The story of Surrey Hills Grocer, an Australian speciality grocery in Singapore, would make for an excellent novel akin to Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman’s Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia.
A former banker, a sabbatical, and a search for life’s purpose—those were the ingredients leading to a series of events that inspired the launch of the store. For Pang Gek Teng, it was almost serendipity. To sustain herself, she started a farm-to-table, Western grain bowl business during her sabbatical in Australia. She sold the business in 2019 but held on to her fond memories.
Determined to bring her experience back home, she founded Surrey Hills Grocer, which she envisions as being “an authentic and unpretentious Australian grocery that can bring an authentic Australian farm gate experience to Singapore”.
In her words, “I have drawn deeply from my memories of Melbourne for the various concepts and menu items. The influences could be from a song, a plate I ate from, memorable dishes I encountered during my time in Australia, and the distinct flavours I experienced there, as well as the laid-back, amiable culture that permeates the country.”
Surrey Hills Grocer doesn’t carry the usual household names. It instead focuses on small businesses, many of which are making their first foray into Singapore.
“I wanted to share the brands I love with others as there is a story behind each one of them. There’s also something beautiful about people devoting a lifetime to a craft, a product, or a way of life that they believe in.”
Pang Gek Teng opens up about the inspiration behind Surrey Hills Grocer
Besides the produce, Pang, 35, also wanted to bring the café culture Australia is known for to Singapore. Her vision was to supply the café with fresh products from Surrey Hills Grocer. Thanks to this concept, her favourite Australian farmers and growers have been able to reconnect and work with her.
She attributes the success of her venture to the right timing. In December 2021, after the Covid-19 measures eased, Surrey Hills Grocer opened its first outlet in Jurong.
“Everyone missed travelling, and many missed Australia. Through the grocery and café, Singaporeans could experience the country without leaving the island.”
While Pang’s journey might seem seamless, she admits that it wasn’t without challenges. The biggest was navigating her role as a young and new leader.
“Unlike entrepreneurship, which involves developing ideas and creating plans, leadership involves leading individuals with distinct characteristics yet uniting them for a common goal. Additionally, being a leader entails being mindful about the growth of each team member and helping them find fulfilment and purpose.”
Because of this, Pang is more hands-on with specific issues, such as waste management. Like other F&B establishments, Surrey Hills Grocer handles a large number of perishables that could turn into food waste. To counter this, it creates special menus using unsold produce as ingredients. By providing customers with recycled carton boxes, the company also reduces plastic waste.
Another aspect the brand prides itself on is being pet-friendly. “Being pet-friendly is a big part of the Australian culture, and I wanted to bring a piece of this to Singapore as well.”
The Jurong outlet is pet-friendly and Pang is planning plans to launch a pet grocery and café in 2024. Surrey Hills Café is also on the road to expansion. An outlet will open this month and two more by year’s end.
Producer: Adora Wong
Styling: Chia Wei Choong
Photography: Stefan Khoo
Photography assistant: Rex
Videography: Isaku Lim
Hair & makeup: Aung Apichai
