and excitement to our audiences? Are we staying true to who we are? Is there brand synergy? Is the collaboration relevant? There are also other guidelines that we look to, including prioritising homegrown brands that share our Malaysian roots.
What are some surprising things you learned about your customers over the years.
Evelyn Lee: One surprising thing we’ve learned is how different generations connect with us in their own way. For Gen X and Millennials, Secret Recipe is deeply nostalgic. Many remember us from childhood birthdays or even first dates.
For Gen Z and now Gen Alpha, the connection is less about tradition and more about discovery and lifestyle. They’re excited by our new flavours, quirky collaborations, and shareable moments online.
Patrick Sim: But there are also some timeless truths that are shared across generations. The biggest is that Secret Recipe represents many things. It’s about celebration. It’s about creating memories. That emotional connection, whether rooted in nostalgia or in new experiences, is what makes the brand truly enduring across generations.
With the increase of personalisation in marketing, how personalised do you see marketing getting at Secret Recipe? Is there a future where every customer has their own “secret recipe”?
Evelyn Lee: Personalisation is definitely the future. From tailored offers to customised cakes, customers increasingly want experiences that feel like they’re made “just for me.”
Ryan Chung: One day, we could very well imagine offering flavour profiles or digital tools where customers create their very own “Secret Recipe.”
Patrick Sim: The challenge is balancing scalability with maintaining the warm, personal touch we’re known for.
If you can share with us, what’s been the biggest marketing or branding misstep you’ve experienced, and what did it teach you?
Patrick Sim: You can’t be “too trendy”, so much that you stray from our brand identity. While it’s important to evolve, our brand voice and our values, more importantly, should act as a filter.
Evelyn Lee: Staying relevant doesn’t have to mean losing our identity or who we are. It’s about adapting in a way that’s authentically “Secret Recipe”.
With increasingly shorter attention spans and endless scrolling, what’s your strategy to make Secret Recipe content truly unmissable?
Ryan Chung: One way is to use strong visuals that stop the scroll. This could be many things, such as the close-up of a fudgy slice or a playful video. Every post should carry a clear message.
We also engage our audiences by making this interactive, polls, contests, trend-jacks…. Anything that elicits participation, or at least a positive response. The goal is to make people pause, smile, and CRAVE Secret Recipe.
In your opinion, what’s harder – attracting new customers or keeping loyal ones? Why?
Patrick Sim: Both are challenging, but keeping loyal customers is harder. Attracting someone can be done with a good promo or “pull factor” but earning repeat visits requires consistency, trust, and innovation.
As the saying goes, “Attracting new customers is silver, but keeping loyal ones is GOLD”. For Secret Recipe, our customers return not only for the familiar, but also for the little surprises we throw in along the way.
What’s one trend you think is overhyped in marketing, and what’s one trend marketers underestimate today?
Evelyn Lee: One trend that’s overhyped is chasing every single trend for the sake of virality. It can dilute a brand’s identity. On the other hand, one thing that’s often underestimated, to me, is the power of community management. That means responding, interacting, and meaningfully connecting with customers online. That is what builds long-term loyalty.
Patrick Sim: We’ve witnessed this firsthand. A good example was when a food reviewer reviewed our salad and Shinjuku Bake. The video went viral and instead of just watching from the sidelines and basking in the attention, we went a step further by launching a promo, as part of a reaction to his content. Our sales jumped by two hundred percent!
Ryan Chung: But more importantly, it showed how real-time interaction and community-driven moments can create lasting impact beyond just views.
Complete this sentence: “The best part about marketing cakes for a living is…”
Evelyn Lee: …knowing we’re giving people more than dessert. We’re enabling them to celebrate, to heal, to say what words can’t. Because sometimes, a cake is worth more than a thousand apologies, and definitely always worth more than a thousand words!
If Secret Recipe was a person, how would you describe the brand’s personality?
Ryan Chung: Secret Recipe is that warm, reliable friend who’s always there for you. The one you celebrate with, lean on for comfort, and also discover fun new things with. We’re approachable, caring, and never boring!
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