[Exclusive] How Two Siblings Built Loaf Adam Into One Of Johor Bahru’s Most Talked-About Bakeries

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Before Loaf Adam became one of Johor Bahru’s most talked-about bakeries, it was simply an idea shared between two siblings who loved food.

There were no grand business plans, investor decks, or ambitions of becoming a viral brand. Instead, it started with conversations about baking, cafes they admired overseas, and a belief that Johor Bahru deserved better pastries.

For founder Nur Hasya, the inspiration came during her frequent trips to Paris, where artisanal bakeries and buttery croissants were part of everyday life.

Back home, she found herself searching for the same experience but struggled to find it.

What followed was a journey marked by sold-out pastries, long queues, and growing attention from customers across Malaysia.

But behind the success were sleepless nights, difficult decisions, staff challenges, and moments when the siblings questioned whether they could keep going.

Exclusive: How Two Siblings Built Loaf Adam Into One Of Johor Bahru’s Most Talked-About Bakeries #1: Before Loaf Adam existed, what were both of you doing, and what made you decide to build a business together?

Hasya/Adam: I’ve always been drawn to food and entrepreneurship. My first venture was a home-based cake business called Belly Treats, followed by a frozen food brand, Hany Thai.

Adam has always felt at home in the kitchen.

Cooking and baking are things he genuinely enjoys and is naturally good at. When he completed his studies in 2023, it felt like the right time to build something together.

At the same time, I was travelling frequently between Johor Bahru and Paris for my personal shopper business.

Paris exposed me to a baking culture that was hard to forget. I fell in love with artisanal croissants — buttery, beautifully layered, and crafted with intention.

Every time I came home, I found myself craving the same experience. JB didn’t really have anything like it at the time, so we saw an opportunity to introduce something we genuinely loved.

#2. Did Loaf Adam begin with a clear vision, or did it grow organically?

Hasya/Adam: Honestly, I never imagined Loaf Adam would become what it is today.

We didn’t start with a grand master plan. Our goal was simply to create quality pastries that people would genuinely enjoy and keep coming back for.

Everything else happened organically.

That said, we’ve always dreamed big. Even in the early days, we talked about the possibility of bringing Loaf Adam to more cities across Malaysia.

#3. What was the first conversation that made you think, “Let’s actually do this”?

Hasya/Adam: The idea had been around for almost two years before Loaf Adam officially started.

Adam had already begun baking from home, and I was always encouraging him to take it more seriously. I believed in his talent so much that I even bought him his first lamination machine.

It wasn’t one dramatic conversation. It was years of discussions about food, baking, and the kind of cafes we wished existed in Johor Bahru.

#4. How has being siblings become both an advantage and a challenge?

Hasya/Adam: Being siblings is probably our greatest advantage and our greatest challenge.

The advantage is trust. We’ve known each other our entire lives, so honesty comes naturally. No matter what happens, we know we’re on the same team.

The challenge is that we’re also comfortable being brutally honest with each other. We’ve had plenty of disagreements about ideas and decisions.

But at the end of the day, we’re siblings first.

We always find our way back to the same goal.

#5. Was there ever a moment when you thought Loaf Adam might not survive?

Hasya/Adam: Many times. The pastries were never the difficult part. People were.

Building a team, training staff, and helping people grow can be incredibly exhausting when you’re trying to maintain a certain standard.

The more people love your brand, the higher the expectations become. There were moments when that pressure felt overwhelming.

But we’ve always believed one mistake shouldn’t define who we are.

#6. What were some of the biggest sacrifices you made while building Loaf Adam?

Hasya/Adam: Time.

For a long period, our lives revolved around the business. Weekends, public holidays, and family gatherings often came second.

There was less rest, less freedom, and less personal time.

When you’re building something from the ground up, it’s difficult to switch off because the business is always on your mind.

Looking back, we gave up a lot of comfort in exchange for the chance to build something we truly believed in.

#7. When did you realise Loaf Adam had become much bigger than expected?

Hasya/Adam: When people started travelling from other states just to visit us.

Up until then, we were focused on surviving day-to-day. Seeing customers plan trips around Loaf Adam made us realise the bakery had become something much bigger than we ever imagined.

It was exciting, but it also came with responsibility.

#8. Customers remember the long queues and sold-out pastries. What was happening behind the scenes?

Hasya/Adam: Our team was much smaller back then, so everyone wore multiple hats.

There were countless late nights, early mornings, and days when we were running on very little sleep just to keep up with demand.

From the outside, the bakery may have looked successful. Behind the scenes, we were constantly learning and figuring things out as we went.

It was one of the most physically and emotionally demanding periods of our lives.

#9. Did the attention and queues create pressure?

Hasya/Adam: Absolutely.

We were incredibly grateful, but when people queue for hours, they expect every pastry and every visit to be worth the wait.

At times, it felt like there was very little room for error. One small mistake could disappoint a lot of people, and that weighed heavily on us because we genuinely cared about the customer experience.

#10. What’s the toughest piece of customer feedback you’ve received?

Hasya/Adam: Criticism about our hot food.

I remember feeling so discouraged that I even considered shutting down the hot kitchen entirely.

But after the emotions had settled, I realised the feedback wasn’t really about me. It was about consistency. Customers don’t judge our intentions. They judge the experience they receive.

That feedback eventually pushed us to improve.

#11. Have you ever had a major disagreement about the future of Loaf Adam?

Hasya/Adam: The OZO Medini project.

We had already invested a significant amount of time, energy, and money into it.

That made the decision incredibly difficult because nobody likes walking away from something they’ve already committed to.

In the end, we had to ask ourselves one question: Is this still the right move for Loaf Adam? The answer was no.

Looking back, it taught us that protecting the business is sometimes more important than protecting your pride.

#12. Have either of you ever thought about walking away?

Hasya/Adam: Honestly, yes.

Not because we stopped believing in Loaf Adam, but because building a business can be incredibly exhausting. Every founder has moments where they question whether it’s all worth it.

We’ve had those moments too. But after every difficult season, we always came back to the same thing: we still cared deeply about what we were building.

That was enough to keep us going.

#13. What does success look like today compared to when you first started?

Hasya/Adam: When we first started, success looked like growth. More customers. More outlets. Bigger ambitions. Today, success means sustainability.

It means having a strong team, happy customers, healthy finances, and a brand that can stand the test of time. I’ve learned that bigger isn’t always better.

Sometimes success is simply being able to do what you love, create opportunities for others, and still be here years later doing it well.

#14. If Loaf Adam disappeared tomorrow, what would you hope people remember it for?

Hasya/Adam: I hope people remember us for introducing great food to Johor Bahru.

When we started, we simply wanted to create the kind of pastries we loved eating ourselves. Everything else, the queues, growth, and attention, came later.

At the heart of Loaf Adam, it’s always been about food.

If people remember us as a bakery that raised the standard, inspired others, and created pastries worth coming back for, I’d be proud of that.

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