If Zus Coffee can change the way Malaysians drink coffee, Crumbl Cookies can change the way Americans eat cookies.
This brand doesn't come from a big company.
It started with two ordinary cousins, without any experience in the bakery world.
But with a "try it first" spirit, creativity in marketing, and a clever digital touch — they managed to turn biscuits into a business worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
In 2017, Jason McGowan and Sawyer Hemsley, two cousins from Utah, had one dream: to create the most delicious cookies in the world.
The problem is, they're not bakers.
So, they learned from the ground up — experimenting in a small kitchen, repeating it over 200 times, changing the recipe little by little until they found a flavor that made everyone say "this is it!"
Just like other Malaysian entrepreneurs, they start out — sometimes in their kitchens, sometimes next to shops. But the important thing is, they don't wait for perfection before they start.
That's where Crumbl Cookies were born — big cookies, soft on the inside, crispy on the outside, with an aroma that makes people willing to queue for them.
When the first store opened, they didn't have a budget for billboards or TV ads.
So they use the cheapest things — cell phones and social media.
They recorded a simple video: cut the biscuit in half, show the melted chocolate melting, and the "crunch" sound when bitten.
The video looks trivial, but the visuals and ASMR sounds make people drool.
People share, people comment, people tag friends.
In a short time, Crumbl went viral — without paying a single cent for advertising.
Today, Crumbl's TikTok account has over 10 million followers, and every time a new flavor comes out, thousands of people make their own review videos.
For comparison, this is their version of the "Zus Coffee Challenge" — when customers themselves become unofficial brand ambassadors.
Crumbl doesn't sell all flavors at once.
Every week, only one classic flavor remains — Milk Chocolate Chip, the others all change.
Sometimes this week there's Biscoff Lava, next week S'mores Brownie, next week one Pink Sugar Frosting.
In short, every week there is a new surprise.
Here is their most genius strategy:
They create a sense of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out).
People are willing to queue up because they are afraid of missing out on the taste of the week.
In Malaysia, this concept is like FamilyMart which constantly changes its seasonal menu — making people wait and see.
Enter any Crumbl branch, you will see a style:
The shop is white, modern, clean — but most importantly, the kitchen is open.
Customers can see the biscuits being baked right in front of their eyes.
This is not a coincidence, but a strategy.
They know that when customers see the real ingredients and how they are made, trust comes naturally.
It's not just about buying food, it's an experience.
Their biscuit boxes are soft pink, long, and iconic — enough to be recognized even from afar.
The box became a symbol of happiness, just as the light blue cup became the identity of Zus Coffee.
Due to the overwhelming response, Crumbl is opening franchise opportunities.
In 5 years, they grew from one store to over 800 branches across America and Canada.
Imagine — 800 stores in just 5 years!
But they remain firm on quality.
All franchises must follow the original recipe, the same ingredients, and uniform taste standards.
Jason and Sawyer know — one bad cookie can ruin an entire brand.
Jason comes from a technology and startup background.
So he didn't just open a restaurant — he built his own digital system to manage operations and customer data.
They created a booking system, POS, and sales analytics for all franchises.
With that data, they can know which flavors are most popular, which days have the most customers, and which locations sell the most.
This is why Crumbl moves fast.
They are not just a food business, but a data + customer experience business.
One of Crumbl's greatest strengths is their customer community.
They don't even need big influencers — even regular customers are enough.
Every week when a new flavor comes out, customers themselves create content, review, unbox, and post on social media.
The hashtag #CrumblReview is trending every week.
Zus Coffee also uses the same approach — customers share their coffee cups on IG, the brand gets free awareness.
That's why Crumbl isn't just a cookie — it's a lifestyle.
If we look at their strategies, they all revolve around one thing: human emotions.
They know people don't buy because they are hungry.
People buy because they want to feel "happy", want to share a sweet moment with friends, or want to give something as a gift that looks premium but is budget-friendly.
And Crumbl builds every aspect of its business to touch that emotion — from the box design, the brand colors, the way the staff greets customers, to the first taste when the first bite enters your mouth.
Crumbl's story teaches many important things for local entrepreneurs — whether you sell drinks, cakes, coffee, or clothes.
No need to wait for perfection to start.
These two cousins also started with a recipe for failure a hundred times. The important thing is — keep improving.
Use social media as your main weapon.
You don't need a big budget, you just need to know how to record something that makes people want to share it.
Create FOMO and excitement.
Change the menu, do limited editions, or seasonal flavors. People love surprises.
Focus on the experience, not just the product.
Beautiful shop, nice smell, attractive packaging — all of that is part of it.
Build a system.
If you want to grow, you need to have structure and technology. Otherwise, the business will easily get stuck when many customers come in.
Today, Crumbl Cookies has become one of the most popular candy brands in the world.
Every week, millions of people wait for their new menu — not because they're hungry, but because they want to feel happy.
And it all started with two ordinary cousins, one small kitchen, and one big dream.
While in Malaysia there are brands like Mamee, Zus, Tealive, and FamilyMart — in America, the name Crumbl Cookies has become a symbol that with a sweet idea and the right strategy, anything can become a phenomenon.
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