Love at first pretzel: The women behind Auntie Anne’s family-run outlets in Singapore
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Love at first pretzel: The women behind Auntie Anne's family-run outlets in Singapore
Every bit the brand celebrates its 25th year anniversary, the Sulaeman sisters talk to CNA Women nigh their journey – from a pretzel-filled childhood to taking over the business from their mum, aka Singapore's original "Auntie Anne".
Auntie Anne'south get-go international franchisee Alice Sulaeman (left), with her daughters, Natasha (eye) and Olivia Sulaeman (correct), who took over the concern from their mum in 2016. (Photograph: Aik Chen/ CNA)
All it took was one bite of an Auntie Anne's soft pretzel for Alice Sulaeman to fall in dearest with information technology.
This was in 1992 and Sulaeman was attention a business concern conference in Las Vegas, United States, with her hubby. She was and so 31 years old, and pregnant with their quaternary and youngest kid Olivia.
Just when the couple approached Anne Beiler and her squad, the founders of Auntie Anne's, for a franchise in Asia, they weren't fix, Sulaeman said. So she and her husband continued running their other businesses in Indonesia, where they are originally from (the family unit moved to Singapore in 1998).
"Auntie Anne'due south in the The states was a very small family business so, so they asked usa to come dorsum in ii years," she said.
The couple returned to the The states in 1994, exactly two years later, to discuss the prospects of opening an international franchise in Asia, including Singapore and Republic of indonesia. The discussion went well – and the couple became Auntie Anne'south beginning international franchisee.
They and then opened their start outlet in Indonesia in 1995, and the first Singapore outlet, at Parkway Parade, in 1996. Alice Sulaeman's daughter Olivia was four years sometime then. The youngest Sulaeman kid is now 29, and the CEO of Chrisna Jenio Pte Ltd, the master licensee of Auntie Anne's Singapore.
INTRODUCING SOFT PRETZELS TO SINGAPORE
At the time, it was hard for the local marketplace to have the idea of a "soft pretzel", Alice Sulaeman recounted.
They were not something people were familiar with. And the brand as well faced competition from local bakeries who were selling cheaper "soft bread". Many wondered why information technology was expensive – and were dislocated almost the texture of the snack that was neither hard nor soft.
People were perhaps more familiar with difficult New York or German language-style pretzels, Olivia Sulaeman added, and nastier comments even likened it to dog food.
Simply things did ameliorate, said Alice Sulaeman. The brand managed to secure prime number locations such as Takashimaya and Suntec Metropolis, and Auntie Anne's grew in popularity.
Her married man, who was occupied with running the couple'due south other businesses at the time, connected to lend his wife his support until Auntie Anne's became more stable.
Fast forward 25 years, Auntie Anne's is now a household brand. Alice Sulaeman herself went into semi-retirement in 2016, passing the billy to two of her four children, her second child Natasha, now 32, and Olivia. The Sulaemans accept ii other children, a 33-twelvemonth-former son and 30-year-old daughter.
The sisters oversee a squad of shut to 40 staff across eight outlets here, including its latest stores in Northpoint Metropolis and Ang Mo Kio Hub, which opened last yr during the pandemic.
CNA Women chatted with the Sulaeman women about family and concern, growing up eating soft pretzels and more than.
DO PEOPLE Often Inquire IF YOUR MUM'Due south NAME IS ANNE?
OLIVIA: People always do. Many people are not aware that the make is from the US – my parents developed the business even before the American Auntie Anne's gained international awareness.
NATASHA: In the US, the original owner'due south proper name is, yep, Anne. But my mum is the Auntie Anne of Singapore.
ALICE: A lot of countries want to franchise our business. I tell them this is not my brand, so you accept to contact the founders. And then they'd say: But I want yours! This is considering our menu is different and localised.
HOW ARE THE ROLES DIVIDED Now? ARE MUM AND DAD STILL INVOLVED?
ALICE: My hubby and I started the business concern together just once it stabilised, I took the lead. Then, I passed the operations side of the business, including staff grooming, to Natasha.
OLIVIA: And I practise everything exterior of operations.
NATASHA: Mum is like the consultant, playing the advisory office now.
WHAT'S YOUR BEST Retentivity OF THE BUSINESS WHILE GROWING UP?
NATASHA: Kids dragging their parents, and saying: "Mummy, I desire this!". Some of our staff would besides remember these kids – they'd buy the pretzels and get dorsum to their mums.
OLIVIA: It became a place where parents can trust their kids to become to. Information technology'south nice to come across that.
DO YOUR FRIENDS Become FREE PRETZELS?
NATASHA: I've got people who tell me, "Can I merely show your picture or name bill of fare and get free pretzels?" I was like, no? Our staff are non trained to exercise that. Sometimes, it feels like some of them are just joking, only there are also some who are serious.
OLIVIA: Simply I judge that also reflects the full general love for the brand. When we were in master and secondary schoolhouse, we would walk to Parkway Parade later on schoolhouse and our friends would ask us: "Tin we have free pretzels or not?"
I'd tell them: "Don't inquire me, ask my mum!" My mum was all-hands on deck and was running the first outlet at Parkway Parade when it first opened. Both Natasha and I would assist out whenever we could after school or during our school breaks.
WHO'S THE Creative Ane IN THE Family unit?
OLIVIA: That's everyone, actually. Sometimes, we get inspired past flavours we come across when nosotros're overseas.
NATASHA: Olivia would have an inspiration and ask me if nosotros can try it. I'd be the baker and exam information technology out. And so, I will pass it back to Olivia to try.
ANY SINGAPORE-INSPIRED FLAVOURS THAT YOU'RE PROUD OF?
OLIVIA: In the US, at that place are only the Original, Almond Crunch, and Parmesan Cheese flavours. My parents localised the Auntie Anne'due south card in Singapore gradually over the years, including introducing Seaweed and Chocolate Eclair. They also created the smaller "Asian" sized pretzel.
NATASHA: Olivia was the i who came upward with the seaweed flavour. When we were immature, she asked Dad: "Why don't we have seaweed?"
ALICE: I like the Cinnamon Raisin.
NATASHA: Very difficult … but I'll become with the Chocolate Eclair. Or if I am up for something sour-ish, Zesty Roselle.
OLIVIA: Mine is the Chocolate Mint and Cheezy Turkey.
NATASHA: Cannot have two, y'all must simply cull one!
OLIVIA: I sweetness and one savoury, right?
PEOPLE Ofttimes SAY IT'South TOUGH TO Do BUSINESS WITH YOUR Family. Do YOU AGREE?
NATASHA: We don't have crazy arguments, only nosotros practice take disagreements in terms of how nosotros exercise things. When nosotros bring Mum and Dad into the picture, it'due south more to get their advice, but there isn't a fight so crazy that we'd demand to bring someone into the motion picture to calm the state of affairs.
OLIVIA: Our parents educated us that family unit is very of import. I think the hardest part was, all nosotros did was play together. And then suddenly, you take to piece of work together. It's similar figuring out how to build that chemistry.
NAME A PET PEEVE Y'all HAVE OF YOUR SISTER.
OLIVIA: A simple ane: Sometimes she doesn't at-home downwards – it'south like there's too much energy (laughs). Sometimes I'd be so tired, I'll tell Natasha: "Can you come back tomorrow?"
NATASHA: For me it's the opposite, I'd need to talk to Olivia about something, but I know she's busy, so I but permit her be.
DID You BOTH ALWAYS Want TO RUN THE Family unit Business organisation OR WERE THERE OTHER CAREER OPTIONS IN Heed?
OLIVIA: I wanted to practise consulting and stay in the U.s.a. for a few years afterward graduation and so come up back to Singapore.
But the business has been such a big part of our lives, particularly mine. I literally grew up with it – and I can't imagine what my life would be like if we no longer had Auntie Anne's in information technology.
Our parents educated us that family is very important.
NATASHA: At 17 years old, I was already telling Mum and Dad that I wanted to take over the business organization. Just they said, no, you should become and exercise other things. That's when Olivia and I went to the US to report but at unlike schools. I wanted to go to a culinary school, but I besides similar to look at buildings and architecture, and so I took a caste in that.
Coming dorsum home, I knew I wanted to help with the business concern, but of course I wouldn't be able to run it on my own. Olivia has more than of that business mindset to help information technology grow.
OLIVIA: Equally we began gaining more than involvement in taking over the family business concern in 2014, Mum started to focus on other businesses, too.
ALICE: At that time, we thought that we weren't able to grow the concern anymore. Merely now they've made it amend (laughs) – in fact, much better.
THAT'S REALLY Overnice TO HEAR. WHAT DOES SUCCESS Look Like FOR YOU Now?
ALICE: For me, it'southward to have family unit bonding. It will reverberate on your concern, too, as you'll accept the peace of mind to focus on it.
I tin't imagine what my life would be like if we no longer had Auntie Anne's in it.
NATASHA: Success is non just money – it's more well-nigh what you've put into the family unit and business to picket information technology abound. Information technology'southward too seeing consistency in not but sales, but in our staff, how nosotros meet them equally office of our family unit and how nosotros value them working together with us. The "family" bond is with the people we piece of work with, besides. When y'all have that partnership, that's what success looks like to me.
HAS RUNNING A BUSINESS TOGETHER CHANGED THE DYNAMICS IN YOUR Family?
OLIVIA: Y'all see each other every day at home – breakfast, lunch, dinner – and at work. You are basically together every minute of the day.
NATASHA: When we go off work, sometimes Olivia and I would try to non talk about work.
ALICE: My husband and I are always talking most the concern. During dinner or breakfast, the kids would mutter: "Why are you always talking about the business organization?"
OLIVIA: And when we travel, there's no holiday. Dad is easily inspired, and he'd say: "That'due south great, why don't we think about doing this?"
NATASHA: For instance, the commencement two weeks would be a holiday, then the residue would be half-holiday, half-work. I remember the fourth dimension we went to Japan, and he loved the pumpkin pie at that place. He came home and said: "Tasha, effort to make it?"
That's also the fun part of it – where he tried to include u.s.a., even during our holiday, in his ideation or research and evolution for the business. But sometimes, it's a bit much (laughs).
Information technology SEEMS Like THE PANDEMIC HASN'T AFFECTED YOUR EXPANSION PLANS. HOW DID YOU DO Information technology?
OLIVIA: When COVID-xix started, we idea it'd be something that would create a negative impact on the business organisation, but nosotros had the advantage of being nimble. We were quick to make adjustments, for example, we fabricated sure we were bachelor on the delivery platforms in that curt period.
Nosotros also took the opportunity to secure good outlet locations at Ang Mo Kio Hub and Northpoint City as the landlords were more open and receptive to store rental discussions.
The offset ii months of the pandemic, during the downtime menses, we took the opportunity to re-standardise our operations, too. Information technology was like a refresher.
ON THE PERSONAL FRONT, ANYTHING Exciting COMING UP?
NATASHA: I am getting married side by side yr and yes, I'm going to have pretzels at my wedding ceremony, if it'south possible.
OLIVIA: I had pretzels at my hymeneals as canapes; instead of a pretzel stick, it was in a cup with chocolate beneath it.
NATASHA: I am going to have a doughnut stand up (with the pretzels hanging on the pegs). Since Olivia did it as canapes, I am thinking of my guests being able to become up and help themselves to the pretzels.
CNA Women is a new section on CNA Lifestyle that seeks to inform, empower and inspire the modernistic woman. If you lot have women-related news, issues and ideas to share with usa, email CNAWomen [at] mediacorp.com.sg .
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Source: https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/women/auntie-annes-singapore-sulaeman-family-franchise-owners-292631
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