20-07-2025
Penang Muruku Entrepreneurs Thrive With Family Recipe
By Farhana Poniman
BUKIT MERTAJAM, July 20 (Bernama) – Armed with a cherished family recipe, a husband-and-wife duo turned their humble beginnings into a thriving muruku business, attracting customers from both Malaysia and abroad.
Idris Alias, 67, and his wife, Fatimah Ishak, 63, from Guar Perahu, here, started their small home-based business in 1984 after she inherited a muruku recipe from her mother-in-law.
'I was seven months pregnant at the time, so we only made small batches of the crunchy snack. We had very little capital to start with. But I gave it a go, taking orders from friends.
'From those early days making muruku at home, we managed to grow the business under the brand name 'Muruku Bonda'. Nine years ago, we opened a shop in Kubang Semang, funded by profits we steadily reinvested,' Fatimah told Bernama.
She said that Muruku Bonda uses natural ingredients, with no artificial colouring, and entirely free from eggs, anchovies, or any animal-based products, making it ideal for those following a vegetarian diet.
Interestingly, over 85 per cent of their customers are from the Chinese community, making Chinese New Year their peak sales period.
'We even received orders from Taiwan at one point, but had to turn them down because the shipping costs were too high. Still, the customer flew over themselves and bought in bulk to take home,' she added.
Currently, the couple operates with just two frying machines -- usually only one runs on regular days, producing around 150 kilogrammes (kg) of muruku daily, increasing to 200kg during festive periods.
