London Biscuits Berhad started as a confectionery manufacturer in 1981. The Liew family headed by Dato’ Sri Liew Kuik Hin bought into the company in 1994. Four years later London Biscuits introduced the London Pie Cakes which were individually packaged cakes with cream fillings. Its success led to the introduction of swiss roll cakes. London Biscuits was listed in 2002 on the Second Board of the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange (Bursa Securities Malaysia now) and transferred to the Main Board in late 2003. In 2007 London Biscuits acquired a controlling stake in Khee San Berhad, the largest manufacturer of sweets and candy in Malaysia, famous for its Torrone brand of barley mint and its FruitPlus range of chewy candies its Victory brand of confectionery.

2019 was a watershed year in the history of the Liew family run London Biscuits. The Group’s revenue has been on a declining trend for the preceding three years. (2018: RM 308.7 million, 2017: RM 426.0 million, 2016: RM 436.5 million). On May 10 2019, London Biscuits announced that it had defaulted in RM9.83 million debt repayment to Bank of Nova Scotia due to cashflow constraint. By July 2019 it was placed under PN17 (Practice Note 17) status by Bursa Malaysia. Its 20% stake in Khee San was sold off and family members started paring down their stakes in the company and resigned from the board of directors and executive management of the company. A liquidator has been appointed to administer London Biscuits’ affairs.

Read more:

1. London Biscuits Berhad. www.londonbiscuits.com.my
2. The Edge Malaysia. 25 November 2019. Esther Lee. Surprise New shareholder in troubled London Biscuits. www.theedgemarkets.com
3. The Star. 5 January 2017. M. Mahfiz Mahpar. Khee San ceases to be London Biscuits’ subsidiary. www.thestar.com.my
4. The Star. 6 May 2020. London Biscuits sells assets to Mamee-Double Decker. www.thestar.com.my
5. London Biscuits Berhad. Annual Report 2003. www.disclosure.bursamalaysia.com
6. The Edge Malaysia. 20 August 2019. Esther Lee. Transactions at London Biscuits raise eyebrows. www.theedgemarkets.com
7. Minority Shareholders Watch group. The Observer. 22 March 2019. Message from the CEO. London Biscuits Berhad. www.mswg.org.my
8. London Biscuits Berhad. 2018 Annual Report. www.lbbg.com.my
9. The Edge Markets. 4 December 2019. Arjuna Chandran Shankar. London Biscuits exits Khee San after 20% stake sale. www.theedgemarkets.com