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PETALING JAYA: Annur Umaizah and Annur Uzlifa can often be found whipping up a storm in their kitchen, churning out mouth-watering cakes, cream puffs, cookies, and brownies through their home-based baking venture, Ann3Collection. But once upon a time, these sisters’ cookies were so rock-hard they were practically impossible to bite into.
“They were really hard, and the cookies looked ugly!” Umaizah, 24, laughed. “When we were kids, we made cakes all the time, too – and failed.”
With a knack for cooking in their blood, the sisters weren’t strangers to the kitchen. “My parents used to sell nasi lemak and all sorts of local food,” Uzlifa, 23, said. “After a while, it felt like that passion was handed down to us.”
Refusing to let their baking flops get the best of them, they mixed and measured their way through countless R&D sessions until their cookies were baked to perfection.
These days, the duo can bake up to 50 cakes a day during peak times, starting their shift at eight in the morning and wrapping up at eight at night.
Ann3Collection originally began as an online clothing store. But that was before the pandemic. During lockdown, the sisters pivoted to a food business to fill their days. It was only last year that they decided to turn it into a full-blown home-based baking venture.
Deciding it was time to raise the stakes, Umaizah took a cake-baking class and, after each session, taught Uzlifa everything she’d learnt. Soon, the two were whipping up cakes with the same passion they’d once poured into their cookies.
And just one look at their menu tells you how talented these sisters are – butter cake, pistachio kunafa cake, brownies, cream puffs, orange cake, and, for Hari Raya, a spread of rendang, sambal sotong, lontong, kuah kacang, and of course, Raya cookies.
“It took us so many tries and a close ‘relationship’ with the oven to get them right,” Uzlifah shared. “The oven is key. You really have to know how to manage the temperature, or it will be a failure!”
So far, Ann3Collection has delivered approximately 4,000 orders across all their products, serving customers from across the Klang Valley and beyond, from Johor, Penang, and Terengganu.
The duo’s teamwork may sound seamless, but it comes with its fair share of challenges. “We argue – a lot,” Uzlifa admitted with a grin. “That’s the key! But over time, we’ve learned that some arguments are better left not entertained. And sometimes, the silent treatment works wonders.”
Their flexibility in adapting to trends has also been crucial to their growth. “Last year, it was all about tapak kuda cake, and this year, it’s pistachio kunafa cake. Keeping up with what’s trending is a must if you want to stay relevant,” Umaizah explained.
The busiest time, they said, is the Hari Raya season. “We sometimes bake over 100 cakes in a single day!” Umaizah said. “We had to bring in three extra staff just to keep up.”
And despite the hard work, the sisters have stayed passionate about what they do.
“We love the flexibility of running our own business,” said Uzlifa. “I can plan my time, arrange my own schedule. It’s liberating.”
But it’s not all about freedom. “Seeing people enjoy what we bake makes it worth it,” added Umaizah. “We get the nicest feedback. People send us long messages, thanking us for making their events special. It’s heartwarming.”
The sisters hope to keep expanding their business, possibly opening a central kitchen to increase production, and maybe even taking their business international someday. “Who knows, maybe Singapore next!” Umaizah said.
In the end, the duo knows that Ann3Collection is more than just cakes and cookies – it’s the sweet result of sisterhood, resilience, and a shared dream.
As they keep mixing up new treats and delighting customers far and wide, these sisters have proven that the best recipe for success is love, patience, and a dash of fun.
Follow Ann3Collection on Instagram.