YCP Director Yukako Matsuka was recently featured in The Straits Times, where she shared her perspective on Singapore’s niche grocery retail market.
The article explores how specialty grocers in Singapore are carving out space through regional and hard-to-find products, from smoked mackerel and biltong to European pantry staples and other imported goods. These stores serve expatriates looking for familiar tastes from home, while also attracting local consumers interested in more distinctive food options.
Within this context, Yukako points to the resilience of Singapore’s grocery retail demand. Citing recent retail and F&B data, she notes that supermarkets and hypermarkets recorded 5.8% year-on-year growth in April, compared with 0.4% growth for F&B services.
At the same time, Yukako emphasizes that resilient demand does not guarantee success. For niche grocers operating in a competitive market, having a clear point of difference remains critical to attracting and retaining customers.
The broader article also looks at the practical challenges facing specialty grocers, including sourcing constraints, pricing pressure, and the need to balance niche appeal with sustainable demand. It highlights how product curation, customer loyalty, and market positioning can shape whether smaller grocers remain viable in Singapore’s evolving retail landscape.
In this article, Yukako covers several key topics:
Why Singapore’s grocery retail demand remains resilient
How supermarkets and hypermarkets outpaced F&B services in April, with 5.8% year-on-year growth versus 0.4%
Why niche grocers need a clear point of difference to succeed
Read the full article here.
About Our Expert
Yukako Matsuka is a Director at YCP Interactive Solutions Division, based in Singapore. She has nearly 20 years of experience across market research, finance, and consulting, including over 16 years working across Southeast Asia with Japanese, Singaporean, multinational, and local enterprises. She brings strong regional experience in market strategy, business development, and stakeholder engagement across private and public sectors.
