KOTA TINGGI, Oct 2 — With a family recipe that goes back 19 years, the Jalan Mawai apam balik here continues to draw customers from across the district.

Despite the rising cost of its ingredients, its original flavour is sold for as little as RM4 a piece.

Nelta Efrida Zulfadhli, 37, said all ingredients are prepared daily. 

The flour batter is freshly made at the premises, and the corn is prepared in-house instead of from the can.

“We have raised prices previously, but we are mindful of our customers. Given our high sales volume, we have managed to maintain a profit margin and have no plans to raise prices for the time being,” she told Bernama recently.

Her husband, Mohd Shahrizal Supri, 41, represents the second generation to run the family business, which he built using his own capital. 

His wife, Nelta Efrida, now a mother of three, joined the business in 2009 after they were engaged.

“Customers are not only from the surrounding areas. Some come from as far as Skudai, Kulai, Simpang Renggam and Mersing just to buy our apam balik,” said Nelta Efrida, who has three full-time and two part-time workers.

The business started with a daily five kilogrammes (kg) of flour in 2007. 

This reached 50 to 55kg daily during the holiday season.

Nelta Efrida said the rise in demand added between RM2,000 and RM2,500 to daily sales on regular days and about RM4,500 during the holiday season.

She said daily sales reached as high as RM6,000 when her apam balik went viral.

The original is the best-seller, followed by Nutella and Japanese-style apam balik with red bean paste. 

Other flavours offered include pistachio, matcha, peanut butter and Lotus Biscoff.

She previously supplied her products at events such as public tea receptions in Mersing and Kota Tinggi and at various Hari Raya gatherings in Johor Bahru.

A key challenge of the business is a shortage of workers, particularly when trying to meet local demand during weddings.

“Many have contacted us for orders, but having an additional worker is insufficient. If we take (workers) from another branch, that shop will have to close,” she said, adding that they have another branch in Kota Tinggi town.

Her current focus is to expand her target market via social media platforms such as TikTok instead of opening more branches, to ensure product consistency, she said.

“It is better to focus on one location and reach more people, making sure they know about our shop and products,” she said.

She plans to raise staff count and accept wedding orders next year.

Operations usually begin at around 9.30am, with the last order at 4pm. 

However, she has closed her premises as early as 2pm when they sold out. — Bernama