SINGAPORE - Patisserie-cafe chain Bakerzin is closing all its five outlets here after 22 years, according to a report in financial daily The Business Times on Friday (Oct 9).

It said Bakerzin Holdings had on Monday given notice of a creditors' meeting for the purpose of winding up. One of the items on the agenda is to confirm the appointment of the liquidator.

The eatery, which had been operating for more than two decades, had outlets in Maju Avenue, Raffles Hospital, Gardens by the Bay, United Square and Wisma Atria.

Its website has been taken down and the company could not be reached for comment.

It was still selling mooncakes last month for the Mid-Autumn Festival and its last Facebook post on Sept 30 was to promote the festive pastries.

Bakerzin was founded by pastry chef Daniel Tay in 1998 as Baker's Inn in Sembawang and was renamed in 2004. He sold the business in 2007 but continued to run it as chief executive officer until 2013. He now operates Cat & The Fiddle, a cheesecake business, and traditional pastry brand Old Seng Choong under his own company Foodgnostic.

Tay, 49, said he got wind of the company's impending closure about three months ago from his former staff at the company, but was told that it had wanted to fulfil its mooncake orders first.

"They were retrenching many of the staff too," he said, adding that some of them have joined him.

On the closure of the brand he created, he said: "I feel very sad. If I have the chance, I would like to buy it back and open a small shop. The cost of operating a chain of eateries is very high, but it can still work as a single-shop concept.

"I would like to bring back the old-style cakes."

Bakerzin was known for its chocolate cake made with Valrhona chocolate and strawberry shortcake in its early days.

Tay said he sold the business during the financial crisis because rental was too high.

"I was a small player and thought I would let someone else take over instead," he explained.

"Similarly, I wish the current owners had chosen not to close but to pass the business on to someone else."