17 Oktober 2025 • Kuala Lumpur • Business Today

Homegrown Borneo quick-service restaurant brand SugarBun Corporation Bhd (SugarBun) is poised to make a major push of its brand into West Malaysia and eventually expand internationally, thanks to its collaboration with strategic brand partner Sedaplycious Sdn Bhd (Sedaplycious) as its master franchise partner in Peninsular Malaysia.

SugarBun, through its subsidiary SB Supplies & Logistics Sdn Bhd, inked the collaboration deal with Sedaplycious in a signing ceremony held recently in Kuala Lumpur.

Representing the two parties were Datuk Joseph Ambrose Lee, Managing Director of SugarBun’s parent company Borneo Oil Bhd (left in pic) and Sean Leong Kah Meng, founder of Sedaplycious (right in pic). Also present at the event were guests-of-honour, Datuk Ewon Benedick, Minister of Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development (centre left in pic – KUSKOP), and Datuk Nor Azam M. Taib, CEO of Perbadanan Nasional Berhad (PERNAS).

Initially established in Kuching as an ice-cream parlour back in the early 1980s, SugarBun’s foray into the fast-food business started with the company’s introduction of broasted chicken (chicken that has been cooked using a pressure fryer). The 46-year-old SugarBun has since become an iconic brand with over 100 outlets throughout Sarawak, Sabah, and neighbouring country Brunei. It features a menu incorporating broasted chicken, fish fillet burgers as well as an array of Asian dishes such as savoury rice with tilapia and mushroom chicken, incorporating several Borneo specialties and delicacies.

“SugarBun is a proxy of flavours and tastes from Borneo, bringing authenticity as well as biodiversity, all in one great gourmet experience of freshness and quality that represents the community,” Ambrose said during his speech.

“Throughout Borneo – Sabah and Sarawak – we have 80 ethnicities all living in harmony.”

While well-known within its native shores, Ambrose believes the time is right for SugarBun to make its regional expansion, starting with fellow Malaysians in West Malaysia.

“The world market for F&B is US$3 trillion, with the F&B market in Malaysia worth RM250 billion ringgit, out of which RM180 billion is generated here in West Malaysia. We are looking at delighting West Malaysians with Borneo‘s iconic brand and delicacies to make it an internationally-recognised Malaysian product name.”

Ambrose pointed out that the decision to partner with Sedaplycious was based on the company’s senior management, who were young and energetic, had confidence in SugarBun’s food offerings, and most importantly, were well-capitalised.

“We have devised the ‘SugarBun Express’ concept for easy entry of young and desiring entrepreneurs; for them to have easier access, lower capital expenditure (CAPEX) requirements, and faster return on investment (ROI). We have modelled it in such a way that initial returns should eventuate within a year – in fact, most of our ‘SugarBun Express’ outlets [in Borneo] have a return of 6 months,” Ambrose further explained.

Sedaplycious’s Leong was equally enthused about the partnership between SugarBun and Sedaplycious, which he described as two teams united by a shared dedication to celebrate Malaysian flavours, nurture local talents, and unlock the brand’s potential beyond the nation.

“Our partnership with SugarBun is a shared vision to bring Borneo’s beloved flavours to the rest of Malaysia and beyond. We are committed to upholding SugarBun’s proud legacy of quality and authenticity, from roasted chicken and savoury rice to the new Sabacco Tuhao chilli sauce,” he said.

“The SugarBun Express model makes franchising more accessible for aspiring entrepreneurs like myself and my partners and local suppliers alike. Every new outlet that we open creates more jobs, provides training, and also opens up a lot of opportunities for West Malaysians.”

Minister Benedick highlighted that the Ministry supports such partnerships that empower local businesses and franchise networks through PERNAS and other agencies under the Ministry.

“Supported by PERNAS under the 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK-13), this initiative enhances national economic resilience through franchise empowerment, entrepreneurial development, and inclusive MSME growth. Through the SugarBun Express franchise model, the initiative will generate employment, expand business opportunities for youth and local entrepreneurs, and strengthen local supply chains.”

Ewon said the partnership demonstrated how home-grown brands could scale across regions while staying true to their heritage.

This development contributes to national economic growth through job creation, franchise expansion, and increased MSME participation across the food supply chain, supporting regional balance and inclusivity in line with RMK-13.

The signing ceremony also saw the launching of the Sabahan condiment ‘tuhau’, a blend of wild ginger and ‘momporok’ chilli, which Minister Benedick alluded to during his speech.

“Thirty two years ago, I helped my mother sell ‘tuhau’ at tamus (markets) in Sabah. And today, we see the launch of this product across the nation. This innovation is what we want to see: heritage transformed into enterprise, and tradition transformed into opportunity. I hope this cooperation continues to inspire others to build proudly Malaysian brands, bringing the taste of Borneo to the world,” he said.

Sedaplycious has committed to opening up 42 outlets (mostly across the Klang Valley) over the next 3 years, with the first expected to open in Q1 2026. While these outlets will be self-owned by Sedaplycious as the master franchisee, the company is open to working with other potential partners, Leong stated.

SugarBun is the main contributor to the revenue of Borneo Oil Bhd, its parent company. Ambrose noted that the majority of Borneo Oil Bhd’s investments are more long-term in nature, with investments in carbon capture, cement production, and gold mining, as well as real estate.

“All our investments have real impact on human lives. We invested in cement production because there were no cement plants in Sabah previously, we invested in property because we see the value in lifestyle tourism, and we invested in carbon for the future,” he said.