TRENOS SiGINT: Singapore Food Outlet Closures Sees Convenience & Plant-Based Surge
- JC - Analyst
- Sep 22
- 1 min read
JC Analyst - September, 2025
Signal:
Singapore food outlet closures are accelerating (≈307/month in 2025), driven by rent, manpower levies and food inflation. Consumer spend is shifting to at-home eating and convenience channels. RTE/RTH baskets expand (supermarkets, RedMart, 7-Eleven), while plant-based becomes a core building block: Impossible/Quorn in mainstream freezers; Growthwell’s HAPPIEE! pushes localised seafood/meat analogues; private-label ready meals scale. Net effect: fewer mid-tier dine-ins, more heat-and-eat and meal-prep, with supermarkets capturing value.
Human Factor:
Families want predictable prices and zero queueing. RTH cuts decision fatigue after work; halal certification and Asian flavour profiles matter; “one-pan” dinners and air-fryer-friendly packs win. Convenience is no longer a guilty compromise — it’s the weekday default.
TRENOS Metrics Snapshot
Field | Snapshot |
Signal | Dine-out squeeze → convenience migration |
Data Point | F&B closures avg. ~307/month (2025) vs ~254/month (2024); reasons: rent, manpower, ingredient costs. |
TikTok Views | Rising #readymeal / #airfryersg content (qualitative signal; brand-level tracking recommended) |
Retail Footprint | FairPrice lists 300+ ready meals online; RedMart pushes chilled RTE; 7-Eleven cycles limited-time RTE menus. |
Ingredient Format | Soy/wheat protein, mycoprotein, jackfruit, konjac; seafood analogues (HAPPIEE!). |
Product Range | Impossible patties/nuggets; Quorn pieces/balls; HAPPIEE! seafood/meat; private-label RTH mains/sides. |
Consumer Segment | Time-pressed dual-income households; flexitarians; halal-seeking shoppers; Gen-Z air-fryer users |
Brand Origin | Mix of global (Impossible/Quorn) + local (Growthwell/HAPPIEE!, NTUC/FairPrice private label). |
Export Status | Singapore as SEA showcase for plant-based lineups; potential re-export via regional e-commerce |
Trend Classification | RTE/RTH premiumisation & plant-based normalisation |
System Pressure Point | Landlord economics & labour policy → mid-tier dine-in attrition; supermarket/convenience capture margin |
ENDS:
Comments