Seven years ago, while accompanying her mother to collect festive treats in Sabak Bernam, she overheard a small business owner mention “earning RM1.8 million in just four months”.
“Imagine earning that much just from pineapple tarts and biskut makmur! It was such a huge figure, it made me wonder why I wasn’t focusing on cookies,” she mused.
She had been running a modest home-based cake business at the time, relying largely on personal contacts while experimenting with social media – but the returns were modest.
“Weekly sales were only about RM200. Half went to my salary, the rest back into the business. That meant I was earning just RM400 a month,” she recalled.
Determined to improve her situation, Nurul Asyiqin decided to focus entirely on cookies, rebuilding her business practically from the ground up.
With limited capital and equipment, she started with just two types of cookies while supplementing her offerings with products sourced from other entrepreneurs.
The turning point came when she secured RM3,000 in financial assistance from the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council, which enabled her to purchase a proper oven.
In late 2019, she launched her brand Cocokins, pricing cookies at RM25 a jar while building a network of agents and customers. Unfortunately, the pandemic then interrupted her progress, slowing down her operations and resulting in low sales.
The situation worsened in 2021, just weeks before Aidilfitri, when interstate travel restrictions led to more than 2,000 jars being returned unsold.
Faced with heavy losses and limited online marketing experience, she chose to donate the cookies to orphanages rather than let them go to waste.
Instead of giving up, Nurul Asyiqin focused on improving her skills through courses, workshops and seminars, gradually strengthening her marketing approach.
“Thankfully, the business has improved significantly, from earning three figures in the early days to four figures, and now reaching five figures,” she said.
In 2022, additional zakat assistance worth RM10,000 helped accelerate her growth.
To stand out in a crowded market, she also introduced smaller containers priced at RM7, which is more appealing to customers.
“Sometimes people just want a small portion. A jar can cost around RM30 and for that price, you could buy a full meal. Children, especially, don’t eat much,” she explained.
Today, she produces between 500 and 700 jars or capsule containers of cookies each month, offering flavours such as chocolate chip, dark chocolate, red velvet, pistachio, and seasonal pineapple tarts.
During festive seasons, sales can reach RM100,000, while off-peak months still generate tens of thousands.
The capsule concept has proven popular, particularly as wedding favours, with orders coming from states such as Johor and Terengganu.
Her products are now distributed through petrol stations, hospitals, cafés, and various government and private agencies, which creates income opportunities for agents, including single parents and part-time sellers.