Twelve Cupcakes
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Novena, Singapore
 | |
| Company type | Private company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Food and Beverage |
| Founded | 2011 Novena, Singapore |
| Founder | Daniel Ong & Jaime Teo |
| Defunct | 29 October 2025 |
| Headquarters | 20 Martin Road, Singapore |
Area served | |
| Products |
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| Parent | Dhunseri Group[1] |
Twelve Cupcakes was a Singapore based chain of cupcakery selling cupcakes. It was co-founded by Singaporean DJ Daniel Ong and actress Jamie Teo in 2011, before being sold to Dhunseri Group in 2017. It ceased operations on 29 October 2025.
According to Ong, the cupcakery is named "for 12 strikes in a perfect game of bowling, 12 months in a year, 12 numbers on a clock and of course, the 12 holes in a typical baking tray".[2]
History
In 2011, Ong and Teo started Twelve Cupcakes with Teo having created the recipes of all the cupcakes sold in the stores. The cupcakes sold were made to suit to the Asian palate, which are less sweet compared to western cupcakes.[3] The first outlet of Twelve Cupcakes was opened at United Square Shopping Mall, in Novena, which started with two service staff. The company then expanded and opened three more outlets during the first year of operations and sold over three million cupcakes in July 2011.[4]
In 2013, Twelve Cupcakes expanded internationally, opening outlets in Jakarta, Taipei, Kuala Lumpur, and Hong Kong.[5]
In 2014, Twelve Cupcakes started a new dessert cafe known as Dulce and Sucre by Twelve Cupcakes at Orchard Gateway, where it sold freshly baked loaves, whoopie pies, push up cakes, parfaits, puddings, tiramisus, crunchies, coffees and other desserts.[6][7] It converted to a Twelve Cupcakes outlet in 2015.[citation needed]
On 24 January 2017, after the divorce of Ong and Teo in late 2016, the chain was sold to Dhunseri Group, which acquired it for S$2.5 million.[8][9] At the point of sale, the company had 17 outlets in Singapore and more than 10 outlets in Jakarta, Taipei and Hong Kong that were run by franchise partners.[10]
Since 2023 until its closure in 2025, Twelve Cupcakes reported consecutive years of widening net loss and shrinking revenue annually.[11] On 29 October 2025, Twelve Cupcakes ceased operations and was placed under provisional liquidation.[12] The management did not notify its staff about the impending closure, while the union was notified the day before, and left 80 workers unemployed.[13] Assistance was provided by Food, Drinks and Allied Workers Union to the affected employees was provided in form of financial aid, grocery vouchers, and job placements with other companies. In March 2026, after negotiations between the union and the liquidator, the former employees received a portion of their salaries owed.[14]
Products and stores
Twelve Cupcakes features 60 flavours of cupcakes sold in its stores,[2] with a standard '12 Everyday Flavours' and 50 specials sold on a rotational basis. A new flavour of cupcake is also launched monthly.[citation needed] Twelve Cupcakes new dine-in cafe outlet, Dulce and Sucre, offers a wider variety of menu items, with coffees, whoopie pies, push up cakes, parfaits and other baked items.[15]
Twelve Cupcakes had its presence in Indonesia before ceasing operations in 2018.[citation needed][citation needed]
At its time of closure, the chain operated 21 stores located in 2 locations with 1 in Hong Kong and 20 in Singapore.[16][17]