Like many other dessert shops in Malaysia, Sugar And I started as a small, family-run business right in the heart of Subang Jaya.
Today, they’re best known for their fluffy, creamy bombolonis. However, this signature treat wasn’t always on the menu.
It was actually a spontaneous decision that changed everything.
A Family Dessert Shop Built on Love and Ambition
Photo Credits: Instagram, @ilyas_alsagoff
Ilyas was only 24 at the time, a fresh grad with no F&B experience, but he had a big dream to build something of his own with his sister.
“My sister and I always had this plan to start a family business,” he shared. “We didn’t come from a wealthy background, but our parents gave us the freedom to pursue what we wanted.”
With RM30,000 in savings and support from their parents, they opened their first shop in SS14, Subang Jaya in 2019 — a cosy little space that felt more like home than a storefront.
Back then, there were no bombolonis. Just mille crepes, crème brûlée, and a few sweet treats they personally loved, but like many businesses, things didn’t take off immediately.
How One Yes Changed Everything
After only a year of opening, that dream was already hanging by a thread.
“There was one time we only had RM2.40 left in our account,” he admitted. Things got so bad that he told himself, “Let’s just finish off our remaining ingredients and close the business properly.”
But just as they were preparing to let go, something unexpected happened.
A customer walked into their shop and asked,
“Do you make bombolonis?”
And honestly, they didn’t. But instead of saying no, Ilyas decided to give it a shot and that one last experiment turned out to be the beginning of everything.
Over the next two to three weeks, they experimented and perfected their bomboloni recipe. That same customer came back, loved it, and shared it with friends and family. Soon, a local influencer got wind of it and posted about them online.
From that point on, Sugar And I wasn’t just another home-based dessert brand.
They were the bomboloni people.
Creamy, fluffy and generously filled — their bombolonis quickly gained attention on Instagram. One viral tweet from a happy customer and a repost by a Malaysian influencer sent their orders through the roof.
“From selling tens of bombolonis to making thousands of pieces a day… we didn’t expect it to go viral,” Ilyas recalled. By mid-2020, during a time when many businesses were shutting down, Sugar and I were already making 3,000 orders a day.
Their small operation had to scale fast, and the shop that was on the verge of shutting down was suddenly struggling to keep up with demand.
Staying Grounded While Scaling Up
Photo Credits: EatDrinkKL
Not every business gets lucky enough to go viral. But what happens when you do?
Because here’s the thing — virality doesn’t last. A tweet might blow up, your product might be the flavour of the month, but the hype eventually fades. And when it does, what really matters is whether your business can stand on its own.
That’s where Sugar And I stand out.
One of the smartest moves they made was collaborating with other local F&B businesses. With Dao Desserts, they released a limited-edition soy crème puff that came in three flavours — a crowd favourite during its launch. Their biggest collab to date? Opening a store in TTDI alongside Kopikku and Big Boss HSP, where all three brands co-exist under one roof, offering a multi-brand experience in a single space.
They’ve also run massive community-driven campaigns, like their 30 Days of Ramadhan Giveaway, where they partnered with 20 local businesses to give back to their audience and support fellow entrepreneurs. Other giveaways included unexpected but fun brand pairings, like one with Volkswagen.
More than just brand collabs, Sugar And I also engage with their community like no other. For upcoming product launches, they invited their followers to be featured in campaign content and even hosted a free dessert tasting to introduce their new dessert table service!
And through it all, Ilyas has remained refreshingly honest with his followers, from admitting when things got tough to recently opening up about the difficult decision to close two of their outlets. Sugar And I shows that when you share the real side of business, you don’t just grow an audience, you build a community that constantly roots for you.
The Legacy of Saying Yes
Photo Credits: EatDrinkKL
Sometimes, all it takes is one small moment to change everything.
Running an F&B business in Malaysia isn’t easy, especially if you’re a small, family-owned dessert shop. However, Ilyas and his team proved that big success can come from small beginnings if you’re willing to stay adaptable.
It’s not always about the perfect plan, but about being ready to say yes, learning quickly, and holding on to what matters most: quality, consistency, and heart. By choosing to show up – even when times were tough – Sugar And I was able to create something that Malaysians truly love.
From their humble shop in Subang Jaya to expanding to multiple branches across the Klang Valley, nothing much has changed.
Still family-run. Still rooted in love.
Watch our exclusive interview as Ilyas shares insights on how he built Sugar And I into a beloved local brand!
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