Singapore fast food leads F&B growth as broader sector sees uneven demand
Fast food outpaces restaurants as monthly sales slip across F&B.
Fast food chains in Singapore drove growth in March, even as overall F&B sales fell month-on-month, according to recent government data.
Sales of food & beverage services rose 2.3% year-on-year in March, supported by stronger performance across most segments, but declined 2.5% from February on a seasonally adjusted basis.
Fast food outlets recorded a 4.8% increase in turnover, outpacing restaurants and cafes, which grew at a slower pace of 1.7% and 1.1% respectively. Food caterers led overall growth with a 13.7% jump, whilst food courts and other eating places were the only segment to post a decline, down 1.5%.
On a month-on-month basis, fast food stood out as one of the few bright spots, with sales rising 3.8%, alongside modest increases in cafes and food courts. This contrasted with declines in restaurant and catering sales, which fell 5.9% and 2.5% respectively.
The data points to a more resilient performance from fast food operators, even as broader dining demand shows signs of softening.
Total F&B sales reached $1.26b (S$1.6b) in March, with online channels accounting for 20.6% of transactions, up slightly from the previous month.
