Whetting appetites for SG60

Give yourself a pat on the back if you walked away from 2025 without a single plushie in the shape of local food.

- Amanda Chai

Kaya toast, in particular, was ubiquitous in this SG60 year, appearing on so many forms of merchandise that it is a wonder we did not collectively grow sick of the breakfast favourite.

“Kaya toast” was even added to the Oxford English Dictionary in March, defining it as a popular breakfast dish or afternoon snack typically served in Malaysian and Singaporean kopitiams, accompanied by a half-boiled egg.

As to be expected during a milestone birthday for Singapore, the appetite for all things hyper-local soared. And retailers were happy to leverage that.

For better or worse, Singapore food-themed merchandise dominated retail consciousness.

Collectors might trace the start of the obsession to April, thanks to Milo plushies that sparked a nationwide rush to the supermarket - the likes of which we had not seen since the early days of Covid-19.

The chocolate malt beverage-maker released eight toy collectibles - in shapes ranging from a kaya toast to a Milo tin - to jointly celebrate its 75th anniversary and SG60.