When we first spoke to Chanel Lee back in 2022, her lifestyle and character brand, Tasty Toastys—known for its whimsical cartoon toast characters—was thriving in the NFT space.
This time, we check in with her as she embarks on the next phase of her journey: merchandising.
In a sea of global toy crazes—one that hasn’t spared Singapore—we take a closer look at how Chanel has carved out a sizable niche for her collectibles.
A meteoric rise, then crash
A business graduate who once held corporate roles, Chanel had always wanted to launch her own brand.
Inspired by a scene from The Simpsons where Homer is snuggled up in bed, completely content, she came up with the name Toasty, a brand meant to capture and recreate that same warm, cosy feeling for her customers.
The dream was to have a brand called Toasty, which sold things that make you feel nice and warm. I imagined selling blankets, sleepwear, bedroom slippers, cushions—all sorts of comfortable items.”
Chanel Lee in a 2022 interview with Vulcan Post
Within the Toasty world, there are five original bread characters, each representing a slice of life and the emotions we all experience. For example, MG (Multigrain) reflects resilience, while Burnt celebrates courage.
Although the business got its start in the NFT space, it wasn’t part of Chanel’s original plan—she had explored several different avenues over the years to bring her vision to life, but in late 2021, the rise of crypto and the growing buzz around digital art drew her into the world of NFTs.
Despite an initial flop, Chanel’s second NFT collection did unexpectedly well, selling out within a week and recording over 24 ETH in trading volume (approximately US$75,000 at the time) within its first month.
But in 2022, the cryptocurrency market suffered one of its largest crashes in history, and Chanel observed that many people’s interest in NFTs began to wane.
The gaming startup that she collaborated with, which featured her Toastys as in-game characters, even shut down, though she did not disclose its name.
It then became clear to Chanel that it was time to pivot.
Building a “global lifestyle brand”
Tasty Toasty’s goal is, ultimately, to become a “global lifestyle brand”—and merchandising has always been part of Chanel’s long-term vision.
In January 2023, just a few months after leaving the NFT scene, she took her first steps into the retail space.
She stocked her first physical products—two plushie keychains and a cushion—in a small cubby at ToyOutpost, a consignment store in Plaza Singapura, competing alongside thousands of other brands.
To further boost visibility and sales, she turned to TikTok livestreams, collaborating with other sellers and tapping into the platform’s growing popularity among Singaporean shoppers.
Chanel found it challenging to identify and re-engage her previous supporters, as the majority of those who bought her NFTs were either not in Singapore or anonymous. Moreover, she also noted that interest in NFTs didn’t necessarily translate to enthusiasm for physical Toasty products, so she had to put in extra effort to spotlight her collectibles.
As her brand gained traction, Chanel organised a series of her own pop-up events across Singapore, with the most recent one held at Jewel Changi Airport.
She has gradually expanded her product range, focusing on functional items such as tote bags, sling pouches, travel neck pillows, and insulated bottles, all while maintaining Tasty Toasty’s warm and cosy aesthetic.
Chanel also launched her first blind box collection in May 2024, riding the wave of the PopMart craze.
Today, Tasty Toastys boasts a catalogue of over 20 different products—some of which are even stocked in all 12 Toys “R” Us stores across the island.
Beyond Singapore, the brand’s merchandise can also be found all over the globe, including in London bookstores, Don Don Donki outlets in Japan and several other stores in Brunei and Taiwan.
Chanel also mentioned that she has received orders from the US, China and Australia as well.
What’s next for Tasty Toastys?
Chanel has been occupied with pop-up events in recent months, which have limited her social media activity. Nevertheless, she plans to ramp up TikTok posts and livestreams to better engage her growing fanbase.
Looking ahead, she aims to create an animated series and a comic based on the Toasty universe. In the meantime, fans can catch bite-sized animations featuring the brand’s characters on its social media platforms.
Next up, Tasty Toastys is set to exhibit at the Pop Toy Show at the Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre in August 2025—so if you’re a fan, don’t miss it.
- Find out more about Tasty Toastys here.
- Read other articles we’ve written on Singaporean startups here.
Featured Image Credit: Sandbox Somerset/ Chanel Lee via LinkedIn
