New central kitchen model: What pupils at 13 schools will eat

Caterers to offer more meal options, rotating menus, healthy food

- Shermaine Ang

Primary 2 pupil Brent Go surprised himself when he finished all the vegetables in his sweet and sour chicken bento.

“Even the carrots taste wonderful. Because of the sauce, it makes me want to eat the veggies,” said the Kranji Primary School pupil.

Brent on Sept 24 tried a bento set by Chang Cheng Holdings, which will be catering for his school from 2026.

Amid a shortage of school canteen stall operators, 13 schools — mainly primary schools — will be switching to a central kitchen model in January 2026, where a single operator manages their canteens. The initiative builds on a 2022 pilot at Yusof Ishak Secondary School, which is managed by caterer Sats.

Chang Cheng Holdings, which owns the Chang Cheng Mee Wah coffee shop chain, will operate five of the 13 school canteens.

The other two appointed caterers are Gourmetz and Wilmar.

MOE sets guidelines for food prices in schools. The three caterers will charge between $1.80 and less than $4 for their food.

Chang Cheng and Gourmetz will be serving only meals pre-ordered by pupils and parents on their respective platforms.