Nasty Cookie was founded in 2018 by a 21-year-old bodybuilder as a side hustle, now it’s grown to a multimillion dollar biz
Singapore isn’t short of cookie shops. From Subway to Famous Amos, the market has long been saturated with options.
But in 2018, Regine Sum, then 21 years old, thought that there was room for something different: giant, decadent New York–style cookies baked fresh and loaded with toppings.
At S$4.20 apiece, many scoffed at the price. But seven years on and with over five million cookies sold, her brand, Nasty Cookie, has grown into a multi-million dollar business with seven outlets islandwide.
We spoke with Regine to find out how she built a cookie brand that has captured Singaporeans’ taste buds, and the lessons she’s learned along the way.
From weights to whisks
Surprisingly, Regine was actually a professional bodybuilder and personal trainer before she started Nasty Cookie, and her career path was far from typical for a future bakery owner.
She wanted to save up money to move to Australia, and to fund the plan, she decided to start a side business.
It was after a bodybuilding competition that inspiration struck: cravings for a chewy-yet-crispy New York–style cookie led her to start experimenting in the kitchen.
According to Regine, nothing similar existed locally at the time, which motivated her to perfect her recipes and bring the concept to Singapore.
One day, she baked a decadent cookie that was both messy and delicious—and instantly fell in love with it. “My mom said it looked so ‘nasty,’ and from that day on, I decided to call the business Nasty Cookie,” she recalled.
In Oct 2018, Regine launched Nasty Cookie out of her home kitchen with just S$800, selling her products online. And it was an immediate hit—within just two weeks, she had managed to sell over 800 cookies.
Criticisms that cut deep
Although Nasty Cookie was originally meant to be a side hustle, growing demand forced Regine to abandon her plans to move to Australia.
By Jun 2019, orders had generated enough capital to open Nasty Cookie’s first outlet at the Funan shopping mall—where queues began forming as early as 4AM.
But not everyone was convinced. The brand was often compared to international cookie chains, which seemed to offer better value. By weight, Nasty’s cookies were considered “too expensive,” said Regine.
“It’s tough for local F&Bs. People tend to compare us to international brands, and when you come in as a local, they judge you.”
Yet, Regine never once considered slashing prices. “Ingredients aren’t cheap, and costs keep rising. There are also rent, legal fees, and operational costs. Consumers are calculative—it’s normal—but they don’t always see that,” she explained.
Regine believes in the value of her cookies. From the start, she has doubled down on quality, using couverture chocolate—a high-quality chocolate with a higher cocoa butter content than regular chocolate chips—and baking her cookies fresh daily.
“I’d tell people: just try one cookie first. Once you do, you’ll come back again.” And they did. Many who came for a single cookie returned for boxes.
That said, the criticisms still did cut deep for Regine, an introvert who already fears being judged.
During the early days of running the retail store, she recalled stuttering while serving customers, struggling with the POS system, and felt like “an animal in a zoo” behind the glass warmer, acutely aware of every pair of eyes on her.
Over time, she learned to separate feedback about her business from judgments about herself—a mindset shift that gave her the resilience to keep going.
“For me, nothing is impossible”
Regine also faced other challenges running Nasty Cookie’s Funan outlet—the grind was brutal, to say the least.
She had underestimated how much working capital would be needed. While she had saved enough to open the store, it wasn’t sufficient to keep it running for the first three months.
With no full-timers, Regine worked 31 days straight, covering every role: baker, cashier, driver, cleaner. Although her brother and his friend helped, alongside a few part-timers, most of the weight was on her shoulders.
“I’m quite the stubborn person. I don’t like asking for help,” she admitted. “For me, nothing is impossible.”
When someone couldn’t make it for a shift, she would even cover for them, be it delivering, fixing the oven or baking.
But the strain was real. Just before COVID-19, Regine considered shutting the business down altogether. “It felt like an endless loop. I was working constantly, so I couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel.”
However, she chose to press on—and fortunately, it turned out to be the right decision.
Beyond just cookies
Today, Nasty Cookie operates seven outlets across Singapore. This includes Nasty Bakehouse, a café launched in 2024 that serves cookies alongside pastries and drinks, introducing Regine’s creations to an even wider audience.
That same year, Nasty Cookie also recorded its best-performing year—crossing S$5 million in revenue and proving that staying true to her brand was the sweetest recipe for success. The business has also secured MUIS halal certification, solidifying its place in the market.
Beyond food and drinks, Nasty Cookie has expanded into merchandising. Its Orchard and Jewel outlets now sell branded T-shirts and tote bags, creating a full-fledged “Nasty experience.”
At the heart of this growth is strong branding—Regine obsesses over every detail.
She keeps up with trends and launches seasonal novelties, from playful creations like cat poop, maggot, or nugget cookies (don’t worry—they’re made with ingredients like chocolate and Biscoff) for April Fools’ and Halloween, to prata-flavoured cookies for this year’s National Day (this one actually tastes like prata, though).
Nasty Cookie’s strong branding has helped cultivate loyal customers. Every October, swarms of fans turn up in blue to celebrate “Nasty Blue Day,” a tradition commemorating the launch of its first outlet.
For Regine, seeing people embrace her brand colour is proof of how far Nasty Cookie has come—and she can’t help but feel proud of her journey.
Running your own business is far from glamorous
Seven years in, Regine has learned that running a business is far from glamorous. During Nasty Cookie’s early years, she resented seven-day weeks, and felt crushed by the weight of every role.
Her mindset shifted when she accepted that work-life balance doesn’t exist—at least not for founders. Instead, she believes in work-life harmony: her business isn’t separate from her life, it’s part of it.
She’s also learned not to let others dilute her vision. Following too much advice once led her to stray—in 2022, she opened Let’s Pretzel, a pretzel and croissant joint at Geylang Bazaar, a short-lived stint that incurred a staggering S$50,000 in costs in two weeks.
According to Regine, the bazaar’s management had informed her of an available spot at the last minute, causing her to miss the initial crowd and media coverage, leaving little hope of breaking even. “I lost myself because I listened too much to advice from others to do more than cookies,” she admitted.
Now, she insists: “If you’re building something novel, you’re already different—stick to that.” Since then, she has focused fully on growing Nasty Cookie.
Despite the steep learning curve she has faced, Regine is thankful for the obstacles, knowing she will always find a way through.
Challenges still pop up daily, but instead of brooding, she meets them head-on. “Don’t waste time blaming situations—they’ll always happen,” she said.
What’s next for Nasty Cookie?
Following internal restructuring last year, Regine has assumed responsibility for Nasty Cookie’s finance and operations after her brother and his friend departed from the business.
Now, the business has set its sights on regional expansion, with revenue projected to reach S$5.5 million this year.
To achieve this, Regine is focused on building systems for long-term sustainability. Most importantly, she wants to scale the company not just for herself, but for her team. “They’ve stuck with me through thick and thin. I want to give back to them,” she said.
Ultimately, Regine has realised that running a business is bigger than any one person. “It’s not just about you anymore,” she said. “It’s about the whole company that depends on you.”
- Find out more about Nasty Cookie here.
- Read more stories we’ve written on Singaporean businesses here.
Featured Image Credit: Nasty Cookie
