Supporting hawkers with food industry know-how
Patrons benefit from the extensive food and beverage knowledge and operational experience that SEHC operators bring to managing hawker centres. The operators also support aspiring hawkers entering the industry through incubation programmes that provide business advice and mentorship. One example is Fei Siong Social Enterprise’s “Entrepreneurship” programme, which helps new hawkers build sustainable businesses.
Since April 2026, amid rising operating costs due to the Middle East crisis, operators have stepped up support for stallholders by facilitating bulk-buying arrangements to help manage costs and by organising more placemaking events to drive footfall.
These are some initiatives organised by Fei Siong Social Enterprise to engage patrons and drive visitorship at its centres. They are available on the centres’ social media pages. Follow them to stay updated on upcoming initiatives!
Events organised by operators to drive footfall in April 2026 to support stallholders amid rising operating costs – clockwise from top left: Zumba session at Anchorvale Village Hawker Centre and Punggol Coast Hawker Centre respectively, “Mini Cottage Craft” workshop at Bukit Panjang Hawker Centre, “Food Rescue” event at Senja Hawker Centre and “Art & Craft” event at Pasir Ris Central Hawker Centre.
Offering a good mix of food choices
Patrons benefit from carefully curated food offerings, as SEHC operators draw on their established networks to attract quality stallholders. Operators also work closely with stallholders to strengthen their businesses by:
- Organising food tastings to test new dishes
- Providing practical guidance on menu refinement and development
- Sharing industry insights and best practices
This approach benefits both stallholders and patrons. Stallholders receive support to improve and grow their businesses, while giving patrons a wider range of quality food choices and a better dining experience. SEHCs are also committed to offering food for breakfast, lunch and dinner, every day, with safeguards for stallholders.
Creating a more convenient dining experience
Dining at SEHCs is made more seamless through modern features such as digital ordering systems, online food delivery platforms, and digital payment methods. SEHC operators played an active role in helping stallholders adopt these innovations, keeping them competitive and updated as consumer preferences and the broader food industry continue to evolve.
Supporting hawkers and serving communities
Operators work closely with their communities to create vibrant dining spaces through localised programmes and activities attract visitors and meet residents’ needs.
Good stall curation and strong visitorship form the foundation of a vibrant hawker centre. When these elements work together effectively, stallholders can thrive and earn a fair livelihood. In turn, when stallholders find it viable to operate for longer hours, dining needs of patrons and the broader community are also better served.
What the numbers tell us
Overall, SEHCs are well-established within their communities and have delivered tangible benefits to both stallholders and patrons:
- High average stall occupancy: More than 90% in 2025
- High satisfaction with SEHCs: Based on surveys conducted by NEA between 2021 to 2024, more than 80% of surveyed stallholders and patrons were satisfied with various aspects of SEHC management including cleanliness and overall satisfaction, as detailed in the charts below. These results were largely comparable to those at NEA-managed centres.
