Amid shortage of canteen stallholders, schools turn to catering and vending machines

SINGAPORE: Mr Zulkhairee Udik wakes up at dawn every day to help his wife set up their canteen stall at Bendemeer Secondary School.

The 54-year-old then leaves for a full-time job to help with the expenses for their daughter's education.

The couple used to run two halal stalls, but rising costs and dwindling profits forced them to give one up about three months ago.

“When the (goods and services tax) went up from 8 to 9 per cent, my rice supplier didn't want to supply me anymore,” he said.

Canteen stallholders cannot increase prices without consent from the school. Mr Zulkhairee said that an increase of 20cents to 30cents would have been enough for the couple to sustain their second stall.

Over at Methodist Girls' School, stallholder Khoo Lian Geok is also feeling the pinch.

She uses wholegrain noodles for her laksa in efforts to provide food that meets the nutritional needs of students, and in line with guidelines from the Health Promotion Board (HPB).

However, the healthier option is nearly twice as expensive as regular noodles.

For whole grain noodles, 3kg used to cost S$5 (US$3.9). But now, that same amount can cost S$9 or more, she said, adding: “Regular noodles are about S$4 cheaper”.

Price inflation is eating away at the earnings of canteen stallholders.

Many vendors told CNA they are struggling with the costs and only earn between S$1,500 and S$2,000 (US$1,200 and US$1,500) a month.

This is despite nominal rental rates that range from S$5 to S$15 per month.

School closures during holidays, limited operating hours, and home-based learning have also made it tough for them to maintain a steady income.

These limitations could be among the reasons why some have exited schools and not many are keen to take up the job.

A search on the Ministry of Education's (MOE) website shows that 35 schools are looking for stallholders.

Some, including Henry Park Primary School, Hong Wen School and North Spring Primary School, need multiple operators.

“According to my son, there are two empty stalls in his school's canteen,” said Mr Tan Boon Leng, a parent from Teck Ghee Primary School.

“I hope the authorities can do more to help those who want to go into the schools to sell food… so that there's no pressure on them to keep prices low and they can sell healthy and nutritious food for the children.”

Among the listings, 20 are also looking for halal food stalls.

Some parents are concerned that the limited options could mean their children eating less, or munching on more snacks.

“Maybe (at) a parent-teacher session, I will bring up to the teacher for the school to create more varieties in their canteens so that students of different races will be able to enjoy each other's foods,” said Sesy Liana, another parent.

ENGAGING CATERING SERVICES

To cope with the lack of canteen stalls, some schools have turned to alternative solutions, such as catering and using a pre-ordered meal service.

So far, at least three schools have made the switch.

At Spectra Secondary School, food services firm Select Group brings in healthy set meals from a central kitchen to the canteen.

Students are able to choose from several different set meals each day. For example, a set consisting brown rice topped with low-sodium Japanese curry, a low-sugar drink and a slice of watermelon costs S$3.50.

There is also a snack bar that offers sandwiches and fruit cups.

General manager Dennis Ng said a chef plans a monthly menu cycle to ensure students get a variety of dishes.

“We are most concerned (with) menu fatigue. We review the menu and make sure that the option is fresh and enticing for the students. We do not allow the same menu item to appear for a period,” he said.

The company also engages a nutritionist to ensure the meals meet HPB’s requirements. For instance, it does not serve deep fried dishes at schools, and chooses healthier options where possible, such as replacing regular pasta with whole grain pasta.

As part of government's efforts to encourage healthy eating, canteen vendors have to cut down fat, sugar and sodium, and serve wholegrain, fruits and vegetables in meals.

WHY THE SWITCH TO CATERING?

Spectra Secondary School underwent a full renovation of their canteen to transition to the catering model last year.

Its vice principal Guo Xinhui said that before the switch, stallholders had difficulty sustaining their business, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The school also observed that nearly half of the financial assistance meal allowance went to drinks at the snacks stall. This suggests pupils were not eating main meals, but consuming beverages and tidbits. 

“A proportion of (our students) don't really eat fresh fruits and vegetables on a regular basis. We felt that it was time to look at other ways of providing meals,” she added.

After consulting its board members and parent support group, the school decided on catering.

“Previously, with individual stallholders… there was a need to align across different stalls, setting standards, reminding them about the HPB guidelines,” Ms Guo said.

“With a single operator… it's a little bit more coordinated. The school is also able to take a more holistic and a longer-term view in terms of promoting health and nutrition to our students.”

The school also offers an online ordering platform which allows tracking of the students’ spending patterns and eating habits. The vice principal said that over time, the data could help identify those not eating regularly.

The Select Group said it has received five new inquiries this year to cater to school meals, including a mix of primary, secondary, and tertiary institutions.

VENDING MACHINES

Some schools have embarked on another solution that requires less manpower – installing more vending machines.

One Halal Nation, a firm that provides vending machines specialising in halal food, said demand is heating up.

Its dispensers can serve ready-to-eat hot meals in minutes.

The company said enquiries are streaming in not only from schools, but also from anxious parents who are worried about the lack of halal food options, and food availability for students who stay late for co-curricular activities.

It is looking to set up in about half a dozen schools next year.

However, the firm’s managing director Amanda A Atan said there must be enough demand to offset the costs of purchasing the dispensers from overseas manufacturers.

“If I have more than three or five schools, I can bring in maybe 30 to 50 machines. Then, (it will make sense) in terms of economic costs, and I can create a logistics team to send the food accordingly,” she said.

Each unit can cost between S$18,000 and S$50,000. They can be customised for children, such as a lower collection slot, and smaller portion sizes.

The firm said meals for students can be kept to around S$2 to S$5.

It is currently looking to work with suppliers who can provide healthier meal options.

MOE ON CANTEEN VACANCIES

MOE said that most schools have an adequate number of canteen stalls, but acknowledged that there may be challenges from time to time.

The ministry added that it regularly reviews pricing guidelines and schools can adjust food prices based on the cost of ingredients.

Stallholders can approach their schools with proposals, and the schools will evaluate such requests in line with the guidelines.

Pricing guidelines are put in place to keep school canteen food affordable for students, while providing stallholders with adequate income to sustain their business, according to MOE.

Only Singaporeans or permanent residents can sign up to be stallholders.

The ministry added that if schools are unable to find vendors after repeated tries, the current stallholders and their families may operate up to three stalls at the same or another school.