Ask any chef, and he’ll likely tell you that short of harvesting it yourself at a farm, Pasir Panjang Wholesale Centre (PPWC) is where you’ll find the freshest fruit and veg in Singapore. Open 24/7, 365 days a year, this wholesale market is truly one which never sleeps, though you should note that individual stalls have their own opening hours.
The Pasir Panjang Wholesale Centre was built in several phases over the years of 1981 to 1984 to house wholesalers who were being displaced from the city centre.
Built on 15 hectares of reclaimed land, comprising 26 blocks and more than 1,000 stalls, warehouses, cold rooms and more, it would become Singapore’s wholesale hub for fresh produce such as fruit and vegetables, as well as dried goods.
Image credit: @sgfoodagency via Instagram
As a one-stop hub that never closes, this is where everyone comes to get their goods. If you’ve been to a Costco, this is the market and warehouse version.
SFA figures dating back to 2017 show that more than 40% of the fruits and veg that Singapore imports pass through PPWC.
There are 3 main sections in the PPWC: fruits, vegetables, and dried goods. Prepare to be overwhelmed, and potentially overstimulated, because this isn’t a jaunt to FairPrice or your neighbourhood wet market. This is, in fact, where your wet market vendor comes to get the stuff that they sell to you.
Image credit: @marliesgerritsenphotography via Instagram
In essence, visiting PPWC is essentially cutting out the middleman in this equation, so you can expect prices to generally be lower than you’d find in the supermarket or wet market. Where your wet market vendor has already curated a selection from the IRL catalogue that is the Pasir Panjang Wholesale Centre, walking here yourself would be like browsing the full range.
The market is busiest between the hours of 12am-6am, when most of the fresh produce arrives from the port. Heavy machinery such as forklifts are going to be rampant as the loading and unloading takes place; your middlemen vendors are also likely to be here in these hours so that they’re ready for the start of the business day.
Image credit: @sgfoodagency via Instagram
Unless you’re up for that peak hour adrenaline rush, it’s recommended that you come to the market after daybreak. Take your time to peruse the wares of the myriad wholesalers, and be prepared that some will only sell in bulk – like requiring that you buy vegetables by the kilo.
All visitors to PPWC need to be registered for entry – you can do so via the e-registration system on the SFA website with your IC number, or scan it at the kiosks to enter.
Getting to the PPWC is pretty simple. It’s a 7-minute bus ride from Haw Par Villa MRT Station on the Circle Line, or a 1.2km walk, which takes approximately 17 minutes. If you’re driving, there are plenty of parking spaces available at 1 Wholesale Centre, with reasonable rates at $2.40 for 2 hours of parking.
The next time you’re thinking of doing marketing, make a trip to the Pasir Panjang Wholesale Centre with plenty of empty bags, and remember to have cash on hand – cash-free is not really a thing here.
For more content:
Cover image adapted from: @yure_global_exim, @sgfoodagency via Instagram
Book your flights and get ready to jam.
These Christmas exclusive events have magical snowfall shows.
Play Merry-Poly too.
Technically, this is the second time Singapore has qualified for the Asian Cup.
This is your call to get up earlier for work.
As if we need another reason to visit the mall.