Labubu & ramen cakes? Meet the Singaporean behind viral “weird” cake brand Bob The Baker Boy.
Bob the Baker Boy isn’t your typical cake shop. If you took a quick glance through their catalogue, you’d likely stumble upon some of the most unusual yet undeniably creative cakes.
From bubble tea cakes you can actually drink, to 3D-sculpted instant ramen cakes, and even a severed fish head cake—you name it, they probably would have done it.
They’ve also most recently made headlines for their Labubu cakes, which had blind boxes stored inside of them.
They have plenty of normal-looking cakes as well, but they’re best known for their custom creations, which, admittedly, can be quite pricey, with some costing over S$1,000.
That said, most of their cakes hover around the S$150 to S$300 range, which I personally think is well worth it, especially considering the craftsmanship and intricate designs that go into each creation.
Behind these unique cakes is 31-year-old Mayee Fong, who first began baking as a hobby. Here’s how she managed to turn her passion into a full-fledged business.
Baking wasn’t an obvious career choice
Mayee’s love for baking began at the age of 12—back then, she’d often accompany her mother on supermarket trips and assist her in the kitchen.
“We baked everything, from pizzas to marble cakes and buns, and she had a collection of recipe books that I loved to explore.”
This hands-on experience ignited her passion for baking, but it remained just a hobby at the time.
She never considered turning it into a career—that is, until she realised that a traditional career in accountancy (the degree she was pursuing at the time at NTU) “wasn’t the right path for her.”
Thus, she sought an apprenticeship at a bakery near her home, earning S$1,500 monthly. On her days off, she tried her hand at crafting her own bakes, experimenting with different ratios of butter, flour, eggs, and sugar in each recipe.
“It took three years of home baking and lots of hard knocks to self-learn how to create recipes. There were many failures; I even remember sitting on my balcony in tears at times,” she said.
Over time, she perfected a chocolate cake recipe and began selling it online to her friends through Facebook and Instagram.
As her cakes were “well-received,” she made the decision to leave her bakery job and launch her own cake business—Bob the Baker Boy—in 2016, which she named after her favourite comedian, Bob Lam.
Fresh into entrepreneurship
Mayee’s home-baking days were some of the “most challenging moments” of her entrepreneurial journey.
She worked 16-hour days, handling “every aspect of the business by herself,” from “fulfilling orders and meeting deadlines, to coming up with new products and responding to customer inquiries.”
I was fresh into entrepreneurship and not yet mentally prepared for the stress that comes with running a company.
Mayee Fong, founder of Bob The Baker Boy
Mayee recalled a particularly difficult moment in 2018, when she designed a log cake for Christmas with a custard filling—only to discover that the filling wasn’t stable enough to hold the roll together.
“The cakes ended up melting. I had so many customer complaints to handle, and I ended up re-doing everything myself on Christmas Eve.”
Despite these setbacks, Mayee remained resilient—she refined her baking skills and learned how to customise and decorate cakes. She also chose to specialise in customised bakes after realising that “no one would travel all the way to remote Yishun,” where she lived, for an ordinary cake.
Eventually, Mayee managed to build a “loyal customer base” and steadily grew her orders to around 40 per week.
From home-based to brick-and-mortar
It was at this point that Mayee realised she was ready to take the next step in her business journey.
Using the funds she had accumulated from the past three years of home baking, she moved into a 600 sqft space and expanded her team, hiring two full-time employees and two interns.
“I stayed in that space for about three years—then, COVID-19 hit,” said Mayee. While some of her orders were cancelled, it was during this time that her newest recipe for molten lava cookies became an unexpected hit.
According to Mayee, they went viral, and her team of bakers were on their feet from morning to midnight to meet the demand.
Our bakers came in at 6 a.m. every day, and for many nights, we worked until midnight. As the demand grew, so did our team, and we eventually moved to a space three times larger.
I spent another three years there, leading a team of 30. Eventually, we outgrew that space, and now our central kitchen is in Pandan Loop.
Mayee Fong, founder of Bob The Baker Boy
Today, Mayee claims that the business is now in the “seven-figure revenue range,” with a team of about 45 to 50 people, including delivery drivers. They’ve also seen a spike in corporate orders and have baked for companies like Disney, Nestle, and Coach.
Scaling her business
Looking ahead, Mayee remains keenly aware of several key challenges facing Singapore’s F&B industry, particularly in managing expenses.
“The cost of doing business in Singapore is high, so managing expenses is critical. If you’re not careful, margins can become very tight,” she shared.
Additionally, Singapore’s small market presents its own set of challenges, especially for niche businesses like Mayee’s, which specialises in customised cakes. “There’s [only so much] we can scale before needing to diversify or explore new verticals to keep growing the business.”
This led her to explore alternative ways to expand the company, which led to the inception of Pinch Bakehouse in 2024—a halal sister brand of Bob The Baker Boy.
Throughout the years of operating Bob The Baker Boy, Mayee frequently received requests for halal options to accommodate customer orders.
With Pinch Bakehouse, she is now able to fulfill these requests and has gained significant popularity among companies, hospitals, and schools for their gifting and catering needs.
As for Bob the Baker Boy, Mayee is looking to expand her reach and appeal to a broader audience by offering even more choices for her customers.
“You can expect more product innovation from the business, including new cookie varieties and a diet-friendly range of bakes, including sugarless, dairy-free, gluten-free, and high-protein options, as well as more giftable items.”
- Learn more about Bob The Baker Boy here.
- Read other articles we’ve written about Singaporean startups here.
Also Read: How this S’porean couple went from baking jelly cheesecakes at home to bringing in millions
Featured Image Credit: Bob The Baker Boy
How this M’sian biz is using complementary medicine to tackle stroke prevention & care
[Written in partnership with RENN Asia Wellness, but the editorial team had full control over the content.]
Disclaimer: This article is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for medical advice.
When it comes to causes of stroke, three usual suspects come to mind—high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and high blood sugar. So, manage those, and you’ll be fine, right?
Of course, managing those symptoms are important, but there are other risk factors that shouldn’t be swept under the rug.
RENN Asia Wellness, a Malaysian holistic health and wellness centre, shares with Vulcan Post some factors that we might be overlooking.
Addressing the fears
Many people may unknowingly live with risk factors that can silently increase stroke susceptibility. At least, that’s what Jonathan Chew, the CEO of RENN Asia Wellness, believes.
Jonathan calls these the fear factors—key markers that conventional screenings may overlook.
He shared that one critical but often ignored risk is arterial stiffness.
“When arteries lose their flexibility, the heart has to work harder to pump blood, increasing the likelihood of rupture and stroke,” Jonathan explained.
Elevated ferritin and homocysteine levels are also major concerns.
Ferritin, a protein that stores iron, can be a red flag for oxidative stress, which damages blood vessels and accelerates cardiovascular ageing.
Meanwhile, homocysteine is an amino acid that has been linked to inflammation and clot formation. Both of these can significantly increase stroke risk.
“The good news is that once we identify these fear factors, we can take precise, science-driven actions to reduce risk through targeted nutrition, supplementation, and lifestyle changes,” Jonathan adds.
That’s why RENN Asia Wellness offers advanced screening to pinpoint these hidden dangers, offering interventions to mitigate them.
Beyond physical risk factors, Jonathan acknowledges that there’s a psychological burden that comes with stroke fear.
“Many individuals—especially those with a family history—live in constant anxiety. Our role is to equip them with knowledge, strategies, and confidence to take control of their health.”
Treating the roots
At RENN Asia Wellness, it’s all about taking a comprehensive and root-cause approach to wellness.
Their comprehensive framework includes personalised nutrition plans, targeted supplementation, and lifestyle modifications designed to reduce inflammation, improve circulation, and enhance neuroprotection.
RENN Asia also leverages something called metabolic optimisation. By addressing insulin resistance, oxidative stress, and chronic inflammation—three major contributors to stroke—patients can significantly reduce their risks.
They also integrate something called nutritional functional medicine (NFM) to address immediate risk factors as well as support long-term recovery.
Sometimes referred to as functional nutrition, NFM is a branch of complementary medicine.
It’s defined by the Association of Nutritional and Functional Medicine Practitioners in Malaysia as: “the application of cutting-edge health and medical science and evidence-based nutrients, phytochemicals, nutraceuticals to enable patients to maximise their health potential including treating, controlling and preventing chronic metabolic health disorders in which protocols can impact their hormonal, neurological and/or immune functions.”
According to RENN Asia, functional nutrition is used to support brain healing and cognitive function, while evidence-based therapies, such as specific nutrient protocols, help improve vascular health.
“We focus on helping individuals regain strength, independence, and quality of life through precision medicine,” Jonathan added. “It’s not just about treating symptoms; it’s about giving the body the right tools to heal itself.”
Taking action now
Many of us might assume that stroke is something we can’t control, and that it appears suddenly. In reality, we have more control over our own health than we want to admit sometimes.
Jonathan pointed out that stroke is often the result of years of silent damage accumulating within the body.
“We have to stop treating health like a fire we only put out once it’s already burning,” Jonathan emphasised. “Instead of waiting for symptoms to show, we advocate for early screenings, targeted prevention, and long-term wellness strategies.”
This mindset aligns with the philosophy at RENN Asia Wellness, where root-cause solutions are offered, empowering individuals to take charge of their health rather than just managing symptoms.
This is done by integrating nutritional interventions, functional medicine, and complementary therapies.
But of course, not everyone can afford to take control.
Understanding that affordability is a major concern in healthcare, Jonathan aims to keep the pricing at RENN Asia Wellness as accessible as possible.
He elaborated, “We deliberately keep our pricing competitive while maintaining the highest standards of care, so more people can benefit.”
While gaining awareness on this subject is a key, it’s not enough.
As Malaysia faces rising rates of non-communicable diseases, awareness alone isn’t enough. Action is key.
Regular health screenings, lifestyle adjustments, and exploring alternative care options like those offered by RENN Asia Wellness can make all the difference.
- Learn more about RENN Asia Wellness here.
- Read other articles we’ve written about Malaysian startups here.
Also Read: Not just a fad: How this entrepreneur plans to seriously grow Malaysia’s pickleball scene
Featured Image Credit: Renn Asia Wellness
How this new climbing gym in PJ plans to up the quality of climbers & foster competitive ones
The space was roaring with overlapping conversations between friends, punctuated by the interjections of “allez” as climbers urged each other on.
Officially opened in February, Batuu has quickly become a third space for climbers both experienced and not, and the Friday night crowd was a clear indication of that.
Between Batuu and Batuu Kids, the gym’s dedicated space for young climbers, is the gym’s inhouse Pinch Cafe, which was just as robust and lively. Here, I sat with founders Zhao and Francis for a chat.
Bringing decades of experience
Introducing Batuu, Zhao, a passionate climber of some 17 years himself, shared that the vision of the space was to bring climbing to more people, with a focus on hospitality.
“The vision of Batuu is that when you come to this place, you feel a little bit better about yourself,” Zhao explained.
“Life is already tough, and I want to create a place with a good bunch of people where you can come and enjoy yourself. Life won’t magically be better, but somehow climbing at this place will make you feel a bit better.”
But what makes Zhao and Francis primed to open such a business? A lot, actually.
Before Batuu, Zhao was a founding member of BUMP, a popular bouldering chain that led a new wave of interest in the sport locally.
“Credit should still go to other gyms such as Camp5, madmonkeyz, Boulder Ventures, and all the great gyms that have been around, that have inspired people to climb,” he added.
Even with BUMP, Zhao had wanted to work with Francis. However, given how popular Francis is with students, the timing didn’t work out.
You might be wondering, just who is this Francis? Oh, just a world renowned climber and route setter. No biggie.
“My background is more on the technical side. After climbing for 30 years, I’ve always had the same vision—to create good climbers for Malaysia. Probably good in terms of going for the Olympics or at least some world ranking,” he introduced himself.
Zhao wasn’t ready to let Francis brush past his significance, though. “He is the only Malaysian route setter to be endorsed by the International Federation of Sport Climbing. It’s world-level, and it’s very difficult to get it.”
Although the partnership between the two climbers didn’t work out for the first venture, the two reunited to combine their expertise after Zhao parted ways with BUMP.
This time, Zhao wanted to have a full-fledged gym with bouldering and rope climbing.
And that’s exactly what Batuu is offering.
Did you know: The difference between bouldering and rope climbing is that the latter involves a harness and rope, and typically has higher ascents.
Finding a safe and viable location
3 Damansara is known to be a quiet mall, mostly serving the neighbourhood crowd. As such, I was surprised that a young and hip climbing gym wanted to set up shop here.
My first assumption—cheap rental.
However, Zhao revealed that it goes beyond that.
“My business philosophy for choosing locations is that there must be a decent brand cafe, a pharmacy, sunlight, and enough safe parking where a girl in a sports bra can still go to her car at midnight safely.”
Zhao pointed out that 3 Damansara used to have a cinema, so the building’s security, lighting, and elevator systems do cater to people who still need to head to their cars past midnight.
And on the topic of safety, I can tell Batuu takes it seriously. Like all climbing gyms I’ve been to, they made me watch a video detailing the rules and etiquette to follow in the gym.
However, Batuu is the only one that quizzed me and made me actually demonstrate a short climb.
I later learnt that the team sacrificed having a more spacious retail space for their merch so that they could have that training area.
But why pharmacies and cafes? Zhao believes that those businesses typically have done enough work to determine the location’s viability in terms of population density and foot traffic.
Aside from those factors, 3 Damansara also allowed them to punch through two floors to build the rope section.
“Zhao spent at least nine months, maybe more, to find a location,” Francis chimed in.
With how much traffic the gym was bringing to the mall, I dare say it was nine months well spent.
Elevating the Malaysian playing field
Speaking to Francis and Zhao, it was clear that these were not just two climbers who wanted to create a cash grab. The two actually have bigger ambitions in mind—ambitions to bring Malaysian climbers to the top.
But what are hopes and dreams without actions? At Batuu, they’re actively trying to groom the next top climbers. For example:
- At the boulder section, there’s a “comp wall” with competitive routes. It was already used last year for the Wall Climbing National Athlete Selection Boulder Series 2024.
- The specs for the boulder area follow the international standard and standard Olympic height, with a wall height of 4.5 metres.
“How do we find the next athletes? We need to start training them from young. And we do that by giving them a place to start first,” he said, referring to the Batuu Kids area.
But they aren’t sidelining regular climbers. For one, they have down climb handholds and footholds so that descents are safer and less strenuous for climbers.
The walls are also reset in a staggered manner, ensuring that regular climbers can find a new challenge when they visit.
Crafting a thoughtful experience
Despite the positive reception so far, though, Zhao and Francis shared that they do not want to take things for granted, and that they wanted to do things right.
“Most of our investors are all active, passionate climbers. That’s the difference,” Francis shared. “We did not find people who just invest to invest.”
So, are these investors already looking to fund the next outlet?
Zhao replied, “We have been approached a few times, and we will evaluate the opportunities. I don’t want to dismiss opportunities, but because we just opened, a lot of capital is sitting here.”
Scaling aside, Batuu instead wants to focus on building the climbing market. Zhao pointed out that sports like pickleball are growing, but climbing also exists as a fun and active recreational activity for those looking for one.
At the end of the day, though, the “moonshot” goal is finding that Malaysian athlete who has what it takes to be a champion.
It’s that drive to find local talent that convinced the team to name the gym “Batuu.” In fact, all the sections in the gym are named with Malay terms such as ombak, pulauu, bintang, and more.
Driven by this passion, Batuu is a sincere attempt to elevate the quality of Malaysian climbers, one climbing hold at a time.
Also Read: Not just a fad: How this entrepreneur plans to seriously grow Malaysia’s pickleball scene
Featured Image Credit: Vulcan Post
Flying cars will soon become a reality in China, will we see our own fleet in Singapore?
Chinese electric vehicle (EV) company Xpeng has announced plans to begin mass production of their flying cars by 2026, CNA reports.
Their flying cars—or as they call it, “land aircraft carriers”—each feature a passenger drone that unfolds from the boot of a six-wheeled van and are priced at under two million yuan (S$367,021).
These vehicles can seat four people in the car and two in the drone.
How it works is simple—theoretically, users could drive themselves to a take-off site, detach the drone, climb in, and continue the rest of their journey by air. This would potentially reduce their travel time and improve accessibility to remote areas.
Xpeng’s flying cars made their first public flight at the 2024 China Airshow in Zhuhai City in November and debuted on the international stage at the CES electronics show in Las Vegas two months later.
The company’s flying car manufacturing base is currently under construction and is scheduled to be completed in the third quarter of 2025, with deliveries expected to begin in 2026. The facility is said to be able to produce up to 10,000 flying cars a year.
Will we see flying cars in Singapore, too?
According to CNA, the low-altitude economy in China is taking off, thanks to the government policies supporting its growth.
Officials have indicated that the sector, which encompasses economic activity in airspace below 1,000 meters, is projected to reach over US$200 billion (or about S$266 billion) in 2025 and double in 10 years.
With a global powerhouse like China making flying cars a reality, one might wonder if Singapore could follow suit.
In the city-state, one company—Volocopter, which is based in Germany—had previously announced its plans to launch an air taxi service in Singapore sometime back in 2023.
However, despite receiving strong interest from consumers, its launch has unfortunately been put on hold indefinitely—The Straits Times reported last November that the company, which has set up its APAC headquarters in Singapore, has failed to gather local cost-sharing partners to fund its operations.
“We are therefore revising our Singapore launch strategy and timeline. We will continue to look for local cost-sharing partners, and Singapore remains our Asia-Pacific headquarters. Once the partners have been found, we will reconsider the launch timeline in Singapore,” said a company spokesperson.
The company also filed for insolvency in December 2024, with 450 staff laid off effective March 3, 2025. However, it seems that they have found a lifeline, as Chinese manufacturing company Wanfeng Auto Holding Group is set to pay €10 million (est. S$14.5 million) to acquire Volocopter.
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Like Volocopter, many eVOTOL companies in other international markets face cost challenges.
Currently, the air taxi sector remains niche and, in our opinion, underdeveloped—which might lead many investors to hesitate to pump money into it, especially in an uncertain economic environment.
Experts who spoke to The Straits Times shared that for the sector to grow, there need to be “clear regulatory guidelines” set and strong interest from consumers in Singapore.
As it stands now, it will be a while before we see air taxis in our city-state.
Also Read: MNL Asia & P.UP launch S’pore’s 1st EV charging lifestyle membership, here’s how it works
Featured Image Credit: XPENG AEROHT
