Tan Bee Hua, the second-generation owner of Tan’s Tu Tu Coconut Cake, passed away on Monday (28 July) at the age of 63.
The stall, located at Havelock Road Cooked Food Centre, has been temporarily closed since 2023 due to her declining health.
Madam Tan’s family announced her passing on the Tan’s Tu Tu Facebook page in the early hours of 29 July.
Source: Tan’s Tu Tu on Facebook
Her family has stated that the stall will remain closed until further notice but made it clear that they will not sell the secret recipe passed down through generations.
“Never say never. But as of now, a chapter of Tan’s Tu Tu kueh has come to a close. We will be closing our shutters in Havelock soon,” they wrote in a separate post.
The kueh tutu business started in the 1930s when Madam Tan’s father, Tan Yong Fa, began selling the traditional snack.
It was later passed on to his son, Tan Cheong Chuan.
At its peak, the family operated more than six stalls across Singapore.
Before Mr Tan Cheong Chuan passed away in 2010, he entrusted the business to his sister, Madam Tan, asking her to continue the family legacy.
Source: Shin Min Daily News
Madam Tan joined the family business full-time in 2004 after resigning from her role as an assistant accounting manager, a position she held for 25 years.
According to her nephew, she was determined to preserve and promote the family’s kueh tutu heritage.
“She always hoped the business would be passed down through the generations,” he said during her wake.
Even while resting at home, Madam Tan remained concerned about the stall.
Source: Shin Min Daily News
Her nephew mentioned that she always wanted to return to work, but her health did not allow it.
Madam Tan’s nephew said that many regular customers have been asking about the stall’s reopening, with one customer from Australia reportedly purchasing 50 pieces each time to bring back home.
Although there are no current plans to resume operations, the family has made it clear they will not sell the recipe.
“We haven’t decided what to do next, but no matter what, we will not sell the secret recipe,” he told Shin Min Daily News.
“We will only consider collaborating if we meet an investor who is truly passionate about and interested in local cuisine.”
Source: Tan’s Tu Tu on Facebook
Over the past decade, several local and overseas investors approached the family with proposals for partnerships, including one from Thailand, which suggested opening a branch there.
However, these plans fell through due to differing visions and logistical challenges.
The Covid-19 pandemic also affected potential expansion plans.
Madam Tan’s grandniece, a 17-year-old student, recalled how her grandaunt always encouraged her to be serious in life and not spend money recklessly.
“She loved me in her own way, always reminding me to save and not waste money,” she said.
The grandniece also shared that Madam Tan used to manage two stalls simultaneously — one at Havelock Road and another at Clementi Block 449 — before the Clementi stall closed in July 2023.
Source: Tan’s Tu Tu on Facebook
“She’d wake up at 8.30am, reach the stall by 10am to prep, run the stall until 3pm, then head to Clementi to operate until 9.30pm. She only got home close to midnight.”
Despite her long hours, Madam Tan never took taxis or ride-hailing services.
She always caught the last MRT train home, her grandniece added.
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Featured image adapted from Shin Min Daily News.