‘For more affluent consumers’: Coles-brand groceries to hit shelves in Singapore

[The_King]

Over 100 Coles-label products will be available on the shelves of Singapore’s biggest supermarket chain following a multimillion-dollar deal brokered by the federal government’s trade agency to boost food exports.

Under the newly inked ‘alliance agreement’, Singaporean shoppers will be able to find 140 products in a dedicated ‘Coles’ section at any of NTUC FairPrice’s 100 stores across the Asian country from today.

Coles-owned products will be available to Singaporean shoppers from Thursday.Credit:Jacky Ghossein

The products include Coles’ Ultimate Biscuits, Urban Coffee, its Soup range, and a selection of its Wellness Road products. Wellness Road is a healthy food range owned by Coles.

NTUC FairPrice is the dominant supermarket in Singapore, with 60 per cent of market share. By contrast, Coles holds 28 per cent of Australia’s market share, behind Woolworths at 37 per cent.

 

NTUC FairPrice Deputy CEO Ah Yiam Tng, who flew to Melbourne last week to sign the alliance agreement, said Australian products were popular among Singaporeans due to their reputation for being clean and high-quality.

“One thing about Singaporean consumers is they look at the country of origin, where it’s from, where it’s being produced and so forth,” Mr Tng told the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.

NTUC FairPrice has its own collection of ‘own-brand’ products (some of which are produced by Australian farmers, such as its cheese, butter, breakfast cereal and infant formula).

“Our own brand is actually here to cater to the masses. Coles’ products will be here to compliment our assortment for more affluent consumers,” he said.

“Consumers in Singapore always perceive Australian products [to be] of better quality.”

 

Mr Tng’s favourite Coles product is the ginger cookies. “I finished one pack in one go with a cup of coffee.”

 

While the exact terms of the deal cannot be disclosed, sources say the first shipment of products comes to nearly $1 million. NTUC FairPrice intends to make monthly orders that will include fresh produce, meat and new products in future shipments.

NTUC FairPrice has held long-standing relationships with a number of Australian producers and already stocks Carman’s muesli bars, Red Rock Deli chips, and Weis ice cream.

Coles has been exporting Australian food to more than 30 countries around the world for more than two decades, with a focus on Asia. The export deal with NTUC FairPrice represents the first time it has exported to Singapore. About 30 per cent of the chain’s sales in Australia come from private label products.

 

“We are delighted to launch a number of these products for sale at FairPrice in Singapore to showcase their amazing quality and to continue to drive growth in our Own Brand business globally,” said a Coles spokesperson.

The deal was brokered by Austrade, the federal government’s trade and investment promotion agency, in efforts to help businesses find new export markets outside of China as part of the Agri-Business Expansion Initiative.

Singapore is Australia’s seventh-largest export market, according to figures from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. In the last financial year, Australian exports to Singapore grew more than 13 per cent despite supply chain hiccups.

“Many of Australia’s agricultural, aquaculture and food and beverage products adorn the shelves of Singapore supermarkets, take pride of place in home pantries, and are featured on the menus of high-end restaurants and street hawkers alike,” said an Austrade spokesperson.

“Austrade was proud to assist the Coles-FairPrice deal.”

[chamfer]

Price sure more expensive than aussie's price.

 

I like to go woolworths to get cheap food when nearing closing time.

[aaur4man]

bring in, markup, GST, can buy still?

 

maybe Giant, Shengshiong, Prime better

[socrates469bc]

11 hours ago, chamfer said:

Price sure more expensive than aussie's price.

 

I like to go woolworths to get cheap food when nearing closing time.

 

coles' house brands confirm better qc and formulation than ntuc's house brands.

 

but limpeh think coles will most likely take the chance to dump the very cheap dark chocolate at a premium in pappyland.

 

nb, how can premium dark chocolate be only aud2.5 for 200g pack?????