What happens when a Sabah woman with zero food-tech background, a brave heart, and a WiFi connection decides to change the world?
A global superfood revolution born from a humble home kitchen.
Meet Cherry, the founder of Tem Tem Sabah, the tempeh brand everyone from South Korea to Germany is suddenly obsessed with.
The Pandemic Spark That Lit a Superfood Empire
Cherry never planned to start a food business.
After leaving her KL career in finance and aviation, she returned to Sabah thinking life would slow down morning prayers, Airbnb hosting, and quiet days.
But then she saw the truth around her:
Mothers struggling. Jobs are disappearing. Sabah’s vegetarian community eating the same boring snacks.
So she did the wildest, bravest thing ever:
She walked into a government pitch competition with nothing but an idea: premium tempeh chips made real, clean, and honest. No fake flavours. No chemical storms.
Against hundreds of competitors, she won.
RM40,000 in grant funding. RM250,000 in private investment. One unstoppable mission.
The Tempeh That Changed the Snack Game 🍃
While snack brands everywhere chase cheesy, spicy, artificial flavours, Cherry went the opposite direction.
Real fermentation. Real taste. Real Sabah.
“We don’t sell seasoning. We sell true fermented umami,” she says.
Her signature product?
Tempeh Chips made with Tambunan Hill Rice are the first in the world to ferment tempeh using traditional Borneo mountain rice.
Competitors have tried to copy it.
They failed.
Customers tried it once.
They became evangelists.
One lady in Penang shared the chips on Facebook. Cherry’s phone didn’t stop ringing for four days straight.
That’s the magic of a product that tells its own story.
Sabah’s Most Heart-Led Social Enterprise (Even If She Didn’t Mean To Be One) 🤍
Tem Tem Sabah didn’t plan to be a social enterprise.
It simply became one because Cherry leads with heart.
- Flexible income for single mothers
- Support and training for school dropouts & ADHD youth
- Pays full market price to Tambunan hill rice farmers supporting 75 local families
- Sources, manufactures, and hires 100% locally
Even Sarawak farmers are showing up asking,
“Cherry, can you help us too?”
This is what real community impact looks like.
The Breakthrough That Shocked the Food Industry 🚀
In February 2025, Tem Tem Sabah dropped a game-changer:
Ready-to-eat tempeh with a 15-month shelf life, no fridge, no freezer.
Developed with Indonesia’s legendary Prof. Dr. Susianto, the global “King of Tempeh.”
Doctors in Taiwan, Singapore, and Germany are already ordering containers because of its impact on:
- Diabetes
- Heart health
- Gut health
Second container shipped.
Third loading now.
Demand is exploding faster than they can produce.
The Problem Every Hot Brand Dreams Of: Too Much Demand
Every time Cherry upgrades her machines, orders jump again.
Now the brand is hunting for a second bigger factory, possibly in KL or Indonesia.
Investors from Indonesia and a Malaysian Tan Sri are already in talks.
Her ultimate vision?
Bursa Malaysia’s ACE Market in 6–7 years.
From home kitchen to listed company.
Cherry’s Advice to Every Young Malaysian Entrepreneur 🌟
“Have instinct. If you don’t feel it, stay in your job, nothing wrong with that.
But if you feel the fire… solve a real problem.
Give samples. Get feedback. Improve nonstop.
Do the right thing with the right intention and the money will follow.”
Sabah’s Superfood Revolution Is Just Getting Started
Tem Tem Sabah isn’t just selling tempeh.
It’s pushing Sabah into the global wellness map, empowering families, and proving that real food made with heart always wins.
Want to taste what the world is talking about?
Search “Tem Tem Sabah” on Shopee, TikTok, or find it at premium grocers.
Your body (and Sabah’s farmers) will thank you.
