Mr S Iswaran at the World Street Food Dialogue

SPEECH BY MR S ISWARAN

MINISTER, PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE, SECOND MINISTER, HOME AFFAIRS AND TRADE & INDUSTRY

AT THE WORLD STREET FOOD DIALOGUE MONDAY, 3 JUNE 2013, 10.30AM, F1 PIT BUILDING

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Distinguished guests and delegates,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Introduction

1.               It gives me great pleasure to join you at the inaugural World Street Food Congress in Singapore. Allow me to extend a warm welcome especially those who have come here from overseas. Some time back, Seetoh talked to me about this idea of organising a World Street Food Congress and I could sense the passion he epitomises for the food culture in Singapore. I would therefore like to congratulate Seetoh and his Makansutra team for making the World Street Food Congress a reality.  

Government’s Role in Promoting Street Food in Singapore

2.               The food culture in Singapore is something that evokes a passionate response from everyone. Ask any Singaporean and many will have his or her list of favourite food or food vendors.

3.               Street food derives from a culture of privation, where there was not much available. The Singapore food culture has its origins in that because we have people from different parts of the world coming here to create a new life for themselves and street food was one of the ways of doing that.

4.               Today, what we find in Singapore is that the street food culture is a very pity summary of our cultural heritage and the historical heritage of Singapore.

5.               So how is the Singapore Government involved in this? On one hand, we are concerned over sanitation issues. However, on the other, we have tried to preserve the grittiness and the authenticity of street food culture in Singapore. 

6.               This is best exemplified in our hawker centres which are all over the island.  They give expression to the activity of the vendors and also give a sense of Singaporeans’ dining habit. Undoubtedly, it is integral that one makes a stop at a hawker centre sometime in the course of the day, if not in the week.

Challenges Ahead

7.               Let me now touch on the challenges going forward.

8.               There is a generation transition in the street food culture in Singapore. We have an older generation of vendors, many of whom have made a strong name for themselves and for their products, as well as have a strong following. Our challenge lies in that how do we nurture a new and younger generation of entrepreneurs. Allow me to share some interesting case studies.  

·         The No Signboard Seafood Restaurant started out in the 1970s at the Mattar Road Hawker Centre - without a signboard, as its name suggested.  Over the years, this family-owned chain has managed to expand its business and now, it has several outlets in Singapore and one in Hong Kong. 

·         Another example is Wee Nam Kee Chicken Rice, a family-owned business which has expanded its operations to Manila through franchising.

9.               To nurture a younger generation of hawker entrepreneurs, the Government has been taking steps where we see ourselves an enabling and facilitating element in this enterprise.

10.           First, the infrastructure. We are building more hawker centres in Singapore. The Ministry of Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) has earlier announced its plans to build 10 new hawker centres over the next five years, with five to be completed between 2015 and 2016

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. These hawker centres will serve as an excellent physical platform for aspiring entrepreneurs to start their businesses.

11.           The second aspect would be in the area of training. We recognise that many have the idea and the passion but lack training.  Our Workforce Development Authority (WDA) is working very hard on the culinary and service skills that are essential for these entrepreneurs who are keen to enter the industry.

12.           The third area is that we have interesting collaborations taking place with our Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs). The Singapore Polytechnic’s Food Innovation & Resource Centre (FIRC) is a good example. It is a place designed to allow young food entrepreneurs to try out new ideas and also work with our IHLs on technology and application such as how to enhance their productivity or to look at other ways of creating new products and taste.

13.           Beyond Government initiatives, I am heartened to learn that efforts to preserve our street food are already taking place at the community level.  One example is “Youth Hawkerprise”, a web resource portal started by four NTU undergraduates who are passionate about Singapore’s hawker centre culture.  It is an endeavour to encourage their peers who are passionate about the culinary arts to start their own businesses as young hawkerpreneurs.  It is an important step that also signifies a younger generation embracing the business value proposition offered by street food and hawkers.

14.           Finally, events like the World Street Food Dialogue is a great opportunity for experienced street food vendors as well as our young and aspiring entrepreneurs in this space to interact with one another and exchange pointers. Ultimately, the people and the passion they have for the food that they create is what it is about.

Conclusion

15.           Once again, allow me to congratulate the team again for a great job done and I wish all delegates a productive day ahead.  Thank you.

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In MEWR’s Committee of Supply 2013 Speech by Minister Vivian Balakrishnan