Benggali Bread, Maliia BakeryMaliia Bakery, Transfer Road, Penang (20 July 2015)


Maliia Bakery (GPS: 5.42066, 100.33044) is a bakery in George Town specializing in Benggali bread. The company which operates from its premises at the junction of Transfer Road and Ariffin Road. This is one of the biggest bakeries in Penang making Benggali bread, which is distributed directly to roti men all over Penang, as well as to wholesalers and other distributors.

I had the privileged of visiting Maliia Bakery recently, and met up with Mr M (that's short from M. Kumaresan Mariadas, PJK), who inherited the business from his father. When we arrived, I saw that he was drenched in sweat - a daily occurrance - such was work on the bakery floor. We were taken through the bakery factory to see how Benggali bread was made. The factory manufactures thousands of loaves every day.

Benggali Bread, Maliia BakeryDifferent types of Benggali Bread with chicken curry (20 July 2015)


Benggali Bread, Maliia BakeryBenggali Bread fresh off the oven, at Maliia Bakery (20 July 2015)


Timothy Tye with Mr M at Maliia BakeryTimothy Tye with Mr M at Maliia Bakery (20 July 2015)


A workday at Maliia Bakery begins in the dead of night, while the city was still asleep. The workers had to start work as early as 2:00 am in the morning, so that they could get the loaves ready for the roti men and the distributors by 4:00 am in the morning. While this may appear to be ungodly early, the time is needed to make sure that loaves reach the customers in time for breakfast.

Manufacturing operations continues for the rest of the day, with tray after tray of dough being fed into the oven. Machineries and automation are used to make sure there is consistency - as far as it is possible.

Benggali Bread, Maliia BakeryBenggali Bread fresh off the oven, at Maliia Bakery (20 July 2015)


Benggali Bread, Maliia BakeryAll types of buns and breads fresh out of the oven (20 July 2015)


Of course the signature item at Maliia Bakery is the Benggali Bread. But the factory a whole range of other breads and buns. The Benggali Bread is also available regular, as well as chocolate flavoured. There is now also the charcoal Benggali Bread, made with imported bamboo charcoal which is healthy for consumption.

Until I paid Maliia Bakery a visit, I had always thought that it is just a bakery for Benggali breads and nothing more. To my surprise, it is also a cafe. Customers can take a seat and have a meal there, as I did with Mr M. The cafe sells a set meal with chicken curry to be taken with the Benggali Bread. It is really nice to dunk the Benggali bread into the curry.

Benggali Bread, Maliia BakeryThe Maliia Bakery factory where workers prepare the dough for the Benggali Bread (20 July 2015)


Benggali Bread, Maliia BakeryThis Maliia Bakery machine forms the dough into equal-size portions (20 July 2015)


Benggali Bread, Maliia BakeryDough proofing in their moulds before baking (20 July 2015)


Benggali Bread, Maliia BakeryColoured dough for buns before baking (20 July 2015)


There is a big misconception that the Benggali bread comes from the Benggalis. According to Mr M, the history of Benggali Bread goes back to 1928, when it was invented in India. An Indian Muslim by the name of S. Mohamed Ismail1, who came from Madras, is said to have founded a bakery in George Town in 1928. The name Benggali (for the bread) is derived from the Tamil word panggali, which means brotherhood.

The Benggali Bread business was established by Tamil bakers from Chennai, not from the Benggalis of Bengal. The South Indians came to Malaya in 1932, and the first Benggali Bread business came about in 1946, when it was known as Malaya Bakery. In 1964, the paggali business became that of a family, and was known as Ismalia Bakery. That was when the present modern-style building of Maliia Bakery was completed.

Benggali Bread, Maliia BakeryFresh buns ready for distribution to the roti man (20 July 2015)


The Benggali Bread business changed hands once again in 2007, coming into the ownership of Mr M's family. While it looks all fine and dandy to run a business with a surefire base of customers, Mr M said that profit from the business is paper thin, as their product caters to the lower income group who would not be able to afford should they inflate the profit margin. As it has always been, Maliia Bakery runs as a family business and every abled grown up in the family is involved.

Making Benggali Bread is a big business nowadays. The company has to use vans and trunks to distribute its breads, usually to wholesalers and other distributors. The itinerant roti men also comes to the factory every morning to purchase their supplies, at wholesaler price.

Benggali Bread, Maliia BakeryA roti man coming to Maliia Bakery to get his supplies (20 July 2015)


Benggali Bread, Maliia BakeryOpen-sided Maliia Bakery van is stocked to sell bread directly to customers (20 July 2015)


Benggali Bread, Maliia BakeryA Maliia Bakery bread truck (20 July 2015)


Benggali Bread, Maliia BakeryHawker prepares van with Benggali bread (20 July 2015)

Contact

Maliia Bakery (M) Sdn Bhd
114 Transfer Road
10050 George Town, Penang
Phone: +60-4-227 1106
Email: malila_bakery@hotmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/maliia.bakery
Website: www.maliiabakery.com

Maliia Bakery is on the Map of Jalan Transfer, Penang

References

1. The Star: The bread of Bengal - no it's not (31 August, 2016, National Day supplement, page 10)

List of bakeries in Penang

 Buy, rent or sell properties in Penang

Do you have a property for sale or to rent out? Are you looking to buy or rent a property? Get in touch with me. WhatsApp me (Timothy Tye) at 012 429 9844, and I will assign one of my property agents to serve you. I will choose the agent for you, according to your property needs. So when you message me, provide me some details of what you need, whether to sell, to buy, to rent or to rent out, and what type of property, is it condo, apartment, house, shop, office or land.

Adakah anda mempunyai hartanah untuk dijual atau disewakan? Adakah anda ingin membeli atau menyewa hartanah? Hubungi saya. WhatsApp saya (Timothy Tye) di 012 429 9844, dan saya akan menugaskan salah seorang ejen hartanah saya untuk berkhidmat kepada anda. Saya akan pilih ejen untuk anda, mengikut keperluan hartanah anda. Oleh itu, apabila anda menghantar mesej kepada saya, berikan saya beberapa butiran tentang apa yang anda perlukan, sama ada untuk menjual, untuk membeli, untuk disewakan atau untuk disewakan, dan jenis hartanah apakah itu kondo, pangsapuri, rumah, kedai, pejabat atau tanah.

您有待出售或出租的房产吗? 您想购买或租赁房产吗? 与我联系。 WhatsApp 我 (Timothy Tye) 012 429 9844,我将指派一名房地产经纪人为您服务。 我会根据您的房产需求,为您选择代理。 因此,当您给我发消息时,请向我提供一些您需要的详细信息,无论是出售、购买、出租还是出租,以及房产类型,是公寓、公寓、房屋、商店、办公室还是土地。

 New Properties in Penang

Looking to buy property in Penang? Get the e-brochures right here without having to visit or contact individual developers.

  1. Anggun Residences E-Brochure, Batu Kawan
  2. Aston Acacia E-Brochure, Bukit Mertajam
  3. Beacon Executive Suites E-Brochure, George Town
  4. Beverly Heights @ Bukit Gambir E-Brochure, Gelugor
  5. BM Highland E-Brochure, Bukit Mertajam
  6. Cypress Villa E-Brochure, Sungai Ara
  7. D'Zone Condominium E-Brochure, Teluk Kumbar
  8. Elements Garden E-Brochure, Butterworth
  9. Ferringhi Residence 2 E-Brochure, Batu Ferringhi
  10. GEM Residences E-Brochure, Prai
  11. Golden Triangle 2 E-Brochure, Sungai Ara/Relau
  12. Grace Residence E-Brochure, Jelutong
  13. Granito @ Permai E-Brochure, Tanjong Bungah
  14. Green City Residence E-Brochure, Jelutong
  15. Havana Beach Residences E-Brochure, Bayan Lepas
  16. Imperial Residences E-Brochure, Sungai Ara/Relau
  17. Imperial Grande E-Brochure, Sungai Ara/Relau
  18. Lucerne Residence E-Brochure, Bayan Lepas
  19. Mezzo @ The Light City E-Brochure, Gelugor
  20. Middleton E-Brochure, Gelugor
  21. Orchard Villa 3 E-Brochure, Simpang Ampat
  22. Primero Heights E-Brochure, Permatang Pauh
  23. Queens Waterfront Q2 E-Brochure, Bayan Lepas
  24. Royale Heights @ Tambun Royale City E-Brochure, Simpang Ampat
  25. Royale Infinity @ Tambun Royale City E-Brochure, Simpang Ampat
  26. Rubica @ Harbour Place E-Brochure, Butterworth
  27. Sensasi Commercial Suites E-Brochure, Batu Kawan
  28. Setia Sky Ville E-Brochure, Jelutong
  29. Setia Sky Vista E-Brochure, Sungai Ara/Relau
  30. Setia V Residence E-Brochure, Gurney Drive
  31. Sinaran Residence E-Brochure, Batu Kawan
  32. Sky @ TriPark E-Brochure, Bukit Mertajam
  33. Skyridge Garden E-Brochure, Tanjong Tokong
  34. Starhill Luxury Residences E-Brochure, Gelugor
  35. Straits Residences E-Brochure, Tanjong Tokong
  36. Taman Nuri Emas E-Brochure, Nibong Tebal
  37. The Light Collection IV E-Brochure, Gelugor
  38. The Loft @ Southbay E-Brochure, Batu Maung
  39. The Terraces Condominium E-Brochure, Bukit Jambul
  40. Trehaus Condo Villas E-Brochure, Bukit Jambul
  41. Triuni Residences E-Brochure, Batu Uban
  42. Urban Suites E-Brochure, Tanjong Tokong
  43. Valencia Residence E-Brochure, Bayan Lepas
  44. Vertu Resort E-Brochure, Batu Kawan
  45. Vivo Executive Apartment E-Brochure, Batu Kawan
  46. Viluxe E-Brochure, Batu Kawan
  47. Waterside Residence E-Brochure, Gelugor

 Latest updates on Penang Travel Tips

 Discover with Timothy YouTube Channel

 Discover with Timothy Food Channel

 Learn Penang Hokkien YouTube Channel

SojiMart Videos

 Share your travels and/or ask a travel-related question

Join the Penang Travel Tips Facebook Group to share photos, tips and anything related to your travels, or ask travel-related questions.

Map of Roads in Penang

Looking for information on Penang? Use this Map of Roads in Penang to zoom in on information about Penang, brought to you road by road.

Discover with Timothy

Let me take you to explore and discover Penang through my series of walking tours on YouTube. You may use these videos as your virtual tour guide. At the beginning of each video, I provide the starting point coordinates which you may key into your GPS, Google Maps or Waze, to be navigated to where I start the walk, and use the video as your virtual tour guide.

Disclaimer

Please use the information on this page as guidance only. The author endeavours to update the information on this page from time to time, but regrets any inaccuracies if there be any.

Latest from Discover with Timothy: Gurney Bay - what to see and do there

About this website



Hello and thanks for reading this page. My name is Timothy and my hobby is in describing places so that I can share the information with the general public. My website has become the go to site for a lot of people including students, teachers, journalists, etc. whenever they seek information on places, particularly those in Malaysia and Singapore. I have been doing this since 5 January 2003, for over twenty years already. You can read about me at Discover Timothy. By now I have compiled information on thousands of places, mostly in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, and I continue to add more almost every day. My goal is to describe every street in every town in Malaysia and Singapore.

Copyright © 2003-2024 Timothy Tye. All Rights Reserved.