• #SchoolForLife
  • Food
  • Family
  • Beauty & Health
  • Style
  • Great Women
  • Videos
  • Events/Win
  • #SchoolForLife
  • Hair Awards
  • Great Escape
  • Explore Singapore
  • Food
    • Food
    • Asian Recipes
    • Celebrity Recipes
    • Cooking Tips
    • Dessert Recipes
    • Eating Out
    • Festive Food
    • Healthy Recipes
    • Quick & Easy Recipes
    • Western Recipes
  • Videos
  • Family
    • Family
    • Parenting
    • Sex & Marriage
    • Travel
  • Home Ideas
    • Home Ideas
    • Decor Tips
    • Organising
    • Appliances
    • Domestic Diva Awards
    • Entertaining
  • Beauty & Health
    • Beauty & Health
    • Skincare
    • Makeup
    • Hair
    • Awards
    • Diet & Nutrition
    • Fitness
    • Wellness
  • Fashion
  • Career
  • Money
  • Real Life
  • Great Women
  • Entertainment
  • EVENTS/WIN
  • Also available at:
Privacy Menu
SPH Media

Copyright © 2022 SPH Media Limited. Co. Regn. No. 202120748H. All rights reserved.

  • #SchoolForLife
  • Food
  • Family
  • Beauty & Health
  • Style
  • Great Women
  • Videos
  • Events/Win

Career

Third-Generation Esther Loo On Reinventing A Traditional Industry

Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Career

Third-Generation Esther Loo On Reinventing A Traditional Industry

As Tai Sun celebrates its 55th anniversary, head of marketing and third-generation scion Esther Loo talks about the future of the company

October 1, 2021

The Peak

In an incredible 55-year journey, Tai Sun has evolved into Singapore’s largest nuts and snacks company that is still family-run by family members who earned their positions.

Esther Loo, the brand’s third-generation scion and current head of marketing, is a perfect example of this. Instead of automatically assuming a role after completing her studies, she was “gently” persuaded to pave her way. “I was kicked out!” Loo laughs. “I was made to gain outside experience, so I joined an agency.”

She cut her teeth in public relations and advertising before making the switch to marketing, which turned out to be her true calling. Eleven years ago, while working at L’Oreal Singapore, the family asked her to help out with the business. Her first task? Plan and execute a brand overhaul for a then-outdated Tai Sun.

READ NEXT

How Aisha Abdul Went From Handling Passports To Moving 500kg Crates

How Mentoring Your Boss Could Improve Your Team Dynamic

10 SkillsFuture Courses That Will Help You Learn To Grow Your Business

https://www.womensweekly.com.sg/gallery/great-women/career/third-generation-esther-loo-reinventing-traditional-company/
Third-Generation Esther Loo On Reinventing A Traditional Industry
Cut her teeth in the fast-paced corporate world
image

Loo didn’t find the branding project daunting. She got cracking right away and confirmed through market research that branding was at the root of the issue. “All the products fell under the title brand: Tai Sun Nuts, Tai Sun Chips and so on. The packaging was quite messy and there was no real formatting for the brand as a whole,” she says. “In blind taste tests, our products came out on top almost every time, but brand recall was rather poor so the younger generation was not picking up our products.”

The Peak
custom

With this information Loo launched a repositioning campaign, complete with brand bibles and product segmentation. The result is Tai Sun’s current portfolio that also includes brands like Nature’s Wonders, Treatz, UCA and more.

Not one to rest on her laurels, Loo has consistently been looking for ways to innovate. To tie in with the company’s 55th anniversary, Nature’s Wonders and Treatz – Tai Sun’s nut and potato chip brands – will welcome new developments. Without revealing too much ahead of the upcoming launch, she tells us Nature’s Wonders will be rolling out new nuts and mixes, and Treatz will receive a significant revamp. “Right now, Treatz features large, colourful packs. At the time of the previous rebranding, consumers preferred these large packs,” she says. “That trend has evolved, so we need to as well.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by TaiSun (SG) (@taisun.sg)

custom

Her focus on innovation and keeping up with trends has permeated into other parts of the business as well. For a long time now, she’s recognised that Singaporeans are more health-conscious. To address that, she wants to convey to the public that healthy snacks such as pecans and macadamias, often thought of as premium nuts, are not necessarily out of reach.

“For the older generation, [these nuts] seem expensive. As the market leader, we want to educate the public on their health benefits. We have been working closely with the Singapore Heart Foundation to achieve this goal.”

custom

Recognising the value of reach and engagement, Tai Sun has also taken its educational efforts to social media platforms. Apart from being able to educate consumers, the brand also gets to interact with them. “If people don’t like something, they’ll message you immediately. That’s good because we can rectify issues as soon as possible.” While Tai Sun has not explored other newer forms of social media like TikTok, she says that this is only a matter of time, especially since it wants to connect with younger generations.

Balancing innovation and tradition can be tricky, but Tai Sun seems to have it down to a tee. What’s the secret formula? “Thankfully, I have modern bosses,” she laughs. “Our tradition is our stance on quality. That will never change. Innovation keeps the brand moving forward.”

Text: Terence Rus/The Peak

Read Next

"If You Want To Succeed, Never Rest On Your Laurels" – Shares This Career Mum

10 Recruitment Agencies To Try For Your Next Career Move

18 Ways To Get What You Want In Your Career & Personal Life

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by TaiSun (SG) (@taisun.sg)

  • TAGS:
  • Business women
  • Esther Loo
  • family business
  • local
  • local brands
  • local business
  • local food
SHARE THIS ON

What’s Hot

Career

7 Stable Jobs That Pay Surprisingly Well...

Career

How To Return To Work After A Career Break

Career

The Founders Of ShopBack Are So Chill, ...

Career

All About The Woman Behind Olympic Gold ...

Career

She Made Nipple Pasties User-Friendly An...

Career

Sarangly Founder Shares Lessons She Lear...

Career

Dr Jade Kua Reminds Us Not To Forget To ...

Career

A Radiographer On What The Most Common M...

Career

"How I Used Crowdfunding To Start My Eco...

Career

This Woman Left Her Laboratory Job To Be...

Career

Loveaisyah Founder Brings Women Together...

Career

What Fuels These SingHealth Healthcare P...

Don’t Miss These
  • Awards Get A Year-Round Beauty Glow & Sun Protection With This S...
  • Awards Increase Your Hair Growth And Decrease Hair Loss With Thi...
Editor’s Picks
  • Entertainment Fiona Xie Is Still A Romantic, But She Is Spreading Her Wings Like Never Before
  • Career 7 Stable Jobs That Pay Surprisingly Well in Singapore
  • Career How To Return To Work After A Career Break
  • Career The Founders Of ShopBack Are So Chill, Their Employees Have A Piano In The O...
  • Career All About The Woman Behind Olympic Gold Medalist Eileen Gu
  • Career She Made Nipple Pasties User-Friendly And Broke Even In Just 4 Months
Don't Miss Out Ever Again!
Tips & tricks to stay sane + win invites to our events!

By signing up, you indicate that you have read and agreed with our Privacy Statement
Footer Menu
  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Conditions of Access
  • PDPA
  • Privacy Policy
?>
SPH Magazine

Copyright © 2022 SPH Media Limited. Co. Regn. No. 202120748H. All rights reserved.