SINGAPORE — Anne Ong has come a long way from baking cupcakes for her son’s kindergarten class. As the owner of Singapore-based Anne’s Secret Recipe, a business based on her cookie, cake and bread mixes, she is an entrepreneur who has shown resilience and innovation breaking into the eCommerce space.
She was recognized for these achievements with the “Creative Seller” Lazada Forward Women Award, in honor of International Women’s Day on March 8. She joined a cohort of five other women across Southeast Asia who have demonstrated different approaches to overcoming and embracing new ideas when building an online business.
Ong represents the growing number of women who are bringing diversity, change and innovation to the baking industry.
Making a career switch from an interior architect to baker, Ong started her business in 2014 stocking the shelves at supermarkets. She started her company with the motto, “No Mess, No Fuss, Just Mix, Bake and Serve.” In 2017, she expanded her customer base by listing her products on Lazada’s RedMart online platform, and now serves customers throughout Asia and as far as the Maldives.
“Anne Ong represents the growing number of women who are bringing diversity, change and innovation to the baking industry.”
Ong sees Anne’s Secret Recipe as more than just a business — it’s a way to empower women and maintain her cultural legacy. She comes from a Nyonya family background where cooking runs in her family genes. Wanting to keep that heritage alive, Anne features Nyonya flavors in her mixes while also offering a wide variety from other cultures.
Throughout her journey, Ong has fought the perception that only men could be business leaders. With the support of her family, she has embraced obstacles, adapted and learned new technologies while investing time to ensure heritage tastes are not lost. She has managed the art of raising her children, researching recipes and running a central kitchen while marketing her business both online and offline.
In 2020, when she learned of some families losing jobs due to the pandemic, she also found time to mentor them how to bake and to sell products to earn money. Looking ahead, Ong plans to attract more consumers by having her products certified as halal and kosher and to help others discover the wonders that baking can bring to their lives.