NTUC FairPrice
Encyclopedia
NTUC FairPrice Co-Operative (Chinese: 新加坡职工总会平价合作社) is a supermarket
chain based in Singapore
and the largest in the country. The company is a co-operative of the National Trades Union Congress
or NTUC. The group has 100 supermarkets across the island, with over 50 outlets of Cheers convenience stores island-wide. NTUC FairPrice has partnered with ExxonMobil
to run several stations with a FairPrice branding at the minimarts at their stations. The supermarket has a slogan known as Singapore's very own. The head of the company is Ng Ser Miang
.
NTUC FairPrice was first established in 1973 as NTUC Welcome Supermarket in Toa Payoh
, in order to solve the rising oil
and daily prices then due to inflation
. The then prime minister
Lee Kuan Yew
opened the first supermarket at Toa Payoh. Around the same time, other unions such as the Singapore Industrial Labour Organisation and Pioneer Industries Employees Union also set up co-operatives to run supermarkets. The two organisations later merged in the early 1980s to form the Singapore Employees Co-operative (SEC).
In May 1983, due to competition, NTUC Welcome and SEC merged to form a larger co-operative which was known as NTUC FairPrice Co-Operative Limited.
The company started a central-distribution system to change the way goods were delivered to stores, to enhance efficiency. This was owned by another company, but in 1998, FairPrice took full ownership of the warehouse
and distribution company. It was renamed Grocery Logistics of Singapore (GLS). In 2003, FairPrice opened a new 13,000-square-metre Fresh Food Distribution Centre. The refrigerated
-distribution facility centralises the distributions of fresh and chilled products to all the outlets in the chain. It is the first supermarket retailer in Singapore to build, own and operate its own fresh-food distribution centre.
That same year, FairPrice tied up with oil
company ExxonMobil
to open FairPrice Express and Cheers convenience outlets at seven Esso
and Mobil
stations as a pilot project. The station will be run by NTUC FairPrice Co-operative, which sets the fuel prices and run the station's minimart. ExxonMobil will supply the fuel, and will sell its oil products inside the FairPrice-run stations. If this pilot project proves successful, all stations will be converted to either FairPrice Express or Cheers with the co-operative taking over the management of each station. ExxonMobil also announced that all the stations will be renamed "Esso" by year-end.
On December 28, 2006, FairPrice opened its largest branch in Singapore, the 7,150-square metre (77,000 square feet) FairPrice Xtra hypermarket
, at Ang Mo Kio Hub. The new S$12 million outlet offers a wider range of goods than the typical FairPrice supermarket, and includes new lines like electronic products and fashion
wear.
, a wine cellar
and a European bakery
. FairPrice has plans to open more Finest outlets.
Designed with the basic principle of reduce, reuse and recycle in mind, this pilot eco-friendly FairPrice supermarket, measuring about 2,244 square metres, is a showcase of the latest eco-friendly solutions in grocery retailing. These include usage of recycled and biodegradable materials for store fixtures, energy-saving equipment and lighting, green products and services, as well as cutting edge “Green Technology”.
Energy-saving features like LED lighting, T5 (28 watts) fluorescent tubes, energy saving refrigeration units, and motion sensor lighting control in office and staff areas help to reduce the energy consumption of FairPrice’s eco-friendly store by about 30 per cent, compared to using standard equipment and fittings.
Other green touches include the use of non-toxic, environment friendly paint for walls and columns, ceiling boards and seats made from recycled materials like compressed board and mineral wood, and the use of wooden pallets made from recycled wood waste. Fixtures from other stores have also been reused and integrated into the overall design of the NTUC FairPrice City Square Mall branch.
The eco-friendly supermarket will also use 100% biodegradable shopping bags – environmentally-friendly alternatives to the usual plastic bags, that are made from 40 per cent corn and yam starch, and 60 per cent polypropylene.
Apart from this, customers who bring their own reusable grocery bags not only get to utilise dedicated check-out lanes but also enjoy rebates through the ongoing Green Rewards programme. Since this programme was introduced in 2007, FairPrice has saved more than 43 million plastic bags and given out more than $500,000 in rebates to customers.
to open supermarkets in various parts. It will be a joint venture
with DBS Private Equity, New Hope Group, Silver Tie and Taiwan
's Apex Group. The venture will be known as Nextmall, and will provide merchandising, management
and llogistic
s for a fee to Nextmart which is a China incorporated hypermarket
. It has opened seven hypermarket
s in China, with its first in Shaoxing
, Zhejiang
.
and FairPrice shareholders dividends, along with cash-back rebates for all purchases made at FairPrice supermarkets island-wide, including FairPrice Xtra, FairPrice Homemart, FairPrice Finest and FairPrice Express - excluding Cheers outlets. Such payout rates are subject to approval at Annual General Meetings (typically in the month of August). In 2007, FairPrice declared rebates amounting to 4% of purchases of up to S$6,000 made in the last financial year, as well as a dividend of 5% and special dividend of 3%.
NTUC Cardholders, max Cardholders and PAssion Cardholders are entitled to 2 LinkPoints for every S$1 spent (for a minimum spending of S$20 in receipts issued on the same day) under the LinkPoints programme by NTUC Link.
In collaboration with OCBC Bank
, FairPrice launched its FairPrice Plus membership programme in April 2007, offering banking solutions and promotions at all FairPrice supermarkets islandwide for all supermarket customers. For a minimum transaction of S$10, VISA payment is now accepted at all FairPrice supermarkets for the FairPrice Plus Card and the NTUC Plus Card (previously known as the NTUC-OCBC Visa Card) for NTUC Union Members.
Supermarket
A supermarket, a form of grocery store, is a self-service store offering a wide variety of food and household merchandise, organized into departments...
chain based in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
and the largest in the country. The company is a co-operative of the National Trades Union Congress
National Trades Union Congress
The National Trades Union Congress , also known as the Singapore National Trades Union Congress , is the sole national trade union centre in Singapore...
or NTUC. The group has 100 supermarkets across the island, with over 50 outlets of Cheers convenience stores island-wide. NTUC FairPrice has partnered with ExxonMobil
ExxonMobil
Exxon Mobil Corporation or ExxonMobil, is an American multinational oil and gas corporation. It is a direct descendant of John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil company, and was formed on November 30, 1999, by the merger of Exxon and Mobil. Its headquarters are in Irving, Texas...
to run several stations with a FairPrice branding at the minimarts at their stations. The supermarket has a slogan known as Singapore's very own. The head of the company is Ng Ser Miang
Ng Ser Miang
Ng Ser Miang is a sportsman, diplomat and businessman from Singapore.The former sailor has won a silver medal in the South-east Asian Peninsular Games, and is currently the patron of the Singapore Sailing Federation. He is a vice-president of the Singapore National Olympic Council and a member of...
.
History
Toa Payoh
Toa Payoh is a district located in the Central Region of Singapore. It commonly refers to the Housing and Development Board housing estate of Toa Payoh New Town, one of the earliest satellite public housing estates in Singapore....
, in order to solve the rising oil
Oil
An oil is any substance that is liquid at ambient temperatures and does not mix with water but may mix with other oils and organic solvents. This general definition includes vegetable oils, volatile essential oils, petrochemical oils, and synthetic oils....
and daily prices then due to inflation
Inflation
In economics, inflation is a rise in the general level of prices of goods and services in an economy over a period of time.When the general price level rises, each unit of currency buys fewer goods and services. Consequently, inflation also reflects an erosion in the purchasing power of money – a...
. The then prime minister
Prime Minister of Singapore
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore is the head of the government of the Republic of Singapore. The President of Singapore appoints as Prime Minister a Member of Parliament who, in his opinion, is most likely to command the confidence of a majority of MPs.The office of Prime Minister...
Lee Kuan Yew
Lee Kuan Yew
Lee Kuan Yew, GCMG, CH is a Singaporean statesman. He was the first Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore, governing for three decades...
opened the first supermarket at Toa Payoh. Around the same time, other unions such as the Singapore Industrial Labour Organisation and Pioneer Industries Employees Union also set up co-operatives to run supermarkets. The two organisations later merged in the early 1980s to form the Singapore Employees Co-operative (SEC).
In May 1983, due to competition, NTUC Welcome and SEC merged to form a larger co-operative which was known as NTUC FairPrice Co-Operative Limited.
The company started a central-distribution system to change the way goods were delivered to stores, to enhance efficiency. This was owned by another company, but in 1998, FairPrice took full ownership of the warehouse
Warehouse
A warehouse is a commercial building for storage of goods. Warehouses are used by manufacturers, importers, exporters, wholesalers, transport businesses, customs, etc. They are usually large plain buildings in industrial areas of cities and towns. They usually have loading docks to load and unload...
and distribution company. It was renamed Grocery Logistics of Singapore (GLS). In 2003, FairPrice opened a new 13,000-square-metre Fresh Food Distribution Centre. The refrigerated
Refrigerator
A refrigerator is a common household appliance that consists of a thermally insulated compartment and a heat pump that transfers heat from the inside of the fridge to its external environment so that the inside of the fridge is cooled to a temperature below the ambient temperature of the room...
-distribution facility centralises the distributions of fresh and chilled products to all the outlets in the chain. It is the first supermarket retailer in Singapore to build, own and operate its own fresh-food distribution centre.
FairPrice Xpress
Oil
An oil is any substance that is liquid at ambient temperatures and does not mix with water but may mix with other oils and organic solvents. This general definition includes vegetable oils, volatile essential oils, petrochemical oils, and synthetic oils....
company ExxonMobil
ExxonMobil
Exxon Mobil Corporation or ExxonMobil, is an American multinational oil and gas corporation. It is a direct descendant of John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil company, and was formed on November 30, 1999, by the merger of Exxon and Mobil. Its headquarters are in Irving, Texas...
to open FairPrice Express and Cheers convenience outlets at seven Esso
Esso
Esso is an international trade name for ExxonMobil and its related companies. Pronounced , it is derived from the initials of the pre-1911 Standard Oil, and as such became the focus of much litigation and regulatory restriction in the United States. In 1972, it was largely replaced in the U.S. by...
and Mobil
Mobil
Mobil, previously known as the Socony-Vacuum Oil Company, was a major American oil company which merged with Exxon in 1999 to form ExxonMobil. Today Mobil continues as a major brand name within the combined company, as well as still being a gas station sometimes paired with their own store or On...
stations as a pilot project. The station will be run by NTUC FairPrice Co-operative, which sets the fuel prices and run the station's minimart. ExxonMobil will supply the fuel, and will sell its oil products inside the FairPrice-run stations. If this pilot project proves successful, all stations will be converted to either FairPrice Express or Cheers with the co-operative taking over the management of each station. ExxonMobil also announced that all the stations will be renamed "Esso" by year-end.
FairPrice Xtra
Hypermarket
In commerce, a hypermarket is a superstore combining a supermarket and a department store. The result is an expansive retail facility carrying a wide range of products under one roof, including full groceries lines and general merchandise...
, at Ang Mo Kio Hub. The new S$12 million outlet offers a wider range of goods than the typical FairPrice supermarket, and includes new lines like electronic products and fashion
Fashion
Fashion, a general term for a currently popular style or practice, especially in clothing, foot wear, or accessories. Fashion references to anything that is the current trend in look and dress up of a person...
wear.
FairPrice Finest
In August 2007, FairPrice opened its upmarket outlet at Bukit Timah Plaza named FairPrice Finest, after five months of refurbishment. The move was to cater to the changing tastes of Singaporeans who are increasingly well-travelled. The 4,000 m² (43,100 ft²), two-storey outlet has an offering of products different from other FairPrice stores, and also features a Swiss-style delicatessenDelicatessen
Delicatessen is a term meaning "delicacies" or "fine foods". The word entered English via German,with the old German spelling , plural of Delikatesse "delicacy", ultimately from Latin delicatus....
, a wine cellar
Wine cellar
A wine cellar is a storage room for wine in bottles or barrels, or more rarely in carboys, amphorae or plastic containers. In an active wine cellar, important factors such as temperature and humidity are maintained by a climate control system. In contrast, passive wine cellars are not...
and a European bakery
Bakery
A bakery is an establishment which produces and sells flour-based food baked in an oven such as bread, cakes, pastries and pies. Some retail bakeries are also cafés, serving coffee and tea to customers who wish to consume the baked goods on the premises.-See also:*Baker*Cake...
. FairPrice has plans to open more Finest outlets.
Eco-friendly
In December 2009, FairPrice stepped up its commitment to environmentally friendly practices by launching Singapore’s first eco-friendly supermarket at City Square Mall.Designed with the basic principle of reduce, reuse and recycle in mind, this pilot eco-friendly FairPrice supermarket, measuring about 2,244 square metres, is a showcase of the latest eco-friendly solutions in grocery retailing. These include usage of recycled and biodegradable materials for store fixtures, energy-saving equipment and lighting, green products and services, as well as cutting edge “Green Technology”.
Energy-saving features like LED lighting, T5 (28 watts) fluorescent tubes, energy saving refrigeration units, and motion sensor lighting control in office and staff areas help to reduce the energy consumption of FairPrice’s eco-friendly store by about 30 per cent, compared to using standard equipment and fittings.
Other green touches include the use of non-toxic, environment friendly paint for walls and columns, ceiling boards and seats made from recycled materials like compressed board and mineral wood, and the use of wooden pallets made from recycled wood waste. Fixtures from other stores have also been reused and integrated into the overall design of the NTUC FairPrice City Square Mall branch.
The eco-friendly supermarket will also use 100% biodegradable shopping bags – environmentally-friendly alternatives to the usual plastic bags, that are made from 40 per cent corn and yam starch, and 60 per cent polypropylene.
Apart from this, customers who bring their own reusable grocery bags not only get to utilise dedicated check-out lanes but also enjoy rebates through the ongoing Green Rewards programme. Since this programme was introduced in 2007, FairPrice has saved more than 43 million plastic bags and given out more than $500,000 in rebates to customers.
Regional expansion
FairPrice has ventured into the People's Republic of ChinaPeople's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
to open supermarkets in various parts. It will be a joint venture
Joint venture
A joint venture is a business agreement in which parties agree to develop, for a finite time, a new entity and new assets by contributing equity. They exercise control over the enterprise and consequently share revenues, expenses and assets...
with DBS Private Equity, New Hope Group, Silver Tie and Taiwan
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
's Apex Group. The venture will be known as Nextmall, and will provide merchandising, management
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
and llogistic
Logistics
Logistics is the management of the flow of goods between the point of origin and the point of destination in order to meet the requirements of customers or corporations. Logistics involves the integration of information, transportation, inventory, warehousing, material handling, and packaging, and...
s for a fee to Nextmart which is a China incorporated hypermarket
Hypermarket
In commerce, a hypermarket is a superstore combining a supermarket and a department store. The result is an expansive retail facility carrying a wide range of products under one roof, including full groceries lines and general merchandise...
. It has opened seven hypermarket
Hypermarket
In commerce, a hypermarket is a superstore combining a supermarket and a department store. The result is an expansive retail facility carrying a wide range of products under one roof, including full groceries lines and general merchandise...
s in China, with its first in Shaoxing
Shaoxing
Shaoxing is a prefecture-level city in northeastern Zhejiang province, People's Republic of China. Located on the south bank of the Qiantang River estuary, it borders Ningbo to the east, Taizhou to the southeast, Jinhua to the southwest, and Hangzhou to the west. It was once known as "越"...
, Zhejiang
Zhejiang
Zhejiang is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. The word Zhejiang was the old name of the Qiantang River, which passes through Hangzhou, the provincial capital...
.
Concepts
In recent years, NTUC FairPrice has launched numerous in-store and individual-outlet concepts.Individual outlets
- Cheers by FairPrice — This 24-hour convenience storeConvenience storeA convenience store, corner store, corner shop, commonly called a bodega in Spanish-speaking areas of the United States, is a small store or shop in a built up area that stocks a range of everyday items such as groceries, toiletries, alcoholic and soft drinks, and may also offer money order and...
chain run by NTUC FairPrice was introduced in 1999. It offers similar facilities to rival 7-Eleven7-Eleven7-Eleven is part of an international chain of convenience stores, operating under Seven-Eleven Japan Co. Ltd, which in turn is owned by Seven & I Holdings Co...
. Cheers can also be found at selected ExxonMobilExxonMobilExxon Mobil Corporation or ExxonMobil, is an American multinational oil and gas corporation. It is a direct descendant of John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil company, and was formed on November 30, 1999, by the merger of Exxon and Mobil. Its headquarters are in Irving, Texas...
stations around the island, in which NTUC FairPrice co-operative runs the station, instead of ExxonMobil itself. - FairPrice Express — A concept which can be found only at ExxonMobil stations, it is larger than Cheers and sells things like fresh produce, meatMeatMeat is animal flesh that is used as food. Most often, this means the skeletal muscle and associated fat and other tissues, but it may also describe other edible tissues such as organs and offal...
and seafoodSeafoodSeafood is any form of marine life regarded as food by humans. Seafoods include fish, molluscs , crustaceans , echinoderms . Edible sea plants, such as some seaweeds and microalgae, are also seafood, and are widely eaten around the world, especially in Asia...
. It also sells more products meeting daily needs than a Cheers convenience store. - FairPrice Homemart (Defunct as of 2009) — This is a separate store selling non-food items, which include videoVideoVideo is the technology of electronically capturing, recording, processing, storing, transmitting, and reconstructing a sequence of still images representing scenes in motion.- History :...
s, electronicsElectronicsElectronics is the branch of science, engineering and technology that deals with electrical circuits involving active electrical components such as vacuum tubes, transistors, diodes and integrated circuits, and associated passive interconnection technologies...
, furnitureFurnitureFurniture is the mass noun for the movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating and sleeping in beds, to hold objects at a convenient height for work using horizontal surfaces above the ground, or to store things...
and householdHouseholdThe household is "the basic residential unit in which economic production, consumption, inheritance, child rearing, and shelter are organized and carried out"; [the household] "may or may not be synonymous with family"....
equipment. - FairPrice Finest — This is a separate store offering up-market food supplies. It was officially opened in September 2007.
- FairPrice Xtra — A HypermarketHypermarketIn commerce, a hypermarket is a superstore combining a supermarket and a department store. The result is an expansive retail facility carrying a wide range of products under one roof, including full groceries lines and general merchandise...
Chain which combines a normal supermarket and the FairPrice Homemart in one store. It sells items such as electronics, clothing and household merchandise in addition to the regular supermarket items. - Liberty Market (Defunct) — Started out in 1998 as an AmericanUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
-themed supermarket, Liberty Market sold products from the United States. It opened first at Jurong Point Shopping MallJurong Point Shopping MallJurong Point is a suburban shopping mall located in Jurong West, Singapore. It is situated next to Boon Lay MRT Station and Boon Lay Bus Interchange...
and later at Plaza SingapuraPlaza SingapuraPlaza Singapura is a contemporary shopping mall located along Orchard Road, Singapore. The mall is managed by CapitaLand and owned by CapitaMall Trust. There are retail outlets over seven floors and two basements. The mall has a 752 lot seven storey carpark at the rear of the building, and a two...
. Both branches have since closed. The Plaza Singapura outlet moved to a smaller location at Orchard Grand Court, at Killiney Road, which also closed down.
In-store concepts
- Australian PavilionAustralian PavilionAustralian Pavilion is an initiative with the Australian Prime Minister's Supermarket to Asia Council to extend the market for Australian produce. It was established by Bemco Australia in National Trades Union Congress’s leading store at Bukit Timah Plaza in Singapore...
— A section in selected NTUC FairPrice supermarkets selling products from AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. The format was introduced in 2000 at the Bukit Timah Plaza outlet. - Thai Street — Selling food products from ThailandThailandThailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, such as Thai cuisineCuisine of ThailandThai cuisine is the national cuisine of Thailand. Blending elements of several Southeast Asian traditions, Thai cooking places emphasis on lightly prepared dishes with strong aromatic components. The spiciness of Thai cuisine is well known. As with other Asian cuisines, balance, detail and variety...
. Also introduced in 2000 at Rochor CentreRochor centreRochor Centre is a building in Singapore built by the Housing and Development Board. It was built and completed in 1977. There are total of 4 blocks with over 180 shops, ranging from ceremonial goods to hardware, electrical appliances, beauty salons and eating outlets.A carpark for residents and...
. - Peranakan Corner — A corner selling PeranakanPeranakanPeranakan Chinese and Baba-Nyonya are terms used for the descendants of late 15th and 16th-century Chinese immigrants to the Indonesian archipelago of Nusantara during the Colonial era....
foodstuff which is found only in the Marine ParadeMarine ParadeMarine Parade is a town and an urban planning area in Singapore directly to the east of the Central Area, Singapore's central business district.-Location:...
NTUC FairPrice outlet. - Liberty Market — A section in selected NTUC FairPrice supermarkets selling American food products.
- Korean Section — A corner selling Korean food products at selected supermarkets.
- Japanese Corner — A section in selected NTUC FairPrice supermarkets selling Japanese food products.
Membership programmes
Every year, FairPrice offers NTUC Union Members (NTUC Cardholders)National Trades Union Congress
The National Trades Union Congress , also known as the Singapore National Trades Union Congress , is the sole national trade union centre in Singapore...
and FairPrice shareholders dividends, along with cash-back rebates for all purchases made at FairPrice supermarkets island-wide, including FairPrice Xtra, FairPrice Homemart, FairPrice Finest and FairPrice Express - excluding Cheers outlets. Such payout rates are subject to approval at Annual General Meetings (typically in the month of August). In 2007, FairPrice declared rebates amounting to 4% of purchases of up to S$6,000 made in the last financial year, as well as a dividend of 5% and special dividend of 3%.
NTUC Cardholders, max Cardholders and PAssion Cardholders are entitled to 2 LinkPoints for every S$1 spent (for a minimum spending of S$20 in receipts issued on the same day) under the LinkPoints programme by NTUC Link.
In collaboration with OCBC Bank
Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation
The Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation Limited , abbreviated as OCBC Bank , is a publicly listed financial services organisation with its head office in Singapore. OCBC Bank is one of Singapore's leading local banks, with group assets of more than 224 billion SGD. It has one of the highest bank...
, FairPrice launched its FairPrice Plus membership programme in April 2007, offering banking solutions and promotions at all FairPrice supermarkets islandwide for all supermarket customers. For a minimum transaction of S$10, VISA payment is now accepted at all FairPrice supermarkets for the FairPrice Plus Card and the NTUC Plus Card (previously known as the NTUC-OCBC Visa Card) for NTUC Union Members.