About Us

The Tiffin Company an idealistic company, sets out on a journey to revive the tiffin tradition. Inspired by the founder's Peranakan heritage and the soulful , colorful streets of Melaka.

Here, we cherish the rustic lifestyle of yesteryears, where tiffins  were an integral part of any home. Whilst embracing the Baba & Nyonya heritage, we have added a modern twist to the designs that are unique, stylish and fashionable.

At The Tiffin Company, we actively promote carbon footprints reduction on our beloved home, earth.

We wish all our tiffin connoisseurs

" HAPPY TIFFINING "

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History of Tiffin Carriers

Tiffin  established itself in Asia during the British colonial era in the late 18th century.  The word Tiffin was coined to mean any culinary indulgence within the day typically between breakfast and dinner. Today, tiffin  means a packed lunch box, afternoon tea. a savoury snack or sweet meat meal.

The tiffin culture was widespread throughout Asia and was popular until the 1960s. The tiffin is known by many names in many cultures, mangkuk  tingkat (Malay). rantang (Indonesia),safartas (Arab), ethordo (Hungarian),henkelmann (Germany). It ranges from the simple 2 tiers to the more elaborate 4 tiers.

Previously  tiffin  carriers were the first thing that came to mind when thinking of transporting and storing food. This is especially true for  Chinese and Indian women. This may be another reason why early manufactured tiffin carriers were heavily ornamented as tiffin carriers of the old were made intricately of precious materials such as gold, silver and brass and decorated with fine, rich and intricate handiwork portraying the influence of Asia art

 

  Tiffin Carriers of Today

Over time, there is decline in the use of tiffin carriers due to the onset of more and more restaurants, fast foods chains, canteens and with the advancement of food packaging. However, a tradeoff is evident in the world of fast and convenient packaged food takeaway.

We pay a price for this convenience as it leaves a damaging trail of destruction to our environment. Over packaging and wasteful  packaging  leads to  increased carbon footprints onto our home. Health is sidelined  for convenience  with the use of unsafe packaging.

However, our society has become aware of this destructive trail that we are leaving behind  for our descendants and recently the tiffin carrier is seeing a revival in its use as it provides a valuable product to the general public and  for all levels of society.

The contemporary tiffin  carriers of today, of  which the  form and overall shape are  attractive and designed to ensure easy cleaning and maintenance. Primarily made of stainless steel.  it is manufactured to comply to food grade standards and ensured that it is safe to eat from.

Peranakan Tiffin 

The tiffin culture was adopted by the British from India and brought to Malaya in the mid 1800s. By 1900s the tiffin was commonly used throughout Malaya particularly in the Straits Settlements of Melaka, Penang and Singapore.

Peranakan refers to the Baba(men) and Nyonya (women) who are the descendants of Chinese  traders who came from China to Malaya, started an new family and adapting to the local way of life. This produced a cultural fusion that has lead to the rich  Baba Nyonya culture of today. Baba and Nyonya predominantly settled in the Straits Settlement.

The tiffin carrier used by the Baba and Nyonya were decorated in enamel paint and consist of 2,3,4 and 5 tiers. It was used to carry food from the kitchen to the workplace and to keep food fresh and away from flies. As habit grew, tiffin carriers were adopted by the working class and  evolved to be single coloured plain enamel. But the Baba and Nyonyas continued to preserve the use of highly decorated carriers due to their love for ornate decoration.

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