- Launch of community social space, Zhenghua Connects, to better engage residents through various activities such as gardening and reading
SINGAPORE, 10 June 2023 – Kopitiam, part of the FairPrice Group (FPG) today announced that since the soft opening of Senja Hawker Centre in late 2022, it has served more than 1 million meals within its sixth month of operations. Since then, the hawker centre has also enjoyed good footfall.
The socially-conscious enterprise hawker centre honours its purpose of ensuring sustainability within the hawker trade with the launch of community social space Zhenghua Connects. The official opening was graced by Guest-of-Honour, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Advisor to Holland-Bukit Timah GRC. Other guests include Advisers to Holland-Bukit Timah GRC Ms Sim Ann and Mr Edward Chia, and Adviser to Bukit Panjang SMC Mr Liang Eng Hwa.
Senja Hawker Centre’s footfall is set to increase with this new launch. Zhenghua Connects includes an event plaza, a community garden and a community library, all situated within Senja Hawker Centre. The event plaza had hosted more than 20 community events since December 2022. They include Digital Clinics for senior citizens by the Infocomm Media Development Authority and Food Rescue fairs. Residents can expect more of such activities which bring vibrancy to the community. FPG will work closely with grassroots organisations and the People’s Association to bring more of such activities to residents. Upcoming activities include fitness activities, community performances and weekend markets.
Vipul Chawla, Group CEO, FairPrice Group, said, “Hawker centres are an integral part of our lives in Singapore, providing fast, tasty, nutritious and affordable food to all. While FairPrice Group continues on our social mission to moderate the cost of living, we are also dedicated to bringing communities together in meaningful ways such as fostering co-creation of community activities at our hawker centres. With the launch of Zhenghua Connects at Senja Hawker Centre, we are creating community opportunities and experiences around food for residents and businesses.”
Nurturing urban farming at the Community Garden @ Level 3
In an effort to promote sustainable living practices in the community, Kopitiam is working with City Sprouts to launch the Senja Urban Farm Project – an edible community rooftop garden. To kickstart the project, Kopitiam is partnering with West Spring Secondary School to conduct a series of gardening courses for their students to hone their green thumbs. Residents can also look forward to signing up and participating in activities and classes to be held at the garden.
Information on upcoming activities can be found on Kopitiam’s Facebook page or gleaned from digital screens within Senja Hawker Centre.
Ground-up Community Library to foster reading
In addition to the mentioned features, Senja Hawker Centre also has a community library, initiated by Zhenghua Citizens’ Consultative Committee. The library is dedicated to promoting the joy of reading among residents and fostering sustainability by encouraging book donations and promoting a circular economy mindset.
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About FairPrice Group
FairPrice Group was established in 2019 through the formation of four entities comprising NTUC FairPrice, Kopitiam, NTUC Foodfare and NTUC Link, with the purpose of making life better for all and to fulfil a vision of being a leader in everything food. FairPrice Group looks to optimise the resources of all four social enterprises and leverage their respective strengths to put customers first, provide better value for all and to make everything about food easy.
With an extensive network of close to 570 touchpoints, FairPrice Group seeks to provide an integrated array of products and services, from groceries, ready-to-cook, and ready-to-eat offerings, to on-premise meals, food take-aways, and a rewards programme that delivers personalised and delightful experiences.
For more information on FairPrice Group, visit www.fairpricegroup.com.sg.
About Kopitiam
Since 1988, Kopitiam has established itself as the market leader in the local F&B industry with an impressive portfolio of 77 outlets island-wide, that includes the iconic Lau Pa Sat Festival Market. Each strategically located outlet offers convenience, a comfortable dining setting with a wide variety of affordable and delectable food choices to provide a holistic dining experience for our patrons. A pioneer in cashless dining, Kopitiam is constantly innovating with the implementation of technological initiatives and rewards programmes to increase productivity and promote social graciousness. With the formation of FairPrice Group, Kopitiam as a social enterprise was repositioned as the B2C brand managing coffee shops, food courts, hawker centre management and other retail food establishments.
About City Sprouts City Sprouts is a social enterprise that aims to inspire and rejuvenate urban communities through sprouting green spaces and programs. An awardee of SG Eco Fund 2021 and member of raiSE, City Sprouts redevelop and transform defunct spaces into an urban farming concept. Through its curated space activation and programs, City Sprouts hopes to educate and inspire the community to be more aware and engaged in social and environmental issues together.