NTUC FairPrice

The Toa Payoh Hub branch NTUC Fairprice Supermarket before the makeover.

NTUC FairPrice was first established on 22 July 1973 as NTUC Welcome Supermarket in Toa Payoh, to solve the rising oil and daily prices then due to inflation. Then prime minister Lee Kuan Yew opened the first supermarket at Block 192, Toa Payoh Lorong 4, and it was the first of its kind.[2] Around the same time, other unions such as the Singapore Industrial Labour Organisation and Pioneer Industries Employees Union also set up co-operatives to run supermarkets. The two organisations later merged in the early 1980s to form the Singapore Employees Co-operative (SEC).

In May 1983, due to competition, NTUC Welcome and SEC merged to form a larger co-operative which was known as NTUC FairPrice Co-Operative Limited.

The company started a central-distribution system to change the way goods were delivered to stores, to enhance efficiency. This was owned by another company, but in 1998, FairPrice took full ownership of the warehouse and distribution company. It was renamed Grocery Logistics of Singapore (GLS). On 21 January 2003, FairPrice opened a new 13,000-square-metre Fresh Food Distribution Centre. The refrigerated-distribution facility centralises the distributions of fresh and chilled products to all the outlets in the chain. It is the first supermarket retailer in Singapore to build, own and operate its own fresh-food distribution centre.[3]

An Esso petrol station run by NTUC FairPrice. It is operated by the company with a FairPrice Xpress store, the station was the first to be converted to the new format.

That same year, FairPrice tied up with oil company ExxonMobil to open FairPrice Xpress and Cheers convenience outlets at seven Esso and Mobil stations as a pilot project. The station will be run by NTUC FairPrice Co-operative, which sets the fuel prices and run the station's minimart. ExxonMobil will supply the fuel, and will sell its oil products inside the FairPrice-run stations. If this pilot project proves successful, all stations will be converted to either FairPrice Xpress or Cheers with the co-operative taking over the management of each station. ExxonMobil also announced that all the stations will be renamed "Esso" by year-end.[4]

FairPrice's largest branch in Singapore, the FairPrice Xtra hypermarket, at Ang Mo Kio Hub.

On 28 December 2006, FairPrice opened its largest branch in Singapore, the 7,150-square metre (77,000 square feet) FairPrice Xtra hypermarket, at Ang Mo Kio Hub. The new S$12 million outlet offers a wider range of goods than the typical FairPrice supermarket, and includes new lines like electronic products and fashion wear.[5]

In August 2007, FairPrice opened its upmarket outlet at Bukit Timah Plaza named FairPrice Finest, after five months of refurbishment. The move was to cater to the changing tastes of Singaporeans who are increasingly well-travelled. The 4,000 m² (43,100 ft²), two-storey outlet has an offering of products different from other FairPrice stores, and also features a Swiss-style delicatessen, a wine cellar and a European bakery. FairPrice has plans to open more Finest outlets.[6]

FairPrice has attempted to expand into other countries. In 2003, it entered a joint venture with DBS Private Equity, New Hope Group, Silver Tie and Taiwan's Apex Group, known as Nextmall. The venture provided merchandising, management and logistics for a fee to Nextmart which is a China incorporated hypermarket. Seven hypermarkets were opened in China, with its first in Shaoxing, Zhejiang.[7] Nextmall closed in 2005 after incurring a total of $80 million in debts and over $40 million in losses.[8] A supermarket in Vietnam was opened in 2013 under a joint venture with Saigon Union of Trading Co-operatives, known as Co.opXtra Plus.[9] FairPrice also operated Cheers convenience stores in Vietnam as of 2018.[10]

• Cheers by FairPrice – This 24-hour convenience store chain run by NTUC FairPrice was introduced in 1999. It offers similar facilities to rival 7-Eleven. Cheers can also be found at selected ExxonMobil stations around the island, in which NTUC FairPrice co-operative runs the station, instead of ExxonMobil itself.
• FairPrice Shop – FairPrice Shop is a one-stop heartland store similar to minimarts for everyday basic needs at great value.
• FairPrice Xpress – A concept which can be found only at ExxonMobil stations, it is larger than Cheers and sells things like fresh produce, meat and seafood. It also sells more products meeting daily needs than a Cheers convenience store.
• FairPrice Finest – This is a separate store offering up-market food supplies. It was officially opened in September 2007, and also it merged the former Liberty Market. Stores include Bedok Mall, Waterway Point, Century Square, Jurong Point and Seletar Mall.[11]
• FairPrice Xtra – A hypermarket chain which combines a normal supermarket and the FairPrice Homemart in one store. It sells items such as electronics, clothing and household merchandise in addition to the regular supermarket items, and also it merged the former FairPrice Homemart, together with former Carrefour stuffs. Stores include AMK Hub, Jurong Point, UE BizHub East, Kallang Wave, Jem and Nex.[12]
• Warehouse Club - It is a concept that is modelled through Costco, and it is only available through membership. It has a lot of bulk purchases and also distributes former Carrefour stuff. It is also made in packs of even numbers.
• Unity Pharmacy - Unity Pharmacy moderates the cost of healthcare in Singapore through quality products and services at affordable prices. Offering a wide range of health and wellness products, as well as pharmacist counselling services within the heartlands, similar to competitors such as Guardian and Watsons.

Every year, FairPrice offers NTUC Union Members (NTUC cardholders) and FairPrice shareholders dividends, along with cash-back rebates for all purchases made at FairPrice supermarkets island-wide, including FairPrice Xtra, FairPrice Homemart, FairPrice Finest and FairPrice Xpress – excluding Cheers outlets. Such payout rates are subject to approval at Annual General Meetings (typically in the month of August). In 2007, FairPrice declared rebates amounting to 4% of purchases of up to S$6,000 made in the last financial year, as well as a dividend of 5% and special dividend of 3%.[13]

NTUC Plus! Cardholders (union), Plus! Cardholders (non-union) are entitled to 2 LinkPoints for every S$1 spent (for a minimum spending of S$20 in receipts issued on the same day) under the Plus! programme by NTUC Link.

In collaboration with OCBC Bank, FairPrice launched its FairPrice Plus membership programme in April 2007, offering banking solutions and promotions at all FairPrice supermarkets islandwide for all supermarket customers.[14] For a minimum transaction of S$10, VISA payment is now accepted at all FairPrice supermarkets for the FairPrice Plus Card and the NTUC Plus Card (previously known as the NTUC-OCBC Visa Card) for NTUC Union Members.

Employees of NTUC FairPrice are represented by the Food, Drinks and Allied Workers' Union (FDAWU), an affiliate of the National Trades Union Congress.