Food Folks @ Lau Pa Sat wins Food & Beverage Retailer of the Year 2021 - Singapore award

A purpose-driven retail food hall concept, focused on supporting local brands, helped breathe new life into one of our well-loved national monuments - Lau Pa Sat.

Lau Pa Sat, a gazetted monument in the Central Business District (CBD) known for its Satay Street and a multitude of hawker and international food for many years, was ready for a refreshing, new concept. Despite COVID-19 affecting its launch timing due to delays in construction, The FairPrice Group, with the support of SLA and STB, boldly decided to launch Food Folks @ Lau Pa Sat to continue to serve the community and local entrepreneurs whilst waiting for tourists to return in the future.

Food Folks curated 10 food and beverage (F&B) brands to offer a mod-sin menu selection, with menu items such as the ultimate plant-based combo rice by four-year consecutive Michelin Bib Gourmand recipient and heritage brand Shi Hui Yuan, as well as the Prawn soup ramen by Michelin-starred Chef Kang, Masala Chicken Pizza from GoPizza, all exclusive to Lau Pa Sat. For those wanting a small indulgence, Creme and Cone’s first permanent gelateria offers freshly made waffle cones and waffle lollies, as well as new artisanal flavours, Java Banana Chips, and Ondeh Ondeh. For those craving a hearty yet nutritious meal, they can opt for SG Chicken & Mushroom Ragout from Soup Spoon or S’tay The Night, a vegan grain bowl with jackfruit satay at inclusive brand, SMOL. 

The menu options are affordable and cater to different customer profiles looking for a quick bite or a sharing platter for their colleagues, family, and friends. Complemented by its food retail section with more than 70% of its range dedicated to local brands, Food Folks is the go-to destination for foodies to spend time together, amongst locals, or with tourists when travel re-opens. 

Many brands found in Food Folks are unique as they used to sell only on Instagram, online or in specialty outlets. Food Folks have also collaborated with several local brands to develop exclusive products like Fossa Chocolate x Food Folks’ Lychee Dragon Fruit Dark Chocolate, 1925 x Food Folks’ Lemongrass Pale Lager, Artisan Bricks x Food Folks’ Chilli Crab, and Iced Gem Biscuits Lego magnets. It is now considered an ideal launchpad for brands that are interested to list and market to Singaporeans. Food Folks' marketing and content creation where videos of founder/brand stories are created and shared, helps build on the brands’ own marketing efforts. Many bloggers have also covered the unique space.

Throughout the space, there are also many thoughtful touches such as the balmy trees in the main communal seating area to provide a cool and comfortable eating ambience, a mural wall by local artist Xi Zi, illustrating the bringing together of the love of food as well as many other small touches. These are not only Instagram worthy like no other food court or retail space but are also comfortable and exciting. Food Folks is the only food hall that brings together hawker, street, and Mod-Sin dishes in a gazetted monument. Since its launch, there have been international media requesting to do videos, featuring the Food Folks Experience in anticipation of travel re-opening.

This thoughtful curation in design and assortment, as well as an innovative F&B concept unlike any other food court/hall of its kind, won the hearts of customers, suppliers, and the media leading to Food Folks @ Lau Pa Sat, a FairPrice Group brand being awarded the Food & Beverage Retailer of the Year - Singapore award at the recently concluded Retail Asia Awards 2021, presented by Retail Asia. Now in its 16th year, the award lauds exceptional retailers, projects, and executives who have introduced remarkable initiatives and solutions that have further changed the retail industry.

“We are very pleased and honoured to be given this award by Retail Asia. It will be a motivation to the team who have worked hard to bring this together despite the Covid difficulties causing delays in construction and supplies, as well as a testament to the heart and passion gone into designing a delightful, happy foodie space for all to enjoy. We hope to develop more of such concepts in various parts of Singapore that celebrate the joy of Everything Food,” said Pauline Png, Head of Food Services Customer Experience & Marketing and Food Folks concept lead.

Watch the interview below to know more about their winning project: