Published 30 June 2020 ● Last Updated on 22 November 2023
“What you do in Singapore is eat. It’s a really food crazy culture where all of this great food is available in a kind of hawker stand environment.”
– Anthony Bourdain, celebrity chef, author, journalist, and travel documentarian.
Those of us who live in Singapore or have visited it, we are well aware of what a food-loving gastronomic delight this little red dot is! And we really wouldn’t want that to change that, would we?
To put things in perspective, let’s begin with this information ‘starter’…
Current scenario: 90% of Singapore’s food supplies are imported from over 170 countries
Current challenge: Climate change, geopolitics, and ‘black swan’ events leave the food supplies vulnerable
Governmental response: By 2030, Singapore aims to meet 30% of its nutritional requirements locally
For the ‘main course’ of facts, take a look at our Food Security in Singapore article here.
Can you help? Yes you can, by being a part of the Singapore Food Story Campaign – support local produce and reduce your food waste footprint! After the circuit-breaker queues, and (unfounded) concerns, more and more people are asking – What food does Singapore produce? So, our team scouted the universe of ‘Made in Singapore’ food items and put together this quick reference list for all those who want to buy locally-sourced food products in Singapore but are not sure from where to buy or which brand to choose. We will keep updating this list of Made in Singapore brands. It is entirely possible we missed a few. If you know any, do let us know in the comments below.
Happy ‘local produce’ shopping!
Where can I buy local vegetables and fruits?
Did you know that Singapore imports 452,980 tonnes of vegetables every year? In 2019, only 14% of leafy greens were locally produced. The lack of land is a clear challenge; we have taken to the skies with opening farms on rooftops and vertical agriculture. Enjoy ‘farms to table’ dining with these local farms so your greens are as young as just a day old!
Fresh fruits and vegetables (including leafy greens):
◎ Fireflies Health Farm – farm closure due to lease expiry | FB
* The farm professes to run on principles of organic farming – no pesticides, herbicides or growth inducing agents.
◎ Green Circle Eco Farm – farm closure due to lease expiry | FB
* Though uncertified, the farm professes to run on the principles of permaculture and organic farming. Farm tours available. Veggie surprise boxes available.
◎ Citizen Farm | Website, FB| Order veggie boxes online directly
* A sustainable urban farm model. Currently, individuals can purchase veggie boxes only, not specific produce.
Specialty leafy greens and herbs:
You may be taken by surprise by this losing list! But before you go site-hopping, do note that these farms tend to focus on a limited range of herbs/leaves. If you wish there was a place to buy their specialty produce under one roof – check out Redmart’s SG Farmers’ Market. For direct purchases, details included below:
◎ GreenHood | Website, FB| Buy at Website directly
* Urban farm with farm fresh and pesticide-free greens.
◎ ComCrop | Website, FB| Buy at Redmart, Fairprice Finest outlets
* Rooftop urban farm using advanced hydroponic technology. Produce is herbicide and pesticide free.
◎ Just Produce | Website, FB| Buy at Grabfood, Redmart, OpenTaste, Mogu Shop, Food Services, Greenies
* Specialises in Mesclun. Pesticide-free produce
◎ Leafwell by Citiponics | Website, FB| Buy directly via WhatsApp +65 9777 0520 or at Grabmart, select NTUC Fairprice stores
* Their specialty is georgiana lettuce. Pesticide-free produce. They periodically arrange for farm tours.
◎ Artisan Green | Website, FB| Buy at Little Farms, Ryan’s Grocery
* Indoor, hydroponic spinach farm. Pesticide-free produce.
◎ VertiVegies | Website, FB| Buy online directly or at Redmart
* Indoor hydroponic farm. Produce is free from pesticides, contaminants, genetic modification.
◎ Sustenir Agriculture | Website, FB| Buy at Cold Storage, Giant, Redmart, Amazon Prime, Mahota
* Free from pesticide and environmental pollutants
◎ Yili Farm | Website, FB| Available on Grab Mart, FairPrice – Finest and Xtra, Sheng Siong, Redmart, Amazon Prime
* GAP- VF certified
◎ Kin Yan | Website, FB| Buy at Redmart, GoPasar, Fairprice
* SG’s largest wheatgrass and mushroom farm. No pesticides or artificial fertilizers. Offers farm tours.
◎ VegePonics |Website, FB| Buy at Redmart, Opentaste, Shopee
* Indoor vertical farm. Specialises in kale and lettuce. Pesticide free produce.
◎ Leafy Me by Meod | Website, FB| Buy at Redmart and several local wet markets (mapped on their website)
* Pesticide free
◎ Backyard Fresh by Mushroom Buddies | Website
* Pesticide free
◎ Koh Fah Farm | Website, FB| Available on Redmart
* The farm hosts a weekend market, and offers farm tours.
◎ Little Red Farm | Website, FB| Buy at Redmart, Fairprice
* Pesticide-free produce. Offers farm tours. Vegetable baskets available.
◎ Red Dot Farm | FB| Buy at Redmart
* Pesticide-free produce.
◎ Bean Farm| Website, FB| Buy at Redmart, NTUC Fairprice, Sheng Siong
* Specialises in bean sprouts and soybean sprouts.
◎ NetaFresh | FB| Buy at Cold Storage
* Pesticide free
Where can I buy locally sourced eggs?
Even though 30% of our eggs are being locally sourced now, we are still importing nearly 1.5 million hen eggs a year. Reduce your food miles when you buy food products made in Singapore.
◎ Chews Egg | Website, FB| Widely available at supermarkets and Redmart
* Their range includes “certified humane” eggs
◎ Seng Choon Farms | Website, FB| Buy at Redmart, Cold Storage, Giant & FairPrice
* Hormone and antibiotic free
◎ Egg Story by N&N | Website, FB| Widely available
* Pasteurised eggs, hormones and antibiotics free
◎ Uncle William | FB| Buy at Earth Shop & Cafe at Crane Club
* They also offer quail eggs
Where can I buy fresh milk?
Have you been reducing dairy consumption due to the (well-deserved) bad press industrial dairy farming gets? From reports of abuse of animals reports to excessive use of antibiotics, we have much reason to read the fine print and assess brands. When you buy from local dairy farms you not only reduce food miles, but also have a chance to see farm conditions first-hand and support best practices.
◎ Dairy Folks | Website | Buy online directly
* Cow milk. No added preservatives, additives and permeates.
◎ Hay Dairies SG | Website, FB | Buy online directly or at select Cold Storage, Redmart, Marketplace, Mahota and Prime Supermarket
* Goat milk. Offers farm tours. No antibiotics, preservatives and growth hormones.
◎ Vishnu Dairy Farm | Buy directly and at select NTUC outlets
*Cow milk and yogurt
Where can I buy locally farmed seafood and fish?
In 2018, the little red dot consumed 21 kilograms of seafood per person. Being an island nation, it is no wonder that we have a high consumption of seafood and fish but let us ensure that we support sustainable seafood to protect our oceans from over-fishing.
◎ Ah Hua Kelong | Website, FB| Buy online directly
* Fish farm ‘kelongs’ that run 2 restaurants and also sell seafood to businesses and individuals
◎ Sea Farmers @ Ubin | Website, FB| Buy online directly
* Specialises in oysters, chemical free farming
◎ Kuhlbarra by Barramundi Asia | Website, FB| Buy online directly or at Redmart
* Specialises in barramundi and sea bass, sea farmed fish
◎ Eco Ark by ACE | Website, FB| Buy online directly
* Solar powered farm. Antibiotic, vaccine and microplastic free fish
◎ BluCurrent by Wintershine | Website| Buy at Straits market, Redmart
* Specialises in red snapper and barramundi
◎ FIN by Boat | Website, FB| Buy online directly or at Redmart
* Specialises in perch, seabass and tilapia, indoor aquafarm
◎ The Fish Farmer | Website, FB| Buy directly via WhatsApp at +65 9229 7524 or at Redmart
* Locally farmed crabs, milkfish, barramundi, seabass and more.
Where can I get locally produced beverages?
And if you are thirsty for more, here’s a list of the local gin distillery and beer breweries!
◎ Tanglin Gin | Website, FB| Buy online directly
* 3 gin labels to choose from! Offers distillery tours.
◎ Singapore Distillery | Website, FB| Buy online directly
* Gins and Vodka that are flavoured and named with uniquely Singaporean and South-East Asian accents.
◎ Crust Brewing | Website, FB| Buy online here
* Fresh surplus ingredients converted to beer – 275 kg of bread = 4482 ltr of beer!
◎ Tiger Beer | Website, FB| Available widely
* Offers brewery tours.
◎ Brewerkz | Website, FB| Buy online directly, or at their restaurant outlets
* Specialises in craft beers
◎ Trouble Brewing | Website, FB| Buy online directly
Where can I get locally farmed meat – chicken, pork, beef and exotics?
When it comes to fresh meat in Singapore, the model is essentially importing poultry and pigs to the abattoirs so as to provide the meat fresh. We have not included these operators in our list. However, the following farms are open to visitors and the animals are reared on shore. When you buy from local animal farms, we urge you to see farm conditions first-hand and support best practices.
◎ Jurong Frog Farm | Website | Buy online directly
* Specialise in frog legs. Also available is farm-reared fish and croc meat from next door. Offers farm tours.
◎ Long Kuan Hung | FB | Buy when you visit
* Specialises in crocodiles. Offers farm tours.
Other products that are local to Singapore
Some of the other food items that are locally produced in Singapore.
◎ Nutrinests | Website, FB| Buy their label Bee Talk directly
* A bee conservation organisation that sells raw honey, conducts workshops on bee conservation, and even offers humane beehive removal services!
◎ Tai Hua | Website, FB| Available widely
* Specialises in soy sauce
◎ Khong Guan | Website, FB| Available at leading supermarkets
* Biscuit maker; Offers factory tours
◎ Therapeutic Kitchen | Website | order via Whatsapp +65 81257079
* small batch tempeh, sourdough and low-sugar cakes. Home delivery available on a weekly schedule
◎ Ugly Duck | Website | Online shop
*UglyFood is in the business of selling food items that are surplus and cosmetic-rejects sourced from the local sellers. So while fruits are not grown local, you reduce food waste when you buy here. Their juices are freshly pressed in Singapore itself.
‘Almost’ Local Singapore food products
Well, these products on our list aren’t 100% local – though they are headquartered in Sngapore, production is primarily off-shore Nevertheless, as made-in-Singapore brands, we felt they deserved a mention on our list!
Tea and Coffee:
◎ Boncafe | Website, FB| Available at leading supermarkets
* Roast on demand option available
◎ Gryphon Tea Company | Website, FB| Buy online directly
◎ TWG Tea | Website, FB| Buy online directly
Marmalades:
◎ Straits Preserves | Website, FB| Buy online directly
* Ingredients are sourced with a preference to minimise food miles. Some fruits and spices are in fact sourced from Singapore; Bottling is in malaysia
Canned foods and sauces:
◎ Ayam Brand | Website, FB| Available widely
* Read their sustainability policy regarding use of palm oil, sustainable seafood and other issues here.
◎ Yeo’s | Website, FB| Available widely
◎ Hosen Quality | Website, FB| Available widely
◎ Fortune Brand | Website, FB| Available widely
◎ Woh Hup Oyster Sauce | Website, FB| Available widely
* The “Woh Hup Dried Noodles and Oyster Sauce” was featured at the “50 Made-In-Singapore Products Exhibition” in a showcase organised by the National Heritage Board (NHB).
Support Local
We hope this list helps you identify some of our local farms and products. Do add your suggestions in the comments below to add to this list.
Ensuring food security for Singapore is a collective responsibility and each one of us can do our bit by buying local food products.
Recommended Articles:
Sustainable Singapore | Your role in making our Little Red Dot food secure
Vegetarian restaurants in Singapore | Our top 10 tried and tested!
Food waste | The Singapore story and what you can do to help reduce it!
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