SINGAPORE — Crystal Jade has closed four more outlets in Singapore and issued termination notices to about 120 workers as the restaurant group undergoes restructuring ahead of a proposed sale of its business.
The four outlets ceased operations on Oct. 6, affecting restaurants under the Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao and Crystal Jade GO brands. The latest move leaves the group with nine operating outlets and about 210 employees in Singapore, according to financial and risk advisory firm Kroll, whose representatives were appointed receivers over Crystal Jade’s Singapore and Hong Kong holding companies in September.
Despite the job cuts and closures, Kroll said it does not expect further outlet closures in Singapore as part of the current restructuring.
Four Crystal Jade outlets have closed
The four outlets that stopped operating on Oct. 6 were:
- Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao at Bugis Junction
- Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao at Toa Payoh
- Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao at i12 Katong
- Crystal Jade GO at Oasis Terraces in Punggol
The closures form part of measures designed to restructure the Singapore business and position it for a proposed sale as a going concern, with the aim of preserving the established restaurant brands and operations.
The affected workers were employed at the closed restaurants as well as in certain corporate functions.
Kroll said all affected employees had been informed directly. They will receive salary payments up to their final day of employment, while restaurant employees will serve their applicable notice periods and receive compensation in accordance with their employment contracts.
More than 400 jobs offered to affected workers
As the restructuring affects workers, the Food, Drinks and Allied Workers Union (FDAWU) and NTUC’s Employment and Employability Institute (e2i) have stepped in to help employees find alternative employment.
FDAWU and e2i said they had curated more than 400 job opportunities across the food manufacturing, food services, hospitality, wholesale and retail sectors.
Employer partners have also been brought in to conduct on-site interviews with affected workers. They include Paris Baguette, Neo Group Bakery and Din Tai Fung.
FDAWU is an affiliate of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC). Although Crystal Jade is not a unionised company, the receivers approached the union to support affected workers and union members during the restructuring.
FDAWU representatives were present to answer workers’ questions and provide information on available assistance, while e2i provided career guidance and information on employment support.
Care packs containing daily essentials and groceries were also prepared for affected union members.
Crystal Jade’s central kitchen also closes
The restructuring has also affected another part of the group’s Singapore operations.
Crystal Jade Food Manufacturing, which operates the group’s central kitchen, ceased operations on Oct. 5.
The company is outside the scope of the receivership, but Kroll said its closure was a decision made by Crystal Jade’s management as part of the group’s broader restructuring efforts.
The closure of the central kitchen comes shortly before the four restaurant outlets shut their doors.
Crystal Jade has been shrinking its Singapore footprint
The latest closures are not the first Crystal Jade outlets to shut in Singapore this year.
The restaurant group had already closed outlets at Hillion Mall, Suntec City, Great World, The Clementi Mall and Jurong Point during 2026. The latest four closures bring the number of Singapore outlets that have shut this year to at least nine.
The closures come less than two weeks after Kroll was appointed receiver over the holding companies of Crystal Jade’s Singapore and Hong Kong operations on Sept. 29.
At the time, Kroll said it was reviewing the group’s financial and operational affairs and assessing strategic options for its portfolio of brands, restaurants and businesses.
Receivership does not necessarily mean that the entire business is shutting down. In Crystal Jade’s case, the remaining restaurants continue to operate while Kroll works on restructuring and a potential sale.
Proposed sale aims to keep business operating
Kroll said its representatives intend to market the Singapore business for sale as a going concern.
The objective is to preserve the group’s established brands, restaurant operations and value built over more than three decades.
The proposed sale is also intended to support the continuity and future growth of the business.
Kroll said the nine remaining Singapore restaurants will continue operating as usual and that the current restructuring is not expected to result in further operational restructuring.
That means the latest closures and layoffs are being presented as part of a restructuring aimed at preparing the business for a potential change in ownership, rather than an immediate exit from Singapore’s food-and-beverage market.
Workers face uncertainty during transition
For the roughly 120 affected workers, however, the restructuring represents an immediate employment change.
FDAWU general secretary Sankaradass S. Chami said the union recognised that the period would be difficult and uncertain for affected workers and their families.
The union said its focus was on ensuring workers were treated fairly, kept informed and given access to support during the transition.
The availability of more than 400 job opportunities means the number of positions identified for affected workers is substantially larger than the number of employees whose jobs were terminated.
However, job opportunities are not necessarily equivalent to confirmed placements, and workers will still have to apply and meet the requirements of individual employers.
What happens to Crystal Jade now?
For customers, the immediate change is a smaller Singapore outlet network.
Nine restaurants remain in operation, while the four latest closures have removed several of Crystal Jade’s more casual outlets from the market.
For employees, the focus has shifted towards finding new jobs and securing the assistance available during the transition.
For the company, the next major step will be the proposed sale.
The receivership and restructuring process will determine whether a buyer can be found for the business and how Crystal Jade’s remaining operations will develop under new ownership.
For now, Kroll has indicated that the remaining nine Singapore outlets will continue operating and that no further closures are expected.
The latest developments therefore mark a significant restructuring of one of Singapore’s long-established Chinese restaurant groups — but not the end of Crystal Jade’s operations in Singapore.
