Vanilla Crepe and Shiba Says celebrate their strategic partnership following the MOU signing at Franchise Expo Malaysia 2026.
A strategic collaboration unites Malaysian F&B with character IP and collectible culture, exploring a new model for customer engagement and franchise growth.
Award-winning mille crepe brand Vanilla Crepe has partnered with character IP brand Shiba Says to merge F&B with storytelling and collectible culture, creating unique consumer experiences and commercial opportunities.
The partnership was formalised via a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at Franchise Expo Malaysia 2026, held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC). But the collaboration goes beyond putting a popular character on a cake box.
The brands will develop limited-edition desserts, collectibles, and retail activations, transforming routine F&B purchases into sharable and collectible experiences.
Beyond Cake: Building Emotional Value
This collaboration reflects a shift toward competing on storytelling and emotional connection rather than just product and price.
“Making a good product is no longer enough; emotional connection is much harder to replicate,” said Vanilla Crepe’s Founder.
“Vanilla Crepe focuses on celebrations, while Shiba Says builds emotional character connections. Together, we are rethinking the F&B experience.”
The partnership evolves Vanilla Crepe into a lifestyle brand and allows Shiba Says to extend its storytelling into physical consumer experiences. For Shiba Says, it creates opportunities to extend character storytelling into F&B and physical consumer experiences.
The MOU signing ceremony marks the official launch of the strategic partnership between Vanilla Crepe and Shiba Says.
A New Playbook for F&B and Franchising
The collaboration also carries a commercial dimension. IP-led launches drive store visits and repeat purchases, helping franchise operators reach audiences beyond their traditional customer base.
Shiba Says fans may discover Vanilla Crepe, while existing customers enter the world of collectibles, allowing both brands to cross-pollinate communities.
“The future of F&B and IP lies in turning products into experiences that build communities,” the Founder added.
“Products can become experiences, experiences create stories, and stories build communities. That is where we believe the next generation of brands will create value.”
Local F&B Meets Regional IP
This partnership shows how a Malaysian brand can collaborate with regional IP to build new audiences and explore cross-border opportunities. Despite different industries, both brands aim to create experiences that foster genuine consumer connections.
“We are creating experiences people will want to share, collect, and return for,” said the Founder.
Partners, sponsors, media, and guests gather to commemorate the official launch of the Vanilla Crepe × Shiba Says collaboration at Franchise Expo Malaysia 2026.
Upcoming Shiba Says × Vanilla Crepe concepts are expected to be unveiled progressively following the collaboration.
The partnership will carry the proposition:
“Sweet Moments, Made Collectible.”
For Vanilla Crepe, celebrations have always started with cake.
Together with Shiba Says, some of those moments may now become something customers can keep long after the last slice is gone.
