Bergedil Tofu Maker Eyes Seven-Figure Sales In 2026
By Nur Fadhliana Shaari
JOHOR BAHRU, Aug 7 (Bernama) -- Starting with just one sack of potatoes a day - enough to produce 150 packs (900 pieces) of “bergedil” or stuffed tofu puffs, local food enterprise TahuXTahu, which began operations in 2017, has achieved remarkable growth.
Today, its production has increased to as many as 100 sacks of potatoes a day (15,000 packs), equivalent to 90,000 pieces during peak periods.
Its founder, Nur Khalisah Ismail, 33, said the business started on a small scale with about RM100 in capital after she graduated. She initially made bergedil tofu at her mother's shop before deciding to open her own outlet in 2020.
"At the time, bergedil tofu was trending, so I decided to make it myself. In the beginning, my recipe did not quite suit customers' tastes, and I received many complaints. However, I used every piece of feedback to improve the recipe until customers eventually started saying it was delicious.
"After that, I became confident enough to participate in sales events at Angsana Mall, where the response from customers from Johor and Singapore was very encouraging. As demand continued to grow, I decided to venture out on my own and open a shop here," she told Bernama recently.
The former insurance agent said that when she opened her first outlet, she did not have sufficient capital and relied solely on daily sales revenue to pay contractors and continue renovation work.
"Honestly, I had no capital at all. I didn't even have RM1,000 in my bank account. The shop was in very poor condition, and I almost gave up. But my father encouraged me to be patient and carry on. I depended on daily sales to pay the contractors and continue renovating the shop," she recalled.
She said the success did not come overnight, as it took nearly a year to perfect the bergedil tofu recipe that truly met customers' expectations. The soy sauce chilli dip, which has become TahuX Tahu's signature condiment, took six to seven months to develop.
"Many people sell bergedil tofu, but we wanted customers to experience something different in terms of the filling and the combination with our soy sauce chilli dip. That's why it took us a long time to achieve a truly consistent flavour. If you ask what makes our bergedil tofu unique, it is our secret recipe, which gives it a distinctive taste compared with most others, along with our spicy soy sauce chilli dip that has become a signature of the product," she added.
The company's production capacity now reaches 50 sacks of potatoes a day on normal days and rises to as many as 100 sacks during peak periods such as weekends and public holidays.
Khalisah said the overwhelming demand for tofu begedil led the company to focus exclusively on the product. She said TahuXTahu's main offerings now include chicken tofu bergedil, beef tofu bergedil, chicken spring rolls, and beef spring rolls. Prices for the chicken and beef tofu bergedil start from RM9 for a mini box (five pieces), RM16 for a regular box (10 pieces), and RM75 for a family box (50 pieces).
As demand continued to increase, she said the company introduced standard operating procedures (SOPs) to ensure every product was prepared according to the same measurements and quality standards, even as its workforce expanded.
In addition to growing its own operations, the Johor Bahru native said TahuXTahu also provides a platform for about 100 vendor entrepreneurs to market their food products at its premises. She said most of the vendors are older people, although some are young entrepreneurs who produce their own food products but face challenges in marketing them.
"I never intended to accept products from vendors at first. It all started when an elderly man asked me to sell the cream puffs he made, and customers responded very well. After that, more and more small entrepreneurs began bringing their products here.
"If a customer wants to place a large order, I connect them directly with the vendor without taking any commission because my intention has always been to help them. I believe that my blessings also include blessings meant for others," she said, adding that the company currently employs 18 workers.
On challenges faced by the business, she said rising raw material costs due to inflation have been one of the main pressures on the company's operations.
However, whenever product prices need to be adjusted, the company ensures customers receive added value by increasing the weight of the bergedil tofu filling from 30 grams to 40 grams and using higher quality packaging.
Khalisah said she also invested about RM200,000 to renovate a second outlet, which began operations in August 2024, to improve customer comfort. Although the premises are rented, she said the investment paid off, with the company's sales increasing by 100 per cent in the first year after moving into the new outlet. She added that the company is currently in the process of obtaining several certifications in preparation for expansion throughout Malaysia before entering international markets.
"For now, our priority is to strengthen our presence in Malaysia first because our products have a short shelf life and require careful logistics management.
"Alhamdulillah, I never imagined that this bergedil tofu business would grow to what it is today, with sales continuing to grow alongside improvements in product quality. The business is not only able to support our employees, but our annual sales have also reached six figures. God willing, our target this year is to achieve seven-figure annual sales and continue expanding the business sustainably," she said.
-- BERNAMA