Gen Z Hawkers Use TikTok & Tech To Survive Singapore’s Tough F&B Scene

Running an F&B business in Singapore is tough. Between January and October last year, more than 2,400 food outlets — including hawker stalls, cafés, and restaurants — have shuttered. Of those operating for less than five years, 82 per cent never made a profit.

Yet, despite the odds, some Gen Zs continue to step into the F&B scene, hoping to surpass expectations and build successful businesses of their own.

In the latest episode of Gen Z Crash Course, host Joey Tay meets three groups of Gen Z hawkers at different stages of their ventures to learn how they’re navigating Singapore’s harsh F&B climate. 

Hanz, a 19-year-old film student at Temasek Polytechnic, and his friends Irfan and Qusyairi are the co-owners of Berjaya Western, a halal Western stall located in Yishun.

Beyond their F&B venture, the trio also run a media production company, which gave them opportunities to network within the F&B industry. Through these connections, they worked with a former hotel chef to develop their menu, refine their pricing strategy, and research and develop the dishes they sell today.

Despite being only one month into the business, it appears that Hanz and his friends have found the perfect recipe to marketing their brand. 

They started with digital marketing, with their first Instagram video racking up around 250,000 views.

“That night itself, I decided to post on TikTok as well — because why not? While I was working at the cashier, a lot of customers told me they came from TikTok. By the end of the day, I checked the stats and [our video] had already hit 180,000 views within a few hours,” says Hanz.

Qusyairi adds, “One viral video is definitely not enough. We have to keep up with trends, and our content has to be relatable to the audience.”

To reach older customers, the trio also turn to offline marketing, distributing physical flyers and even going door-to-door in the neighbourhood — all in pursuit of their long-term goal of building a larger Western food chain.

Gen Z couple Siti and Jay opened their stall M+ Fried Rice Paradise at Woodleigh Village Hawker Centre last year. 

With over 20 fried rice variations on the menu, their secret weapon is two automated woks.

"One of our main focuses when we were designing the recipes and the machine itself was that we wanted to capture the wok hei taste that is quintessential to fried rice. We managed to figure out a setting that doesn't burn or dry out the rice, or leave it too wet," says Siti. 

Siti and Jay, who both specialised in marine science during their studies, did their groundwork before entering the F&B scene. Jay first apprenticed at a stall, where he learned traditional cooking skills.

Although the two machines they imported from Guangzhou cost between "$5,000 and $15,000", the couple managed to break even just four months into the business.

Despite facing scepticism over their cooking methods, Siti and Jay have built a loyal base of returning customers who keep coming back for their fried rice.

23-year-old Yuan Ming is a full-time finance student at SUSS and co-founder of three outlets of handmade curry puff stalls, What The Puff. Alongside traditional flavours, the stalls also offer unique options such as cheesy curry puff and truffle mushroom chicken puff.

Yuan Ming’s parents run a Teochew porridge stall, and watching them wake up early every day to cook over 20 dishes pushed him to choose curry puffs — a single-product model that is simpler to manage and easier to scale.

“If you’re serious about scaling up, my advice is to take what’s needed for survival and roll the rest back into the business,” Yuan Ming says.

He adds: “For staff, we generally try to match the right people to the right job scope. You’ve got to hire fast and part ways fast. If someone isn’t suitable, we don’t want to waste each other’s time.”

Staff referrals also happen to be their “secret weapon.”

“Generally, we treat our staff well, and it’s quite likely they’ll recommend their friends because it’s a good environment,” Yuan Ming shares.

Yuan Ming and his two co-owners physically manage the different outlets to ensure consistency in their products and monitor portion control, because even a small measurement error can drive up ingredient costs.

His message to other Gen Zs considering the F&B scene? “As cliché as it sounds, just try. In Singapore, especially in the hawker scene, most stall owners are elderly. If no one steps in to open or take over stalls, there’s a real chance hawker culture could fade away.”

Watch the full episode of Gen Z Crash Course below.