Twelve Cupcakes

Twelve Cupcakes is a Singapore based chain of cupcakery selling cupcakes. It was co-founded by Singaporean DJ Daniel Ong and actress Jamie Teo in 2011. It is currently owned by Dhunseri Group and is one of the largest cupcakery chain in Singapore. The company established a new dine-in cafe, Dulce and Sucre, in 2014 and currently has 40 stores, in 2 countries, with 35 located in Singapore.[2][3][4]

Twelve Cupcakes International Pte Ltd
TypePrivate company
IndustryFood and Beverage
Founded2011 (2011)
Novena, Singapore
FounderDaniel Ong & Jaime Teo
Headquarters20 Martin Road,

Singapore
Number of locations
40
Area served
Products
ParentDhunseri Group[1]
SubsidiariesDulce And Sucre
Websitetwelvecupcakes.com

Name

According to Ong, the cupcakery is named "for 12 strikes in a perfect game of bowling, 12 months in a year, 12 numbers on a clock and of course, the 12 holes in a typical baking tray".[5]

History
Twelve Cupcakes cupcakes in a box of 3.

In 2011, Ong and Teo started Twelve Cupcakes with Teo having created the recipes of all the cupcakes sold in the stores. The cupcakes sold were made to suit to the Asian palate, which are less sweet compared to western cupcakes.[6] The first outlet of Twelve Cupcakes was opened at United Square Shopping Mall, in Novena, which started with two service staff. The company then expanded and opened three more outlets during the first year of operations and sold over three million cupcakes in July 2011.[7]

On 24 January 2017, after the divorce of Ong and Teo in late 2016, the chain was sold to Dhunseri Group, which acquired it for S$2.5 million.[8][9]

Dulce and Sucre

In 2014, Twelve Cupcakes started a new dessert cafe known as Dulce and Sucre by Twelve Cupcakes, where it sells freshly baked loaves, whoopie pies, push up cakes, parfaits, puddings, tiramisus, crunchies, coffees and other desserts.[10][11] Currently there is only one outlet located at Orchard Gateway. It converted to a Twelve Cupcakes outlet in 2015.

Products and stores

Twelve Cupcakes features 60 flavours of cupcakes sold in its stores,[5] with a standard '12 Everyday Flavours' and 50 specials sold on a rotational basis. A new flavour of cupcake is also launched monthly. Twelve Cupcakes new dine-in cafe outlet, Dulce and Sucre, offers a wider variety of menu items, with coffees, whoopie pies, push up cakes, parfaits and other baked items.[12]

The stores originally started with display counters made of wood and feature brick wall, but has since re-designed the interiors of newer outlets with a more modern glass display casing as well as a glossy feature wall. The chain cupcakery currently has 40 stores located in 2 locations with 5 in Hong Kong and 35 in Singapore.

Twelve Cupcakes introduced the popular Honey Cakes in November 2015 and brownies in July 2016.

Controversy

Singapore Press Holdings

In 2012, Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) demanded payment from the cupcakery for reproducing its articles online. The cupcakery put up articles written about their business on Facebook, Twitter and the company's website, which infringes the copyright of SPH and violates copyright law in Singapore.[13]

Underpayment of foreign staff

Twelve Cupcakes was accused of underpaying its foreign workers between 2017 and 2019 by the Ministry of Manpower. When the workers were supposed to be paid salaries ranging from $2,200 to $2,600, the actual salaries paid were lower at $1,400 to $2,050. Initially, the salaries were paid in reduced amounts, before changing tactics to pay the actual salaries with a portion needing to be returned to the company. Twelve Cupcakes was first charged for its offences on 1 October 2020, before pleading guilty on 10 December. Twelve Cupcakes was fined $119,500 on 12 January 2021 for its offences.[14][15][16][17][18]

Separately on 29 December 2020, co-founders Ong and Teo were charged for offences related to underpayment and non-payment of salaries between 2012 and 2016. Teo pleaded guilty on 4 February 2021, and was fined $65,000 on 9 March. Ong was fined a similar amount on 21 May. In addition, former director Yvonne Ong was fined $20,000 for allowing underpayment of the company's workers in 2013 and 2014.[19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27]

Due to these instances of underpayment, the Food, Drinks and Allied Workers Union (a union affiliated to National Trades Union Congress) announced on 16 February 2021 plans to unionise the company to make sure workers are fairly represented and to work with the company's management on better employment practices. These plans were being set out as early as late 2020 with the management and employees of the company informed. The company was successfully unionised 10 days later with a secret ballot by the Ministry of Manpower, with majority of the workers voting overwhelmingly for the arrangement.[28][29][30][31]

References
  1. "Dhunseri Group takes over Twelve Cupcakes". Economic Times India. 24 January 2017. Retrieved 15 March 2017.
  2. "Dulce And Sucre – Twelve Cupcakes Opens A New Dessert Cafe". OMY Singapore. 2 May 2014. Retrieved 18 December 2014.
  3. "Stores". Twelve Cupcakes SG. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  4. "Locations". Twelve Cupcakes HK. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  5. "Singapore celebrities open third cupcake outlet in Klang Valley". The Star. 14 January 2014. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  6. "Jamie Teo and the Magical story of Mr Handsome's Twelve Cupcakes" (PDF). Guardian Feeling. January 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 July 2014. Retrieved 18 December 2014.
  7. "[Interview] Cupcake Queen Jaime Teo". Poached Mag. 30 March 2013. Archived from the original on 18 December 2014. Retrieved 18 December 2014.
  8. "Twelve Cupcakes sold to Indian tea company for S$2.5 million". Channel NewsAsia. 24 January 2017. Retrieved 15 March 2017.
  9. Goh, Kenneth (24 January 2017). "Indian tea company buys over Twelve Cupcakes chain". The Straits Times. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  10. "Dulce and Sucre Opens + F&B Entrepreneurship Lessons With Daniel Ong". Yahoo Singapore. 4 July 2014. Archived from the original on 18 December 2014. Retrieved 18 December 2014.
  11. "Dulce And Sucre – Twelve Cupcakes Opens A New Dessert Cafe". Daniel Food Diary. 2 May 2014. Retrieved 18 December 2014.
  12. "Dulce and Sucre: Buy 1 Get 1 Free Sweet Treats". Money Digest Singapore. 5 July 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  13. "Twelve Cupcakes displays articles about itself on website; SPH demands payment". Tech in Asia. 6 July 2012. Retrieved 18 December 2014.
  14. Tang, Louisa (23 October 2020). "Twelve Cupcakes accused of underpaying 8 foreign employees over 2 years". Today. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  15. Low, Dominic (10 December 2020). "Pastry chain Twelve Cupcakes pleads guilty to underpaying foreign employees for nearly two years". The Straits Times. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  16. Lam, Lydia (10 December 2020). "Twelve Cupcakes pleads guilty to underpaying foreign employees, prosecution seeks S$127,000 fine". CNA. Archived from the original on 26 January 2021. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  17. Alkhatib, Shaffiq (12 January 2021). "Twelve Cupcakes fined $119,500 over multiple counts of underpaying its employees". The Straits Times. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  18. Lam, Lydia (12 January 2021). "Twelve Cupcakes fined S$119,500 for underpaying foreign employees". CNA. Archived from the original on 12 January 2021. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  19. Alkhatib, Shaffiq (29 December 2020). "Twelve Cupcakes founders Daniel Ong, Jaime Teo charged with offences under Employment of Foreign Manpower Act". The Straits Times. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  20. Lam, Lydia (29 December 2020). "Twelve Cupcakes founders Daniel Ong and Jaime Teo charged with employment offences". CNA. Archived from the original on 26 January 2021. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  21. Alkhatib, Shaffiq (4 February 2021). "Twelve Cupcakes co-founder Jaime Teo admits failing to prevent firm from underpaying foreign staff". The Straits Times. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  22. Lam, Lydia (4 February 2021). "Twelve Cupcakes co-founder Jaime Teo pleads guilty to underpaying foreign workers". CNA. Archived from the original on 4 February 2021. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  23. Alkhatib, Shaffiq (9 March 2021). "Twelve Cupcakes wages case: Co-founder Jaime Teo fined $65,000 for role in underpaying staff". The Straits Times. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  24. Abu Baker, Jalelah (9 March 2021). "Twelve Cupcakes co-founder Jaime Teo fined for underpaying foreign workers". CNA. Archived from the original on 9 March 2021. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  25. Sun, David (21 May 2021). "Former radio DJ Daniel Ong fined $65,000 over underpaid workers at Twelve Cupcakes". The Straits Times. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  26. Lam, Lydia (21 May 2021). "Twelve Cupcakes co-founder Daniel Ong fined for underpaying foreign workers". CNA. Archived from the original on 21 May 2021. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  27. Alkhatib, Shaffiq (27 July 2021). "Sister of ex-radio DJ Daniel Ong fined $20k for allowing Twelve Cupcakes to underpay staff". The Straits Times. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  28. "Plans to unionise Twelve Cupcakes under way". CNA. 16 February 2021. Archived from the original on 16 February 2021. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  29. Ang, Qing (16 February 2021). "Food workers union announces plans to unionise Twelve Cupcakes". The Straits Times. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  30. "Twelve Cupcakes Employees Vote in Favour of Union". NTUC. 26 February 2021. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  31. Ang, Qing (26 February 2021). "Twelve Cupcakes to join food workers union". The Straits Times. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
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