Latest news with #FLORPatisserie
Online Citizen
11 hours ago
- Business
- Online Citizen
Flor Patisserie bids goodbye as more local F&B outlets announce closures
In a heartfelt Facebook post, Japanese-style cake shop Flor Patisserie announced it would be closing its Siglap Drive outlet, bringing a 15-year journey to an emotional end. The shop, cherished for its artisanal offerings and community feel, will serve its last slice on 11 July. The reason behind the closure, revealed last month, was a drastic rent hike imposed by the landlord—S$5,400 monthly rent increased by 57 per cent to S$8,500 upon lease renewal. In a farewell message posted on 17 June, Flor Patisserie's founder Heidi Tan reflected on the business's journey: 'If every year were a chapter, this story would end with 15 chapters. It is time to say goodbye—for good. FLOR Patisserie was never just about cakes. It was about connection, creativity, and community.' Tan described the challenges of running a small business in Singapore, highlighting that courage is required not just to build something—but to let it go. 'As I close this chapter, I do so with a heart full of gratitude… The love and support you've shown has meant more than words can express.' The big players simply do not care: Flor Patisserie refutes Ervin Yeo, questions rent model's sustainability The patisserie has also been vocal about what it sees as an increasingly unsustainable rental ecosystem in Singapore. In a 9 June Facebook post, it questioned the mindset of commercial landlords. 'To them, your craft, your perseverance in offering something fresh—something not churned out days in advance from a central kitchen—is nothing more than a datapoint on their rental yield curve. ' 'And if that number doesn't align with their projections, it's goodbye to you and hello to the next trendy concept,' the shop added. Tan lamented that rent, though just one of many operational pressures, often becomes the most crushing—especially when driven by what she called 'short-term profit chasing'. She added that landlords' expectations fail to account for the 'social cost of exchanging the hopes and dreams of young Singaporeans for greater profits'. Her remarks came in direct response to Ervin Yeo, Chief Strategy Officer of CapitaLand Group, who had defended existing market dynamics in a lengthy LinkedIn post. Yeo cautioned that rent controls could destabilise the F&B sector, comparing them to hawker centre models where low rents can lead to erratic operations and weakened customer trust. He argued that vacancy taxes would have limited impact, as landlords are already incentivised to lease due to mortgage obligations. Yeo further warned against protectionist policies that might disproportionately affect Chinese brands—praised for their operational efficiency—while Western entrants face less scrutiny. As a more balanced alternative to rent control, he suggested offering temporary Development Charge (DC) relief, Yeo argued. Calls grow for rental reform as SMEs struggle with rising costs Amid this broader discontent, advocacy group Singapore Tenants United For Fairness (SGTUFF) weighed in on 12 June. In a statement, the group urged for urgent structural reforms in rental agreements to help SMEs stay afloat. SGTUFF proposed a two-pronged approach: short-term relief measures and long-term policy recalibration. Among their suggestions were rental caps tied to inflation and a national rethink of urban planning and commercial land use priorities. A wave of closures shakes the F&B sector Flor Patisserie's impending closure is not an isolated case. In fact, it coincided with announcements from other long-running F&B players. On the same day—17 June—Burp Kitchen & Bar shared its decision to shut down its outlet at Bishan Park on 27 July. After 11 years of service, the owners said the 'current F&B scene has proven too challenging' despite their best efforts. 'What began as a 100-seater restaurant in a quiet corner of Bishan Park grew into a place that had welcomed thousands of guests,' their post said. The statement acknowledged the emotional impact on patrons, noting that the restaurant had become a familiar, comforting presence in the community. 'We all mourn the loss of our favourite restaurants… When they're gone, much of the soul of the neighbourhoods in which they resided will be gone as well.' This marks Burp Kitchen's second closure within a year—the Bedok Reservoir outlet was shut in July 2024 after nine years. Local media have also reported other notable closures. Four Leaves, a long-standing homegrown bakery chain, shuttered its Paya Lebar Square outlet on 20 May. A HardwareZone forum user noted that the space is slated to be taken over by Mr Noodles (粉面先生), a local noodle brand. Meanwhile, Tiong Bahru Bakery is set to close its Funan outlet on 22 June, after five years in operation. The company shared a video earlier in March hinting at the closure, and separately announced that its Eng Hoon Street flagship would pause operations in August for renovations. 'Our very first and most beloved home on Eng Hoon Street will be closing this August for a short pause… When we return, everything you've come to love [will be] refreshed and reimagined.' Tiong Bahru Bakery continues to operate nearly 20 outlets islandwide. Closure of over 3,000 F&B establishments in 2024 Although the Urban Redevelopment Authority reported a 0.5 per cent dip in retail rents in the first quarter of 2025, the ground reality paints a grimmer picture. An average of 450 retail outlets shuttered every month during this period. A Reuters report from April noted that closures averaged 307 per month from January to April 2025, up from 254 in 2024 and about 230 per month in both 2023 and 2022. Last year alone saw the closure of over 3,000 F&B establishments – the highest number since 2005.
Independent Singapore
12-05-2025
- Business
- Independent Singapore
Bakery owner says ‘landlords hold overwhelming negotiating power', appeals to government for help
SINGAPORE: A series of social media posts from the proprietor of FLOR Patisserie has received a lot of attention in the past few days, especially since they revolve around the high rental costs that many food and beverage establishments face in Singapore. FLOR Patisserie is asking the government to intervene by way of introducing policies that would 'create a fair playing ground for businesses and landlords', arguing that at the moment, 'landlords hold overwhelming negotiating power.' While the bakery had initially only put up Stories, which have a limited airing time, the proprietor decided to put them up as posts so that others could help generate awareness of the issue of high rent increases and what they perceived to be a power imbalance between the business owners and landlords. 'This is something we feel we have to address as a small business in Singapore. We've been in business close to 16 years now, since 2010. We've had our ups and downs,' they wrote, including a manpower crisis that's been ongoing since 2017, as well as higher food costs. Rental rates, however, appear to be a next-level problem. 'But rent is one thing that kills you know? We may have started with a reasonable rent, put in the capital to make the space nice, then, upon renewal, a sharp increase upends everything. To move means to start over. Any profits made are channeled into the next renovation, and the cycle never ends,' they wrote, adding that they are tired of this and want to focus on baking delicious cakes, which is what they do best. 'We don't need handouts from the government. We just want them to create an environment that small businesses like ours can thrive,' they added, even tagging Edwin Tong, their newly elected East Coast Group Representation Constituency (GRC) Member of Parliament, hoping he can help. In the screenshots of the Instagram Stories they posted, they called on the government to recognise 'that high rents directly impact the cost of goods sold. It impacts our everyday prices.' As for high rentals, they understand that landlords raise them because high rental rates equal higher property prices. They went on to suggest the following: A maximum six-month grace period in which a commercial property can be empty. After this time, a landlord would be fined 50% of the rent being asked for every month on the market. 'We are sure it will bring rents down super quick,' the post author wrote, adding that this way, taxpayers would not be additionally burdened with the support that businesses need. 'We want the government to implement sound and fair policies that nip these unfair practices in the bud. We also believe that with rent control policies in place, we can curb the inflation rate. Rent directly affects prices,' FLOR Patisserie added. /TISG Read also: Netizens ask why Grace Fu failed to mention how high rental rates affect hawkers
