We all know that Singapore is undisputedly one of the safest and cleanest countries in the world—home to the best airport in the world as well as cheap yet amazing hawker food, our Little Red Dot is indeed a country that easily piques one’s interest.

Yes, many of us agree that the temperatures here can drop by 10 degrees or so, but there are so many reasons to love Singapore that we endure our all-year-long summer. Besides being famous for the banning of chewing gum and our seemingly animated colloquial slang, Singlish, there are plenty of reasons for us to be oh-so-proud Singaporeans.

Here are 13 Homegrown Brands That Will Make All Singaporeans Proud of Our Little Red Dot—we bet you didn’t know that half of these are homegrown brands! #majulahsingapura

AWFULLY CHOCOLATE

What started as a statement to tackle dessert vendors everywhere, home-grown Awfully Chocolate has successfully established itself as one of the best and most popular chocolatiers around the world. Famed for its variety of chocolate-laden desserts, we absolutely go mad for their All Chocolate cake, that sees a simple chocolate cake between layers of dark chocolate fudge.

BANYAN TREE HOLDINGS

Established in 1994, Banyan Tree Holdings is founded by Singaporean businessman Ho Kwon Ping. In 1995, Ho and his wife Claire Chiang chanced upon an empty plot of land on the western coast of Phuket which was soon after developed into Banyan Tree’s first resort.

Since then, Banyan Tree has grown to be Asia’s premier luxury hotel and resort brand with close to 40 properties internationally. It now has hotels as far apart as Mexico and Seychelles.

Photo Credit: Bee Cheng Hiang

BEE CHENG HIANG

Bakkwa—an all-time favourite snack amongst Singaporeans that is enjoyed particularly during the Chinese New Year period. For the uninformed, Bakkwa is essentially smoked and roasted pieces of pork with a consistency similar to jerky.

Founded in the 1930s by Singaporean businessman Mr Teo Swee Ee, Bee Cheng Hiang started out as a humble stall in Chinatown. Today, Bee Cheng Hiang sees over 260 retail outlets serving their famous bak kwa in 13 other countries across countries including Vietnam, South Korea and Cambodia.

BREADTALK

You’ve probably had a few of Breadtalk’s ever-popular Floss buns for breakfast if you grew up in Singapore. Founded in 2000, BreadTalk has expanded rapidly within the past 2 decades, establishing a distinctive presence in 18 locales across Asia, the Middle East, and most recently Europe.

Other brands that are under the Breadtalk Group include Din Tai Fung, Food Republic and Toast Box, which would probably sound very familiar to Singaporeans as well as those living in our neighbouring countries.

Photo Credit: Visit Singapore

BENJAMIN BARKER

An esteemed purveyor of smart-casual attires for men, Benjamin Barker is a home-grown fashion label founded by Mr Nelson Yap, who—you’d be surprised to hear—is a film graduate from the University of Melbourne as he had the intention to pursue a career in film-making.

The brand’s first store opened in Marina Square in 2009 and now sees retail stores in Melbourne, Seoul, Malaysia and a flagship store in Los Angeles.

Yap says that he intends to develop Benjamin Barker into a lifestyle brand by combining retail, F&B and hospitality—they even have a Benjamin Barker Café located in Cathay Cineleisure Orchard now!

Photo Credit: Miss Valerie Tan

BROWHAUS

One should never underestimate the importance of eyebrows in changing your image. Many of us, image-conscious or not, would be familiar with the brand Browhaus, which is a one-stop salon dedicated to perfect your lashes and brows.

Browhaus was established in 2004 under the wings of Spa Esprit Group, a homegrown brand founded by Singaporean businesswoman Cynthia Chua. The brand now has outlets all over the world, including stores in London and New York City. What more can we say? Browhaus is on fleek!

Photo Credit: Charles & Keith

CHARLES & KEITH

Set up by sibling duo Charles Wong and Keith Wong in 1996, Charles & Keith is a Singaporean fast-fashion footwear and accessories retailer which now has over 600 stores worldwide, including locations in Africa and Latin America.

It is amazing to see a 100% Singaporean brand grow from being a humble shoe shop in Amara Shopping Centre to venturing internationally and imprinting their global footprint across regions in Asia, the Middle East and Europe alongside Latin America and Africa!

OLD CHANG KEE

Lo and behold, the ultimate go-to for curry puffs and giant fishballs. Old Chang Kee started out as ‘Rex Curry Puff’, an assuming stall situated near the then Rex Cinema along Mackenzie Road.

Old Chang Kee has expanded expeditiously to opening franchises in Indonesia, Malaysia and Australia. Just weeks ago in June 2018, they officially launched the opening of an outlet in London where guests can get their hands on Singapore’s famous curry puffs.

OSIM

OSIM would probably be first to come into your mind when luxurious massage chairs are mentioned. With brand ambassadors including Korean superstar Lee Min Ho and Chinese actress and model Fan Bingbing, OSIM has managed to climb its way to becoming a top-tier global brand.

Originally starting out as an electrical and household appliance company in 1980, founder Ron Sim saw an opportunity to bloom in Singapore’s healthcare products industry and thus started OSIM to advocate for a healthy lifestyle.

Credit: Razer

RAZER

Razer is a global gaming hardware manufacturing company established in 2005 by Singaporean entrepreneur Min-Liang Tan and Robert Krakoff.

Step into any IT retail store such as Challenger and COURTS and it would be hard to miss the bright green triple-headed snake logo that dons the front of every Razer product. They offer a wide range of products in the likes of gaming equipment and wearables including smartwatches.

Photo Credit: Skin Inc.

SKIN INC.

The homegrown skincare brand is founded by Sabrina Tan, an IT-expert-turned-skincare-guru who took the leap of faith to step into the beauty industry after having worked in IT for 11 years.

Skin Inc. offers a range of skincare products that combine technology and beauty, providing customers with customisable skincare products. The brand has been a winner of over a hundred beauty awards and their products are now sold in over 20 countries in Asia and Europe.

SINGAPORE AIRLINES

Awarded ‘The World’s Best Airlines’ by Skytrax World Airline Award in 2018 is Singapore Airlines, which has constantly been on the list for the world’s top 10 airlines for the past decade.

SIA has 26,000 group employees who are dedicated to making all traveller’s experience the most comfortable and pleasant experience with their impeccable service. Oh, how lucky we are!

TWG TEA

Short for The Wellbeing Group, TWG Tea is a brand that offers fine harvest teas since its founding in 2008. In a short span of 6 years, TWG Tea has vastly expanded to having outlets in countries such as Canada, Korea, Germany and Australia.

Its parent company is OSIM International, so you can be sure that it is not any atas tea brand from Europe!

Lunar New Year is just around the corner and you know what that means—the bak kwa season has arrived!

Among the many festive snack foods available, this sweet barbecued pork delight remains one of our top few must-haves. Sure, there are loads of brands out there selling the same thing and often we find ourselves returning to same old few.

Whether you’d rather go for the cheapest option or the best quality product out there, here we have compiled the price index of the most popular bak kwa stalls around for 2019 to give you the most bang for your bak.

BEE CHENG HIANG

A household brand that most of us are no strangers to, Bee Cheng Hiang is the go-to for delicious bak kwa. Priding themselves on using only the highest quality when it comes to their ingredients sans any artificial add-ons, this is definitely one brand you can count on to make your guests (and yourself) satisfied.

Sliced pork: S$56/kg
Minced pork: S$54/kg
Chilli pork: S$58/kg
Golden coin: S$56/kg

Bee Cheng Hiang
Multiple outlets islandwide
Tel: +65 6500 0888
Website: http://www.beechenghiang.com.sg

BEE KIM HENG

Occupying just a small unit in People’s Park Food Centre, Bee Kim Heng is one of the most underrated bak kwa stalls in Singapore. Unknown to many, this humble stall has actually been around for over 50 years and the owner, Mr Teo Ah Thin, grills the bak kwa himself so as to ensure quality and consistency of his products.

Sliced pork: S$55/kg
Chilli bak kwa: S$58/kg

Bee Kim Heng
Blk 32 New Market Road
#01-1010 People’s Park Food Centre
Singapore 050032
Tel: +65 6535 0735
Daily: 9.30am – 8pm
Nearest Station: Chinatown

FRAGRANCE

Having started out in the late 1960s, Fragrance is one bak kwa brand that needs no further introduction. The award-winning brand is one of Singapore’s fastest growing chains who pride themselves on using the highest quality of ingredients to maintain customer satisfaction.

Sliced bak kwa: S$56/kg
Chilli bak kwa: S$58/kg
Gold coin bak kwa: S$56/kg
Honey bak kwa: S$56/kg

Fragrance
Multiple outlets islandwide
Tel: +65 6257 8608
Website: http://www.fragrance.com.sg

Photo Credit: Kim Hock Guan

KIM HOCK GUAN

What sets Kim Hock Guan apart from the rest of the brands is their consistency in using only sliced lean meat instead of minced meat, resulting in a chewier texture and sliced bak kwa that isn’t too heavy on the oil—perfect for the health conscious!

BBQ sliced pork: S$53/kg
Spicy sliced pork: S$58/kg

Kim Hock Guan
180 Bencoolen Street
#01-25 The Bencoolen (adjacent to OG Albert)
Singapore 189646
Tel: 68357118
Nearest Station: Bugis

KIM JOO GUAN

Kim Joo Guan’s bak kwa is well sought-after for good reason. Said to be made using a secret recipe that has been passed down over 4 generations, their bak kwa originates from Fujian and retains its traditional taste till today.

Traditional pork slice: S$55/kg
Chilli pork slice: S$57/kg

Kim Joo Guan
257 South Bridge Road
Singapore 058806
Tel: +65 6225 5257
Daily: 9.30am – 8.30pm
Nearest Station: Telok Ayer

Photo Credit: chooyutshing

LIM CHEE GUAN

Known for perpetual queues throughout the year and insanely long ones when the Lunar New Year approaches, Lim Chee Guan serves one of the most consistent and delectable renditions of the well-loved barbecued beef jerky. The queues can go up to an hour long so do remember to head down early before the crowds gather for some last-minute New Year’s shopping!

Currently, the retail prices for their bak kwa are as follows:

Normal: S$52/kg
Chilli: S$54/kg
Mini BBQ pork: S$48/kg
Beef: S$52/kg
Fish: S$48/kg
Prawn: S$50/kg
Gold coin: S$48/kg

Lim Chee Guan
203 New Bridge Road
Singapore 059429
Tel: +65 6933 7230
Daily: 9am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Chinatown

NEW EASTERN KIM TEE

Starting out from humble roots, turning his interest into passion and passion into a business, founder, Mr Teo Kim Tee began his own signature brand—New Eastern (Kim Tee) Dried and Minced Pork—back in 1976, setting up shop in the heart of Serangoon Gardens. 100% hand-made, their bak kwa is made considerably thinner than most, allowing the complex smoky aromas and sweet, porky flavours to melt on the tongue.

Signature bak kwa: S$50 – S$58/kg
Sliced bak kwa: S$54 – S$62/kg
Chilli bak kwa: S$52- S$60/kg

New Eastern Kim Tee Bak Kwa (Flagship)
22 Maju Avenue
Serangoon Gardens
Singapore 556695
Tel: +65 6283 2829
Daily: 10am – 9pm
Nearest Station: Serangoon

Photo Credit: Lemon Film

SANG HOCK GUAN

A hole-in-the-wall shop in Ang Mo Kio, Sang Hock Guan is easy to miss but one we promise you should keep a lookout for. They are a family-owned business which, though may not be as recognised as the big brands, have their own pool of loyal customers purchasing their products yearly. In fact, their bak kwa is said to be comparable to the famous Lim Chee Guan! Well, you would try it to believe it!

Sliced pork bak kwa: S$53/kg
Chilli bak kwa: S$55/kg

Sang Hock Guan
Block 163
#01-446 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 4
Singapore 560163
Tel: +65 6458 7374
Daily: 9.30am – 9.30pm
Nearest Station: Yio Chu Kang

Photo Credit:Siang Ge

SIANG GE

Siang Ge takes pride in creating their own bak kwa recipes that will leave you satisfied till the very last bite. The company imports their meat all the way from Brazil and the kitchen is helmed by their head chef who has more than 20 years of experience in this industry, so you know you are in for the real deal. Besides, their bak kwa is one of the cheapest you can find in Singapore!

Classic bak kwa: S$42/kg
Chilli bak kwa: S$50/kg
Chicken bak kwa: S$50/kg

Siang Ge
275 Jalan Kayu
Singapore 799503
Tel: +65 6483 3368
Daily: 9am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Sengkang

TUNG LOK

Most of us only know Tung Lok for their mouthwatering Chinese specialities, but did you know that they actually flame-grill their own Pork Bak Kwa in very limited quantities? Their classic bak kwa boasts sweet and savoury succulent meat that has enough bite and pleasant hints of smokiness.

Sliced pork (Honey-glazed / Spicy): S$70/kg

TungLok Group
Multiple restaurants islandwide
Website: www.tunglok.com

For many Singaporeans, Chinese New Year is just not the same without bak kwa. Originating from China, bak kwa is essentially barbecued meat slices that are extremely fragrant and come with a hint of smokiness from the fire that is used to grill the meat jerky.

While we certainly do not need any special occasion just for eating bak kwa, this Chinese snack is especially popular during the Lunar New Year and that is when you will see long queues forming outside popular bak kwa shops such as Bee Cheng Hiang and Lim Chee Guan.

Confused about all the prices? Our Bak Kwa Price Index 2018 will give you an overview of the more popular Bak Kwa brands in Singapore. Happy feasting!

Photo Credit: Bee Cheng Hiang

#1 BEE CHENG HIANG

No doubt one of the more well-known bak kwa brands in Singapore, Bee Cheng Hiang is a household name many Singaporeans would recognise. Using only the highest quality when it comes to their ingredients sans any artificial add-ons, one can trust Bee Cheng Hiang to deliver scrumptious bak kwa all the time.

SLICED PORK – S$55/KG

MINCED PORK – S$53/KG

CHILLI PORK – S$57/KG

SLICED CHICKEN – S$55/KG

Bee Cheng Hiang
Multiple outlets islandwide
Tel: +65 6500 0888
Website: http://www.beechenghiang.com.sg

#2 BEE KIM HENG

Operating a small shop in People’s Park Food Centre, Bee Kim Heng is an underrated bak kwa shop to visit for the same festive treats without the snaking queues. The owner, Mr Teo Ah Thin who is in his early 80s has been running the stall for almost five decades. Till today, he grills the bak kwa himself to ensure the same level of consistency.

SLICED PORK – S$50/KG

CHILLI – S$60/KG

Bee Kim Heng
Blk 32 New Market Road
#01-1010 People’s Park Food Centre
Singapore 050032
Tel: +65 6535 0735
Daily: 9.30am – 8pm
Nearest Station: Chinatown

Photo Credit: Fragrance

#3 FRAGRANCE

Fragrance started off with humble beginnings in 1965 as a humble bak kwa stall. Since then, the brand had grown to be now of the largest bak kwa chains in Singapore with outlets all over the island and even in Malaysia. Their bak kwa comes with a mixture of marinades made from Chinese herbs to produce what they are best known for—a fragrant aroma.

HQ Prices

SLICED PORK – S$42/KG

MINCED PORK – S$24/KG

CHILLI – S$35/KG

SLICED CHICKEN – S$44/KG

Fragrance
Multiple outlets islandwide
Tel: +65 6257 8608
Website: http://www.fragrance.com.sg

#4 HU ZHEN LONG

There are currently two Hu Zhen Long outlets in Singapore—their main shop is conveniently located at Sago street while another branch can be found along South Bridge Road. This family business is managed by the founder’s descendants so the traditional recipes are kept to preserve the taste.

SLICED PORK – S$54-58/KG

MINCED PORK – S$45-50/KG

CHILLI – S$56-58/KG

SLICED LOBSTER – S$80/KG

Hu Zhen Long
14 Sago Street
Singapore 059015
Tel: +65 6324 5825
Daily: 10am – 8pm
Nearest Station: Chinatown

Photo Credit: Kim Hock Seng

#5 KIM HOCK SENG BAK KWA

The success of Kim Hock Seng is largely attributed to the owner’s persistence in using only charcoal fire for grilling, which makes their bak kwa more aromatic and fragrant. Run by a couple, Kim Hock Seng has been in operations at Keong Saik Road for decades and they are still committed to offering only the best to keep loyal customers coming back for more.

SLICED PORK – S$48-54/KG

MINCED PORK – S$44-48/KG

CHILLI – S$52-58/KG

SLICED CHICKEN – S$56/KG

Kim Hock Seng Bak Kwa
570 Geylang Road
Singapore 389515
Tel: +65 6221 4882
Daily: 11am – 9pm
Nearest Station: Aljunied

Photo Credit: Kim Hua Guan

#6 KIM HUA GUAN

Ranking among the bak kwa greats in Singapore is a name that is not unfamiliar to the locals—Kim Hua Guan. Having been around for more than 50 years, Kim Hua Guan is one of the top picks when people think of bak kwa. Do not be surprised to be greeted with a queue if you are intending to make our way down for a bag of their savoury bak kwa.

SLICED PORK – S$58/KG

MINCED PORK – S$58/KG

CHILLI – S$64/KG

Kim Hua Guan
32 New Market Road
#01-1022, People’s Park Cooked Food Centre
Singapore
Tel: +65 9006 2026
Daily: 5am till sold out
Nearest Station: Chinatown

Photo Credit: Kim Joo Guan

#7 KIM JOO GUAN

You may have heard of bak kwa specialist Kim Joo Guan but did you know that they actually supplied five well-known bak kwa brands for more than 30 years? The family business kicked off in 1977 and you can find the usual bak kwa suspects such as traditional pok slice, chili pork slice and pork floss.

SLICED PORK – S$50/KG

GOLD COIN – S$48/KG

CHILLI PORK SLICE – S$52/KG

PREMIUM PORK BELLY – S$72/KG

Kim Joo Guan
257 South Bridge Road
Singapore 058806
Tel: +65 6225 5257
Daily: 9.30am – 8.30pm
Nearest Station: Telok Ayer

Photo Credit: chooyutshing

#8 LIM CHEE GUAN

Lim Chee Guan’s winding queue is legendary—it is almost as if getting in line for their savoury bak kwa is a rite of passage you have to go through before Chinese New Year. The bak kwa slices are cooked as you queue so you get them fresh and piping hot off the grill. Waiting time could be as long as 30 minutes or longer during peak hours so remember to get them early!

SLICED PORK – S$56/KG

GOLD COIN – S$50/KG

CHILLI – S$58/KG

SLICED CHICKEN – S$50/KG

Lim Chee Guan
203 New Bridge Road
Singapore 059429
Tel: +65 6933 7230
Daily: 9am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Chinatown

#9 NEW EASTERN KIM TEE DRIED AND MINCED PORK

Residents of Serangoon Gardens would probably have tried the bak kwa from New Eastern Kim Tee. Their method of preparing bak kwa remains unchanged since the 1970s when the business first took off and the secret to their popularity lies in using charcoal ovens and stoves to achieve that char-grilled exterior.

SLICED PORK – S$52-60/KG

GOLD COIN – S$56-60/KG

CHILLI – S$54-60/KG

New Eastern Kim Tee Dried And Minced Pork
22 Maju Avenue
Singapore 556695
Tel: +65 6283 2829 / 9138 6665
Mon to Fri: 11am – 7pm
Sat: 10am – 5.30pm
Nearest Station: Serangoon

Photo Credit: Lemon Film

#9 SANG HOCK GUAN

An unassuming bak kwa shop in Ang Mo Kio, Sang Hock Guan is a family-owned business that may not be as recognised as the other brands but has their own pool of loyal customers. In fact, their bak kwa is said to be comparable to the famous Lim Chee Guan! Well, you would have to make that judgment for yourself.

SLICED PORK – S$52/KG

CHILLI – S$54/KG

SLICED CHICKEN – S$54/KG

Sang Hock Guan
Block 163
#01-446 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 4
Singapore 560163
Tel: +65 6458 7374
Daily: 9.30am – 9.30pm
Nearest Station: Yio Chu Kang

Photo Credit: Siang Ge

#10 SIANG GE

Siang Ge takes pride in creating their own bak kwa recipes that will leave you satisfied till the very last bite. The company imports their meat all the way from Brazil and the kitchen is helmed by their head chef who has more than 20 years of experience in this industry.

SLICED PORK – S$42/KG

CHILLI – S$46/KG

SLICED CHICKEN – S$46/KG

GOLD COIN – S$46/KG

Siang Ge
275 Jalan Kayu
Singapore 799503
Tel: +65 6483 3368
Daily: 9am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Sengkang

#11 TUNG LOK

Many may not know, but TungLok flame-grill their own Pork Bak Kwa in very limited quantities. The sweet and savoury succulent meat has enough bite that comes with pleasant hints of smokiness. The all-time popular Classic Bak Kwa comes with an option of honey-glazed and spicy flavours (S$35+ per 500 grams).

SLICED PORK (HONEY GLAZED / SPICY) – S$70+/KG

TungLok Group
Multiple restaurants islandwide
Website: www.tunglok.com