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A GOOD rise takes more than one ingredient. It takes the right conditions, a little science, plenty of patience and, often, someone who knows how to help you get there.
That idea sits at the heart of Rise with Mauri, a new two-year campaign by AB Mauri Malaysia aimed at building stronger foundations in baking and, for those turning their skills into businesses, creating opportunities to grow.
The campaign got off the ground in Kuala Lumpur through a collaboration with Ibupreneur, bringing together 20 women micro-entrepreneurs from the B40 community for a hands-on baking masterclass.
That real-world focus came to life at the launch at Pusat Kreatif Kanak-Kanak Tuanku Bainun in Taman Tun Dr Ismail, where the Ibupreneur participants swapped business pitches for aprons and hands-on learning.
Over one day, they learnt cake decoration and piping, tried their hand at the trending Shio Pan using Mauri Hokkaido Milk Bread Mix, and explored artisan crusty bread using Fermenta Crusty Bread Mix and Mauripan Instant Dry Yeast.
The training went beyond baking techniques, touching on product development and standardising operating procedures to help home-based bakers take the next step towards running more sustainable businesses.
For Honeyz Bake founder Thenmooli Arumugam, the masterclass offered more than new techniques to add to her repertoire. It also gave her fresh ideas for taking her business further.
"I had the opportunity to learn new things, including sourdough and Shio Pan, while also gaining new ideas for how I can grow my business further," she said.
Ibupreneur co-founder Aida Zunaidi said many of the women the organisation worked with already had talent, recipes and determination to build something of their own. What they often lacked, she said, was the support to turn those skills into a business, with “knowledge (sharing), equipment, guidance and opportunities” helping them move from simply making something well to building a business around it.
As part of the campaign, AB Mauri donated three chillers, with Ibupreneur acting as the vetting partner to identify entrepreneurs with the greatest operational need. The chillers went to Afiqah Food House & Services founder Normazlina Noor Rahman, Tirai Station founder Nadiah Izzati Hassan and to Ibupreneur's central kitchen.
For Nadiah, who has grown her business from a stall to a food truck and now a commercial kitchen, the support comes at a pivotal stage. Reliable cold storage is among the requirements under an INSKEN programme supporting entrepreneurs towards halal certification.
"I was really touched when I received the chiller because I honestly did not expect to receive one. I am very grateful for the support, because otherwise I would have had to take a loan to buy one myself," she said.
AB Mauri Malaysia general manager Linda Tan said today’s bakery entrepreneurs were juggling far more than just a good recipe, from consistency, cost and wastage to production, changing consumer tastes and keeping customers coming back. “Our role is to understand those challenges and bring our expertise and technology into the real world of their businesses. Sometimes, success begins with the right technical solution; at other times, it comes from shared knowledge, practical training, or the confidence of having a strong partner alongside them. That is the role AB Mauri is proud to play," she said.
Rise with Mauri will run over the next two years, with activities spanning social media, public relations, on-ground activations, collaborations, creator partnerships and direct engagement with bakery businesses.
The campaign also brings AB Mauri's yeast, bread and sweet bakery range in different pack sizes to bakeries and the hotel, restaurant, and cafe sectors.
Tan said the aim was to support bakery entrepreneurs at different stages, from independent bakers and cafés to larger foodservice businesses, as they work to improve their products and build more resilient businesses.
"With the launch of Rise with Mauri, we want the businesses we work with to make better products, become more resilient and go further. If they rise, we rise with them," she said.