photo: Sandwich from a vending machine
From convenient vending machine meals to actively reducing food wastage, here’s a round-up of the most popular 2017 food trends in Singapore.
The rise of the vending machines
Ready-to-eat meals from vending machines grew increasingly popular in 2017 among Singaporeans1. Gone are the days where dull-looking bags of chips would dispense out of a vending machine. Today, customers can purchase hot meals and snacks from vending machines such as flaky pastries from Polar Puffs & Cakes, chili crabs from House Of Seafood, and fresh salad by Shake Salad1. Pizza vendor Shiok! Pizza provides customers with two pizzas that can be heated up and prepared within four minutes3. With reduced cost of capital, labor, and operating fees, we can expect vending machines to stay for the long run3.
Image credit: @punch.gram
Instagram-worthy food
From oozy salted egg yolk to unicorn-colored ice cream, Instagram-worthy food conquered social media in 20171. The quirkier the food item, the more likes it will get online. For example, PUNCH is a minimalist café that presents their offerings that are aesthetically pleasing for snaps. They serve their famous all-day breakfast dishes such as poached eggs with avocado toast, earl grey pancakes, and American porridge4.
photo: Supermarket offers reduced prices for food nearing expiration dates
The battle against food wastage
The amount of food wasted in Singapore grew approximately 40 per cent in the last ten years1. According to the study conducted by the National Environment Agency (NEA), the quantity of food wasted in 2016 was nearly comparable to the weight of over 3,500 MRT trains1. As an effort to tackle this issue, NEA debuted a guidebook to reduce food waste at supermarkets in 20172. This comprehensive book shared a step-by-step guide on how operators in supermarkets can install food waste minimization strategies, resulting in effective cost savings from the implementation. For example, popular local supermarket chain NTUC FairPrice offers reduced pricing to customers for blemished fruits and vegetables2.
References:
1. The Straits Times. (2017). Food trends that ruled 2017, and a look forward to 2018. [online] Available at:http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/food/the-good-the-bad-and-the-faddish
2. The Straits Times. (2017). Food-waste reduction guide for supermarkets launched as shopping malls are lauded for waste-cutting efforts. [online] Available at:http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/food-waste-reduction-guide-for-supermarkets-launched-as-shopping-malls-are-lauded-for
3. Business Insider. (2017). We checked out Singapore’s biggest cluster of vending machines – and here’s what it’s like. [online] Available at: http://www.businessinsider.sg/we-checked-out-singapores-biggest-cluster-of-vending-machines-and-heres-what-its-like/
4. AsiaOne. (2017). The chicest, Instagram-worthy cafes in Singapore. [online] Available at:http://www.asiaone.com/food/chicest-instagram-worthy-cafes-singapore-0