KUALA LUMPUR, March 28 — Leading bread producer Gardenia Bakeries (KL) Sdn Bhd has announced that it is now producing 2.2 million loaves a day via its five factories in Malaysia that are operating 24 hours a day.

General manager Desmond Tan, in a statement today, said this represents an increase in production by 5 per cent compared to before the movement control order (MCO) was enforced.

"This amount meets as much as 60 per cent of bread demand across peninsula Malaysia, along with other brands that have also implemented their own strategies to meet the high demand of late,” he said.

Earlier this week, Gardenia urged Malaysians to keep their purchases of its products to their normal level of consumption after customers informed the company that all its bread products were fully sold out in shops.

"We wish to inform that at this time the bread production at Gardenia factories has reached the maximum level. Therefore, we are not able to add on the supplies of our products in the market.

"We also wish to thank you for your understanding and all inconveniences that arise is very much regretted,” it wrote in Malay in its Facebook comment.

The company’s Facebook comment was on its March 17 Facebook announcement that it would continue its operations to produce and distribute its products at all existing selling points throughout the government’s two-week MCO from March 18 to March 31.

On March 24, Gardenia posted an announcement to assure its customers that the supply of bread will not stop.

"Gardenia is producing and delivering your favourite bread and snacks, seven days a week even during this movement control order period. Daily deliveries to supermarkets and other outlets are proceeding as usual.

"We urge all our customers to remain calm and buy according to your normal needs and daily consumption,” it said.

"Gardenia is in this together with you, and we would like to reassure you that we are doing our best, working 24/7 to increase our production to meet consumer needs,” it added in the notice.

On a related note, the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) said in a Facebook post tonight that it had visited the factories of the main bread producers in the country to ensure that there’s ample supply of white bread.

The factories were listed as belonging to Gardenia Bakeries Sdn Bhd, The Italian Baker Sdn Bhd and Mighty Bakery Sdn Bhd.

"Our checks revealed that the output of all three factories were at almost maximum capacity and would meet the needs of all the rakyat,” the statement read, before reminding Malaysians to buy bread in moderation so that #semuadapatroti (#everyonegetsbread).