Success can be difficult to measure, but at just 22 years old, Alexan Tang has arguably achieved some form of it through her very own business, SugarBelly.
A specialty mochi doughnut shop, SugarBelly further gained attention thanks to its outlet in Jewel Changi Airport, which is possibly home to Singapore’s first matcha on tap.
Taking a chance on baking
Alexan’s own interest in baking started at the young age of 8, spending much of her childhood watching baking shows and recreating the recipes.
At the time, though, it was just a hobby. Little did she know it would turn into a career.
Recognising that she wasn’t the most academically inclined, though, Alexan decided to go all in on her passion for the arts and enroll in culinary school at At-Sunrice GlobalChef Academy at just 17 years old.
“Immersing myself in the professional F&B world and working with Michelin-starred chefs ignited a fire in me,” Alexan expressed. “I realised at a young age that F&B was the career I wanted to pursue wholeheartedly.”
Thus, she set out to create a dessert that Singaporeans had never experienced before. This eventually led her to create Singapore’s first local specialty mochi doughnuts brand, SugarBelly.
A sugary start
It all began with a dream. No, literally. Alexan had a dream where she envisioned the name “SugarBelly” with a pink and blue storefront.
She officially introduced SugarBelly’s mochi doughnuts to Singapore in 2023. The brand launched as a pop-up at International Plaza in April 2023, with the operations taking place in Alexan’s home kitchen.
Receiving an overwhelmingly positive response, the chef continued hosting pop-up events, including one at Takashimaya.
Emboldened by the successful pop-ups, Alexan knew it was time for a permanent location. She didn’t just want any location, though—she had her eyes set on Jewel Changi Airport, one of Singapore’s most iconic malls.
Filling a hole
In her line of work, Alexan noticed that many larger companies would mass-produce products in factories, then distribute them to outlets. The products would be displayed for too long and lacked freshness.
Deciding to make everything fresh and by hand, Alexan created her own recipe, which took about a year of research and development.
“At SugarBelly, everything is made fresh to order, handmade by our ‘pixie fairies,’ and you can even watch us craft each donut when you visit our physical outlet,” she said. “This allows SugarBelly customers the freedom to choose from a rotating selection of flavours, depending on demand.”
Since everything is made fresh on the day itself, Alexan has an early start to the day before heading to Jewel Changi to open the store and prepare for the morning rush. At 11:30AM, the rush begins, and it’s a constant flow throughout the day.
The 22-year-old is usually able to grab a quick five-minute snack break before diving back into preparing orders, taking orders, packing, and serving customers.
“I love interacting with our customers, asking about their day as I prepare their orders—it gives me the energy I need to keep going,” she shared. “Our day wraps up at 10PM, after which I check stock and clean the space for the next day.”
That’s not the end of Alexan’s day, though. Once home, she continues working on marketing, admin, and backend tasks until about 3AM.
Tapping into matcha
As a matcha fan, Alexan has tried numerous matcha lattes in Singapore. However, she felt like most of them lacked the creamy, rich, and bold flavour she was looking for.
“To me, a good matcha latte should have a strong, creamy matcha flavour that isn’t too sweet—exactly what we’ve perfected at SugarBelly,” she shared.
SugarBelly’s matcha latte can also be served with a house-made strawberry compote cooked fresh daily.
More than the drinks themselves, though, it’s how the drinks are served that’s unique—on tap.
“I thought it would be a unique experience, especially at Jewel Changi Airport, one of the country’s most iconic malls and a popular tourist destination,” Alexan explained.
For those concerned about the freshness, rest assured that the matcha is hand-whisked daily, made fresh in batches throughout the day.
While this is unique, Jewel Changi is home to many other innovative F&B offerings. Standing out against the many local competitors can’t be easy.
Yet, Alexan is confident in the fact that SugarBelly is offering something new as a specialty mochi donut and matcha-on-tap store.
“This was one of the key reasons I wanted to open my first physical outlet in a mall—to bring a fresh, unique concept to the space, rather than the usual Koi or Potato Corner that can be found in every mall across Singapore,” she argued.
“As a 22-year-old Gen Z entrepreneur, I’m determined to make my mark at Singapore’s most iconic mall, Jewel Changi.”
A hustler’s mentality
Currently, SugarBelly operates as a two-person team—Alexan and a full-time employee. But the young entrepreneur is working towards building a reliable team and finding people who genuinely fit the brand.
“I don’t want to just hire anyone to represent SugarBelly; I want to strategically build a team I can trust to uphold the standards and vision of a brand I’ve created from the ground up,” she explained.
Due to her high standards, the entrepreneur is working tirelessly without a break, from 8AM to 3AM daily. And she plans to keep going until she’s built a team that can execute the brand as well as she does.
Despite her hard work, Alexan admitted that she doesn’t know if she’s doing a good job growing the brand. At the same time, she often forgets to take breaks until her body can no longer handle it.
“I’ve been working 30 days straight since opening, juggling everything from marketing to operations, and learning from each mistake I make,” she confessed. “Entrepreneurship isn’t just about starting something—it’s about committing to it, especially when things get tough and when I feel like giving up.”
As an entrepreneur, Alexan recognises that many see it as an appealing path. However, many don’t realise that success isn’t guaranteed—it only comes after numerous failures, valuable lessons, and moments when you feel like giving up.
But she believes that the key is to always take that first step and not get caught up in overthinking the what ifs—every bit of preparation meets opportunity.
Even though the journey is arduous, Alexan is fully committed to growing SugarBelly.
She asserted, “I started working in F&B at the age of 16, and I plan to continue doing so for as long as I can—whether that’s until I retire or even beyond. I’m passionate about what I do and confident in my creations.”
Featured Image Credit: SugarBelly
