When they first started, their shio pan drew attention for their creative flavours, such as maple bacon and Belgian chocolate, which offered a fresh twist compared with the standard plain version available elsewhere.
But recently, the sisters have noticed more bakeries across Singapore offering their own versions of shio pan. Bakeries, such as Bread Talk or Four Leaves’ Epi D’or, have red bean (with a slab of butter) and honey ham variants respectively. “We are obviously intimidated because we were the first to dedicate our whole concept to [assorted filled] shio pan from a hawker stall,” Serene said.
Serene was quick to add that it was “fair game”, acknowledging that as demand for the Japanese bread grew, it was only natural for more businesses to try and meet it. For them, staying competitive meant constantly innovating and ensuring their unique flavours and quality kept customers coming back.
“It’s tough because some businesses have the manpower and the reach to flood the market faster than we ever could,” said Danielle.
Despite the growing competition, one of the highlights of their journey was the collaboration with Japanese dessert chain Hvala, which has four outlets in Singapore and one more in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. For the younger sister, it was “a dream come true”. She added: “I’ve been a fan of Hvala for years. I’d go there after exams for a treat, so when they approached us, it felt surreal.”
Hvala initially contacted them to supply shio pan for their cafes, but the sisters’ production limitations made it impossible at first. That was when the conversation shifted to a full collaboration. Together, they developed a customised menu for Hvala’s newest outlet in Raffles Specialist Centre, which opened on Sep 16. The girls work on a consignment basis and get a cut of the profits on sales of their bakes.
Right now, the collab is exclusive to this outlet in Bugis, but the sisters are open to expanding their collaborations with all other Hvala locations. “We are open to working at more locations, but it really depends if we get enough manpower. So for now, this is where we are focusing,” said Danielle.
Now juggling three locations, the sisters rely on some staff to help manage the Hvala outlet, but most days, it’s all hands on deck. Danielle, the head baker, spends her time in the commercial kitchen, while Serene runs the hawker stall. After closing the hawker stall, Serene swings by the cafe to assist, and the same goes for Danielle.
