However, a random check by FMT has found that sales of “kuih raya”, in all its variety, has slowed down this year.
One “kuih raya” seller said the decline in sales started last year causing her losses instead of making the profit she had expected.
“There was already a smaller crowd last year, compared with the year before and I faced quite a huge loss,” Kamalia said, adding that the price of the stall she rented in Putrajaya was also too high considering the number of people who came to the area.
As a result, this year, Kamalia decided to just take up space on two shelves instead of renting a whole stall.
Disappointed with the lack of sales and the losses she suffered last year, this year she sold only the kuih that was popular among her customers.
Another “kuih raya” seller, Adib encountered the same fate last year, recording no sales for three consecutive days at his stall in Putrajaya.
So why are consumers not buying “kuih raya” anymore?
A regular buyer over the years, Asmawati Ahmad said she reduced the amount of “kuih raya” she bought this year as she noticed there were fewer people wanting to eat it when they come visiting.
“At one time, the ‘kuih raya’ used to be the centre of attraction and I always thought people wanted to eat it but lately I find fewer people are eating cookies,” Asmawati told FMT.
Meanwhile, one person observed that the “kuih raya” had just become too expensive.
“The ‘kuih raya’ these days are quite pricey, with a jar costing at least RM25. This is more so if the seller claims it is of good quality,” Rahayu Abdul Razak told FMT, when asked about the lowest price she had seen.
She admitted however, that she only bought “kuih raya” because it had become a tradition. Besides that, she said she only bought a few jars to avoid wastage since people rarely ate these now.
Saleha, who did not wish to give her last name, concurred, saying that the “kuih raya” has slowly lost its appeal among visitors, especially when heavy dishes were also served at open houses.
“Also, instead of ‘kuih raya’, people are reaching out more for Raya crispy delights and crunchy nuts,” Saleha said, adding such snacks were also quite addictive.
Nurul Azwa and Afiqah Farieza contributed to this article.