NIBONG TEBAL, Dec 25 — What started as an unplanned idea has grown into a homegrown spice brand now setting its sights on the global market.
Driven by confidence in product quality, steadfast determination and a willingness to take risks, entrepreneur G. Ganga Dewi has propelled Chitthi Spice to a new milestone as it makes its first move into the overseas market, starting with Canada.
The 46-year-old company director said the expansion followed a trial shipment sent earlier this year, with a local agent in Canada currently preparing warehouse facilities in anticipation of the brand’s market entry.
Ganga Dewi said she entered the spice industry to test her own capabilities and prove that women can succeed in a sector traditionally dominated by men.
“I also see strong growth potential in this industry because spices are used in almost all cuisines. Malaysian spices are in high demand internationally due to their distinctive flavour and aroma,” she said when met by Bernama at her factory in the Nibong Tebal Industrial Park here recently.
She said Chitthi Spice obtained Halal certification from the Penang Islamic Religious Council within three months of operations, while the company, founded in 2022, also secured the Malaysian Food Safety Scheme (MeSTI) certification from the Ministry of Health, allowing its products to be marketed more widely.
The mother of three said she had not originally planned to go into business despite her family’s background in business. However, her participation in the six-month Penang Women Entrepreneurs Mentoring Programme (PenMentor) organised by the Penang Women’s Development Corporation (PWDC) became a turning point.
Through the programme, she received structured mentoring, business planning guidance and peer feedback, which eventually led her to invest nearly RM500,000 of her own savings to set up the spice factory.
The facility initially produced six products, namely chicken curry powder, fish curry powder, turmeric, chilli, black pepper and white pepper, but has since expanded to nearly 60 types of spices and spice powders, along with 40 related products, including flour-based items, herbal drinks and Indian confectionery.
According to Ganga Dewi, Chitthi Spice stands out for its spice formulations made without added colouring or flavour enhancers, resulting in distinctive aromas and tastes.
She added that the factory is capable of producing between 500 and 800 kilogrammes of spice powder daily.
The Nibong Tebal native also acknowledged early challenges in convincing traders and distributors to accept her products, but through consistent participation in entrepreneurship and halal expos and active promotion via social media platforms such as TikTok, Chitthi Spice has gained growing recognition.
She said factory operations initially involved only herself and her husband, P. Sivanesan, 50, before expanding to six full-time workers, with part-time staff hired during festive seasons to meet demand.
PenMentor is a Penang state government initiative under PWDC that combines intensive training, mentorship and networking opportunities for Malaysian women entrepreneurs aged 18 and above. — Bernama
