CNY prep: 6 places in Singapore where you can buy wholesale goods

Interior of Warehouse Club, the frist and sole membership-only club in Singapore for groceries and household consumables. -- PHOTO: DIOS VINCOY JR FOR THE STRAITS TIMES
Interior of Warehouse Club, the frist and sole membership-only club in Singapore for groceries and household consumables. -- PHOTO: DIOS VINCOY JR FOR THE STRAITS TIMES
Workers loading and unloading produce at the fruit and vegetable section in the Pasir Panjang Wholesale Centre in 2014. PHOTO: ST FILE
Owner Mrs Lily Loy and daughter Jenny Loy holding an Alaskan King Crab at their store, Allswell Marketing Live Seafood Market in Geylang Road in 2009. PHOTO: ST FILE
At night, trucks drive into a little street in Lorong 7 Toa Payoh, transforming the area into a makeshift vegetable wholesale centre. PHOTO: CHERYL FAITH WEE
Fassler Gourmet sells everything - from frozen seafood to smoked salmon. PHOTO: ST FILE
Victoria Wholesale Centre is the go-to wholesale centre for Chinese New Year delicacies. PHOTO: ST FILE

This story was first published on Dec 9, 2014 and updated on Jan 8, 2018.

SINGAPORE - Chinese New Year is just around the corner, which means families celebrating the festival are stocking up on groceries and goodies for the occasion.

Here are some places where smart shoppers can stock up on a budget.

Supermarket chain FairPrice has a members-only mega retail store where consumers can buy items in bulk at discounts of up to 20 per cent.

Warehouse Club, the two-storey store at the FairPrice Hub in Joo Koon, stocks more than 4,000 products, including groceries, fresh and frozen food, electronics, household goods and health and beauty products.

Here are other places where products can be bought in bulk at lower prices.

1. Pasir Panjang Wholesale Centre

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Opened in 1983 to centralise the distribution of fruit, vegetables and dried goods, the wholesale centre attracts both retailers and consumers alike. The 26-block complex which is about 20 football fields in size, houses some 1,405 stalls, shops, offices and cold rooms. The site has its own canteen and an auction hall where hundreds of wet market vendors and restaurant owners bid for the freshest groceries in the wee hours.

Where: 1 Wholesale Centre. It is located off West Coast Highway, opposite Haw Par Villa.
When: It is open 24 hours, but business is most brisk between midnight and 6am.

2. Allswell Marketing in Geylang Road

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The live seafood market supplies big-name seafood restaurants and high-end hotels.

You can purchase live seafood such as Indonesian lobster (from $80 a kg), Alaskan King crab ($98 a kg), bamboo clams ($45 a kg), tiger prawns ($32 a kg), flower crab ($26 a kg).

Frozen items include snapper loin ($32 a kg) and half-shell scallop (from $15 a kg). Prices may fluctuate and are subject to change.

Where: 670 Geylang Road, corner of Lorong 42 Geylang, tel: 6745-1123
When: 8.30am to 7pm, daily.
Info: Go to http://www.allswell.sg/index.asp

3. Toa Payoh's vegetable wholesale night market

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For at least 30 years, this open-air market has been selling vegetables from Malaysia in bulk. The makeshift market, which starts from about 11pm and runs until day break, extends for about 120m along Toa Payoh East, outside Pei Chun Public School, after the junction of Lorong 7 Toa Payoh.

Most vegetables are either presented in boxes, baskets, or on ground sheets or directly on the road.

It is mostly frequented by food stall and wet market stall owners, but many members of the public also buy vegetables here. While many items are sold in bulk - think kilograms of leafy vegetables - most stall owners are also willing to accommodate home cooks' requests for smaller quantities.

Expect everything from jicama and wintermelons, to Vietnamese mint and pandan leaves. Depending what is fresh and in season, items can also include wing beans, snake beans, shimeji mushrooms and eggplants in different shapes and sizes.

Prices are significantly cheaper than in supermarkets, and about 20 per cent cheaper than at wet markets, depending on the type of vegetable. For instance, a packet of shimeiji mushrooms at one stall costs 90 cents, while a similar packet at a leading supermarket can cost between $1.60 and $3.

Where: Toa Payoh East, outside Pei Chun Public School, after the junction of Toa Payoh East and Lorong 7 Toa Payoh.

When: The market, which has about 10 stalls, is open six days a week from about 11pm to about 6.30am. It is closed on Sundays.

4. Fassler Gourmet at Woodlands

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The wholesaler sells everything from frozen seafood, including items such as scallops ($37.05 for 1kg), to smoked salmon (from $6.50 for a 75g packet). Also available are prepared dishes including laksa seafood shepherd's pie (from $6.95 for a 340g portion); cooked lobster (from $16.50 from a 350/400g lobster); as well as soups and chowders (from $5.80 for a 500g packet). Order online to avoid disappointment.

Where: Fassler Gourmet, 46 Woodlands Terrace, tel: 6257-5257
When: From now until Chinese New Year - 8am to 5pm (all days). On Chinese New Year eve (Feb 15), it will be open from 8am to noon. It will be closed for the first three days of Chinese New Year and resume normal opening hours on day four or Jan 19. Its regular operating hours are 8.30am to 5.30pm on weekdays, 8am to 1pm on Saturdays. It is usually closed on Sundays and public holidays.
Info: Go to http://www.fasslergourmet.com/

5. Victoria Wholesale Centre at Kallang Avenue

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This is the go-to wholesale centre for Chinese New Year delicacies. Items on sale here include everything from dried shrimp and dried sea cucumber, to canned and dried abalone. There is also fried fish maw, duck web, lup cheong, red dates, dried plums and more.

There are about 15 stalls on the ground floor that sell these delicacies, so you can pick and choose items from various shops. Some shops also sell basic provisions such as onions and ginger, as well as takeaway containers and plastic bags.

Expect prices to fluctuate in the leadup to Chinese New Year. As a gauge, prices start from $20 and upwards for 1kg of dried shrimp, to $70 for a 1kg of processed frozen shark's fin. A can of abalone starts at $25. While most items are pre-packed, some ingredients such as dried flower mushrooms, dried scallop and spiky sea cucumber, are also sold loose. They can be bought in desired amounts and are priced by weight.

Where: Victoria Wholesale Centre, 101 Kallang Avenue.
When: Most shops open from 10am and close by 6pm (Mondays to Saturdays). Closed on Sundays. From Jan 10, the shops will open every day from 10am to 6pm, up till Chinese New Year. For more specific information on opening hours on Chinese New Year's eve and Chinese New Year, call the centre at 6291-2349.
Info: Go to for the full list of retailers http://victoriawholesalecentre.com/

6. Far Ocean Singapore at Fishery Port Road in Jurong

This wholesaler sells a range of premium seafood and meats.

For Chinese New Year, it will have a pop-up sale offering items such as ang kar prawns, sea cucumber, wagyu beef and pomfret. The products are imported from countries such as Australia, Japan and the United States.

Prices start at $35 for 500g of Japanese Hokkaido scallops; $39 for 500g of Taiwanese abalone; and $88 for 300g of Japanese Matsusaka Chuck Roll Shabu. Note that prices may change in the run-up to the holiday.

Where: 15 Fishery Port Road, Jurong
When: Open 9am to 5pm, daily. For detailed information on Chinese New Year eve and Chinese New Year opening hours, call 6261-3788.
Info: Go to http://farocean.com.sg/

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