It makes me happy to know our product has become part of their festive celebrations: Baker

PETALING JAYA: With ovens already working overtime, one baker has stopped taking orders early after demand for her kuih raya surged to 1,000 jars as customers return for their festive favourites every year.

For Aida Athirah Omar, what started as a small attempt to offset slow cake sales during the fasting month has since grown into a thriving seasonal business, driven by consistency, quality and loyal customers.

Aida Athirah, who is self-taught, said the idea to venture into kuih raya came about six years ago when she noticed that cake orders would typically decline during Ramadan.

“Due to lower demand for cakes during the fasting month, we decided to try opening orders for kuih raya and it received a very encouraging response.

From there, it continued to grow every year,” said the 28-year-old full-time baker.

From producing just 100 jars in her early days, she now prepares up to 1,000 jars each festive season, a tenfold increase that reflects growing demand and strong customer retention.

Among her best-selling items are Bangkit Cheese, Hazelnut Button Cookies, Cornflake Crunchy, Afghan Cookies, Biskut Arab and Biscoff Cookies, with customers often returning to re-order their favourites while adding new varieties each year.

“Usually, customers will try one or two types of biscuits, and the following year they will come back to re-order the same favourites while adding even more varieties to their list.

“It is always nice to see familiar names returning each year and this pattern has really helped our orders grow steadily over time.

It makes me happy to know that our kuih has become part of their Hari Raya celebrations.”

To keep up with demand, she begins preparations a month before Ramadan, closing orders even before the first day of fasting.

On average, she can produce between 40 and 60 jars a day if she focuses on a single type of kuih.

Despite strong demand, Aida said supply shortages and rising ingredient costs remain key challenges, especially during the peak festive season.

“Sometimes ingredients are out of stock, so we have to switch to alternative brands or look for supplies from multiple shops.

It can be quite challenging, especially when demand is high.”

To manage costs, she sources her baking ingredients during promotional periods at bakery supply stores, while maintaining her commitment to quality.

“We choose to stick to the quality of our ingredients.

If there is a slight increase in price, we will inform our customers, especially our regulars.

Most of them understand and are okay with it.”

Her customer base includes families, corporate clients and online buyers, with many of her regular cake customers also placing orders for kuih raya during the festive season.

“Word-of-mouth has played a significant role in expanding my business, with satisfied customers recommending my products to friends and family.”

While she acknowledges that some customers have become more price-conscious this year, she said demand is resilient.

“There are some who shift towards more affordable options, but they still order from us because they trust the taste and quality.”

Looking ahead, she believes the demand for kuih raya will continue to be shaped by customer preferences, with traditional and modern flavours finding their place on festive tables.

“Every year, we can see which types of biscuits are in demand based on customer orders.

Over time, there is always an increase in different varieties and that shows how preferences continue to evolve.”

For Aida, the long hours spent in the kitchen are ultimately worth it as her kuih raya becomes part of her customers’ Hari Raya celebrations, a reminder that beyond the numbers, it is tradition, taste and trust that keep them coming back.

 The Sun Malaysia