In conversation: From founder's son to brand builder

In the latest episode of MARKETING-INTERACTIVE’s Marketing Connected podcast series, “In Conversation,” we speak with Sai Tzy Horng, director of Julie’s Biscuits. Sai wears many hats at the heritage Malaysian brand, overseeing marketing and people functions, while also spearheading its ambitious global rebranding exercise that cost nearly S$1 million and spanned more than two years.

Julie’s is a household name in Malaysia, with its roots tracing back to Malacca and a signature product in its peanut butter biscuits. What began as a local favourite has grown into a global player, exporting to around 80 countries.

Sai, based between Singapore and Malaysia, has been at the forefront of redefining the family business for modern consumers, leading the brand through its multi-year rebranding and positioning Julie’s for continued growth worldwide.

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Redefining Julie’s for a new generation

When Sai returned to the company after more than a decade in Canada studying and working in psychology, it wasn’t an obvious move. “Every Asian kid knows this. It’s called guilt,” he joked, explaining how family ties pulled him back. Soon, the guilt gave way to opportunity. For Sai, Julie’s offered the chance to test bold ideas and reimagine a household brand for the modern consumer.

That ambition came to life in Julie’s rebranding, undertaken with creative agency Superunion (now Design Bridge). The revamp included a refreshed logo and packaging system, anchored by a modernised Julie’s girl chosen from more than 300 illustrations. Her upward gaze symbolises optimism and possibility, reflecting the brand’s “Bridge the world” ethos as Malaysia’s largest biscuit exporter.

To dramatise the process, Julie’s launched Operation Maybe, a satirical short film poking fun at corporate bureaucracy and the anxieties that come with change. Sai compared the experience to living with chronic pain: “Rebranding is like back pain. Some days you feel it’s getting better, other days you wonder if you’re making the right call. Everyone has cold feet at some point, but sometimes you just have to commit the crime first and ask for forgiveness later.”

Trained in psychology rather than business, Sai brings an unconventional approach to marketing. He blends humour, social commentary, and even satire into brand storytelling, seeing it as a way to spark conversations without overwhelming audiences. He said:

Sometimes, we get desensitised when topics are always framed seriously. Satire can bring in a new angle, and that’s where marketing can really connect.

Navigating family and business

As the son of founder Su Chin Hock, Sai is clear-eyed about the challenges of working in a family business. For him, professionalism comes down to boundaries. “You need a bit of that distance. Living separately, dressing the part, even changing the way you speak to each other. Otherwise, family roles bleed into business roles too easily.”

At the same time, his memories of Julie’s run deep. He recalls the day his father first brought home peanut butter biscuits: “I thought to myself, ‘I guess we make biscuits now.’ I was only five or six, but the taste has been consistent ever since, and I never thought it would grow into what it is today.”

Now tasked with steering that legacy forward, Sai admits the role is not about permanence but about relevance, for both himself and the brand. Amid rising supply chain costs and the buzz around artificial intelligence, he believes brands must be clear about their identity and purpose. “The more AI comes in, the more human creativity needs to thrive."

Brands need to be discerning about who they want to be.

For Julie’s, that means staying true to its heritage while speaking to new generations of consumers worldwide. As Sai puts it, “The brand has its own life now. Its rebirth was magnificent, and it’s still destined for great things.”

Catch the full conversation here in this video:

Tune into the rest of this conversation on your favourite podcast platforms, by searching up Marketing Connected. For all the visual people out there, we’ve got your back as well, with our vodcasts on YouTube.

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