SINGAPORE — Perhaps it is a reflection of an increasingly discerning breed of consumers, but if there is one thing we love almost as much as eating well, it is shopping for premium produce and gourmet products.

This can be seen in the growing number of visitors to Marina Bay Sands’ (MBS) Epicurean Market. Last year’s event saw an increase in footfall from the previous year to about 15,000 visitors over three days, many expectedly lured by the opportunity to feast on signature dishes from MBS’ growing arsenal of celebrity chef restaurants. They are also getting in line for the event’s famously well-curated souk of seasonal produce, which leverages the relationships its top chefs have built with farmers’ markets across the globe.

There are plenty of choices for everyone, from Californian heirloom tomatoes and Pee Wee potatoes that Wolfgang Puck (of Spago and Cut) would approve, to Japanese musk melons brought in by Waku Ghin. At S$75 a melon, these are a steal given the prices we have been seeing at supermarkets proffering similar variants. The melons are harvested using a method called “Ichi Jyu-Ikka” where only one melon can be grown per vine. Each takes about a hundred days to ripen on the vine, and award-winning master musk melon grower Toshiaki Nishihara will not have it any other way.

“Response has been very positive year-on-year, and local foodies have really enjoyed the selection that we have to offer,” said an MBS spokesperson. “This has been the reason behind our decision to expand our offering to not only provide fresh vegetables and fruits, artisanal cheeses, seafood and premium meats.” This year, celebrity chef restaurant booths will also be offering house-made sauces, pastas, rubs to breads and charcuterie.

“Our charcuterie (located within the Farmers' Market section) is inspired by Gilles Verot, the finest charcutiere in Paris, and (chef-owner) Daniel Boulud, who comes from Lyon, the capital of charcuterie in France,” said a db Bistro & Oyster Bar spokesperson. These include a festive terrine of foie gras, black trumpet mushrooms, black truffle, bacon, pork and chicken liver and dry-cured saucisson (cured sausages). There is also pecan bread at the Mozza booth that is flown in from La Brea Bakery in Los Angeles, which Mozza co-owner Nancy Silverton also founded. But if you are looking to toast a rare find, Proof & Company, will be launching its retail arm EC Proof at the event with a wide selection of 250 craft spirits handpicked from the 600 in its catalogue.

“We have chosen Epicurean Market to launch EC Proof because we feel that we have the same target audience: People who care about quality food and drinks and like to cook at home using the best ingredients,” said Spencer Forhart, co-founder of Proof & Company. “We will be featuring a small selection of bar tools and pantry items and bringing in 50 titles of recipe books, history books, and distillation books for consumers who would like to learn how to make drinks at home.”

CULTIVATING BETTER CHOICES

This fervour for choice groceries, though, is not a new one. Whether your appetite is for organic products or you are simply led by a desire to recreate a gourmet meal at home, there is a growing number of niche grocers here. The last year has seen new entrants such as Secrets Fine Food opening in November (stocking the famed handchurned butter from Bordier, no less) while French grocer Quartier, which started in 2013 in Serangoon Gardens, opened a second outlet in Pasarbella in December. More have jumped in this year offering a healthy selection, too. “Grocery shopping should be fun, not a chore,” said Nick Barnett, chief marketing officer for Little Farms, a fresh food market that sprouted in February on River Valley Road. “We opened Little Farms to introduce and share high-quality fresh produce as well as independent brands in a fun and friendly environment, and at reasonable prices.”

He added that because most foods need to be imported into Singapore, it can be tough to bring in fresh high-quality fruits and vegetables while keeping prices low. “(But) due to our long-standing relationships with farmers and suppliers, and the fact that we work with partners to directly import products ourselves, we’re able to bring in great-tasting fresh produce at a high value for our customers.”

Barnett shared that Little Farms’ largest point of interest is its readily available fresh produce, and “because we fly them in multiple times per week, it arrives perfectly ripe on shelf — no waiting for them to get ripe after buying”.

He also noted that the market for affluent customers (both local and expat) in Singapore has grown. “We’ve initially done very well with Australian customers as we carry a large number of Australian products, although we’ve noticed a lot more locals lately, which has been great. That said, even affluent customers want to make sure that they’re receiving good value for their money.”

It helps that a large range of independent brands, such as Australia’s largest producer of fresh non-dairy milk Inside Out, are available here exclusively at Little Farms. “While not all of our products are organic, we do try to avoid (added) preservatives and hormones, and work only with brands who share our values of healthy, sustainable and ethical,” he affirmed.

These values are what similar quality pantry stockers such as three-month-old Mahota Commune share. This cafe and organic grocer at Kitchener Complex on French Road is committed to promoting a community of responsible farmers, led by a mission to source responsibly. Produce includes locally farmed variants as well as vegetables from its farm in China.

So how big a part does demand for locally produced organic products play in this growing market? “While the local food movement is rather rampant in Western cultures, here in Singapore, it seems that the demand for locally grown produce is growing at a much slower pace,” said Ruiyi Yap, marketing manager at six-year-old The Organic Grocer, which had recently relocated to a shophouse on Mohamed Sultan Road. The demand for organic produce has increased overall, she posited, but shared that there hasn’t been a noticeable trend of customers choosing locally grown organic produce over imported alternatives. And this is despite being “well aware and supportive of the availability of local farms”.

Although she feels this will change in time, Yap believes the current growth in the market for organic produce is a reflection of a heightened awareness over health concerns. “Locals have become more discerning over what they consume and how it affects their health, which has compelled them to turn to organic produce over their conventionally grown equivalents,” she affirmed, but added that this has not equated to an increase in demand for locally grown produce.

“Generally, in countries that have displayed a strong sense of local food advocacy, purchase decisions tend to exemplify growing concerns over environmental issues, food miles, and the support for local communities — factors that have yet to hold the same level of significance here in Singapore.”

Not surprisingly, it is our love of eating that drives a craving for better foods — a paradox of healthier choices that’s feeding a level of piggishness. “Chips, tidbits and confectionary sell exceptionally well in our store, too, mainly because health conscious people can’t resist snacking as well,” Yap quipped. We could not agree more.