From curry puffs to medicated oil: Singapore heritage brands look to China at Shanghai expo

Résumé détaillé

Singapore heritage brands eye China growth at Shanghai expo after strong interest at CIIE. Read more at straitstimes.com.

SHANGHAI – For more than 15 hours a day over four days, Ray Ng and a five-member team from Heritage Tanglin Puff kneaded dough, peeled and cut potatoes, and hand-crimped thousands of puffs, among them the Singapore brand’s signature curry puff.

The work began on Oct 30, ahead of the company’s debut at the annual China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai, which ran from Nov 5 to 10. Besides introducing its products to Chinese consumers and potential business partners, it was also there to gauge feedback on taste and pricing.

The food business had tried to showcase its products in China before, but faced difficulties with permit applications and shipping supplies from Singapore. This time, it cleared those hurdles.

By Nov 9, a day before the expo closed, Heritage Tanglin Puff sold out all 4,000 puffs.

Growing up, Ng watched his father sell curry puffs from the back of a tricycle before the business moved into a hawker stall at Old Airport Road.

Driven by his father’s ambition to expand the business, which was founded in 1952, Ng has since grown it to 12 outlets across Singapore and automated about half of its production.

“I’m just trying my best to fulfil (my father’s) wishes to expand the business. He just wanted to be proud of it after working on it for so many years,” he said.

Now, the 54-year-old is setting his sights on China. His was one of 54 Singapore businesses at 2026’s expo, taking part with support from the Singapore Business Federation (SBF).

Ng said he was surprised by how much interest Chinese visitors showed. Many asked whether the brand had a restaurant in China or sold its puffs online, and several chefs who tried them praised the taste.

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