MIXUE Malaysia rolls out diversity campaign post controversial 'racist' job ad

MIXUE Malaysia has rolled out a new campaign promoting diversity. The campaign comes as the ice cream and tea brand faces controversy for an allegedly racist job ad that had went viral on social media. 

"MIXUE makes us one" sees the brand featuring three employees of Indian, Malay and Chinese race in an Instagram post. Accompanying pictures of the employees are blurbs highlighting their various strengths including professionalism, speed, store management and the ability to stay calm. 

"Behind every product, there's a story of hard work and dedication. From our friendly store crew to the dedicated teams behind the scenes, every MIXUE employee is part of our big family," said MIXUE Malaysia in its caption. 

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"Together we grow, together we shine - that's what MIXUE makes us one is all about," it added. 

Earlier this week, the brand drew criticism from netizens following a recent job ad it put up that was allegedly racist. In a viral photo posted by a netizen by the name of Mohan (@mohaneyy) on Instagram, the ad for MIXUE's Sri Sinar outlet said it was hiring a service crew and supervisor. It noted that the criteria for the job is "Malay and Chinese with experience." 

In his caption, Mohan questioned MIXUE Malaysia's hiring practices. "So, Indians and others can be customers but aren’t considered worthy enough to be employees? Why are we being excluded from job opportunities like this? Everyone deserves an equal chance to work, regardless of their race. It’s 2025, shouldn’t we be moving towards inclusivity, not discrimination? Care to explain?," said Mohan. 

According to media intelligence firm DATAXET Nama, the overall sentiment regarding Mixue’s hiring controversy was overwhelmingly negative, with strong criticism of its perceived discriminatory hiring practices. This is reflected in its sentiments where conversations were 95% negative sentiments, 2% positive sentiments and 3% neutral. 

Netizens had called for a boycott of the brand (35%) and had shared personal accounts of discrimination (20%). Some netizens explicitly called our Mixue's hiring policy, expressing frustration that such policies exist (25%) and highlighted broader issues of systemic racism (10%). Similarly, around 6% of netizens demanded for accountability and 2% called on authorities to investigate the case. 

Interestingly, a few comments defended Mixue's right to set its own hiring policies (2%), arguing that businesses should be free to hire employees based on operational needs. DATAXET Nama added that the brand's overall word cloud underscores the alleged discriminatory job advertisement as the crux of the controversy, with conversations branching into racial hiring practices, calls for a boycott, and brand comparisons within the broader fast-food and beverage sector.

Meanwhile, media intelligence firm CARMA said that the job ad sparked allegations of racism and discrimination, with some netizens discussing the overall tolerance of racist housing advertisements and Mandarin-only job postings that contribute to the issue, said CARMA. 

In addition, the brand's word cloud now includes the terms "discriminations", "#SayNoToRacism", "racism" and "exclude". 

In addition to the "MIXUE makes us one" campaign, the company told media that there was an error in the Sri Sinar outlet's hiring process, leading to misleading information. It said that the store has been instructed to remove the poster and that it has provided guidance to ensure the outlet's recruitment practices follow proper procedures. 

MIXUE Malaysia reportedly added that it respects diversity and are committed to fostering an open, inclusive and welcoming environment for employees from all backgrounds. Any form of discrimination contradicts the brand's core values and will not be tolerated, said MIXUE Malaysia. 

A+M has reached out to MIXUE Malaysia for more information. 

Conversations regarding race and religion has been heating up in the nation, with one of the most talked-about incidents being the controversy surrounding Era FM hosts Nabil Ahmad, Azad Jasmin and Radin.

Last week, the three hosts were in the hot seat after a video surfaced online where they allegedly mocked the religious kavadi ritual. In the video, the hosts were seen mimicking the sacred Hindu act performed during Thaipusam, chanting the phrase “Vel Vel” while laughing.

Broadcaster Astro Radio have since put out a statement confirming that the three hosts have been suspended and that a thorough investigation will be carried out. 

Additionally, the video has widely been criticised by politicians, religious groups, Malaysian netizens, and industry players. Long time media professional, and former Astro Radio CEO Jake Abdullah, said in a LinkedIn post that the incident was unacceptable, and that he was not sure how the content received the green light to be posted up online. 

Meanwhile, the centre for independent journalism (CIJ) also released a statement condemning the Era FM hosts’ actions. “While we acknowledge the prompt internal process initiated by Astro Audio and the subsequent suspension of the three hosts, a further in-depth probe on the root and systemic cause for the racist actions of its staff is essential.”

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