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Kota Kinabalu: East Malaysia’s home-grown quick service restaurant brand SugarBun, together with its sister brand Pezzo, marked a milestone with the opening of its 165th outlet, SugarBun Express at EG Mall in Inanam here, Sunday.

The opening reflects the group’s continued commitment to serve generations of Malaysians while expanding its footprint nationally across Malaysia and internationally through innovative formats such as SugarBun Express.

The outlet was officially opened by Deputy Chief Minister III Datuk Ewon Benedick, who is also the State Minister of Industrial Development, Entrepreneurship and Transport. 

It included a lion dance performance and family-oriented activities for the public.

Ewon said SugarBun’s growth demonstrated the potential of local enterprises to scale beyond regional boundaries through entrepreneurship and franchising.

“SugarBun is a proud East Malaysian success story and the opening of this 165th outlet reflects the strength of our local enterprises in reaching wider markets.

“Its expansion into Peninsular Malaysia will not only generate new employment opportunities but also showcase and introduce the diversity of East Malaysian culture through our rich culinary heritage to a wider audience,” he said.

The State Government remained committed to supporting entrepreneurship development, franchising initiatives, intellectual property registration and the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises,” Ewon said.

Commending two 26-year-old Sabahans entrepreneurs, Loh Haw Meng and Alvis Hiew Kwan Ket who own and are franchise partners to the new outlet with Brandon Sim Hock Guan, Ewon urged young people to explore business opportunities through franchising, which has proven to be a viable and sustainable model.

He said franchising allows entrepreneurs especially young people to benefit from guidance, continuous training and marketing support from the parent company, enabling them to build their businesses more quickly and sustainably.

“The franchise model is among the best platforms for young people to start a business in a more structured manner,” he said, while adding that he hopes that SugarBun would continue to grow as a franchise brand Sabah can be proud of, not only nationwide but also internationally.

Datuk Joseph Ambrose Lee, Managing Director of Borneo Oil Bhd, the holding company of SB Supplies & Logistics Sdn Bhd, the official franschisor of the SugarBun brand said the opening in Inanam reflects both SugarBun’s origins and its forward-looking growth strategy.

He said the outlet is SugarBun’s 165th nationwide, and the company plans to open 40 more new outlets over the next three years.

“SugarBun was founded in Borneo more than 40 years ago, and our growth has always been guided by community connection and entrepreneurship.

“The opening of the SugarBun’s 16th outlet at EG Mall, Inanam demonstrates how a compact, efficient model can create opportunities for local business owners while continuing serve fresh, high-quality food that Malaysians know and trust,” Ambrose said.

Following a strategic partnership in West Malaysia, Ambrose said the group aims to open more than 40 outlets over the next 36 months, starting with its first location in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur.

“Our goal is to create sustainable growth by empowering franchise partners, supporting local suppliers and bringing familiar Malaysian flavours to more communities nationwide,” he added.

The SugarBun Express format is designed to be cost-efficient while offering the brand’s signature items, including Fish Burger, Sarawak pepper Broasted Chicken and Savoury Rice, as well as Borneo-inspired dishes such as Kolo Mee, Assam Eco Fish and Claypot Chicken Mushroom.

The EG Mall outlet offers dine-in, takeaway and delivery services through GrabFood.

SugarBun also acknowledged its franchise partners for the Inanam outlet — Alvis Hiew, Brandon Sim and Loh Haw Meng — for their role in bringing the brand to the local community.

Meanwhile, the trio told reporters that they chose SugarBun Express as their choice of business investment as they believe in the long-established brand which is popular and have high demand in the market apart from offering them huge opportunities to expand.

To a question, they said their parents financially support them to venture into the business plus getting business loan from commercial banks.