Swee Bee, a renowned bakery, is proud to introduce its innovative square pineapple tarts with an emblem imprinted on them, the first of their kind in Malaysia. With a unique design and emblem, Swee Bee Pineapple Tarts are more than just a delicious treat; they represent the rich cultural heritage of Malaysia and the blessings of fortune and prosperity.
What sets Swee Bee apart is not only its square shape but also its attention to detail and mouthwatering taste. The size of the tart is perfectly crafted for a delightful mouthfeel, with a buttery pastry that melts away, blending harmoniously with the sweet and sour notes of the pineapple paste. Each tart contains the right amount of pineapple fibre for an extra bite, creating a truly satisfying experience.
Drawing from his childhood memories, the Founder of Swee Bee, David Wong, fondly recalled his grandmother calling him a ‘big mouth’ due to his hearty appetite. This memory sparked inspiration from the Chinese proverb “口大吃四方” (big mouth eat four corners) which in turn led to the creation of Swee Bee’s distinctive square pineapple tarts. The proverb also carries a significant meaning which means one can find a career no matter where they are. Although the square pineapple tarts can be found in Taiwan, what makes Swee Bee’s unique is the word ‘福’ (Fortune) embossed on the pineapple tart.
David explains the inspiration behind the unique design, saying, “The inaugural run of Swee Bee’s Pineapple Tarts in 2010 had a festive touch, incorporating the Chinese ‘Fortune’ character embedded onto the surface of the tarts, specifically for the occasion of Chinese New Year. By embossing the tart with ‘福’ (Fortune), we created the first pineapple tart in Malaysia that is not only square but also carries a blessing for all who purchase or receive it as a gift.”
Within the square shape tart, a circle encases the Chinese character “福” (Fortune), which represents unity and reunion. This concept is reflected in Swee Bee’s mission to bring people together from all corners of the world, celebrating the unity and shared prosperity found in Malaysia’s multicultural society.
The Beginning of Swee Bee
The journey of Swee Bee began with its founder, David Wong, at the tender age of 8, assisting his mother, Swee Bee, in baking pineapple tarts for Chinese New Year. This early experience sparked a passion for baking, which led to pursuing a diploma in Hotel & Catering Management. After leaving the corporate world, David embarked on a soul-searching journey and rediscovered his love for baking. In 2009, armed with his mother’s treasured pineapple tart recipe, David started a home-based business, laying the foundation for what would become Swee Bee.
Over the years, Swee Bee expanded its operations, opening Baker Dave in Sri Hartamas in 2012. In 2014, the bakery evolved into Nooks by Baker Dave, a café bakery offering a wide array of Western food, desserts, and coffee. Nooks, having reached its peak, had an ambitious idea in 2019 to use the pineapple tart as its core product to achieve another milestone and pay homage to David’s mother, Swee Bee. This led to the courageous decision to rebrand Nooks as Swee Bee café, offering local delicacies alongside pineapple tarts all year round, and expanding the pastry production facility to be halal-certified. The café’s transformation was successfully launched in November 2019, despite some loss of loyal customers; the support from regular patrons remained strong. While the café business faced challenges due to the Covid pandemic, in hindsight, the decision to close it in May and redirect their efforts towards operating the pastry production facility with halal certification proved to be a pivotal move, as it successfully commenced operations in July 2020, eventually obtaining Halal Certification in 2021.
Reflecting on the brand’s name, David shared, “The name Swee Bee was chosen to pay tribute to my mother, who guided and supported me throughout my entrepreneurial journey. Swee Bee represents the origin of my baking passion and my gratitude towards my mother for her love and unwavering support.”
Offering More Than Just Pineapple Tarts
Swee Bee’s product range extends beyond pineapple tarts, including pineapple mooncakes, cookies, cakes, pineapple jam, Nanyang coffee, and more. The brand is committed to offering high-quality, halal-certified products, with several ranges already Halal-certified, including pineapple tart, pineapple mooncakes, cakes, and espresso almond cookies.
While pineapple tarts are traditionally associated with festive seasons, Swee Bee believes that blessings should extend beyond these occasions. Their philosophy, “Blessing Continues Beyond Festivities,” encourages customers to share the gift of Swee Bee Pineapple Tarts throughout the year, for various occasions such as birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, and as tokens of appreciation.
Swee Bee aims to be more than just a bakery. They aspire to represent the ultimate gift of Malaysia, loved and shared by Malaysians with the world. With their cultural significance, Swee Bee Pineapple Tarts have the potential to become a must-have item for tourists visiting Malaysia, showcasing the country’s rich cultural heritage and traditions.
As a testament to their commitment to excellence, Swee Bee was awarded the Gold Award in the Modern Freestyle 3D Cake category at the Malaysia Culinary World Cup 2023. Their impressive cake design, themed “Ethnic Malaysia,” showcased the intertwining cultures of Peranakan, Chinese, Malay, Indian and Iban, with pineapple tarts taking centre stage.
Availability
Swee Bee products are available:
Website: www.sweebee.com.my
Lazada: Swee Bee
Customers can also visit Swee Bee’s headquarters in Klang, where walk-ins are welcome.
For more information about Swee Bee, please contact +60 12-303 8686