Rental costs: Hawker centres, kopitiams

Hiring Singaporeans and Permanent Residents

Too much greed with rent in kopitiams?

How SGQR payment code helps hawkers

From corporate job to hawker

Lina Noodles' overseas expansion plans?

Advice for young aspiring hawkers

Two young hawkers chat about the profession in this era of high inflation - how to maintain profitability while still serving that affordable meal. 

Synopsis: Every second Monday of the month, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests.

The cost of living has gotten more expensive in the last two years. Inflation measured by a basket of consumer goods was 4.8 per cent higher in 2023 than 2022, more than in 2021 when the price increase was at 2.3 per cent. 

For young hawkers who also have their families to care for, maintaining a profit margin while resisting raising prices, can be challenging. 

Cost differences between running a stall in private coffee shops vis a vis hawker centres managed by NEA, could make a stark difference in profitability, according to two hawkers. 

In this episode,ST podcast assistant editor Lynda Hong speaks with Jeevan Ananthan, 32, who sells Li Na noodles - bak chor mee - in three stalls in coffee shops with a central kitchen. 

Also in the studio is Cornelius Tan, 38, vice-chairman of the Chinatown Complex Hawker association. He is also a second-generation hawker of Chai Wee Cuttlefish stall in a hawker centre managed by the NEA.  

They also talk about how the government subsidy waives the 0.5 per cent transaction fee that stallholders will have to pay for each digital transaction – those made via QR code payments under the Singapore Quick Response Code (SGQR) platform.

The new subsidy window, under the Hawkers Go Digital initiative to spur more merchants to digitalise, continues until Dec 31, 2024 – the second time it has been extended. It was initially extended to the end of 2023 to support stallholders during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Highlights (click/tap above):

7:34 “Let hawkers increase prices without guilt”? How rentals in hawker centres managed by NEA are charged differently from private coffee shops and food courts

13:20 Juggling manpower costs: Hiring Singaporeans and Permanent Residents (PRs)

15:19 Is there "greed" when it comes to rent in private coffee shops and food courts? 

16:13 Why the SGQR unified payment code method has helped many hawkers survive lately

17:30 Jeevan's and Cornelius' journey from the corporate world to the hawker profession; did their university degrees help in current hawker profession?

24:32 Overseas ventures: How will the Lina Noodles empire strike out next?

26:01 Advice for young and aspiring hawkers or “hawkerpreneurs”

Produced by: Lynda Hong (lyndahong@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis and Hadyu Rahim

Edited by: Hadyu Rahim

Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and rate us:

Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt

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Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

Read ST's Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH

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Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

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Special edition series:

True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

---

Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!

#inyouropinion

Two young hawkers chat about the profession in this era of high inflation - how to maintain profitability while still serving that affordable meal. 
Synopsis: Every second Monday of the month, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests.
The cost of living has gotten more expensive in the last two years. Inflation measured by a basket of consumer goods was 4.8 per cent higher in 2023 than 2022, more than in 2021 when the price increase was at 2.3 per cent. For young hawkers who also have their families to care for, maintaining a profit margin while resisting raising prices, can be challenging. 
Cost differences between running a stall in private coffee shops vis a vis hawker centres managed by NEA, could make a stark difference in profitability, according to two hawkers. In this episode,ST podcast assistant editor Lynda Hong speaks with Jeevan Ananthan, 32, who sells Li Na noodles - bak chor mee - in three stalls in coffee shops with a central kitchen. Also in the studio is Cornelius Tan, 38, vice-chairman of the Chinatown Complex Hawker association. He is also a second-generation hawker of Chai Wee Cuttlefish stall in a hawker centre managed by the NEA.  
They also talk about how the government subsidy waives the 0.5 per cent transaction fee that stallholders will have to pay for each digital transaction – those made via QR code payments under the Singapore Quick Response Code (SGQR) platform.
The new subsidy window, under the Hawkers Go Digital initiative to spur more merchants to digitalise, continues until Dec 31, 2024 – the second time it has been extended. It was initially extended to the end of 2023 to support stallholders during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Highlights (click/tap above):
7:34 “Let hawkers increase prices without guilt”? How rentals in hawker centres managed by NEA are charged differently from private coffee shops and food courts
13:20 Juggling manpower costs: Hiring Singaporeans and Permanent Residents (PRs)
15:19 Is there "greed" when it comes to rent in private coffee shops and food courts? 
16:13 Why the SGQR unified payment code method has helped many hawkers survive lately
17:30 Jeevan's and Cornelius' journey from the corporate world to the hawker profession; did their university degrees help in current hawker profession?
24:32 Overseas ventures: How will the Lina Noodles empire strike out next? 26:01 Advice for young and aspiring hawkers or “hawkerpreneurs”
Produced by: Lynda Hong (<a href="mailto:lyndahong@sph.com.sg">lyndahong@sph.com.sg</a>), Ernest Luis and Hadyu Rahim
Edited by: Hadyu Rahim
Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and rate us:
Channel: <a href="https://str.sg/w7Qt">https://str.sg/w7Qt</a>
Apple Podcasts: <a href="https://str.sg/wukb">https://str.sg/wukb</a>
Spotify: <a href="https://str.sg/w7sV">https://str.sg/w7sV</a>
SPH Awedio app: <a href="https://www.awedio.sg/">https://www.awedio.sg/</a>
Website: <a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts">http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
Feedback to: <a href="mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg">podcast@sph.com.sg</a>
Read ST's Opinion section: <a href="https://str.sg/w7sH">https://str.sg/w7sH</a>
---
Discover more ST podcast channels:
COE Watch:<a href="https://str.sg/iTtE"> https://str.sg/iTtE</a>
In Your Opinion: <a href="https://str.sg/w7Qt">https://str.sg/w7Qt</a>
Asian Insider: <a href="https://str.sg/JWa7">https://str.sg/JWa7</a>
Health Check: <a href="https://str.sg/JWaN">https://str.sg/JWaN</a>
Green Pulse: <a href="https://str.sg/JWaf">https://str.sg/JWaf</a>
Your Money &amp; Career: <a href="https://str.sg/wB2m">https://str.sg/wB2m</a>
ST Sports Talk: <a href="https://str.sg/JWRE">https://str.sg/JWRE</a>
#PopVultures: <a href="https://str.sg/JWad">https://str.sg/JWad</a>
Music Lab: <a href="https://str.sg/w9TX">https://str.sg/w9TX</a>
Discover ST Podcasts: <a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts">http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
---
Special edition series:
True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/i44T">https://str.sg/i44T</a>
The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/wuZ2">https://str.sg/wuZ2</a>
Invisible Asia (9 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/wuZn">https://str.sg/wuZn</a>
Stop Scams (10 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/wuZB">https://str.sg/wuZB</a>
Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/wuJa">https://str.sg/wuJa</a>
---
Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!
#inyouropinion

Synopsis: Every second Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests.

Podcaster: Lynda Hong and ST journalists

Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim

Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong

A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.

Synopsis: Every second Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests.
Podcaster: Lynda Hong and ST journalists
Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim
Executive producers: Ernest Luis &amp; Lynda Hong
A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.

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