Marie biscuit maker Lee Biscuits to close after 92 years

But Filipino brands remain unaffected.

Remember dipping a Marie biscuit into a glass of milk until it became soft enough to melt in your mouth? Or carefully nibbling around its round edges before eating the middle?

Perhaps your parents enjoyed the same biscuits when they were children. Maybe even your grandparents did.

Marie biscuits have been a familiar snack in Filipino households for decades, crossing generations as an affordable treat served with milk, coffee, or hot chocolate.

Now, a Malaysian company that has manufactured its own version of the childhood favorite for 92 years is closing.

But don’t worry. The Marie biscuits Filipinos have grown up eating are not disappearing.

Marie is not just one brand

Marie is actually a type of biscuit produced by different manufacturers worldwide, rather than a product exclusive to one company.

Its origins date back to 1874, when British manufacturer Peek Freans created the biscuit to commemorate the marriage of Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia to Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh.

In the Philippines, locally produced versions, including Fibisco Marie, helped make the biscuit a household staple.

The Malaysian manufacturer Lee Biscuits, also known as Nam Lee, is a separate company with its own Marie biscuits, along with iced gems, animal crackers, and other traditional snacks.

Why the Malaysian company is closing

Founded in 1934 by businessman Lee Kong Chian, Lee Biscuits is permanently ending production at its factory in Pontian, Johor, by the end of October 2026.

The closure follows a restructuring decision by parent company Lee Group, which is withdrawing from biscuit manufacturing to concentrate on its rubber and palm oil businesses.

Approximately 300 employees have reportedly been affected, while remaining inventories were offered through clearance sales.

Filipino Marie biscuits are safe

The shutdown affects Lee Biscuits’ Malaysian operations, not Philippine manufacturers such as Fibisco or other companies producing Marie-style biscuits.

Although the biscuit originated from a specific British recipe, Marie has become a widely used name for this particular type of round, lightly sweetened biscuit.

For Filipinos, it remains a familiar childhood snack, regardless of which company makes it.

The closure marks the end of a historic Malaysian manufacturer, not the end of Marie biscuits themselves.

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