Wakaf bharu: With just RM300 in starting capital, 35-year-old Tengku Norhanim Tengku Othman has grown her chocolate and cereal-based snack business into an international brand, now sold in more than 20 countries. The founder of NIMS Adeliciousz Sdn Bhd said she started in 2014 by making the chocolate cereal snack at her home in Wakaf Bharu, Tumpat, encouraged by her husband, Faiz Hussamuddin, 37.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Tengku Norhanim began selling the snacks online, which quickly gained strong demand from customers in neighbouring Thailand. However, a massive flood hit Kelantan at the end of 2014, submerging her stock and causing losses between RM20,000 and RM30,000.

Tengku Norhanim managed to bounce back the following year and continued to grow her business. Her efforts were rewarded when product sales soared to RM500,000 per month in 2018. She has since introduced new chocolate and cereal-based innovations to keep pace with evolving consumer tastes.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for her products surged, allowing her to establish a network of more than 30,000 agents nationwide. Her products, known for their crunchy texture, cater to today's evolving snack trends. Among her latest offerings are milk chocolate and pistachio-flavoured chocolate spreads.

The year 2022 marked a significant turning point when her products began entering major retail outlets in Malaysia, such as Giant, AEON, and Lotus's. Additionally, her products are exported to more than 20 countries, including the United States, Thailand, Singapore, and the Philippines.

Tengku Norhanim attributes her success to persistence, stating, "My key to success is to never stop trying. If you fall, get back up, because my goal is to produce halal snacks of international standards and proudly carry Malaysia's name onto the global stage."