BreadTalk Group Pte Ltd was founded as a bakery brand in Singapore and opened it first outlet at Bugis Junction in July 2000. It was listed on the Singapore Exchange in 2003. It has since expanded to more than 900 retail stores spread across 15 markets. Its brand portfolio consists of BreadTalk, Toast Box, Food Republic, Food Junction, Bread Society, Thye Moh Chan, The Icing Room, Sō Ramen, Butter Bean and Charlie Tea in Singapore. Din Tai Fung, Song Fa Bak Kut Teh and Wu Pao Chun are franchised brands.[2]
The Group has a network of owned bakery outlets in Singapore, PRC, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Thailand as well as franchised bakery outlets across Asia, Europe and the Middle East. It also owns and operates the Din Tai Fung restaurants in Singapore, Thailand and the United Kingdom, as well as the Food Republic food atria in Singapore, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Malaysia. In December 2018, the Group opened its first Din Tai Fung restaurant in London.[3][4]
On 20 February 2019, BreadTalk Group bought out its Thai joint venture partner's 50% stake, The Minor Food Group, for S$6.96 million.[5]
BreadTalk Group announced on 2 September 2019 that it planned to buy Food Junction, a food court operator similar to Food Republic (a BreadTalk brand), for $80 million.[6] The Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore allowed the acquisition on 15 October 2019 as the acquisition would not substantially reduce competition, and would also allow BreadTalk to better compete with other food operators.[7]
On 5 June 2020, the company was delisted from the Singapore Exchange.[8]
Company milestones
Milestones
Year
Event
2003
Established PRC headquarters and opened its first outlet in Shanghai[9]
BreadTalk Group inked a joint venture with Song Fa Bak Kut Teh to expand into new markets such as China and Thailand. Its first outlet opened in Shanghai
2018
BreadTalk Group enters a joint venture with Wu Pao Chun Bakery for expansion into four major cities in China.
2018
BreadTalk Group partners with Shenzhen Pindao to bring popular tea beverage brands Nayuki and Tai Gai to Singapore and Thailand.
2018
BreadTalk partners with Som Datt Group for expansion into India[10]
2018
Food Republic opens its first Direct Operated Restaurant ‘Sergeant Kitchen’ in Bangkok in March 2018.
2019
BreadTalk Group opens the first Wu Pao Chun store in South East Asia
2020
BreadTalk Group opens its first Butter Bean outlet at Funan mall[11]
BreadTalk Group operates the Toast Box concept, serving mainly coffee and kaya toast among other more modern snacks. These Toast Box outlets are typically attached to the main BreadTalk outlet or in a Food Republic food court. There have been stand-alone stores in recent years.
BreadTalk Group is the franchisee of TaiwaneseXiao Long Bao restaurant, Din Tai Fung. It opened its first restaurant in the upscale Paragon shopping mall and has opened other outlets in the island, including one in Bishan and another in the basement annex of Raffles City. Din Tai Fung has 8 branches in Thailand. It was announced that BreadTalk Group has also been awarded the franchise to operate Din Tai Fung in the United Kingdom. This was the result of successful partnerships and the positive reputation that BreadTalk Group has had in managing the franchise in Singapore and Thailand.
The Icing Room
The Icing Room is the first-ever "Design-It-Yourself" cakes and pastry shop.
Thye Moh Chan
This 70-year old Teochew bakery was acquired in 2013.
Wu Pao Chun
BreadTalk Group opened the first Wu Pao Chun store in South East Asia in May 2019.
Bread Society
Bread Society embraces traditional artisanal baking techniques using highly nutritious ingredients.
Sanpoutei
BreadTalk Group continued to partner with the Sanpou Group to expand its variety of ramen shops in Singapore. Since 2014, Sanpoutei, which specialises in Niigata-style shoyu ramen has been operating in Holland Village. Another outlet in Shaw Centre was subsequently added, in line with the successful product reception in Singapore.
Sō Ramen
Sō Ramen, originally known as Ramenplay, is a ramen restaurant. It also offers Koshihikari rice grown from Niigata.
Butter Bean
Butter Bean is a home-grown brand by BreadTalk Group operating as a hip café concept. It offers contemporary twists to traditional Singaporean dishes.[11]
Charlie Tea
Charlie Tea is a home-grown brand by BreadTalk Group specialising in a variety of tea beverages, including bubble tea, and baked goods.[12][18]
Controversies
On 25 March 2015, BreadTalk pulled buns commemorating Lee Kuan Yew off shelves after receiving flak from the public. Although the proceeds from sale of the buns were meant for charitable purposes, poor communication of intentions led to the misunderstanding.[19][20] BreadTalk apologised publicly[21] on its Facebook page.[22]
On 4 August 2015, BreadTalk stopped selling soya milk previously labelled "freshly prepared" as they confirmed (after being confronted with photographic evidence) that the product was repackaged Yeo's soya milk packet drink. Prior to investigations, the company had initially denied that they were misleading customers.[23][24] After the details had gone viral online, Breadtalk eventually apologised for its actions.[25] On 6 August 2015, the Consumers Association of Singapore warned Breadtalk they would pursue action if the practice continued.[26][27]
BreadTalk's China franchise was also accused of selling food with expired ingredients, although such a claim has yet to be proven.[28] Seemingly contaminated wheatmeal and butter two years past its expiry date were among discoveries claimed by an undercover reporter at Hangzhou Guangqi Trade Co, in the eastern city of Hangzhou.[29]
On 10 June 2019, the Public Utilities Board (PUB) disclosed that BreadTalk was fined S$16,300 for repeated offences of illegal waste discharge into sewers, making it among 38 companies fined for similar offences. Prior to this, BreadTalk was charged with a fine of S$19,000 for six other incidents of illegal waste discharge.[30]
