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Tag: soy milk

  • Jollibean Commits to Paying Salaries for 22 Employees Amid Ongoing Challenges in Singapore’s Soya Milk Market

    Jollibean Commits to Paying Salaries for 22 Employees Amid Ongoing Challenges in Singapore’s Soya Milk Market

    In a troubling turn for employees at Jollibean, 29 workers are currently receiving assistance for unpaid salaries, as reported in a joint statement from the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management and the Ministry of Manpower on July 12. These salary disputes are not a recent development; they have been cropping up intermittently since December 2024.

    Drastic Downsize at Jollibean

    Once a dominant presence with over 30 outlets across Singapore, Jollibean’s store count has dwindled to just five locations. The company’s director, Shahrul Nazrin Mohd Dahlan, now navigating the firm under new ownership, has assured that they are working closely with authorities to resolve the salary issues by the end of this month. However, specifics regarding the delayed payments remain murky.

    Voices of Concern: Employees Speak Out

    An employee, revealed her distress over unpaid wages for May and June, with her December 2024 salary delayed by nearly three weeks. “It’s like being in a suspense thriller—you never know what’s going to happen next. I’ve had to dip into my savings just to handle rent and other bills,” she said, highlighting the struggles faced by her and other front-line staff. “It would have been helpful if management had given us a heads up about the company’s struggles instead of leaving us in the dark.”

    Ongoing Investigations and Future Prospects

    As the situation unfolds, the Ministry of Manpower is conducting an investigation into Jollibean for possible violations of the Employment Act and is committed to assisting impacted employees. Jollibean was established in Singapore back in 1995, becoming a beloved brand known for its soya milk and traditional pancake snacks, conveniently located in bustling shopping malls and MRT stations.

    However, the company’s fortunes began to wane during the Covid-19 pandemic, with a steady decline in brand popularity detailed in Berjaya Food’s annual reports after the Malaysian F&B operator acquired Jollibean in 2012 for SGD7.5 million (USD 5.86 million). Once the post-pandemic world opened up, Jollibean faced a challenging landscape marked by weakened consumer sentiment, dwindling foot traffic in the Central Business District, rising living costs, and a persistently uncertain economic climate.

    Questions & Answers

    What led to Jollibean’s financial difficulties?
    Jollibean has struggled due to various factors, including decreased consumer sentiment during the pandemic, lower foot traffic from flexible work arrangements, and increased living costs, all compounded by an uncertain economic outlook.

    How many employees are currently affected by unpaid wages?
    Currently, 29 workers are seeking assistance for unpaid salaries, as reported by the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management and the Ministry of Manpower.

    What actions are being taken to address the salary issues?
    Jollibean’s new ownership is collaborating with authorities to resolve outstanding salary payments, and the Ministry of Manpower is investigating the company for potential violations of the Employment Act.

  • Soy milk contaminated during shipment to Japan

    Soy milk contaminated during shipment to Japan

    A consignment of soy milk found contaminated and destroyed in Japan must have been tainted en route, Vietnamese exporter Vinasoy has said.

    Tests by the National Institute For Food Control on Monday did not find coliform bacteria in the Fami Calcium Soy Milk samples it had retained from the export consignment, it said.

    But 640 packs imported to Japan by Next Trading company were found to have coliform and ordered to be recalled and destroyed in Chiba city.

    A Vinasoy spokesperson said the contamination must have happened during the shipment or distribution process in Japan.

    The spokesperson said that Coliform cannot survive the enzyme inactivation processes in which soy milk is heated to 120 degrees Celsius (248 Fahrenheit) and ultra-high-temperature sterilization at 140 degrees Celsius.

    A carton of soy milk with coliform would be bloated and go sour in two to four days, and so the factory would have noticed any contamination right away, the spokesperson added.

    Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare confirmed the contamination.

    But a spokesperson for Next Trading told broadcaster NHK that while the company was “surprised and sorry” to learn about the contamination, it had tested the products based on health ministry standards before distribution and had not detected any coliform.

    Since the news broke, Vinasoy has consistently said its product was not contaminated.

    It has 25 years’ experience in making soy products and is the industry leader in Vietnam.

    It exports to several other markets with high standards such as the U.S. and South Korea.

    Coliform, which can be found in water and the feces of warm-blooded animals, does not often cause serious illness, but a person exposed to it could have an upset stomach, vomiting, fever, and diarrhea.