Since its launch in February 2024, Singapulah has been a gateway to the tastes and flavours of Singaporean cuisine. Singapulah’s unique platform makes use of its restaurant dining rooms to showcase Singaporean cuisine, and the innovative brands and products that help bring these flavours to life. Now, Singapulah will once again join Singaporean food manufacturers with UK-based food distributors and retailers, with the launch of a new menu and accompanying foodservice products.
Singapulah’s menu is crafted in collaboration with Singaporean food manufacturers to showcase a plethora of flavours and ingredients from the island state, including new signature dishes such as Hokkien Mee, Rojak and Bak Kut Teh.
These dishes are supported by a stellar cast of Made in Singapore products such as noodles from Kang Kang, fish and surimi products from BoBo, specialty dough fritters from You Tiao Man and soy sauces and flavoured oils from Tai Hua and Chee Seng Oil. Household brand Prima Taste’s complete sauce kits will also be introduced in both foodservice and retail at Singapulah.
Artisanal ice cream brand Creamier will provide Singapore-inspired vegan desserts such as Kaya Ice Cream Toast and Sea Salt Gula Melaka Affogato, while Coffee Hock will supply Asian drinks and coffee beans, roasted in the iconic Southeast Asian tradition – with sugar and margarine.
“I opened Singapulah in February of this year to promote Singaporean cuisine, culture, and design in the heart of London," said Ellen Chew, Founder and Director of the Chew on This Group. "Since then, Singapulah has facilitated sales and sampling of made-in-Singapore products to restaurants and distributors across the UK and Europe, including many ‘new-to-market’ products. There’s still more work to be done, but I believe that what sets Singapulah apart is its authenticity. I expect interest in Singaporean cuisine to continue growing in the coming months.”
Singapulah is supported by Enterprise Singapore, the Singapore government agency championing enterprise development, and the Singapore Brand Office, with promotional support from Singapore Tourism Board and Singapore Global Network.
Jack Daniel’s owner Brown-Forman Corporation has announced a series of measures including the restructuring the executive leadership team and an approximately 12 per cent reduction in its global workforce.
The company will also close its Louisville, US-based barrel-making operation, Brown-Forman Cooperage.
“In 2025, Brown-Forman celebrates 155 years of delivering Nothing Better in the Market. We have achieved this impressive milestone in part because of our relentless focus on evolving our strategy, our portfolio, and our organisation to grow and thrive,” said Lawson Whiting, president & chief executive officer.
“Today’s announcement will ensure we have the structure and teams in place to continue on this path, while also making investments that we believe will facilitate growth for generations to come.”
Brown-Forman has restructured its executive leadership team, consolidating and streamlining its commercial structure to leverage greater synergies and effectiveness in its markets.
Under the changes, Jeremy Shepherd has been named chief marketing officer. Shepherd previously led the company’s USA & Canada commercial division.
Michael Masick has been named president, Americas. Masick will continue commercial leadership for Mexico, South and Central America, and the Caribbean. In his expanded role, he will add USA & Canada to his remit.
Yiannis Pafilis has been named president, Europe, Africa, Asia Pacific. Pafilis currently leads teams across Europe. In this expanded role, he will add Africa, the Asia Pacific region, and global travel retail.
Chris Graven has joined the executive leadership team as chief strategy officer. Graven has held roles in Brown-Forman’s HR, finance, marketing, and commercial organisations in her 20 years with the company.
Brown-Forman said it has made the “difficult decision” to reduce its global workforce by approximately 12 per cent of its 5,400 employees worldwide. The company added that it is “deeply committed” to supporting departing employees with comprehensive transition agreements.
The closure of Brown-Forman Cooperage, set to take effect by 25 April, is expected to impact approximately 210 hourly and salaried employees, part of the overall 12 per cent workforce reduction. The company added that it will source barrels from an external supplier in future.
Collectively, these actions are projected to deliver approximately $70 to $80 million (£65m) in annualised cost savings, a portion of which is expected to be reinvested to accelerate growth. In addition, the company will receive more than $30 million in proceeds in connection with the sale of the cooperage assets. The company expects to incur approximately $60 to $70 million in aggregate charges for severance and related costs associated with the workforce reduction and cooperage closing.
“I want to express my sincere gratitude to our employees, particularly those impacted by these changes, for their dedication and contributions to Brown-Forman,” said Whiting. “We are committed to supporting them through this transition and are confident that these strategic initiatives will ensure the company endures for generations to come.”
Asda has announced a revamp of its leadership team as the beleaguered retailer refocusses on its mission to “satisfy the daily and weekly shopping needs of ordinary working people and their families who demand value”.
The retailer said Liz Evans will take up the position of chief commercial officer, non-food and retail, leading its large store operations on a permanent basis, alongside her continued leadership of the George clothing brand.
Asda has also created a new position on its executive team – chief supply chain officer – to oversee all its food and general merchandise operations. The position is yet to be filled.
To bolster the food team under Kris Comerford, chief commercial officer – food, Ade McKeon rejoins Asda as vice president – ambient, with beer wines and spirits, core grocery, impulse grocery, non-edible and healthcare teams reporting to him.
McKeon previously spent four years with Asda in commercial and brand leadership roles, before joining Accolade Wines as UK and Ireland general manager in 2017. He left Accolade in 2020.
Gemma Lightbody will also be rejoining Asda from Marks and Spencer as business unit director for impulse grocery reporting to McKeon.
Matt Shields will join from Aldi in due course as business unit director for core grocery and current Asda colleague Matt Wood will take on the role of SD commercial operations reporting directly to Comerford with immediate effect.
Commenting on the revamp, Allan Leighton, Asda's executive chairman, said: “Asda's mission is to deliver the value ordinary working people, and their families demand from us. To do this, we need to be and are rediscovering our 'Asda-ness'. I'm delighted to be announcing these leadership changes as we start this journey.”
Asda continues to face significant challenges, with sales declining by 5.8 per cent in the 12 weeks to December 29, 2024 - the steepest fall among the major multiples. This marked nearly a year of consistent sales decline for the supermarket, which has struggled to maintain momentum since early 2024.
As UK and European retailers gear up for 2025, the grocery sector is poised for transformation, driven by renewed focus on fundamental retail practices, new revenue opportunities, and the growing demand for health and sustainability initiatives., highlights a new report.
A new report from IGD outlines six key trends that are set to shape the future of the grocery sector across the UK and Europe.
1. Optimising Retail Fundamentals for Success
While new technologies capture attention, UK and European retailers are reinforcing core retail fundamentals like stock availability, pricing, and promotions. Innovations like shelf-edge cameras and AI-driven stock management are improving these essential areas, ensuring a seamless shopping experience.
2. Exploring New Revenue Streams
As operating costs rise, UK retailers are diversifying their revenue sources by leveraging e-commerce technology, data monetisation, and B2B services. Tesco’s launch of Transcend, enabling other grocers to use its fulfilment tools, exemplifies the growing interest in non-traditional retail income streams.
3. Evolving Store Formats for Greater Flexibility
Retailers are adopting adaptable store designs that cater to evolving consumer needs and seasonal trends. The rise of modular store formats that feature event spaces, like FairPrice Finest in Singapore, is gaining traction in Europe, offering dynamic, customer-focused shopping experiences.
4. Seamless Connected Commerce
UK and European retailers are enhancing the integration of physical and digital retail, focusing on omnichannel experiences, loyalty programmes, and smart checkout solutions. AI-powered tools, like Target’s Store Companion, are simplifying store operations while enhancing customer engagement.
5. Health and Wellness Products Lead the Charge
Driven by growing health-conscious consumer demand, retailers in the UK and Europe are introducing more functional foods and health-focused products. The rise of initiatives like Cycle.me demonstrates a shift towards combining wellness with convenience, offering consumers greater choice in healthy, sustainable products.
6. Accelerating Sustainability Commitments
Retailers are intensifying their sustainability efforts, with a focus on reducing food waste, plastic packaging, and energy usage. Germany’s EDEKA Dorfmann sustainability store sets a new benchmark for eco-conscious retail, inspiring UK and European retailers to meet ambitious sustainability goals through innovative practices.
Stewart Samuel, Director of Retail Futures at IGD, commented, “As we move towards 2025, retailers must build on the foundation of global trends while ensuring they stay agile to rapidly evolving consumer demands.
"Focusing on the basics – stock availability, pricing, and promotions – remains critical to success. But at the same time, leveraging new revenue streams, embracing technological innovation, and championing health and sustainability are no longer optional; they are essential to staying competitive.
“Retailers who can successfully integrate these areas will not only future-proof their businesses but also build stronger relationships with increasingly conscious and demanding consumers.”
E-commerce has become a central channel for wholesalers, with a significant portion of foodservice and retail operators now shopping exclusively online, shows a recent report.
According to Lumina Intelligence’s new UK Wholesale Online Report 2024, wholesalers should prioritise eB2B strategies that deliver seamless digital experiences and ensure product visibility.
Economic pressures continue to challenge spending growth in the sector. However, targeted offers, loyalty programmes, and operational efficiencies are being used to drive more frequent purchasing and boost customer retention.
The report showcases how wholesalers such as Hancocks and Parfetts have modernised their platforms to enhance user experiences, while initiatives like Mason Foodservice’s adoption of advanced logistics software have reduced costs and improved customer satisfaction.
Lumina Intelligence further emphasises the importance of digital engagement, noting that online order frequency is increasing.
Suppliers can take advantage of this trend by implementing clear and targeted promotions on digital platforms, including personalised ads and push notifications, to capture operator attention.
Branded searches dominate the retail segment, while foodservice operators face higher search failure rates, underscoring the need for suppliers to provide comprehensive product data and align their marketing with trending search terms, such as sustainability-focused keywords.
Retailers are also more likely than foodservice operators to make impulsive purchases, presenting opportunities for suppliers to maximise conversions through compelling promotional offers, digital banners, and strategic new product placements.
The report identifies several key opportunities for the future, including the expansion of digital loyalty initiatives, such as Sugro UK’s e-loyalty scheme collaboration with b2bStore, which rewards digital purchasing behaviours to drive customer traffic and sales.
Mobile commerce continues to see strong growth, making app optimisation and mobile-specific strategies critical for wholesalers and suppliers alike.
Additionally, there is increasing demand for sustainable products, including compostable packaging, presenting suppliers with opportunities to lead in the eco-conscious market.
Now available from Mevalco – the home of fine Spanish Foods – are this season’s freshly harvested pulses of the highest quality, sustainably sourced specially from a range of artisanal suppliers in Spain and selected for their exquisite flavour and texture.
A leading partner to Mevalco is Burcol - a family-owned business, which combines traditional methods with modern innovation in their production methods. Mevalco’s full range in Retail grocery includes Butter Beans, Caviar Lentils, Chickpeas, and the famously Spanish Verdina Beans.
According to Managing Director, David Menendez, pulses offer a great opportunity to retailers during winter months – not only do they offer good health benefits and nutritional value, but they also offer strong value for money to consumers whilst delivering them value add and depth to many dishes:
“These are the tiny ‘giants’ of nutrition, delivering terrific flavour and texture to winter dishes. For example, we see beautiful fish served with some beans, which is a very northern Spanish thing to do. For example, butter beans and cod are a match made in heaven, giving big flavours and essential nutrients and it looks highly impressive too”.