Singapore's organic scene, largely dominated by small, neighbourhood grocery stores, has just got bigger with the entry of organic supermarkets and minimarts.
Naturally Marketplace; the island's first organic supermarket; opened at VivoCity last week with nearly 1,000 organic product lines, from milk to wines to cleaning aids. It is also the biggest organic kid on the block here.
Three months ago, the Four Seasons Market; an organic minimart; opened at Great World City.
And FairPrice, Singapore's largest supermarket chain, has dedicated shelves to organic food at its outlets, including Bukit Timah Plaza, Bishan Junction 8 and Tampines Mall since August.
With the arrival of these big players, the organic scene here mirrors trends elsewhere, like in Britain and the United States, where organic food has moved from small farmers' markets to large supermarket chains like Waitrose and Whole Foods Market. Wal-Mart recently announced its decision to double the amount of organic food in its stores.
Ms Trudy Fawcett, senior manager at Cold Storage, which owns the Marketplace brand, said the idea for an organic supermarket in Singapore was born last year.
'We have been shopping around the world and growing our range ever since,' she said.
Ms Fawcett, a marathon runner who loves her food, has sampled almost all the product lines in the store. She agrees that sustainably grown organic food can be expensive, but points out that at Naturally Marketplace, a family of four could shop for an organic meal for under $65.
The store also has a free-standing, Internet-enabled computer where customers can look up recipes, print them out at no charge, and use the list to shop for the ingredients.
A walk down the supermarket's aisles reveals Waitrose's organic range of Cook's Ingredients featuring Sicilian lemon juice and porcini mushrooms, the Wild Oats Organics range from the United States, cereals and breads from Australia and niche products from small farms.
'We also carry a range of gluten-free, lactose-free and wheat-free products for people with allergies,' Ms Fawcett said.
GETTING BIGGER
Organic food refers to crops raised without the use of conventional pesticides as well as artificial fertilisers. Included under this umbrella is food that has not been subjected to radiation or been genetically modified and animals reared without routine use of antibiotics and synthetic growth hormones.
Which, many believers say, spell healthier living for consumers and a kinder treatment of Mother Earth.
Many detractors, however, say organic food is meant only for those with deep pockets.
Ms Fawcett said her aim is to bring in organic brands that are not out-of-reach. So, it is possible at Naturally Marketplace to buy organic noodles costing $3 onwards and organic dry pastas from $6 onwards. Its range of organic ice creams are priced from $8 onwards and organic wines are available for between $24 and $35.
Non-organic noodles range from $0.95 to $2 and non-organic branded ice creams can cost $10 upwards. Non-organic wines retail for above $20.
Growth in this market looks ready to boom.
A report in the Life! section of The Straits Times (Oct 1) shows that organic outlets have mushroomed over the last few years. There are at least 40 organic stores, cafes and warehouses today, compared to only three some 15 years ago.
The organic food market here is estimated to be worth between $6 million and $10 million, according to organic food distributor Peter Lim, 63.
Elsewhere in Asia (not including Australia), the market is worth at least US$400 million (S$630 million) today, says Britain's Organic Monitor, an organisation that tracks global organic trends.
Ms Tuyet Nguyen, who 1 1/2 years ago started the island's first organic farmer's market at Dempsey Road; a weekly market of fresh organic produce; says eating organic is now more than just a fad in Singapore.
'Everything starts as a trend. But then, people begin to ask questions about why organic food is good for them and why it's healthy, and awareness grows,' she said.
Four Seasons Market at Great World City was started by a group of retirees, who shared a passion for organic food and fresh ingredients.
Its store manager Terence Fun said the market brings in a range of Japanese organic products and cleaning aids. The store also takes requests from customers for specific products.
'We try to source it and import for them,' Mr Fun said.
All said, the organic food players are hoping for a bigger pool of customers.Ms Fawcett said: 'We will bring in new and affordable organic brands so that more people can enjoy the benefits of organic food.'
Go organic without going broke
Mind Your Body surveys the shelves to bring you the price-sensible way to eat organic. The items, from Naturally Marketplace, include a salad, lasagne and ice cream for a meal for a family of four for under $65.
Salad
Earth Bound Organic Baby Green Salad 113g ($5.99)
Wild Oats Olive Oil and Balsamic Dressing 8oz ($6.20)
Note: When buying organic foods, look for labels that certify the foods as such. Reputable organic certification bodies include ACO (Australian Certified Organic), Soil Association and USDA Organic.
