Changing the face of the wet market to appeal to new customers

SINGAPORE: It’s just past lunchtime on a Saturday afternoon and the pace is picking up in Chinatown, with tourists training their camera lens on religious landmarks and weekenders out for a spot of cafe-hopping.

“Some foreigners like to go to the wet market because they want the experience. Tour guides often bring their clients to my stall,” said Mr Lee. “Also, when you go to the wet market, you can ask shop assistants to recommend products for your dishes."If you go to the supermarket, who’s going to teach you? Then when you don’t know what to buy, you give up and don’t cook anything. If you do buy something, often you’ll go home and cook and the results are not good, and you give up.

According to figures from the National Environment Agency , there are 83 wet markets in hawker centres - like the one Mr Leow grew up in and where he runs the original Anthony the Spicemaker outlet. “The older generation usually don’t have a concept. They feel like they cannot improve because they either don’t have the capacity or the ability. The young generation has to step up with new concepts so the wet market doesn’t die.

Most wet market stalls don't have a signboard, much less a website. Dish the Fish has both and a catchy moniker to boot. “We experiment with different products, study sales volume over time, conduct polls and gather direct feedback from customers,” said Ms Ong. “We also research on global trends. This is in contrast to most traditional fishmongers, who simply rotate among a fixed set of products over the year.”

As consumer behaviour changes, so does the wet market. One fishmonger delivers now delivers fresh fish daily in branded cooler bags. An Australia-style farmers' market with music might not be such a far-fetched option. NEA said it is"constantly looking at ways" to improve Singapore's hawker centres, including their market sections.

" are already leveraging online sales and delivery models, while others differentiate themselves through the quality of their produce or leveraging long-term relationships with suppliers and customers," said the agency.

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