The stand fans provide feeble relief to the lingering humidity in the small bakery along Jalan Tan Hiok Nee, but the irresistible aroma carried by the gentle breeze was enough to make the line of customers at the front of the shop take a deep breath in eager anticipation of its  signature banana bread.

An institution among local residents, it is easy to spot the bakery if you follow your nose and look out for the crowd in front of the shop’s conspicuously capri-blue sill and doorway.

The family-owned business was established in 1919 and had been handed down through the generations.

Lim, the current owner, inherited it from his father who, in turn, took over from the generations that came before.

When it opened its doors 105 years ago, the bakery began by selling plain loaf, a favourite of the British officers.

Back then, the bakery was known as He Yu Mian Bao Xi Guo Chang.

“They (Lim’s ancestors) made loaf bread, what we call ‘roti buku’, and plain buns. This is because the British army did not take filled buns,” the 36-year old told FMT.

When the Japanese invaded Malaya, they barred Lim’s grandfather from operating the shop. And when it was reclaimed after World War II, Lim’s grandfather rebranded the business and renamed the shop to Hiap Joo Bakery & Biscuit Factory.

The business was handed down to Lim’s father and uncle after Malaya gained independence in 1957.

The new owners decided they wanted to sell more than just “roti buku”, and expanded their products to include butter cakes and Swiss rolls. But the response was lukewarm.

“Then, we decided to focus on making banana bread because it (bananas) is not a seasonal fruit and you can get it any day and anytime. Also, Malaysians love bananas,” Lim said.

The strategy paid off, and the banana bread, also known as banana cake, began to fly off the shelves. It became so popular, the bakery decided to make the banana bread its primary product.

Lim said what made the bakery’s banana bread unique and tasty was the fact that they did not use any artificial ingredients. Secondly, the bread is baked in a wood-fired oven.

He said the wood-fired oven gave their bread a distinct taste and aroma.

“We managed to get the ‘garing’ smell,” he said, referring to the slightly “burnt” aroma.

Customers who tried the buns or banana bread for the first time swear they had never eaten anything like them.

But the Covid-19 pandemic that struck in 2020 and the subsequent movement control orders (MCO) almost brought the bakery to its knees.

With half of his customers coming from Singapore and many local customers from other states barred from travelling, Lim survived with the help of his faithful customers in the area.

“(It was) terrible. No one was in town.

“We did delivery, but since our products are free of preservatives, the challenge was delivering it on time and making sure the bread was still fresh (when it was delivered).”

Fortunately, business picked up swiftly after the government reopened the borders on April 1, 2022.

“It was quite a challenge during the MCO, but here we are, still surviving.”

Lim, who joined the family business at 18, hopes his two children and nephews will continue the traditional approach of baking the bread when they take over the reins.

During school holidays, he would take them to the bakery, mentoring them as his grandfather did with him when he was in primary school.

“We allow them to experience my childhood here – playing with the dough, cutting it, and so on.”

Their customers are certainly hoping Hiap Joo Bakery & Biscuit Factory will be in good hands for generations to come.