Candy Cottage: Singapore's Sweet Success Story Through Livestreaming

Candy Cottage: A Sweet Success Story Through Livestreaming

Singapore, Singapore Aug 28, 2026 ALN: Chelsea Chan, 31, was working in marketing when she noticed something missing in Singapore: a pick-and-mix candy shop that could satisfy her cravings. The last brand to do it well, Mini Toons, had closed in 2020, leaving behind supermarket shelves stocked with the same handful of familiar names—mostly prepacked containers, with limited pick-and-mix options.

In 2022, while scrolling through TikTok, Chelsea noticed candy livestreams going viral everywhere except Singapore. Seizing the opportunity, she set out to shake up the local candy retail scene.

Fast forward four years, and her side project has blossomed into Candy Cottage: a family-run business with a TikTok following of nearly 35,000 and an online shop that has shipped over 100,000 bottles of gummies, processing hundreds of orders daily.

A Modest Start

Starting small in May 2022, Chelsea introduced 30 types of colorful candy sourced from the UK, US, Germany, and Turkey, selling them live on Shopee from her family home. The appeal lies in allowing customers to build their own mix from different candy varieties, paying by weight.

Her first livestream brought in about 10 orders over two to three hours—a modest start, but an encouraging sign. Within a week, that number grew to 30 to 40 orders. The relatively new livestream feature on Shopee worked in her favor, as the platform offered generous vouchers to attract shoppers.

Surprisingly, Singaporean customers were willing to try unfamiliar foods and flavors. A savory cheese gummy introduced at a colleague's suggestion became a hit, selling out and being restocked twice.

Eventually, Candy Cottage grew to a point where Chelsea needed to involve more people, leading her to quit her marketing job in 2024 to run the business full-time.

Selling Over 500 Varieties of Candy

Today, Candy Cottage’s livestream is run by a team of eight full-timers, primarily consisting of Chelsea’s family members. The catalogue has expanded to around 500 candy varieties, with imports from countries like the Netherlands and the Czech Republic.

Among the most requested flavors are mango cubes, sour lychee, and sour guava—options that are harder to find on Singapore’s candy shelves. Chelsea developed the Stoppers line by directly approaching suppliers to create exclusive flavors.

Beyond online sales and livestreams, Candy Cottage has ventured into corporate gifting, collaborating with companies such as Google and YouTube, as well as catering for weddings and events.

Livestreaming Six Days a Week

Running a business reliant on livestreaming comes with a demanding schedule. Livestreams occur six days a week, lasting around six to seven hours each day, except Fridays. The sessions are split between Chelsea and a full-time staff member, averaging 50 to 80 concurrent viewers across platforms.

On a typical day, the business processes 150 to 200 orders, which can surge to 200 to 300 on sale days. Each order typically ranges from a single item to several, averaging S$15 to S$20.

The operation resembles a small production line: hosts pick candies and pack them live on camera, with tubs passed down the row for sealing and boxing.

SFA Almost Shut Them Down

However, maintaining this pace hasn’t always been smooth. Candy Cottage faced its biggest crisis not from a competitor, but from a complaint to the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) in 2023 after moving into a shared commercial space.

Operating without an SFA license, Chelsea learned the hard way that “ignorance is not an excuse.” SFA officers arrived the day after Christmas, ordering her to halt the livestream business immediately. With limited time, she found a new space just large enough for her candy stock.

A year later, Chelsea made a significant decision to buy a 1,800 sq ft unit, securing the space for the next 19 years and insulating the business from rising rents.

The Costs Nobody Sees

Running a livestreaming candy business incurs numerous hidden costs. Deliveries are managed by courier partners, leading to issues like melted candy and cracked bottles due to mishandling or heat exposure in transit. To mitigate these problems, Candy Cottage upgraded to heavier, more durable packaging.

Despite the challenges, Chelsea's innovative approach has transformed Candy Cottage into a thriving business, proving that with the right strategy, even a sweet dream can become a successful reality.