[Profile] Hazwan Mokhtar & Haziq Mokhtar: The Brothers Who Built a Peanut Butter Empire Against All Odds

The Profile Snapshot

In the competitive world of FMCG, few stories are as compelling as that of Hazwan and Haziq Mokhtar. They are the co-founders of KAYA, a homegrown Malaysian peanut butter brand that has carved out a loyal following with its commitment to natural ingredients and bold flavours. Their journey is a masterclass in bootstrapping, brand building, and navigating existential crises.

• 👨‍💼 Name: Hazwan Mokhtar & Haziq Mokhtar
• 🏷️ Role: Co-Founders, KAYA Peanut Butter
• 🔑 Key Superpower: Resilient Bootstrappers & Brand Storytellers

The Catalyst: Why It Matters

The brothers are making headlines for a stark and urgent reason: they have publicly given their five-year-old brand just 45 days to prove its commercial viability or face closure. This radical transparency, shared via a viral social media post, is not a marketing gimmick but a genuine cry for survival and a powerful call to action for the Malaysian consumer community to support local. It lays bare the brutal realities of running an SME in a market dominated by giants.

The Leadership Dialogue: Inside The Mindset

Reflecting on their journey from SPM graduates with a simple idea to founders managing a complex business, Hazwan emphasizes the mindset shift that was required. "We started in our mother's kitchen, driven purely by passion. But passion doesn't pay suppliers," he states with a candidness that defines their leadership style. The decision to issue the 45-day ultimatum was born from this pragmatic realism, a final attempt to align their dream with market demand.

Haziq, often the voice behind their poignant brand communications, speaks about the emotional weight of the decision. "It's about integrity. We could quietly fade away, but we owe it to everyone who believed in us—our family, our small team, our customers—to be transparent. This is us fighting with everything we have, and we're asking our community to fight with us." When discussing their product, his tone shifts from sombre to passionate, detailing the meticulous process of sourcing local peanuts and avoiding palm oil, a principle they've held firm on despite cost pressures.

Their leadership in this crisis is defined by vulnerability paired with fierce determination. They are not just selling peanut butter; they are advocating for a ecosystem where local brands can thrive through conscious consumer choice.

Career Milestones & Achievements

• From Kitchen to Shelf: Successfully scaled production from a home kitchen operation to a certified facility, achieving SFA compliance and securing shelf space in over 150 retail outlets across Malaysia, including major chains like Jaya Grocer and Village Grocer.
• Brand Recognition: Built KAYA into a recognisable brand known for quality and authenticity, winning the "Brand of the Year" award under the peanut butter category at the 2023 BrandLaureate Awards.
• Community Building: Cultivated a dedicated, organic following of over 30,000 on social media, leveraging their personal story and transparent business challenges to create a strong brand-community bond.
• Product Innovation: Pioneered unique, locally-inspired peanut butter flavours, differentiating themselves in a saturated market and appealing to Malaysian palates.

The Editor's Take

Hazwan and Haziq represent a new wave of Malaysian entrepreneurs: highly authentic, community-focused, and unafraid to show the struggle behind the startup glamour. Their leadership is not about corner-office authority but about shared sacrifice and radical honesty. In an era of polished corporate narratives, their raw appeal is their greatest asset.

• 👁️ Visionary Thinking: 7/10 – Their vision for a principled, beloved local brand is clear, but scaling it sustainably remains the challenge.
• ⚡ Execution Capability: 8/10 – They have demonstrably built a tangible, award-winning product and distribution network from absolute zero.
• 🌟 Industry Influence: 6/10 – While inspiring to SMEs, their current influence is more cultural than market-moving. This 45-day campaign could be their inflection point.

"Don't just build a product. Build a truth. And sometimes, the hardest truth to tell is that you might not make it. That's when you find out who's really with you." – Hazwan & Haziq Mokhtar