Secret Recipe's Evelyn Lee departs after a decade with the brand

Secret Recipe's head of marketing Evelyn Lee has departed from her role, after 10 years with the iconic homegrown cake brand. Lee began her journey with Secret Recipe in 2015 as a marketing manager before working her way up to becoming a senior marketing manager, then was subsequently made head of marketing in 2022. 

Prior to that, she spent 8 years as a user-distributed content (UDC) and marketing manager at Classic Fine Foods, a hospitality partner for pastry and cuisine fine ingredients. Lee also spent four years as an assistant manager in OCBC Bank before her career in marketing. 

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Announcing her departure on LinkedIn, Lee shared that her decision to leave wasn't easy, and wasn't taken lightly. "Ten years might be one of the shorter tenures amongst other heads of departments at Secret Recipe, but they've certainly been ten years I've truly grown to love and will forever be a part of my momentous career journey," she said. 

Amidst her words of gratitude for her team and the leaders of the company, Lee shared 15 memorable moments from her 10 years with Secret Recipe. One of them being the brand's collaboration with homegrown cat character Bichi Mao for a three-month campaign which saw selected Secret Recipe outlets nationwide transformed with Bichi Mao-themed décor and experiences, from special cake packaging to playful store visuals, as well as limited-time merchandise and desserts that centre on the popular feline character.

She also spotlighted a slew of memorable milestones, from the launch of Secret Recipe’s Zero Indulgence cake with Santan for in-flight meals, to creative tie-ups with Universal Music and Mira Filzah, which saw the debut of BurgerMira and a limited-edition shawl collection. Lee also reminisced on the brand’s pandemic-era moments and celebrated the many awards the team has brought home over the years.

Earlier this year, A+M sat down with Lee, to learn how the brand blended tradition with transformation in its next chapter. Secret Recipe’s longevity hasn’t been by chance. For Lee and her team, honouring the brand’s legacy is just as important as making it relevant for younger consumers.

She said: "Our legacy is the foundation of customer trust. That deep-rooted familiarity is something we cherish, and we leverage it to bridge generational gaps. It ensures that Secret Recipe feels comforting and traditional to older customers, while also appearing fresh and engaging to the younger generations."

That evolution comes through a strategic mix of content, culture, and collaborations. While the brand still draws its older fanbase with classic flavours, it’s now engaging the youth via trend-driven content on TikTok, Instagram Reels, and even Xiaohongshu. Rather than simply keeping up with the latest digital trends, Secret Recipe is also branching out into lifestyle collaborations, often in unexpected ways. 

At the core of Secret Recipe’s strategy is balance. Honouring tradition while inviting transformation. "The includes upholding quality and being easily accessible to our consumers above all else. We're always cognizant of preserving the brand's trusted quality in everything we do, even as we innovate our offerings," said Lee.

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