Sambal Entrepreneur Succeeds After Near Closure

2 June 2025

KOTA KINABALU: Two years ago, Zarinah Nawawi, 48, nearly gave up on her business. Her company, Menaq Sdn Bhd, the force behind the homegrown Sambal Menaq brand, had recorded losses for two consecutive years. Faced with rising costs and a sluggish market, she was on the brink of closing the business permanently.

“I thought of closing it down… but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. I had invested so much time, energy, and resources into building this business. If I gave up, all that hard work would have been for nothing,” she told Nabalu News.

Zarinah, who runs the business alongside her husband, Mohd Ali Osman, 51, remained steadfast in her commitment and refused to abandon her passion despite the challenges they faced.

Originally from Tuaran and now based in Kinarut, Papar, Zarinah transitioned from the private sector to entrepreneurship in 2016, driven by her love for sambal ikan masin and a keen eye for untapped market potential.

“I started the business with only 10 jars, selling them to friends and family. As demand grew, I scaled up production, enlisted dropship agents, and eventually expanded distribution to local supermarkets,” she said.

The brand name Menaq, derived from the Bajau Samah word for ‘delicious’, has become well known for its sambal products packaged in glass jars. A key innovation that set her brand apart was the adoption of retort technology, allowing a shelf life of one to two years without preservatives.

Zarinah is one of the pioneering entrepreneurs in Sabah to commercially produce sambal in glass jars. Her product range now features Sambal Ikan Masin, Sambal Udang Kering, and her latest addition this year, Sambal Tuhau.

Initially, she outsourced production but her desire for greater control over quality and taste led her to develop her own recipe, inspired by her mother’s traditional version.

“There were many failures along the way, but eventually I achieved the flavour I was aiming for and the response from customers was very encouraging,” she recalled.

The overwhelmingly positive reception quickly gained momentum, propelling Sambal Menaq into expos, pop-up booths, grocery stores, and supermarkets across Malaysia and even into Brunei.

In 2018, the Sabah Department of Industrial Development and Research (DIDR) awarded us an equipment grant that included an industrial blender, multipurpose cooker, and retort machine,” she said, adding that these machines helped streamline production and meet the growing demand.

By its second year, Sambal Menaq was generating annual sales exceeding RM100,000, with steady growth and increasing brand recognition.

But the journey hasn’t been without hardship. Like many small businesses in Malaysia, Sambal Menaq faced major challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Movement Control Order (MCO) halted distribution, disrupting the entire supply chain.

“It was a very challenging time. We struggled with stock shortages and couldn’t fully meet customer demand due to logistical restrictions, and with all Ramadan bazaars and exhibitions cancelled nationwide, our sales also dropped drastically,” she recalled.

Government support, including wage subsidies and TEKUN Nasional recovery financing, played a crucial role in sustaining the business, while Zarinah simultaneously pivoted to online platforms such as Shopee to keep sales going.

Post-pandemic, rising operational costs, from rent to ingredients, caused another financial squeeze. Her initial reluctance to raise prices out of loyalty to customers further strained the business.

To sustain her business operations, she was compelled to make difficult decisions, including reducing full-time staff, transitioning to part-time workers, and revising the prices of Sambal Ikan Masin and Sambal Udang Kering from RM10 to RM18 per jar.

“Despite the price increase, demand remained steady, sustained by ongoing interest from both loyal and new customers. People stayed with us because of our quality, and as long as we maintain that, they will continue to support us,” she said.

Recognising the importance of digital marketing to boost brand visibility and sales, Zarinah began leveraging platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Shopee, and most recently, TikTok Shop, which she joined in January.

Her journey took a pivotal turn after completing the six-week TEKUN x TikTok training programme, which equipped her with the necessary skills to conduct engaging live sessions on the platform. She now hosts these sessions daily, consistently achieving monthly sales of over 100 jars.

Between March and April, two of her TikTok videos went viral, amassing more than 170,000 views. This growing online presence expanded her customer base and earned her the TikTok Shop Sabah Aspiring Entrepreneur Award 2025.

“I never imagined sambal could go viral. But I’m thankful it gave me renewed confidence to continue exploring digital marketing,” she said.

With her business gaining fresh momentum, Zarinah is planning her next steps, aiming to expand Sambal Menaq’s reach further, tapping into new markets and continuing to innovate while staying true to the flavours that started it all.