Singapore could see more Chinese restaurant chains, putting pressure on local eateries, Minor Food Chief Executive Dellen Soh told The Straits Times in an interview published Oct. 23.
Soh linked the competition to operating costs and speed. He said chains can rely on smaller teams and tighter menus to prepare orders faster and offer lower prices, leaving Singapore operators needing to adjust.
Luckin Coffee said its 100th Singapore store opened Sept. 28. The company described Singapore as its first market outside China and said it began international operations there in 2023.
A separate expansion deal involves Singapore-listed Jumbo Group. In a June 30 filing, Jumbo said its subsidiary and Laoxiangji Holdings agreed to create a Singapore venture to run restaurants branded Lausanjee. The initial ownership split is 49% for Jumbo’s subsidiary and 51% for Laoxiangji.
In the interview, Soh said Minor Food Singapore runs about 120 restaurants across 24 brands, opens 10 to 12 locations annually and refreshes or renews another 15 to 20. He pointed to Xin Wang Hong Kong Cafe, saying its menu has fallen from about 300 dishes at opening 22 years ago to 80 to 90 items. “The key is to offer good food at prices that encourage diners to return regularly,” he said.
Soh said older restaurants and hawker stalls could struggle when owners retire without successors or when operating costs are high. He also said landlords tend to favor concepts that draw customers.
Another concern he raised is possible movement of some dining spending to Johor Bahru as cross-border travel becomes easier. Singapore’s Land Transport Authority (LTA) said passenger service on the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System Link is targeted to begin in February 2027, pending safety certification and final regulatory approvals.
