Before the long lines, before the viral videos, and before millions of croffles were sold, Chunk & Dunk began with something very personal.
Malaysian content creator Adam Shamil grew up without much. Raised by his mother and grandmother, both single parents, he understood early what sacrifice looked like. But more importantly, his mother gave him a belief that would shape everything that came after. This was that even the smallest beginnings can grow into something big.
That belief became real on his 13th birthday.
For the first time in his life, his mother brought him to a hotel for dinner. It was a simple evening but to Adam, it felt extraordinary. He still remembers the dessert he had that night, a chocolate pastry that stayed with him as a beautiful memory.
What he didn’t fully realize then was the cost behind it.
His mother, earning just RM1,200 a month, had saved for an entire month just to make that moment possible.
As they walked back to the car, Adam asked his mom if they could come again.
She replied gently, “Mommy can’t afford to bring you there every day. When I get my salary, or on your next birthday, we can go again, okay?”
He nodded. “Okay, Mommy.”
Then she added something that would stay with him for life:
“You study hard, work hard, make a lot of money, so that when you grow up, you can bring Mommy there every day, okay?”
It became a goal.
From Content Creator to Founder
Years later, Adam built a strong following as one of East Malaysia’s most successful content creators. But even then, he knew he wanted something more stable, something that could last beyond trends.
“I told myself… I don’t think I would be able to do content creation forever,” Adam said.
Adam Shamil, Founder
What never changed, though, was his love for desserts.
“For as long as I could remember, I tried so many desserts… but one specific dessert I will never forget is the croffle that I had my first bite on.”
From the US to Korea to Kuala Lumpur, that one dessert kept showing up in his life until it stopped being just something he enjoyed and started becoming something he believed in.
“What started as being a fan turned into a business opportunity.”
In 2024, Adam made a decision most people would hesitate to take, he invested his life savings and took a leap of faith.
He wasn’t interested in building something average.
“I didn’t want to make a business just for the sake of starting one. I wanted to build something I truly believed in.”
That meant starting from the ground up and getting the product right.
He spent months refining recipes, chasing a very specific standard.
“It took sweat and a really, really long time to achieve the level of crunchiness and flakiness and butteriness.”
That obsession became the foundation of Chunk & Dunk.
A Dessert Brand That Refuses to Cut Corners
Chunk & Dunk entered a massive industry — the global dessert market, valued at over USD 96 billion. But Adam saw a clear problem.
Too many dessert brands were built on shortcuts. Artificial shaved ice. Low-quality croffles made from puff pastry. Experiences that felt forgettable. There was demand but not enough quality. Chunk & Dunk set out to change that.
Using premium ingredients, authentic croissant dough, and carefully developed recipes, the brand focused on delivering something that actually stood out. Every croffle was designed to be buttery, crisp, and deeply satisfying, the kind that makes people immediately want another.
The vision went beyond the food. Most dessert shops are transactional — you buy, you eat, you leave. Chunk & Dunk was built to be something people remember.
When Risk Meets Momentum
What happened next came fast.
In just a few months, Chunk & Dunk sold over 2 million croffles.
It proved something simple. When you get the product right, people notice.
The brand quickly became known for its croffles offered in a wide range of flavors like Original, Belgian Chocolate, Famous Amos, Pistachio, Hazelnut, Matcha, Biscoff, Spicy Chicken Floss, and Original Chicken Floss, each one built on the same commitment to quality.
The Moment That Sparked the Philippines
Then came a turning point that no one planned.
A Filipino family, Lester and Hazel Lim, together with their daughter Chevy were in Kota Kinabalu for an archery tournament. It was supposed to be just a simple trip.
Lester Lim, Philippine Branch Owner
But one day, in a mall, they noticed something unusual: a long line. At first, they almost walked away. “My wife said, ‘forget it. Let’s not do it anymore. I don’t wanna stay in line anymore.’” But their daughter stopped them.
“Mom, if the line is this long, it must be good.”
Adam with Chevy Lim
They stayed. By the time they reached the counter, only one croffle was left.
They bought it and ended up fighting over that single piece.
That one bite changed everything. Curiosity turned into admiration. Admiration turned into intent.
For four days straight, they kept coming back. Then came the moment.
While Lester was drafting a message to inquire about franchising, his wife suddenly pointed and said:
“Babe, that’s him! That’s the owner. I stalked him already.” It was Adam.
They spoke briefly but then lost contact.
A Second Chance and a Big Decision
Months later, Adam reached out again. “Hey, it’s me, Adam. I was wondering if you’re still interested.”
At that point, international expansion wasn’t even part of the plan. “In the back of my head, I knew it was almost impossible…”
But something unexpected happened. A video Adam posted went viral in the Philippines, 80% of its viewers were from there.
Suddenly, the opportunity didn’t feel random anymore. “The opportunity has been presented to you right now—you must grab it.”
Still, Adam didn’t just look for investors. He looked for people who understood the brand.
“I don’t want anybody to just come in and say, ‘I have this much money.’ It’s really not about that.” So he tested them.
Lester and his wife flew to Malaysia. “The trip was 10% meeting and 90% eating,” Lester said.
That was enough to move forward.
Bringing Chunk & Dunk to the Philippines
Now, Chunk & Dunk is preparing to open its first international branch in the Philippines, bringing with it experience.
“We just want to bring the best here in the Philippines,” Lester shared. “We want people to enjoy what we enjoyed.”
The Philippine menu will feature both signature favorites and local twists, including the debut of ube macapuno croffle, alongside flavors like chocolate, Biscoff, and matcha, crafted with ingredients such as high-quality Davao chocolate.
But more than the flavors, what they’re bringing is the standard. That strong mindset defines the brand.
Watch out for Chunk & Dunk’s opening on April 5, 2026.
