JB Auntie Sells Tiramisu From Car Boot, Once Sold 100 Slices In An Hour
Tan Mammy Tiramisu offers 11 tiramisu flavours including grape and Dubai chocolate kunafa from a cute hatchback car. Prices start from RM18 (S$5.90).
Who needs a fancy cafe? Pop open the boot of this Malaysian auntie’s car and you’ll find rows of colourful tiramisu neatly lined up for sale, like a portable shopfront.
Selling dessert from the back of a car might be unconventional, but Johor Bahru home baker Tan Chin Yee, 50, better known as “Mummy Chen”, has turned the quirky setup into a hit business called Tan Mammy Tiramisu.
She parks at a lot opposite Dai Tao Lala Hotpot in Mount Austin, where eager customers gather each evening for slices of her colourful tiramisu.
No part of this story or photos can be reproduced without permission from 8days.sg.
One might wonder how the desserts stay fresh in the Malaysian heat, but judging by the constant steam of customers, they clearly do not sit there for long.
Crowd loves her car boot tiramisu
Chen says she once sold 100 slices in just one hour. Even on quieter days, the treats are typically gone within about five hours, she adds.
Business idea came from her daughter
The dessert venture began when Chen was unemployed and chilling at home. “At that time, my daughter suggested I start selling tiramisu from my car boot,” she recalls.
Open four times a week
Chen now prepares the tiramisu at home earlier in the day before loading them into her car and heading to Mount Austin to set up shop.
She operates from Thursday to Sunday from 6pm — closing time depends on how quickly her desserts are snapped up.
Weather a challenge
Of course, running the business from her car helps keep costs low. “As there’s no rent, the cost of my tiramisu is not that high,” she explains.
The biggest challenge for her, however, is the weather. Since her ‘shop’ is outdoors, rainy evenings affect foot traffic and slow down sales.
11 flavours including grape and Dubai chocolate kunafa
Chen offers up to 11 flavours of tiramisu, many topped with fresh fruit and cute decor.
Choices include Oreo, blueberry, taro, pistachio, strawberry, mango and grape, alongside more premium options like caramel nuts, black forest and Dubai chocolate kunafa. Each chunky wedge is priced at RM18 (S$5.90), while premium flavours cost RM20 (S$6.50).
The bright colours and playful designs reflect a growing trend where “next-gen” tiramisu swaps the traditional Italian coffee-and-chocolate profile for vibrant and unexpected flavours.
Despite the funky flavour options, the classic original tiramisu remains aunty’s bestseller, she says, followed by Dubai chocolate, grape and Oreo.
Tan Mammy Tiramisu is located at Mount Austin, opposite Dai Tao Lala Hotpot in Johor Bahru. Open Thur to Sun from 6pm, till sold out. More info via Instagram.
Watch Now
Related Stories
Shopping
