Gardenia shifts production to Malaysia, 141 jobs affected at Singapore facility

Singapore bakery staple QAF Limited is relocating its Gardenia production footprint across the Causeway, with its wholly owned subsidiary confirming that manufacturing will be consolidated in Malaysia and 141 employees at its Pandan Loop facility will be retrenched.

In a statement, Gardenia Foods (S) Pte Ltd said it is shifting its bakery production from Singapore to Johor Bahru, Malaysia as part of efforts to enhance operational efficiency and stay competitive amid an increasingly challenging global environment.

Production at the Pandan Loop manufacturing facility will cease on 30 June 2026.

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In conversation with MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, a Gardenia spokesperson said the brand “remains a Singapore brand” and continues to be deeply rooted in the country, noting its origins at Bukit Timah Plaza in 1978. The spokesperson added that Singapore remains a key market and strategic hub, while the group’s headquarters, QAF Limited, is based in Singapore.

“The move does not change our commitment to Singapore. In fact, it further strengthens our ability to continue serving Singapore consumers over the long term,” the spokesperson said.

On product quality, Gardenia said all manufacturing facilities adhere to stringent food safety, quality assurance and regulatory standards in line with requirements from the Singapore Food Agency and Health Promotion Board. It added that these standards are applied consistently across locations to ensure the same taste, texture and product consistency for consumers.

“There are no intended changes to product specifications. Gardenia is committed to maintaining the same taste, texture and quality that consumers in Singapore are familiar with,” the spokesperson said, adding that any potential variations are tightly managed through rigorous quality checks before products reach shelves.

The company also confirmed there are no immediate changes to pricing as a result of the transition, saying it remains focused on delivering value while maintaining quality standards.

On the rationale for the shift, Gardenia said the move is part of efforts to improve operational efficiency, address labour constraints, and respond to the need for industrial space for large-scale production. It added that leveraging regional capabilities, including its Johor facilities, will help enhance capacity utilisation and strengthen supply chain resilience.

“We can operate more efficiently at scale, enhance capacity utilisation, and build a more resilient and flexible supply chain to support long-term growth,” the spokesperson said.

The company acknowledged potential concerns around the transition, saying it is committed to transparent communication with stakeholders and will continue engaging retailers and consumers throughout the process.

“We understand that changes of this nature may raise concerns. That is why we are committed to transparent communication and maintaining the quality and reliability that consumers trust,” the spokesperson said.

The Food, Drinks and Allied Workers Union (FDAWU), an affiliate of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), was informed in advance and has been working with the company to support affected workers. This includes assistance on retrenchment terms, training, and job placement support, as well as tapping its partner network to identify suitable vacancies.

FDAWU said it will connect affected employees to the Labour Movement’s network, including NTUC’s e2i (Employment and Employability Institute), which provides job matching, career coaching and skills upgrading advisory services. In the coming weeks, the union will also organise on-site job fairs and training sessions, alongside resume writing and interview preparation support.

Despite the operational shift, Singapore will remain Gardenia’s central hub for key functions, including brand management, innovation, product development, quality and regulatory oversight, customer engagement, and daily distribution and supply chain operations. The local team will continue to ensure compliance with Singapore Food Agency and Health Promotion Board requirements.

The update follows comments made at QAF Limited’s annual general meeting on 24 April 2026, where the company indicated it was already consolidating bakery production capabilities from Singapore to Malaysia. With the latest confirmation, the move is now officially on record, marking a significant restructuring of one of Singapore’s most recognisable bread brands.

Gardenia, founded in 1978 at Bukit Timah Plaza, has grown into a household name with more than 60 varieties of bread, buns, rolls and wraps. Following QAF’s acquisition in 1985, the group has expanded across the region, with bakery operations in markets including Malaysia, the Philippines and Australia.

The move comes amid a broader pattern of regional restructuring among multinational and Singapore-based firms reassessing their Southeast Asia footprints. Most recently, fashion retailer H&M unveiled it is reportedly restructuring its Asia Pacific operations, with its Southeast Asia regional headquarters set to move from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur.

According to reports, 78 roles will be removed from a regional headcount of 256 under the former East Asia region, with most redundancies expected to affect employees based in Singapore. The restructuring will also see about 30% of its regional support workforce cut, according to Malay Mail.

Meanwhile, in March this year, beverage company Yeo Hiap Seng (Yeo's) said it was laying off 25 employees at its Senoko facility as part of a consolidation of its can manufacturing operations in Malaysia.

The company said production will be shifted to its Johor and Selangor facilities to “optimise capacity utilisation and strengthen overall manufacturing efficiency”. The Senoko site will continue to operate as headquarters, a cross-border logistics hub and a smaller-scale manufacturing site.

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