A dose of sweetness every day: How a former content designer pivoted to making ‘dango' and other handcrafted Japanese desserts
PETALING JAYA, June 5 – Desserts can be the last course of a meal, the proverbial sweet ending. But desserts can also be a dance, if making and tasting them are a deep passion.
For Jing Kwan, 34, that passion revolves around wagashi or traditional Japanese desserts, specifically dango.
I'm sure you've seen these round dumplings made from glutinous rice flour on your social media feeds, typically arranged neatly in a row on a skewer.
The former content designer in the e-commerce industry says, 'I have always had a passion for making desserts, especially Japanese desserts. The process of creating desserts gives me a great sense of fulfilment and joy.'
That sense of joy is why Kwan decided to name her home-based business Ri Tian Yi Du – which translates to 'a dose of sweetness each day.'
Matcha Dango (left) and Chocolate Dango (right). — Picture courtesy of Ri Tian Yi Du
What was sweeter though, was getting positive feedback to her handcrafted dango, which comes in different flavours including Honey Osmanthus, Roasted Kinako, Dango, Matcha and Red Bean.
Kwan shares, 'As more people began to enjoy my desserts, I realised this was a great opportunity. That's why I decided to make a career change and pursue my dream and passion in the food industry.'
As with all startups, particularly in the F&B, it wasn't an immediate change but more of a slow and gradual pivot, if you will.
Kwan recalls, 'I started experimenting and learning on my own during my free time, and eventually decided to develop it as a side business. I was motivated by the satisfaction of turning my hobby into something meaningful, and the encouragement I received from customers gave me the confidence to pursue it full-time.'
To grow the business, Ri Tian Yi Du founder Jing Kwan (right, with apron) roped in her friend Shawn Goh (left). — Picture courtesy of Ri Tian Yi Du
Launched in 2022, Ri Tian Yi Du initially operated as a solo effort from her home in PJ. Two years later, deciding it was time to grow the business, Kwan roped in her longtime friend Shawn Goh, 33, as a business partner to help scale the brand.
Together, they are expanding the reach of their signature treats beyond their ever-popular dango. Ri Tian Yi Du's range now includes other Japanese dessert classics such as dorayaki, warabi mochi and daifuku.
The appeal of their desserts lies in the visible craftsmanship that goes into every item. Kwan explains, 'We make our dango by hand using glutinous rice flour and other ingredients, then boil until soft and chewy. We also make the toppings and sauces entirely from scratch – the matcha sauce, chocolate sauce, red bean paste and more.'
One customer favourite is the Matcha Dango, which Kwan says offers 'a delicate bitterness paired with sweetness.' A different take on this is the Matcha Red Bean Dango Cup, which eschews the skewer for a cup, to better hold the red bean paste and matcha sauce.
Matcha Red Bean Dango Cup. — Picture courtesy of Ri Tian Yi Du
Speaking of their matcha sauce, it was developed after extensive research and development, Kwan reveals, resulting in a flavour that is 'neither bitter nor too sweet – it's just the right balance. Perfect even for those who don't typically like matcha.'
Another popular item is their Chocolate Dorayaki. Kwan says, 'It's a flavour loved by many – both kids and adults. Our chocolate filling is not too sweet, so you can enjoy it guilt-free.'
Other dorayaki flavours include Red Bean, Matcha and Lemon Buttercream. Ri Tian Yi Du's product range also includes warabi mochi, which is made from warabiko (bracken starch) and dusted with kinako (toasted soybean) powder, and the ever-popular fruit-topped daifuku.
'Dorayaki' flavours: Red Bean, Matcha, Chocolate and Lemon Buttercream. — Picture courtesy of Ri Tian Yi Du
The passion for desserts can be a dance. The challenge is balancing the tango with dango with wrangling and untangling various business hiccups and headaches.
Kwan admits, 'Managing everything alone in the beginning – from product development to marketing and operations – was overwhelming. That's where Shawn, my work partner, helped me solve many problems in various areas.'
The early days also involved countless trials to determine the right ingredients and recipes that would appeal to a wide range of tastes. Kwan says, 'To overcome these, I dedicated a lot of time to research and testing to perfect our products.'
Warabi Mochi. — Picture courtesy of Ri Tian Yi Du
Looking ahead, Ri Tian Yi Du has big plans. The team is gearing up to participate in more bazaars across different states, hoping to introduce their desserts to a wider audience.
Kwan adds, 'We're always experimenting with new dessert ideas to surprise and delight our customers.'
Sounds like more and more will discover Ri Tian Yi Du's winsome wagashi, all crafted by hand for just the right dose of sweetness each day.
Ri Tian Yi Du's product range also includes the popular fruit-topped 'daifuku'. — Picture courtesy of Ri Tian Yi Du
Ri Tian Yi Du
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