Singapore’s beloved Lau Pa Sat Festival Market may have already undergone a lengthy renovation process just a couple of years back, but the popular CBD hawker centre is now receiving yet another facelift.
Currently in the midst of a revamp, the iconic food locale has introduced Singapore’s first locally-focused, food retail and F&B space, which is also the only mod-Sin, hawker and street food hall to be housed in a gazetted monument.
Named Food Folks @ Lau Pa Sat, the new concept by FairPrice Group hopes to embark on a mission of purpose-driven retail by supporting local brands and businesses. It will also act as a launch pad for new brands and springboard for more established labels to increase awareness and grow their enterprise.
In fact, the retail brands will enjoy a waiver for the initial set-up fee that will go a long way in helping the businesses kickstart. Food Folks’ retail space now carries a specially curated selection of more than 800 food related items, and of more than 120 brands, 70 per cent are homegrown while 40 per cent are not commonly found in major supermarkets.
These include brands like Edens which is known for its popular shiitake mushroom chips; The Edible Co., a snack and granola label that uses 100 per cent natural ingredients; and even A Tea Novel featuring unique tea blends. As for items by brands not commonly found in major supermarkets, check out offerings by companies such as Singaporean distillery Compendium and local chocolatier Fossa.
Meanwhile, the food hall that’s taking over some of the previous tenants includes Chef Kang’s Prawn Noodle House which boasts the Food Folks exclusive Prawn Soup Ramen; Li Xin Teochew Fishball Noodles that has been a local favourite since 1968; and GoPizza Singapore, dishing out Masala Chicken Pizza, Chilli Crab Prawn Pasta and more. Butter Studio’s newest ice cream concept Creme & Cone will also be the brand’s first and flagship gelateria, serving handcrafted treats like the Java B’nana Chips with freshly made Milo Waffle Cone, and Tiramisu with Smoked Almond Caramel Waffle Lollies, all made without artificial flavourings.
And here’s more good news—Food Folks may not be stopping at just one location. As Food Folks @ Lau Pa Sat takes off, the new FairPrice concept may consider heading to the East or West, depending on the most favourable location. So you may just be seeing more one-stop options for food and drinks in the coming year(s).
Food Folks @ Lau Pa Sat is located at 18 Raffles Quay, Singapore 048582. The rest of Lau Pa Sat will reopen its doors in 2021. More details will be announced at a later stage.
