Now managed by the founder’s third generation, the bakery continues to preserve its century-old recipes for delights such as buttercream cakes, sweet breads and doughnuts.
Noor Jahan Bakery was founded by P Abdul Munaff, who began selling breads and cakes to Buntong residents in 1902 and started his bakery business eight years later.
Today, the business is carried on by his grandson, Ahmed Jaffar Sha Mohamed, who has been fully managing it for the past year.
Jaffar, 40, told Bernama he is committed to preserving his family’s traditional recipes, but admits it hasn’t always been easy, especially when competing with other contemporary outlets.
“We try to maintain the colours, flavours and decorations of our cakes and breads as if we were still in the 1970s and ’80s,” he noted. “In fact, we still use some of the old machines purchased in the ’90s.”
Notably, their coconut cake became especially popular after the release of the movie “Doh” in 2023.
“Many customers, particularly from the younger generation, wanted to try it for themselves. They loved it and came back for more,” said the Singapore-born Jaffar.
He pointed out that the events in the film were not 100% true to reality, but the emotional moments resonated with his own childhood memories.
Expounding on their backstory, Jaffar said his grandfather once owned a large baking factory in Falim, Ipoh, and supplied bread and cakes to employees in the aviation industry at the time.
“After he passed away in 1996, the business was scaled down. The factory was sold, and this shop was managed by other family members.”
Jaffar returned to Ipoh to take over the bakery after his cousin opted not to continue with the business.
“I didn’t want this legacy to fade away,” Jaffar shared, adding: “In the past year, things have gone well, apart from the usual ups and downs of running a business.”
To reach younger customers, he promotes their goods on social media and has introduced new items such as muffins and cupcakes,.
“Competition is intense, with modern bakeries offering all kinds of new products,” Jaffar said. “But I believe people still crave the classic taste of buttercream and coconut cakes, which carry a sense of nostalgia.
“That is the strength that keeps Noor Jahan Bakery alive.”
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Noor Jahan Bakery
7, Jalan Raja Ekram,
Taman Jubilee,
30450 Ipoh, Perak