Small Business, Big Decisions – Sugar & Spice AOR in a Changing Customer Landscape
What began as a home-based baking hobby grew into a viral dessert business. As trends fade and customer behavior shifts, how should Sugar & Spice AOR move forward?
At a glance
Location
Alor Setar, Malaysia
Year Founded
2015
Revenue
US$ 29,500
(as of 2025)
Abstract
This case study explores Sugar & Spice AOR and its founder’s direction to sustain the business as a small-and-medium enterprise during the shifting consumer behavior in Malaysia’s food and dessert industry. Drawing primarily on in-depth interviews with the founder, the case study examines how Sugar & Spice AOR experimented with its business strategies as a viral, pop-up-driven model to a more sustainable operation centered on loyal customers, café supply partnerships, and online sales channels.
It also explores the business’s main challenge of rapidly changing customer behavior shaped by online platforms, live commerce, and viral trends. Ultimately, the case study encourages learners to analyze and discuss strategic options for sustaining relevance and aligning marketing and operations in an increasingly digital and fast-moving consumer environment.
Cover Photo: Unsplash
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Disclaimers:
(1) Regarding Case Study Content: This case study is based mainly on secondary data and analysis of publicly available information unless otherwise stated, and is intended solely for educational purposes. Any opinions expressed by the author(s) are designed to facilitate learning discussion and do not serve to illustrate the effectiveness of the company. Additionally, banner images and logos used in the case study are intended for visualization in an educational setting and it is not used to represent or brand the company. For any dispute regarding the content and usage of images and logos, please contact the team.
(2) Regarding University Affiliation and Titles of Authors: The university affiliation and titles of author(s) seen in the case study is based on their affiliation and title during the time of publication. It may or may not represent the current status of said author(s).
