PUBLISHED ONMay 20, 2026 7:43 AMBYEriko LimBread manufacturer Gardenia Foods retrenched 141 employees as it shuts down production at its Pandan Loop manufacturing facility and shifts bakery operations to Johor Bahru.
The move, announced on Wednesday (May 20), comes as it seeks "to enhance operational efficiency and maintain competitiveness amid an increasingly challenging global environment".
In a joint media release with the Food, Drinks and Allied Workers Union (FDAWU), Gardenia said production at its Pandan Loop facility will cease on June 30.
Employees were informed of the decision during an internal meeting on Wednesday morning. FDAWU representatives were present to address concerns from affected workers and explain the support measures available.
FDAWU and the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) said they were informed of the restructuring exercise ahead of the public announcement, allowing the union to work with the company on retrenchment terms and employment support.
Affected employees will receive assistance through NTUC's e2i (Employment and Employability Institute), including job matching, career coaching and skills-upgrading advisory services.
FDAWU said it has also reached out to its network of unionised companies to identify suitable vacancies for displaced workers.
In the coming weeks, the union plans to organise on-site support initiatives such as resume-writing workshops, interview preparation sessions and job interviews.
FDAWU General Secretary Sankaradass S Chami said, "retrenchment is never easy for workers and their families, but we appreciate that Gardenia engaged FDAWU early before the announcement".
Gardenia added that it "will also sponsor one year of union membership for existing union members, allowing them to continue accessing career and financial support during the transition".
Despite the production shift, Gardenia said Singapore will remain a key business hub.
Around 250 employees will continue working here after the transition, overseeing areas such as brand management, innovation, product development, regulatory compliance, stakeholder engagement and supply chain operations.
The company said its Singapore team will continue managing quality governance and compliance with standards set by the Singapore Food Agency and the Health Promotion Board.
Gardenia's retrenchment exercise comes amid a broader wave of business restructuring and job cuts in Singapore.
Recent cases include Asia Pacific Breweries Singapore and Yeo Hiap Seng, where some employees were laid off as part of broader restructuring and operational shifts to Malaysia and other parts of Asia.
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