SINGAPORE: Once a ubiquitous name with over 30 outlets islandwide, soy milk retailer Jollibean has seen a drastic downsizing in the past year.
Only five physical outlets remain open, and several former and current employees claim they are owed months of unpaid salaries and Central Provident Fund (CPF) contributions.
Staff members told state media CNA that they were not informed in advance about outlet closures, only discovering them upon reporting for work.
“At first, we worked so hard and did not get paid, so we were very emotional. Now I think, just forget it. I will just treat it as charity,” said one worker, who has yet to receive her final month’s wages.
Eight current and former employees who spoke to media declined to be named for fear of jeopardising any future payment.
Some said they continued working in hopes of recovering the amounts owed.
Of the eight Singapore outlets still listed on Jollibean’s website, three — located at Lavender MRT Station, Raffles Place MRT Station, and Ng Teng Fong General Hospital — were found to be shuttered as of Tuesday (8 July).
The Lavender MRT outlet had a notice from SMRT Trains stating that the premises had been repossessed since 30 June.
Workers Left in the Lurch
A former worker from the Pioneer MRT outlet, which closed on 27 December last year, described how SMRT Trains repossessed the premises without prior notice.
“The moment I stepped through the door, my leader said, ‘Today you don’t need to work, you need to close shop,’” recalled a 68-year-old part-time employee who had worked there for over five years.
She said she was still owed more than S$1,000 in salary and three months of unpaid CPF.
The affected staff visited Jollibean’s headquarters in Pasir Panjang earlier this year over the unpaid wages and were told that the money would be credited the following month, along with a letter of guarantee — but as of July, there has been no update.
“I don’t have experience with this kind of thing,” she said, adding that she was reluctant to lodge a formal report.
“I will just treat it as charity.”
Another part-timer, a 74-year-old woman who had worked at the same outlet for over a decade, eventually approached the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM) with her son.
“We went to the authorities in April, but now it is July and we have not received a cent,” she said.
“The authorities have intervened, but the company is still dragging its feet. It’s hopeless. And it’s money earned from hard work, not just money you get from sitting around.”
CPF Contributions Also Alleged Withheld
Workers also highlighted irregular CPF contributions.
A 49-year-old counter staff member said she had yet to receive her May and June salaries.
“Without getting my pay, I have no mood to work,” said the Chinese national, adding that her rent was due in two days.
At another central Singapore outlet, a worker identified only as Mars, 40, said her wages were still being paid, though often delayed by over a month.
However, her colleague revealed that CPF contributions had stopped since last November, with one exception in March this year.
When asked, their supervisor reportedly replied that there was no clear timeline for funds to be made available.
Despite the irregularities, some staff expressed cautious optimism, saying they were told a new “boss” would take over operations in July.
Yet, none of the workers — including one outlet manager — knew who the supposed new owner was.
Company Response and Claims of New Ownership
Jollibean director Shahrul Nazrin Mohd Dahlan told CNA that the closures were part of a downsizing move.
He said he is stepping down as director and that a new owner will be taking over, although he declined to reveal the identity of the party.
“We are resolving it with MOM [Ministry of Manpower]; we are settling it by the end of this week,” he said.
“There’s a new capital injection with a new shareholder, so everything will be resolved financially.”
According to Shahrul, paperwork is being finalised and payments are expected to be completed by the end of the month.
He added that the new owners are experienced in the food and beverage industry and plan to expand Jollibean’s operations after the takeover.
Public records show that the sole shareholder of Jollibean Foods is Joybean Inc, which also lists Shahrul as director.
Union Advisory
The Food, Drinks and Allied Workers Union (FDAWU), affiliated with the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), stated that Jollibean is a non-unionised company.
A spokesperson advised affected workers to approach TADM for help with employment disputes.
Outside Singapore, Jollibean currently operates six outlets in Hong Kong and continues to market itself as a Singapore soymilk brand.
Customers Flag Silent Closures
On 2 July, a member of the Complaint Singapore Facebook group raised an alert about the silent closures of Jollibean outlets across Singapore.
The user noted that Jollibean, once present in locations such as Raffles Place MRT and Bugis Junction, had been shutting down its outlets one by one without any prior notice or explanation at the stores.
Attempts to contact the company’s customer service reportedly went unanswered, and a Google search showed many outlets marked as “temporarily closed”.
Other Facebook users also chimed in, speculating that the closures may be linked to unpaid staff wages.
The user claimed they had heard that even employees themselves were not informed in advance about the shutdowns.
Calls for Help from the Public
Career coach Ken Tan commented on the issue in a Facebook post on 12 July, expressing concern for the affected workers — particularly older staff who may be unfamiliar with their options for seeking help.
He questioned whether the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) could find ways to support the employees, even though Jollibean is not a unionised company.
He also called on pro bono lawyers to offer guidance on recovering unpaid wages and urged Members of Parliament to step in and assist those affected.
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