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

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.”