With bakers in every corner of the country, one individual stands out with her niche offering: artisanal butter.
With flavours like truffle kombu, pesto, and even matcha, Yap Vien Sze’s one-of-a-kind butters are spicing up your everyday breakfast, transforming the plain old butter-and-toast into something truly exciting.
Originally named “Cream and Sugar by V” but now rebranded as “ByYou,” this culinary graduate took the plunge into entrepreneurship three years ago, when she was just 20.
“I eat, live and breathe bread!” Yap confessed with a smile. That was the exact reason behind her venture into all things butter.
Following her graduation from Taylor’s Culinary Institute, Yap began her entrepreneurial journey in 2020 as a home baker, initially focusing on chiffon cakes and tiramisu.
However, it was her discovery of artisanal butter that paved the way for her success.
“Every morning, my go-to is toast and butter. So when I stumbled upon new, flavoured butter, I gave it a try and I instantly fell in love,” Yap recalled. Soon, she found herself flooded with a whirlwind of butter-flavour ideas.
She experimented with a single flavour first, kombu, using a secret home-blend sauce which has now become one of her best-sellers. Over time, she concocted six unique flavours, far from what you’d typically find at a local supermarket.
Made with premium imported Danish butter and mostly organic ingredients like himalayan pink salt, these rich spreads can elevate any dish, not just bread.
“Many of my customers and my family members too, love to use my butters in pasta, when grilling steak, or even just frying an egg sunny side up to go on top of toast,” Yap shared.
The kombu and truffle kombu butters offer an exquisite dance of umami flavours and earthy notes.
“The butters can be really addictive. In fact, they made me eat lots and lots of bread!” Yap shared.
Kombu, however, is a lesser-known ingredient in Malaysia. Yap explained “It is your natural source of MSG, but besides the taste factor, kombu also has health benefits.” This edible sea vegetable, a sub-variety of kelp, is a staple in Japanese cuisine, known for its richness in iron, calcium, iodine for thyroid function, and vitamins C and A.
With all her butters made from high-end ingredients, the culinary graduate assures that while the initial price may catch some by surprise, it’s worth it in the long run.
“Because the flavours are so strong, you don’t need to slather too much on your toast. So, it lasts a long time.”
Her recently added flavours are “Bruschetta” that offers a blend of sweetness, hints of garlic, and a touch of acidity from balsamic vinegar; and “Pesto” that boasts a herbaceous basil flavour, garlic and the cheesy richness of Parmigiano Reggiano.
Although they sound simply irresistible, Yap admits that getting the word out about her butters has been tough. “Not many people know what flavoured or artisanal butter is, so there’s some education that I had to do.”
She added, “For example, truffles have a strong flavour, so I’ve noticed that people either really like it or they don’t like it at all.”
But perhaps the most heartwarming surprise is that Yap’s artisanal butter creations have found fans among the unlikeliest of people. “Mothers who have purchased my butters tell me that their toddlers, three- to five-year-olds, liked it too. I was quite surprised.
“I thought, wow these children have expensive taste buds!” she said with a chuckle.
Yap’s journey has had its share of trial and error, initially dealing with the hassle of hand-packing butter into small jars. Now, she’s opted for convenient cuboid paper packaging, as part of her rebranding exercise.
“I aim to eventually make the actual butter myself, but for now, I’m taking it one step at a time.”
Check out ByYou’s website to place an order and follow them on Instagram.