Food court wars: Large restaurant chains losing ground to fierce F&B SMEs

Consumers are looking for unique meals.

Singaporean consumers are ditching large restaurant chains and turning instead to small restaurateurs, a report by DP Information Group revealed today.

The report showed that large food and beverage operators have been posting dwindling revenues for the past five years, while SMEs in the same sector have been consistently reporting revenue increases.

“Larger F&B companies now find themselves competing with the SMEs for the same market share. This may reflect the changing tastes of Singaporeans. Where once the large chains and franchises dominated the industry, a growing number of Singaporeans are choosing more boutique and independent options for accommodation as well as dining,” said Chen Yew Nah, Managing Director of DP Information Group.

“The Singapore consumer seems to be increasingly attracted to unique and individual experiences, rather than the consistency of services offered by chains and global brands,” she added.