How Tollyjoy grew from a 100-worker Singapore factory to a regional brand over 55 years - CNA
Founded by Mr Tan Khung Ngee and his wife, Madam Tan Hong Keow, in 1971, the family business later passed to their son who had initially hoped to pursue medicine.
Diapers from Singapore baby-care brand Tollyjoy. (Photo: Facebook/Tollyjoy Singapore)
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Firdaus Hamzah 22 Sep 2026 06:12PM (Updated: 22 Sep 2026 08:19PM) Bookmark Bookmark Share WhatsApp Telegram Facebook Twitter Email LinkedIn Set CNA as your preferred source on Google Add CNA as a trusted source to help Google better understand and surface our content in search results. Read a summary of this article on FAST. Get bite-sized news via a newcards interface. Give it a try. Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FAST FAST SINGAPORE: For generations of parents in Singapore, Tollyjoy has been a familiar name, supplying feeding bottles, baby wipes, clothes and bedding.
Founded in 1971, the homegrown mother-and-baby care brand grew from a domestic manufacturing operation with about 100 workers into a regional brand selling hundreds of products.
Over the decades, the family business had to adapt to rising costs, shifts in manufacturing and economic upheavals while expanding its product range and reach beyond Singapore.
Now, after 55 years, Tollyjoy is winding down. The company announced on Sep 15 that it would cease operations.
CNA Games Guess Word Crack the word, one row at a time Buzzword Create words using the given letters Mini Sudoku Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser Mini Crossword Small grid, big challenge Word Search Spot as many words as you can Show More Show Less Here's a look back at the brand's journey.
Tollyjoy was founded in 1971 by Mr Tan Khung Ngee and Madam Tan Hong Keow.
Their son and current Tollyjoy chief executive officer, Mr Tan Wee Keng, said in a 2016 interview that before starting the company, his parents were involved in the general trading of goods, including baby products.
They saw demand for affordable and durable baby and mother-care products in a market then dominated by international brands.
Taking advantage of relatively low labour and rental costs at the time, the couple rented space from industrial developer JTC and set up a manufacturing plant with about 100 workers.Β
Tollyjoy was among the domestic manufacturers making products for Singapore's growing consumer market.
Within several years, however, rising manufacturing costs in Singapore made the company's original production model increasingly difficult to sustain.
Tollyjoy responded by introducing automation and upgrading its workers' skills.Β
It also began outsourcing manufacturing while retaining its own design and production guidelines.
The company expanded its presence across the Causeway as well, with its Malaysian business incorporated in 1987.
The current Singapore corporate entity, Tollyjoy Baby Products Pte Ltd, was incorporated in 1990, nearly two decades after the business was established.
In 1996, Tollyjoy achieved ISO 9001 certification, an international standard for how companies maintain quality in their products and services.
The company said that the certification reflected its focus on the safety, durability and reliability of its products.
"Our mission has been to provide only the best for your baby and yourself," the company stated on its website. "This, we have achieved through stringent quality control across our design, manufacturing and marketing processes."Β
Its product range would eventually stretch across categories including baby feeding, grooming, hygiene, bedtime and clothing, as well as products for mothers.
Mr Tan Wee Keng formally took over Tollyjoy in 2001 when his older brothers left to pursue other interests, as reported in 2016 by Chinese daily Lianhe Zaobao in an interview with him.
He initially did not want to take over the company and had ambitions to go into medicine.
However, expectations and filial piety led him to become CEO of Tollyjoy.
Mr Tan's start at the helm was not an easy ride.Β
In an article published by the Singapore Management University (SMU) in 2018, he said that the Sep 11 attacks in the United States in 2001 had caused economic panic after Asia had just recovered from the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis.
At the same time, Tollyjoy's Malaysian business was struggling, with customers leaving, revenues falling, and the company "deeply in the red", Mr Tan said in the SMU article.Β
He recalled eventually deciding to stop dwelling on the difficulties and confront the problems facing the business.
Despite the difficult start, Mr Tan steadied the company and expanded its reach in the region.Β
In the SMU article, he said that the company was managing about 500 stock-keeping units across 50 categories. These ranged from baby wear to feeding accessories to carriers.
About 95 per cent of production is done outside Singapore.
He also described Tollyjoy's desired position as "not too cheap, not too expensive".
The aim, he said, was to make products that were reliable, durable and value for money.
The company had about 200 employees and recorded S$16 million in annual revenue in 2016, the article stated at the time.
In a Facebook post dated Sep 15, Tollyjoy said that it is "winding down the brand", although it did not specify how long its products would remain available for sale in its markets.
It added that the decision to wind down was a "bittersweet moment".
In a statement issued by the company on Tuesday (Sep 22), Mr Tan said: "We recognise the responsibility that comes with making a decision of this nature. It was not entered into lightly, nor was it driven by financial considerations.Β
"After careful consideration on the future of the business and how we wish to focus our time and resources going forward, we felt that the time was right to conclude our operations."
The company did not elaborate on where it intends to direct its time and resources, and did not give a date for when operations would end.
Mr Tan added: "Tollyjoy will focus on an orderly closure of its operations, including ensuring the welfare of its team and managing any remaining stocks."
In Singapore, stocks of Tollyjoy products are no longer available, but some products are still available in neighbouring Malaysia.Β
"We leave this 55-year journey with a deep sense of appreciation for the many people who have been part of it. The relationships we have built and the memories we have shared over the years will always be meaningful to us," Mr Tan said.
