Pasar Malam or night markets are a great place for budding food entrepreneurs to test out new products. The cost of setting up a pasar malam food stall is usually cheaper and low commitment compared to renting a physical stall while the resurgent popularity of night markets draws in foot traffic. In general, individual stallholders will rent from bazaar organisers. According to Today, rents for Geylang Serai bazaar had increased from $14,000 in 2019 to $20,000 in 2022.
Read Also: Price Guide To Hawker (Cooked Food) Stall Rentals In Singapore
A Temporary Fair Stall Licence Is Need To Set Up A Pasar Malam Food Stall
To set up a pasar malam, bazaar organisers would have to apply for a Singapore Food Agency (SFA) permit to set up a temporary fair with stalls selling food & beverages and/or merchandise. This Temporary Fair permit costs $60, regardless of the number of stalls and fair duration.
On top of the temporary fair permit for the bazaar, individual food stalls preparing food & beverages will also need to apply for the Temporary Fair Stall Licence from SFA. The application is free for individual stall holders.
Applicants need to submit the following documents/ copies:
- Planning permission – approval from URA/HDB for use of the premises
- NRIC – if application is under Individual
- ACRA registered Company Business Profile
- Food handler’s WP
- Food Hygiene Course certificate of food handler
- Lease contract with temporary fair organiser/ appointed temporary fair operator
Conditions For Food & Beverages To Be Sold At Pasar Malam
According to SFA, foods stalls are allowed to prepare and handle food & beverages if there is
- Availability of proper supporting facilities such as washing facilities (i.e., sink connected to piped water supply and wastewater discharge)
- Storage facilities with temperature control (i.e., freezer, chiller, food warmer)
- Covered display showcases for food items
These 3 conditions must be all met for preparation and handling of food & beverages at temporary fairs. Fresh seafood and meat must be always stored at 4°C or below, in a freezer or chiller.
Additionally, certain food items are allowed for sale only if conditions are met.
| Type of Dish/Drink | Conditions |
| Milk-based drinks | All milk and milk-based drinks must be kept at 4°C or below. Dispensers for drinks should be equipped with temperature control. Bottled drinks should preferably be stored in a chiller with temperature gauge. |
| Pre-mixed drinks | Pre-mixed drinks shall be obtained from approved sources. Preparation of drinks must not be carried out on the floor and must not give rise to any spillage, and/or other cleanliness and food safety issues. Drinks must be dispensed using dispensers. Scooping of drinks from a tub is not permitted. |
| Drinks that are prepared per cup upon order | Equipment used for preparation of such drinks, such as blenders and mixers, must be washed after each use. Syrups and other liquid toppings used must be dispensed from pump dispensers, squirt bottles and/or capped bottles. |
| Pre-packed ice | Only pre-packed food grade ice from ice factories can be used, and they must be clearly labelled. Only ice cubes or tubes shall be permitted for use in food preparation. Pre-packed ice should preferably be stored in a freezer. If other storage containers are used, it should only be used for storing ice. Storage must be in a manner that does not give rise to contamination. |
| Shaved ice desserts | Only the use of an enclosed ice-shaving machine is permitted. There must not be any shaving/handling of exposed ice blocks. Syrups and other liquid toppings used must be dispensed from pump dispensers, squirt bottles and/or capped bottles. If fresh fruits peel/husk are used as containers to hold or serve the food for consumers, they must be properly stored in a chiller. Such peel/husk must not be stacked or stored in any manner that may give rise to contamination. |
| Fruit juices (including sugar cane juice) | Fruit juices that are prepared in advance and not upon each order, must be stored in enclosed containers (e.g. bottles or cups with lids) and kept in chillers. Fruits/sugar cane shall be properly stored prior to preparation/milling. They must not be placed on the floor or in a bucket of water to prevent contamination. Only the use of enclosed sugar cane milling machine is permitted. |
| Magic Ice Cream / Traditional Rainbow Ice Sticks | Only pre-packed drinks obtained from approved sources can be used for such purpose. Mixing of syrups for making of ice sticks is not permitted. The use of milk or milk-based ingredients/liquids is not permitted as curdling of milk in containers used for making ice sticks may give rise to food safety concerns. Making of ice-sticks must not be carried out on the floor and must not give rise to any spillage and/or other cleanliness and food safety issues. Ice sticks shall be properly stored and kept covered to prevent contamination. |
| Ice Cream | If fresh milk is used in the making of ice cream onsite, the milk must be pasteurised and be stored in a chiller at 4˚C or below. Any unused milk or milk-based ingredients/liquids should preferably be disposed of at the end of each operation day. Ice cream which is not made onsite (e.g. pre-packed or scooped) must be obtained from approved sources. Ice cream must be stored in a freezer with temperature gauge. Containers shall be provided to store ice cream cones, wafers etc. |
| Cut Fruits | Cut fruits must be stored in a chiller with temperature gauge. |
| Kebab | The kebab grilling counter must be located within the demarcated stall area. Where possible, the grilling counter should be sited away from thoroughfare to minimise heat exposure for customers. |
| Pre-packed Salads | Salads shall be pre-packed from licensed food processing establishments. Pre-packed salads shall be stored at no more than 4 degrees celsius from source to site and on-site. There shall be adequate facilities with temperature control on-site for the storage of pre-packed salads. |
Food & Beverages Not Allowed At Pasar Malam
Extensive food preparations such as processing and preparation of raw food (i.e., degutting of fish, cutting of raw meat and vegetables) are not allowed on-site.
Additionally, certain types of dishes are not allowed to be sold:
- Dishes that include ready-to-eat raw fish, seafood or meat, such as sushi, sashimi and raw oysters
- Dishes that are prepared on-site using a mix of raw ready-to-eat food items, such as salad, Vietnamese/ Chinese fresh spring roll, and Chinese/Malay rojak
- Dishes that consists of food items displayed openly at ambient temperature for customers to hand-pick the food items
Read Also: Guide To Start A Hawker Stall Business In Singapore
In general, food safety and handling is crucial when it comes to setting up a food stall at the pasar malam and it also limits the types of food and beverages that may be sold in these temporary fair locations.
A basic Food Hygiene Course or the Food Safety Course Level 1 is necessary for food handlers at the pasar malam. This is a one-day (7.5-hours) course with that trains you in personal hygiene, handling and storing food safely, maintaining cleanliness of equipment and premises, and on Workplace safety. It costs around $150 (before GST).
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