Tatawa Cookies
Malaysia is a land of diverse cultures. During the world wars, people of various ethnicitiesChinese, Indian, Indonesian, and othersimmigrated to this country. Each ethnicity brought their unique culture, and as they settled together, these cultures blended, creating a new identity that led to the creation of various things, including Malaysia's leading cookie brand, Tatawa.
A Challenging Beginning for Chinese Immigrants
The story of Tatawa cookies dates back to the early 20th century. It began with Chinese immigrants who sailed across the ocean to settle in the Malay Peninsula. However, upon their arrival, the Malay Peninsula, formerly a British colony, was under Japanese occupation. During this period, the Chinese immigrants faced restrictions on their freedom and daily activities due to Japanese government policies, making it extremely difficult for them to find work.
Nevertheless, when finding employment proved challenging, the Chinese immigrants started exploring legitimate career paths, utilizing their culinary traditions, including cookie-making, which they brought with them. As the situation eased, they ventured into the confectionery industry, beginning by experimenting with cookies in a small shop in Jalan Sisi. They worked tirelessly to create delicious cookies, eventually perfecting a recipe and naming it Tatawa, a blend of Hokkien and Malay words.
From Homemade Delights to Modern Factory Production
After perfecting their cookies, they began selling them to coffee shops around the town and in some nearby villages, and the cookies quickly gained popularity. Over the years, Tatawa cookies evolved from a homemade endeavor into a thriving business, moving their production base to a larger factory.
However, a significant breakthrough for Tatawa began again in 1992 when Mr. Ng, one of the Chinese immigrants who co-founded the Tatawa brand, began studying new baking techniques from Taiwan. He introduced innovative cookie extrusion technology, which allowed them to produce cookies more efficiently, in larger quantities, and with consistent quality.
Cookies of Festivals and Global Recognition
Over time, Tatawa cookies became integrated into Malaysian culture, becoming a popular snack during various festivals, including Chinese New Year, Hari Raya, and Deepavali. They offer a wide range of flavors such as coconut, pandan, palm sugar, tiramisu, cappuccino, hazelnut, roasted almond, and many more. They also feature filled cookies, such as strawberry jam-filled cookies and blueberry jam-filled cookies.
Since its inception and through its success, Tatawa has received numerous prestigious awards, including the Golden Eagle Award 2022, iTQi Superior Taste Award 2021, Golden Eagle Award 2019, Sin Chew Business Excellence Awards 2018, and many others.
Currently, Tatawa cookies are popular not only in Malaysia but also in many countries worldwide, including the USA, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, UAE, UK, Indonesia, Australia, China, France, Iraq, Canada, and Thailand.
