News

Xian Ji Porridge Closing & Looking to Sell Brand for $500K

2022-08-13 , 2:26 pm

After operating at Tiong Bahru for 33 years, popular porridge hawker stall Xian Ji Porridge located at 57 Eng Hoon Street recently announced that it will be closing down for good at the end of the month.

When speaking to Shin Min Daily News, owner Mrs Soon explained even though the stall only operates from 7 to 9.30am every day, there are still streams of returning customers who buy their Cantonese-style porridge, and that many customers have expressed their reluctance at seeing the store close down as well.

Only Sells Less than 100 Bowls Each Day, Ingredients are Freshly Bought Every Day

Mrs Soon also added that the stall only sells less than 100 bowls of porridge every day as the ingredients they use are freshly bought every morning.

This means that both she and her husband have to get up at around 3am every day before they head to a wet market at Chinatown to purchase fresh fish, minced meat and other ingredients before they travel back to Tiong Bahru to open their stall.

They also share a stall with Little Elephant Thai Bistro, a Thai restaurant located within the same premises.

Xian Ji Porridge Moving Out as Management Will be Renovating the Place

Mrs Soon also shared that the stall will be closing due to the management’s wish to renovate the premises, leaving the management of the store with no choice but to ask them to move out.

She also emphasised she and her husband have a good relationship with the stallholder of the Thai restaurant, and have even allowed them to operate within the premises for free over the past three to four years.

Unlikely to Continue Working, But Interested in Selling the Recipe

When asked about their plans after moving out, Mrs Soon shared that she has looked at other possible locations to relocate the stall too, but high rental costs and the couple’s old age have made it difficult for them to find a suitable stall for them to run a half-day business.

The couple then added that they hope to find someone willing to take over the stall for a price of $500,000, which will include the secret recipe used to cook the stall’s famous porridge.

They also highlighted that the price is negotiable, and that they are most concerned with not letting decades of their hard work go to waste.

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Other Hawker Stalls that Have Been Looking for People to Take Over

In recent months, there have been other hawker stalls that have openly offered their recipes and businesses for a hefty price tag, largely due to the lack of successors within the owners’ own families.

For example, recently, the owner of Lai Heng Mushroom Minced Meat Noodle announced that he will be selling the business for $500,000, including the secret recipes, signboard, cooking methods and branding.

And if you think that $500,000 is already a price tag that’s too steep, the owner of China Street Fritters at Maxwell Food Centre asked for $1 million from any interested parties in exchange for the stall’s recipe. Eventually, the owner continued the business but with shorter operating hours.