House of nuts: How this Malaysian entrepreneur repositioned the modest ‘murukku’ and other local snacks as a heritage brand

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 9 – What makes a snack – something as basic as nuts, flour and spices – a truly Malaysian treat, much less a culinary hallmark?

This is the question KACANG + CO, a year-old F&B startup that taps into the well of classic kacang putih staples – albeit with an emphasis on packaging design and a unified brand messaging – aims to answer.

KACANG + CO is the brainchild of Leeson Lee, 25, who had previously worked at a multinational marketing agency. When the KL branch of that agency shuttered last July, the young then would-be entrepreneur saw an opportunity to finally take the leap.

Lee recalls, "I already had a spark of an idea in my mind, and I knew I couldn’t let it go to waste. I set out to build something extraordinary: From the ashes of one venture, another emerged.”

That idea revolved around a desire to celebrate the untapped cultural capital of our local snacks, the sort plied by the kacang putih vendor of our childhood days such as assorted nuts, murukku and pakoda.

"I couldn’t help but notice that the heritage of kacang putih was not getting as much love and recognition that they truly deserved,” Lee says, "both among our fellow Malaysians and international tourists alike.”

Launched in November 2022, KACANG + CO distinguishes its products from the competition with a hybrid design concept – bold, solid colours framing delicate, whimsical illustrations that evoke the joys of snacking.... the Malaysian way, such as with a cup of kopi.

Lee explains, "We chose the name "KACANG + CO" for our brand... kacang means "nuts" in Malay and forms part of the essence of our culture, a great culture we want everyone to know and feel. To share our heritage (and great sense of taste) with the rest of the world.”

KACANG + CO’s Kacang Tanah Curry is for fans of ground nuts and curry.

Positioned as a "House of Nuts”, there are currently five products in KACANG + CO’s arsenal. Lee says, "From the bold and fiery Kacang Soya Curry and Kacang Tanah Curry to the classic and addictive Mixture, Pakoda and Star Murruku we wanted to cover all the yummy flavours.”

The bold and fiery Kacang Soya Curry, seasoned with spices such as fennel seeds, cumin seed powder and sesame.

Kacang Soya Curry is made from a blend of soya flour and taucu manis (preserved fermented yellow soybeans), seasoned with spices such as fennel seeds, cumin seed powder and sesame, while their Kacang Tanah Curry is for fans of ground nuts and curry.

The Pakoda is made with soaked dal beans that are ground and mixed with tapioca before being fried.

Soaked dal beans are ground and mixed with tapioca before being fried to make the Pakoda. Thyme adds a unique aroma and flavour to the Star Murukku.

Thyme adds a unique aroma and flavour to KACANG + CO’s Star Murukku.

And for those who can’t make up their minds, there is always KACANG + CO’s Mixture – a middle ground between the finer strands of Bombay Mixture and the less spicy Chennai Mixture, two classic types of assorted murukku offerings.

Despite the surfeit of traditional snack sellers in Malaysia, Lee wanted to avoid factory produced sources, due to the usage of preservatives and altered recipes to prolong the shelf life of the products.

He shares, "For five months, my team and I travelled around Malaysia to meet different suppliers. We were fortunate to meet a friendly homemade supplier who had kept their traditional family recipe.”

Indeed basing the products on someone’s treasured family recipe meant a lot to Lee, whose fondness for Indian-inspired flavours stems "from my family’s love for Malay and Indian cuisines, reflecting the diversity of Malaysian food culture.”

Of course, one doesn’t embark on a business based on sentiment alone. Lee had conducted market analysis, and saw an opportunity in the snack industry emerging, particularly in crafting premium and exquisitely packaged local snacks.

He says, "With our research, we saw the potential for a five per cent growth (RM165 million) between 2022 – 2027 in the Malaysian market for other savoury snacks, which includes our Pakoda, Mixture and Star Murukku snacks.”

One of the biggest challenges the team faced was not having prior experience in the F&B industry. Lee explains, "The product development of our products involved learning about legislations and food safety measures which was completely new to us.”

As a result, KACANG + CO now takes a broad-based approach to their target demographics. Lee says, "Our mission is to reach and resonate with anyone who has a curiosity about local snacks. We don’t believe in rushing to make loud noises in an already cacophonous market.”

Already this approach has provided unexpected insights. Lee shares, "We were surprised to see that our customer demographic ranges from 15-60 years old. It really shows that our products are addictive to all ages.”

Managing the amount of stock the company held at any given time also helped. Lee recalls, "There were many times where we had sold out, and had held back on restocking, as we wanted to improve our products.”

Currently KACANG + CO is expanding their reach via retailers. Lee shares, "We’ve launched in BilaBila and Apom! earlier this year, and we have just launched in Qra and CCK Local (East Malaysia) last month.”

Leeson Lee, the founder of KACANG + CO (left). Heritage Kacang Bundle is presented in a rattan box, with the products wrapped in batik. (right).

To capitalise on the gift-giving market, the company has also introduced a line of packaged products. Lee says, "We’ve created our Heritage Bundle with our products wrapped in batik and placed inside a rattan box. Our Heritage & Games Bundle has the added bonus of our local childhood games.”

KACANG + CO also plans to roll out a new product line soon. Lee cheekily quips, "That’ll spice up your life for one, and you’ll be seeing us pairing up with some other local brands to bring awareness to the beauty of our culture.”

The hope, then, is for more local enterprises like KACANG + CO who have inculcated the muhibbah spirit in their brand from the very beginning, and who continue to advocate for raya sama-sama... all year round.

Or, as Lee puts it: " We’re not just selling a snack, we’re sharing a piece of our rich culture with the world!”

Learn more about KACANG + CO at kacangandco.com

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