It’s been nearly 5 years since I embarked on this journey of Cupcake Chic. When I decided to go Retail and opened our first store in the Curve, the first thing I did was to assemble a small team. One person would handle all the administrative and Front-of-House operations, the other person would be my “Chef-de-Partie”, otherwise known as “Pastry Chef”.

Swee San first joined our team as Pastry Chef and immediate task was to come up with our initial 25 cupcake flavors. We tested over 150 cupcake flavors in order to come up with the best 25! She then headed up the Kitchen or “Back-of-House” to churn out cupcakes day in, day out for our retail outlet.

After one year, she decided to leave us for “greener” pastures. We must have made a lasting impression, because 3.5 years later, she is back to join us and we are thrilled to have her back! Swee San graduated from the prestigious school of Le Cordon Bleu and is now our “Product Innovation Chief”. She will be responsible to bring many new and interesting product lines to the Cupcake Chic repertoire of goodies….so if there is something you like to see on our shelves – just let us know and she’ll start working on it (within reasonable limits, of course!)

Swee San

You know she’s irreplaceable.

The Mum’s Pink Dolce Box – featuring our best-selling Classic Vanilla, Belgian Chocolate and limited edition Pink Velvet cupcakes bearing the message “WE ♥ U, MUM”, together with Raspberry with Raspberry/White Chocolate ganache and Pink Velvet macarons with Cream Cheese ganache that are crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside.

All this together with our dazzling white and silver Dolce gift box.

Available by order only, with at least 3 days’ notice from 1st May 2012.

Surprise the queen of your heart with this limited edition premium gift box for RM75.

or give us a call at 03-7886 3006 or drop by any of our stores to place an order.

Only at Cupcake Chic.

Cupcake Description:

• WE ♥ U or I ♥ U fondant in fuschia (3 cupcakes): Pink Velvet cupcakes with Cream Cheese frosting topped with fuschia fondant letters
• MUM fondant in white (3 cupcakes): Classic Vanilla cupcake with baby pink messy frosting and pink sanding sugar topped with white fondant letters
• Daisy fondant in fuschia (2 cupcakes): Belgian chocolate cupcakes with Vanilla messy frosting and fuschia pointed daisy fondant
• Raspberry macarons (4 pcs): Raspberry macarons filled with Raspberry ganache
• Pink Velvet macarons (4 pcs): Baby pink macarons filled with Cream Cheese ganache

Price: RM75

Kindly place orders for the Mum’s Pink Dolce Box at least 3 days in advance prior to collection or delivery. Orders may be collected from any of our 3 outlets or delivered to your doorstep. Delivery is available in KL, Selangor, Penang & JB for RM20.

Show your love and appreciation to the woman who has loved and cared for you even before you were born.

Terms & Conditions:

Available for order until 13^th May 2012, while stocks last

Mum’s Pink Dolce Box cupcake and macaron flavours cannot be changed for other flavours

Delivery available at RM20 in KL, Selangor, Penang and JB respectively

Delivery and Pick-Up available only for the Mum’s Pink Dolce Boxes from 1- 16 May 2012

Delivery of more than one Mum’s Pink Dolce Box to a single destination may be subject to additional changes

Payment in full to be made prior to collection or delivery

Not valid with any other promotion

Which brings me to write this blog.

WE GOT OUR FRANCHISOR STATUS.

Yes, from the Franchise Ministry. And it is a BIG deal because we have been working hard on this for over two years.

What does this mean? It means that now, if you wanted to take up a franchise with us, it will be that much easier because there are government incentives and loans available to you. There are many areas deprived of good (sorry, great!) cupcakes and we believe you, our fans would be able to bring it there.

We have three models with different investment requirements, namely the Compatto, the Medio and the Famiglia. You can take a look here : http://bit.ly/zfJVvG.

If you love our cupcakes and want to partner with a brand that is going places, do drop us an email at franchise@cupcakechic.com.my.

It’s Valentine’s Day and we’re bringing back the Valentine’s Dolce Box. A perfect gift box featuring our best-selling Belgian Chocolate, Vanilla, Red Velvet and lip-smacking Strawberries ‘n Cream cupcakes, each decorated with fondant hearts as well as our own Red Velvet, Raspberry, Lavender and Strawberry macarons in an exclusive white and silver gift box. What, other than love itself, could be sweeter?

Available by order only, with at least 3 days’ notice from 1st February 2012.

Surprise your dear one with this romantic limited edition gift box for only RM75.

So HURRY, book your Valentine’s Dolce Boxes online at:

www.cupcakechic.com.my/new/place-order

or drop by any of our stores now.

Introducing the Christmas Dolce Box, a perfect gift box combination of 16 specially handcrafted Christmas themed cupcakes and macarons. Comes with 8 cupcakes (Belgian Chocolate, Vanilla, Spiced Cranberry and Chocolate Peppermint) and 8 macarons (Black Sesame macaron with White Chocolate ganache, Peppermint macaron with White Chocolate Peppermint ganache and Berries macaron with Forest Berries ganache) in an exclusive white and silver gift box.

Available by order only with at least 3 days notice. Available until 28th December 2011.

Bring peace, joy and hope to all this season with this limited edition gift box for only RM75.

So HURRY, book your Christmas Dolce Boxes online

HERE

or give us a call at 03-7886 3006 (office hours only).

Salam Aidilfitri

Maaf Zahir & Batin

Bring this limited edition premium gift box when you balik kampung, visit friends or when you attend corporate functions for only RM61.

You may also give us a call at 03-7886 3006 or drop by any of our stores to place an order or purchase the Raya Dolce Box on-the-spot.

Only at Cupcake Chic.

Price: RM61

Terms & Conditions:

Available for on-the-spot purchase at any of our stores or for pre-order until 15^th September 2011, while stocks last.

Pre-Orders that are not collected on the designated date and time will be released to other customers.

Delivery not available.

Raya Dolce Box cupcakes are sold in a special gift box of 12 and cannot be sold separately.

Payment in full to be made prior to collection.

Not valid with any other promotion.

Cupcake Chic has 24 cupcake flavours with a different combination of 12 cupcakes every day! Now’s your chance to try all the flavours with our Ramadan promotion with the Buy 9 cupcakes, get 3 FREE promotion at only RM41.70 (normal price: RM51.00). Available only from 1 – 29th Aug 2011.



That’s not all. We have made our popular Red Velvet and Arabian Nights cupcakes to reflect the Ramadan season by putting a twist to the cupcake topping. From the 1st – 29th of August, our Red Velvet cupcake will be replaced with the Raya Velvet. It’s the same light cocoa cake coupled with silky cream cheese frosting and green sanding sugar that simply melts in your mouth.

Another introduction is the Arabian Nights cupcake made of fragrant plump dates cake topped with toffee frosting. It is an ideal cupcake to “buka puasa” with and has a cake texture and mixture of flavours that is unlike any other cake. Plus, the Arabian Nights cupcake will be available everyday for this period (not just Monday’s, Wednesday’s and Saturday’s).



You can pre-order your 1 dozen cupcakes by emailing us at order@cupcakechic.com.my. With the Buy 9 cupcakes, get 3 free promotion, it is sure to sell like…well, cupcakes. Avoid disappointment by pre-ordering. Limited delivery services available within KL and PJ or for pick up.

Important Note on Online Ordering:
The Ramadan Special – Buy 9, get 3 Free offer at RM41.70 for 1 dozen cupcakes is not valid for online ordering on our website. The promotion is valid only for walk-in purchases. However, if you would like to pre-order your choice of cupcakes in advance for pick-up, kindly email us at order@cupcakechic.com.my and we can send you a payment link to confirm your order.

We are closing down our Pavilion outlet. There, I’ve said it. It has not been an easy reality to digest. Feels a little like loosing a limb as it has been such a major part in the Cupcake Chic story. But I feel I owe it to our fans, the truth behind this decision.

So, why are we closing down our Pavilion outlet?

In part, I was so busy rushing out our macarons that I overlooked the date to revert to the retail management of Pavilion regarding the renewal of the store. I was two days late and that was enough for them to give our lot to someone else. Having said that, they were also planning to hike up our rent by a BIG AMOUNT (won’t say how much) that we needed a miracle game plan to be able to cover those figures. We were not allowed to sell any of our drinks because of the illy brand we carry (exclusivity of illy coffee in Pavilion goes to illy espressemante) which means we couldn’t increase sales with our beverages.

Then they told us that we possibly couldn’t sell macarons either because our name “Cupcake Chic” should only stick with cupcakes. Here I am, trying to launch our macarons so we can strengthen our product line and I believe the Cupcake Chic brand would not be diluted as a result and there they are, restricting my every move. It was very frustrating indeed!

Having said that, the team at Pavilion management has not all been difficult. The marketing team is incredible – lending us support from Day 1 – notable mention goes to Ms. Nikola Hassan – love that she is almost as proud of our brand as we are. (thank you, Nikola – if you’re reading this)

So there you have it, the truth told. In part, my fault. In hindsight, possibly a blessing in disguise as it would save us some hair pulling efforts in trying to increase sales to meet that hike in rental without being able to add to our product line. Not that we wouldn’t have taken on the challenge, mind you.

We had a meeting with the fit out team last week to discuss the restoration works and it was indeed a nostalgic final visit to the outlet. Just two years old, it is sad to have to tear this outlet down.

BUT…we are hopeful & optimistic. We will find a new home for Cupcake Chic in KL. This brand will grow from strength to strength and we know it will make Malaysia proud as a homegrown brand. The dream is shining just as bright as ever and we will not be swayed by this small road hump along our journey. I hope you (our fan reading this, hopefully) will continue to cheer for us as we continue to press on.

Instead of posting up a photo of Pavilion I thought I would put up this photo of me, posing with the floor plans before the construction work began in the Curve and I embarked on this journey. Just a reminder to myself, that this is a new era.

Jo @ Cupcake Chic, Curve (December 2008)