OG has terminated its 7.5-year lease agreement with master tenant Hao Mart at Taste Orchard after less than two years of operations. The early termination forces all tenants to vacate the premises at 160 Orchard Road by 31 Dec 2025.
Hao Mart’s management delivered physical letters dated 12 Sep 2025 to sub-tenants informing them of the lease discontinuation. The letters instructed tenants to return “vacant possession” of their units in original condition by the year-end deadline.
Tenants Seek Legal Recourse
About 20 tenants met with a lawyer on 16 Sep 2025 to explore continuing their leases directly with landlord OG. The group plans to send a letter to OG requesting the possibility of maintaining their tenancy agreements.
William Yang, owner of Huicai Education, said the tenants are consolidating their total losses to present to Hao Mart. His tuition center occupies eight units on the fourth floor and began operations in Mar 2025 after spending over S$1 million (~US$780,000) on renovations.
Yang’s business broke even in Jul 2025 and serves about 200 students with 20 employees. The center represents his company’s largest outlet among four locations and functions as its headquarters.
Another tenant, who declined to be named, invested approximately S$390,000 on renovations, equipment and inventory. The business opened in the second half of 2024 and has not yet reached profitability.
Several tenants confirmed they still have at least two years remaining on their sub-lease agreements. Most businesses only commenced operations within the past year after significant upfront investments.
Mall Shows Signs of Exodus
BHC Chicken near the main entrance has moved out, with chairs and cardboard boxes stacked where diners previously sat. The fried chicken chain announced on Facebook its relocation to The Star Vista.
Hao Mart’s supermarket chain Eccellente, which occupied three levels, appears to be packing up operations. The second floor remains open but displays empty shelves with items placed in plastic bags.
Upper floor foot traffic has noticeably decreased, and several stores including Ikura Japanese restaurant have closed.
Background of Taste Orchard
Taste Orchard opened in Feb 2024 after OG’s department store at the same location closed in Oct 2022. Hao Corp, which operates Hao Mart’s supermarket chain, leased all five retail floors including the basement from OG.
The building houses food and beverage outlets on the first and second floors, while upper levels contain education centers, beauty clinics, an optometrist and specialty retailers.
Limited Communication Frustrates Tenants
Tenants said Hao Mart’s senior vice-president of operations, who signed the termination letter, directed them to send emails instead of taking calls. However, their electronic correspondence has gone unanswered.
The sudden closure of neighboring shops has already begun affecting foot traffic and sales for remaining businesses. Some tenants operate on pre-sold packages and memberships, creating additional complications for customer obligations.
OG responded that it is working with Hao Mart to ensure “smooth and orderly vacation of the premises”. The company declined to provide additional information to protect the integrity of the process and privacy of those involved.
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