Latest news with #BugisJunction
Independent Singapore
5 days ago
- Business
- Independent Singapore
From 30 to 5: Some S'poreans not surprised at Jollibean's closures & downsizing
SINGAPORE: Jollibean has been in the news lately due to sudden branch closures and allegations of unpaid salaries. Reportedly due to downsizing, only five outlets remain of the F&B brand, which sells soy-based products — down from 30 at the height of its popularity. On Thursday (July 10), CNA reported that Jollibean's employees claimed that their wages and Central Provident Fund (CPF) contributions had not been paid for several months. The report added that the company now has a new owner and that problems with workers' salaries are being ironed out, with a resolution expected to be reached by the end of July. In a statement to CNA, the Food, Drinks and Allied Workers Union (FDAWU) said, 'Affected workers can approach the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM) to make an appointment for advisory services on employment disputes.' On July 2, a woman took to the Complaint Singapore Facebook page to let others know that she had seen that many of the Jollibean outlets appeared to be closed, including those at Raffles Place MRT and Bugis Junction. She wrote that a search on Google had shown that many outlets were listed as 'temporarily closed.' She added that Shopee had stopped selling Jollibean F&B deals and vouchers. When the CNA report was shared on Reddit, a number of commenters appeared to be unsurprised at Jollibean's closures and problems, claiming competitor brands such as Munchi and Mr Bean were partly responsible for its woes. Others, meanwhile, said they've seen a drop in the quality of the brand's products for some time now. 'As a lover of the thick style min jiang kueh, I have a soft spot for Jollibean because it was a quick & fairly reliable way to satisfy my cravings. But the last few times I ate it, it was just clammy, overly sweet, and the peanut filling, as well as the pancake itself lacked flavour. Not particularly cheap either. Overall, just a bit sad to see an ex-household name die this way,' wrote one. 'TBH, Jollibean has been dropping in quality for a while. Nowadays, it's just getting massacred by Munchi,' another agreed. 'Jollibean is a personal favourite for pancakes. Lately feels like their sizes have decreased quite significantly, though, and it doesn't help that they are hard to come by these days,' a commenter wrote. 'My go-to is always the Jollibean peanut pancake, but it's gotten so bad now. Lumpy and no taste, unlike last time, but the price is also so expensive,' another chimed in. Some Facebook users appeared to feel the same way. 'I used to buy Jollibean's pancake. I stopped when the size got smaller and peanut lesser,' wrote one. 'The pieces keep getting smaller and more expensive as days pass. The filling is getting lesser and lesser,' another agreed. /TISG Read also: Singaporean says he supports 'foreign F&Bs over locals,' gets mixed reaction from netizens
CNA
29-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- CNA
Commentary: Why do we revere fast food so much that we're building museums even for specific burgers?
BREDA, The Netherlands: More than 25 years ago, McDonald's introduced the McSpicy burger to Singapore - chicken thigh marinated in a spicy seasoning, breaded, deep-fried, and served on a sesame seed bun with shredded lettuce and mayonnaise. With an intense burn designed to suit the local palate, the McSpicy quickly became so popular that it remains a staple on the fast food chain's menu to this day. Over the last two weeks, McDonald's celebrated the burger's journey from inception to local icon. The McSpicy Museum, a pop-up event held from May 13 to May 25, transformed the open area next to McDonald's at Bugis Junction into an interactive space featuring reflex-testing games, trivia, photo booths and vibrant installations. As a Singaporean currently residing in Europe, I've noticed a stark contrast in attitudes towards fast food. Europeans often view fast food as low-status or unhealthy, associating it with rushed lifestyles or the working class. In contrast, fast food in Singapore is far from stigmatised. In fact, there are now more than 700 fast food establishments across the country, with two fast food giants - South Korea's Lotteria and America's Chick-fil-A - entering the market this year. CONVENIENCE CULTURE A quick search on online forums suggests a straightforward answer: Pragmatism. In a fast-paced urban environment like Singapore, convenience and value are key decision drivers. With only 22 per cent of Singaporeans cooking at home daily, fast food chains meet a critical demand for quick, reliable meals amid busy schedules. Conveniently located in malls and near MRT stations, fast food outlets deliver speed, order, and reliability - qualities highly prized by time-pressed, energy-sapped office workers and students. While local hawker stalls provide some of the country's cheapest meals, they often close on certain days or have limited hours. Fast food chains, by contrast, are almost always open for business, with some operating 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. With rising hawker prices, fast food may appeal to budget-conscious Singaporeans who desire air-conditioned comfort in the island's oppressive heat and humidity. To sweeten the deal, many chains also offer loyalty programmes that reward repeat customers with points redeemable for food or discounts, further increasing their value-for-money appeal. FAST FOOD AS CULTURAL SYMBOL Nostalgia also plays an important role in why fast food is so dear to the hearts of so many Singaporeans. Prior to the late 1970s, when McDonald's first arrived in Singapore, locals mostly ate at hawker centres and traditional eateries. The arrival of modern, clean, American, air-conditioned fast food chains introduced a new dining trend and symbolised a connection to Western culture and global modernity. While Europeans saw fast food more as a convenient or cheap alternative, Singaporeans saw it as aspirational or symbolically celebratory, as the arrival of fast food coincided with Singapore's rapid modernisation. What's now an ordinary burger was once seen as an 'atas' (upscale) treat then - a special indulgence beyond typical hawker fare. An entire generation of millennial children grew up perceiving birthday celebrations at McDonald's or Happy Meals - kid-sized meal sets that include small toys - as luxurious treats. In 2000, McDonald's Singapore launched a campaign where customers were able to purchase limited-edition Hello Kitty plushies with every Extra Value Meal. The toys sparked nationwide frenzy, with up to 300,000 people lining up at outlets island-wide and culminating in skirmishes and other public disturbances. This irrational devotion - willingness to risk injury for a plushie - effectively demonstrates how fast food transcends its utilitarian purpose in Singapore. We now celebrate fast food items and emblems like they are cultural artifacts because, in a way, they are. Over the years, McDonald's has even found its way into National Service marching songs, with staple menu items like Filet-O-Fish and apple pie shouted out in the lyrics. Eventually, purchasing a burger from McDonald's was no longer just about the burger - it was also about being part of the cultural moment. HYBRID CULTURE In some European societies, fast food is frowned upon because it is seen as the antithesis of traditional food culture and heritage. In 1999, French farmer and union official Jose Bove ransacked a McDonald's restaurant to protest American corporate influence and 'malbouffe' ('bad food'). He became something of a national celebrity in France, where the public saw his actions as a symbolic resistance to American cultural imperialism, globalisation's threat to traditional food practices, and a loss of culinary identity, particularly in a country like France with a long and rich gastronomic history. However, in Singapore, fast food was never perceived that way. Singaporeans have always simultaneously embraced globalisation and their traditional roots, often expecting international brands to adapt to local tastes and culture. McDonald's alone offers many more examples, with unique creations like the Nasi Lemak Burger and menu items tied to local holidays, like the Prosperity Burger for Chinese New Year. These items are not just food but cultural emblems. The McSpicy, specifically, is so embraced because it is genuinely hot by local standards - a rare and notable example of a Western brand successfully catering to local palates. We talk about it almost as a cultural rite of passage - a pain-pleasure experience that many Singaporeans can relate to, for better or worse. Other fast food giants have followed suit. KFC introduced the Rendang Rice Bucket and Curry Rice Buckets exclusively to its Singapore outlets. Pizza Hut experimented with durian cheese and assam laksa pizzas. Burger King had the Hainanese Tendergrill Chicken Burger as a hat-tip to our national dish, Hainanese chicken rice. The success of these localised menu items suggests Singaporeans' openness to adopting and adapting imports of global food culture with pride, rather than viewing them as threats. That a deep-fried chicken burger now commands a 'museum' event suggests just how far fast food has come in shaping our tastes, habits, and sense of self. Whether this marks a clever cultural fusion or compromise remains unclear. But in Singapore, at least, the McSpicy isn't just a burger - it's a story we've chosen to tell about ourselves.
CNA
29-05-2025
- Business
- CNA
Man charged with using 250,000 stolen KrisFlyer miles to shop
SINGAPORE: A man was on Thursday (May 29) charged with spending over 250,000 KrisFlyer miles in other people's accounts without their permission. Rizaldy Primanta Putra, a 28-year-old Indonesian, was charged with four counts under the Computer Misuse Act. Appearing through a video link from remand, he told a district court that he intended to claim trial to the charges. His bail has been set at S$15,000 (US$11,600). Rizaldy is accused of using 4,672 miles in a KrisPay wallet to buy items valued at S$31.15 at Bugis Junction on Jun 8, 2024. The KrisPay wallet was linked to a KrisFlyer account that belonged to another person, which Rizaldy was not authorised to use. On Jun 21, 2024, he allegedly used 245,491 KrisFlyer miles from another account to buy S$1,636.61 worth of items at Changi Airport. For each of these two instances, Rizaldy was also given a charge of logging into the accounts on the Kris+ app without authorisation. According to the police, Rizaldy accessed KrisFlyer accounts that belonged to other people after illegally buying them online while he was overseas. He flew to Singapore in June 2024, and allegedly committed the offences by buying pastries at Bugis Junction and a phone and phone cover at Changi Airport. In October 2024, Singapore Airlines made a police report about suspected fraudulent transactions using KrisFlyer miles that were detected by local retailers. Rizaldy was identified through ground enquiries and closed-circuit television footage. But he had already left Singapore in September 2024. He was detained by Airport Police Division officers at Changi Airport when he returned to Singapore on Jan 11. If found guilty of stealing other people's KrisFlyer miles, thereby causing an unauthorised modification of the contents of a computer, he faces up to three years in jail, a fine of up to S$10,000 or both. If convicted of logging into other people's KrisFlyer accounts when he was not authorised to do so, he could be jailed for up to two years, fined up to S$5,000 or both.
CNA
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CNA
I-dle member Minnie returning to Singapore in June for Skechers event
Just five months after her appearance at an event by milk tea chain Chagee, K-pop star Minnie is coming back to Singapore. This time, the 27-year-old member of girl group I-dle (which was recently renamed from (G)I-dle) will be flashing her Queencard at the grand opening of the revamped flagship store of popular footwear company Skechers, located at Bugis Junction. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Skechers SG (@skecherssg) As part of the festivities, Skechers is holding two contests for fans to get up close with Minnie. The first will give five lucky winners access to an exclusive fan zone on the event day. Plus, each winner will get to bring someone along. Those interested will have to follow Skechers on their Instagram page, like the contest post and carry out the remaining instructions. Winners of this contest will be announced on Jun 4. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Skechers SG (@skecherssg) The second contest will let 45 lucky fans (and their plus-ones) meet Minnie in person at Skechers Bugis Junction on Jun 18. To enter this contest, simply spend at least S$150, in a single receipt, at any Skechers concept store and submit your entry via this link. The contest will end on Jun 8. Minnie, along with the rest of I-dle, recently dropped their latest mini album, We Are, on May 19. The album comprises six tracks, and music videos for the songs Girlfriend and Good Thing have been released – both of which have racked up tens of millions of YouTube views in less than two weeks.
Time Out
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
8 Instagram-worthy spots in downtown malls you wish you knew sooner
Time Out Singapore in partnership with CapitaLand There's no denying that Singapore's downtown core really gets down to business – and we don't just mean the CBD. Packed with history, culture, colour, and unexpected charm, the area is the ultimate playing field for content creators, urban explorers, and anyone who enjoys stumbling upon something a little offbeat in a familiar part of town. Beyond the gleaming skyscrapers and heritage shophouses, you'll find retail destinations like Bugis Junction, Bugis+, Bugis Street, CQ @ Clarke Quay, and Funan that offer more than just shopping and dining. These spots are brimming with photo-worthy gems – think vibrant murals, quirky corners, hidden rooftop gardens, and eye-catching architecture. Whether you're crafting your next Instagram post, scouting a standout backdrop for TikTok, or just hunting for a fresh hangout with good vibes, these malls have it all. Not sure where to start? Here's your hit list of downtown's most photogenic hotspots that deserve a starring role in your camera roll.
