Best grocery stores and supermarkets in Singapore - basics, boutiques and value
In my earlier post, we talked about how hawker centers are the dining hall for all Singaporeans. Whilst that remains true, plenty of supermarket chains exist across the island. Today, we’ll unpack some of the common stores to visit and my go-tos for specific grocery items. For what it’s worth, we’ll focus on the physical stores today and save the discussion on online options later. Note - I’m a sucker for supermarkets. I love walking through all sorts of grocery stores, especially when abroad. You should also be excited too. In case you’re someone who doesn’t cook, don’t worry, Singapore has plenty of good restaurants. For example, check out my dim sum list.
How does Singapore get its food?
As a small island nation, Singapore relies heavily on imports to achieve food security. In fact, 90% of food in Singapore is imported. Malaysia is one of the major suppliers for Singapore given it borders the country. Whilst Singapore is actively looking to diversify food supplying countries as well as develop capacities for local food production, global economic and geo-political factors will always have a direct impact on food supply and pricing (example - what if Malaysia banned the export of chicken?). P.S., I find it almost impossible to find a decent tomato in Singapore unless they’re atas and on the vine.
What are the supermarket powerhouses?
Four main staples in Singapore: Fairprice, Cold Storage, Sheng Shiong and Giant. Each supermarket chain has their respective loyalty programs and credit card partnerships (i.e. UOB x Cold Storage) so be on the lookout to maximize value.
Largest retailer in Singapore (~100 stores) and is a cooperative of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC). HK’s equivalent will be Parknshop.
Main sub-brands:
- Fairprice / fairprice shop (regular supermarket)
- Fairprice Xtra (groceries and household items)
- Fairprice Xpress (at Exxon petrol kiosks)
- Fairprice Finest (pricer but has wider assortment of imported products and feels more lux)
- Warehouse club (Singapore version of Costco. Don’t bother going to this - it’s in the middle of nowhere and there’s a limited assortment of international / Kirkland branded items)
50 odd stores around the country. HK’s equivalent is Welcome. A little more pricey with a lot of imported selections.
Main sub-brands:
- Cold Storage (regular supermarket)
- Cold Storage fresh (upscaled experience)
- Jason’s Deli (more of a convenience store experience)
Primarily in the heartlands. Not going to lie - I think I’ve stepped foot in one Sheng Shiong in my five years in Singapore. Prices seemed cheaper than Fairprice and Cold Storage (as substantiated in this article). I have no prejudice against Sheng Shiong - it’s just not close to where Ilive.
Hypermarket that came from Malaysia. Fantastic prices. Wide selections.
Main sub-brands: Self explanatory
- Giant hypermarket
- Giant supermarket
- Giant express
How about Japanese / Chinese supermarket chains?
An emerging category in the past couple of years are Japanese and Chinese supermarket chains (the large scale Korean markets have not made their way here yet). Here are my favourites -
🎵‘When I’m free, I take myself to Don Don Donki’. Brainwashing tunes but all true - I love going to DDDK. The Japanese supermarket chain is a cult favourite in Singapore, with ~15 stores. Whilst at a slight premium, their products are fantastic, in particular their meat selections and rice bags. They also sell cooked foods i.e. bentos, takoyaki at an affordable price. Past 9pm, the cooked foods will be further discounted. I do feel their vegetable produce is overpriced so I’d avoid that section.
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| I get all my hotpot meats from DDDK |
Similar to DDDK but without the crazy music. They have two sizable stores stocked with imported Japanese produce at a large scale. Personally, I’m a big fan of their soy products and their meat aisle..
Chinese grocery chain that opened in 2020 and has expanded rapidly (~15 stores). Scarlett specializes in local Chinese snacks, confectionery and beverages, with a smaller selection of produce and frozen food items. By the way, they sell 10L beers.
Sounds familiar? Yes, this is the same Yue Hwa as the one in Hong Kong. They stock up on a wide selection of Chinese dried food and medical products (China, HK, TW goods all inclusive) and their flagship store in Chinatown even sells home products. In particular, I stock up on egg rolls (榮華蛋捲) at Yue Hwa. Note - there is no fresh produce in store.
What about gourmet grocery stores?
Plenty of stores hit this category so I’m only highlighting a few that are well-known / that I frequent.
Across 6 locations, Little Farms offer high quality, natural and organic produce. Personally, I rarely buy from them given their products are quite pricey. The one exception is their hummus / dips - their selection is divine.
Dempsey’s a haven for good food and upscale lifestyle. Culina Marketplace is one of the fine spots there for all kinds of epicures. In fact, Culina is the meat provider for many Fairprice Finest stores. I ate at the Culina Bistro once and I thought it was very average, but the market overall has many gourmet aisles to browse through, including a bakery, fishmonger, butchery, fresh produce and dried goods.
My go-to butcher if I were to throw a barbeque. It has the widest selection of fresh and frozen meats compared to all the grocery stores listed above, and you can purchase from a range of different price points. Hubers also has marinated options you can pick from.
Is it worth going to wet markets?
Singapore wet markets are usually in the same complex as hawker centers but are at a MUCH smaller scale than that of Hong Kong’s. Whilst fruits / vegetable and fish stores are common, I find that there are fewer butcheries, especially butcheries specializing in beef. You also mostly see poultry/pork/beef that is already carved versus the carcass of the entire animal which is a common sight in Hong Kong wet markets. Overall, I find the shopping experience lackluster in Singapore. I would not recommend shopping in wet markets besides buying fruits and vegetables here and there.
What grocery items are more expensive in Singapore vs Hong Kong?
TL;DR - everything given import taxes. Specific items that are egregious include -
- Cured meats (ham, bacon, sausages are ~30% more expensive than HK)
- Alcohol (Singapore taxes vices)
- Ice cream (Ben and Jerry’s + Haagan Dazs pints cost ~USD $11 a pint, 1.7X that of the US)
- Cheese (ridiculous versus Europe)
- Salad leaves
My go-to grocery stores
I cook almost every day so I frequent grocery stores a lot. Here is my grocery store strategy -
- For immediate needs: Fairprice near where I live
- For every day groceries: Fairprice Xtra Vivo City / Cold Storage Fresh Great World City
- For fresh fruit and vegetables (if time permits): Wet market near where I live
- For hotpot / Yakiniku: Don Don Don Ki near where I live
- For steaks / western meats: Hubers Butchery
And that’s a wrap. Happy shopping! Don’t forget to subscribe to see more content like this.
Cover image source - Tatler Asia