Unbranded, No-frills Bread

These fresh loaves of bread baked at various bakeries in Singapore are supplied daily without brands on wrappers, labels, no-frills.

The hundreds and thousands of Singaporean customers who bought breads in the coffee-shops, grocery shops and other outlets in Singapore in the past did not know where to buy these breads and where they were from.

Where is this bakery shop?

Ways done in the past for decades

For decades, the location of the shop, the layout of the wooden shelves, the same old ovens and machines, the baking processes in the shop front have remained unchanged.

Even the simple patterns of the old-fashioned floor mosaic used over 50 years ago are the same.  The original owner of Sing Hon Loong Bakery (Ghee Leong) had passed on the family business to the younger generation but do not see the need to be fashionable.  The traditional recipes, old-style baking methods and delivery to their old-time customers all over the island are the same.  Except maybe the huge plastic containers for the loaves of bread now instead of cardboard boxes used for delivery in the olden days.

According to an article in The Straits Times published on November 29, 2012 about "Last of the traditional bakeries in Singapore", Sing Hon Loong in Whampoa Drive is one of the remaining 8 ones.

In my previous blog "Bread for Thought - Bakemanship" is available  here .

Thanks to my blogger friend Lam Chun See blog on "Traditional Bakeries in Singapore" when he visited another traditional bakery in 2012.

With the courtesy of Mr Johnny Chen's "Traditional Bakeries: Sing Hon Loong (Ghee Leong)" shared here  for fans of unbranded, no-frill breads in Singapore.

It was very common in the early days in Singapore, we bought breads from the "roti-man" who goes to the kampong every morning and late at night regularly.

I thought I shouldn't repeat the eloquently written, interesting and informative "foodie blogs" posted by my fellow bloggers on this topic with tasteful descriptions which make us salivate.  Their blogs are linked with acknowledgement and thanks.

Thanks to my blogger friend Jerome Lim who mentioned on his Facebook group "On a little street in Singapore" here .

Before starting on this blog, I posted some of the photos taken recently at Sin Hon Loong to my Facebook profile page.  Their comments and feedbacks from Facebook friends are much appreciated.

Just for fun,  I posted a photo quiz "Where do these huge plastic containers with loaves of bread going to?"

Tiffany Seah: Miss this kind of traditional bread.. the fluffy taste and burnt crust..

• Anthony Chong Bread Talk as I have seen them at their outlets, correct?

  
  
• 

  Saw Hock Soon Very observant Anthony and guess u are right....

  
  
• 

  Irene Wee Hey, I've seen them at Ya Kun. Nicely stacked up in boxes too.

  
  
• 

  James Seah Thanks Anthony Chong, Saw Hock Soon and Irene Wee for submitting your answers to the quiz. Nice try but the correct answer is Sing Hong Loong Bakery at Whampoa Drive near the junction of Balestier Road. You can follow the smell of these fresh breads near the famous Whampoa Food Centre a distance away. Cheers!

Long ago in the kampong days before the days of Facebook and Internet, we do not know where to buy our favorite traditional breads.  These breads from the "roti-man" do not have wrappers or labels to identify the brands.

The "roti-man" on bicycle would not be available at the kampong without fixed times.  They do not have permanent places or shops to look for them.

Even today, the breads distributed by the traditional bakery do not have wrappers ... these are unbranded, no-frills breads unless we purchase them at their shops.  Nobody knows where their distributors were located.

Traditional vs Modernised Bread Distribution in Singapore

Imagine having your fresh loaf of Gardenia bread ‘delivered’ right to your doorstep. Just think of the time saved by not having to queue at check-out counters or travel to the nearest shop! In response to consumer demand for convenience, Gardenia is the first bakery in Singapore to introduce a loaf bread vending machine that offers convenient purchase of bread within walking distance, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, come rain or shine.

Why didn't the traditional bakeries in Singapore use the same slogan before the modernised mechanised bread factories like Gardenia reached our shores in 1978?

The few remaining traditional bakeries in Singapore still produce their fresh breads which are "So good ... you can even eat it on its own!".  Please enjoy their unbranded, no-frills bread without advertising or slogans!