TBB twists tradition with bak kwa kouign amann this CNY

Singapore’s Tiong Bahru Bakery (TBB) is celebrating Chinese New Year (CNY) 2026 with a five-item seasonal menu, featuring a first-ever collaboration with heritage bak kwa brand Kim Joo Guan. Available from 29 January to 3 March across all TBB outlets, the festive offerings merge classic flavours with modern pastry techniques, from bak kwa kouign amann to pork floss shio pan, alongside creative interpretations of pineapple, mandarin orange, and osmanthus-infused pastries.

Central to the menu is the collaboration with Kim Joo Guan, one of Singapore’s most established bak kwa brands, known for using 100% Australian grain-fed pork. Its products are synonymous with CNY celebrations, making the partnership a natural fit for TBB’s festive offerings. The seasonal menu also includes a festive beverage, sweet chai teh tarik, available hot or iced. Guests spending SG$15 or more receive red packets and vouchers redeemable across TBB and Spa Esprit Group brands, combining gifting, culinary delight, and festive traditions into a single experience.

The CNY offerings form part of TBB’s broader strategy to position the brand as a lifestyle-driven hospitality brand, following the reopening of TBB’s Eng Hoon flagship and the launch of Crumb & Go, a retail-led grab-and-go concept designed to complement its traditional bakery cafés.

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“Crumb & Go grew out of what we were seeing across our outlets, with more guests dropping in between errands, looking for something quick to eat or drink, and a growing appetite for gifts that feel personal and considered,” said Bane Tan, brand manager at TBB, in conversation with MARKETING-INTERACTIVE.

The format extends TBB’s philosophy that “every city is a neighbourhood”. It offers curated merchandise, pre-packaged food, bottled beverages, and rotating lifestyle collaborations with local brands such as clothing label Atlas Kind and functional décor brand stillgoods. By encouraging browsing, discovery, and gifting, Crumb & Go allows guests to engage with TBB beyond the café experience.

The Lunar New Year menu reflects this lifestyle-driven approach. Each pastry draws on festive symbolism, with bak kwa for prosperity, pineapple for good fortune, pork floss for abundance, and mandarin orange for luck. At the same time, the pastries maintain TBB’s signature balance of flavour, craftsmanship, and playful creativity. The collaboration with Kim Joo Guan extends beyond the bakery, with vouchers redeemable at both brands’ outlets, encouraging guests to experience the partnership across multiple touchpoints.

TBB’s current initiatives build on a strategic refresh first outlined last year. In an interview with MARKETING-INTERACTIVE at the time, general manager Matt McLaughlan highlighted plans for the Eng Hoon flagship and the brand’s regional expansion. “The refreshed flagship promises the familiar warmth and seriously good bakes that customers have loved for years, but now with new layers of storytelling, design, and hospitality,” McLaughlan said, citing bold collaborations, interactive experiences, and subtle local nods as key elements of the brand’s evolution.

Even as TBB expands beyond Singapore, including its first international outlet in Manila, McLaughlan emphasised that craftsmanship, community, and a welcoming atmosphere remain at the heart of every store. “Wherever we go, we want every TBB to feel like your neighbourhood bakery, a third place, or a comforting part of the community, where you come for the croissants but stay for the warmth, familiarity, and connection,” he said.

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