Garden Picks is a Singaporean food brand specialising in nuts, seeds, dried fruits, grains, cereals, superfoods and alternative snacks. Founded in 2009 by Francis Tan and Eunice Ng, the company began with the aim of making healthier and more varied snacking options more accessible to consumers in Singapore. 1

Today, Garden Picks operates not only as a consumer-facing snack brand but also as an importer, distributor, manufacturer and OEM packer serving businesses such as restaurants, bakeries, hotels, airlines, retailers, offices and food-service companies. 2

The legal entity, Garden Picks Food Manufacturing LLP, was incorporated in Singapore on 27 January 2012 and is listed as a live limited liability partnership. Its registered business activities centre on dried fruits, oats, seeds and nuts. 3

Garden Picks traces its beginnings to 2009, when university students Francis Tan and Eunice Ng started selling healthy snacks from a pushcart on campus. According to an account by Tan, the business began as a small side venture selling snacks to students during lecture breaks. 4

The founders identified what they saw as a shortage of variety in healthier and alternative snack choices available in Singapore. Garden Picks was subsequently established around the idea of making a wider selection of wholesome snacks and ingredients conveniently available. 5

The business initially carried approximately 20 products. Its range has since expanded to more than 100 varieties, covering categories such as nuts, dried fruits, superfoods, snacks, cereals and nut butters.

Francis Tan

Francis Tan is a co-founder and CEO of Garden Picks. The company’s profile describes him as strongly focused on customer service and product innovation. He has also been involved personally in client relationships and identifying new snacks and superfoods for the brand.

Tan has described Garden Picks’ development as being driven by hard work, innovation and the need to continually stay ahead of competitors.

Eunice Ng

Eunice Ng is Garden Picks’ co-founder. Her role has included close attention to product quality and production. The company describes her as being regularly involved on the production floor and in quality control.

Her interest in nutrition also influenced the company’s expansion into products such as quinoa, chia seeds and superfood granola.

Garden Picks’ product portfolio is centred on ingredients and snacks that can be consumed directly or used in cooking and baking.

Major categories include:

• Nuts and seeds — almonds, cashews, macadamias, walnuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds and flaxseeds.
• Dried fruits — raisins, figs, longan, mulberries and other dried fruit varieties.
• Cereals and grains — oats, quinoa, farro, bulgur and other grains.
• Granola and mixes — including granolas and combinations of nuts, berries and other ingredients.
• Snack foods — flavoured nuts, soya crisps, roasted legumes, fruit chips and other alternative snacks.
• Nut butters and related products.
• Gift products and customised snack packages.

The breadth of its assortment is also reflected in Singapore’s Health Promotion Board product listings, which include numerous Garden Picks products such as almonds, chia seeds, flaxseeds, dried figs, dried green raisins and dried longan.

Garden Picks products are also sold through NTUC FairPrice, where the brand’s current range includes products such as macadamia nuts, flaxseeds, sunflower seeds, soya crisps, walnuts, granola, quinoa and jackfruit chips.

Garden Picks has developed beyond being a conventional packaged-snack retailer.

The company describes itself as a major importer and OEM manufacturer/packer of dried fruits and nuts. It supplies products to corporate workplaces, government ministries, schools, F&B businesses, airlines, hotels and retailers.

Its business services include:

• Office pantry supply
• Corporate gifts
• Corporate event packs
• Health-event goodie bags
• Hotel welcome amenities
• Wholesale food ingredients
• Food-service supply
• OEM/private-label manufacturing
• Customised party and festive packs
• Wedding favours and event gifts

This makes Garden Picks somewhat unusual in that it combines a B2C packaged-food brand with a B2B food-supply and OEM operation.

One of Garden Picks’ major brand propositions is “Factory-Fresh.”

The company says its high product turnover allows customers to receive products with an emphasis on freshness, while its operations include importing, warehousing, manufacturing and packing.

Its broader positioning is built around three ideas:

wholesome products + variety + convenience.

The company states that it aims to select fruits and nuts that are both nutritionally appealing and enjoyable to eat.

Garden Picks operates an online retail channel in Singapore and offers island-wide delivery. Its website currently promotes free delivery for orders above S$50, while orders below that threshold are subject to a delivery charge.

Customers can also arrange self-collection from its Admiralty location.

In addition to its own online store, Garden Picks products are available through established retail channels such as NTUC FairPrice.

A particularly important part of Garden Picks’ business is its B2B/OEM operation.

For food-service customers, the company supplies ingredients such as nuts, dried fruits and grains for applications including:

• baking,
• cooking,
• garnishing,
• breakfast products,
• granola,
• snack production, and
• food manufacturing.

Through OEM services, businesses can have dried-fruit and nut products produced or packed under their own brand names.

This gives Garden Picks a dual identity: it is both a consumer snack brand and a behind-the-scenes supplier/manufacturer for other food businesses.

Garden Picks states that it operates nine commercial facilities, comprising an office headquarters, six warehousing facilities and two Singapore Food Agency-licensed manufacturing and packing facilities.

The company says it supplies a diverse range of dried fruits and nuts to organisations across Singapore and has clients including restaurant chains, hotels, airlines and retailers.

A Singapore food-industry profile similarly describes Garden Picks as an importer, distributor and OEM packer, with export markets including Malaysia.

Garden Picks’ branding is centred on the concept of selecting the “best” products from nature and making wholesome snacking more enjoyable and accessible.

Its stated commitments include:

• Something for Everyone — maintaining a broad product selection.
• Factory Fresh — emphasising freshness and direct supply.
• Convenience — making products readily available through delivery and retail.
• Giving Back to Society — including donations and volunteering activities.

The company also highlights personalised service, customer satisfaction, product quality, freshness, variety and value as reasons customers should choose Garden Picks.

Garden Picks maintains a corporate-social-responsibility programme that includes donations to people in need and volunteering. Its website connects these activities with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Garden Picks’ listed mailing address is:

8B Admiralty Street, #03-17, 8B @ Admiralty, Singapore 757440.

The company also provides a self-collection point at the same building.

In the Singapore food market, Garden Picks can broadly be characterised as a health-oriented and alternative-snacking brand, but its business is considerably broader than retail snacking.

Its competitive positioning rests on four main pillars:

1. Large assortment — a broad selection of nuts, dried fruits, seeds, grains and snacks.
2. Freshness — the company’s “Factory-Fresh” proposition.
3. Value and convenience — direct online ordering, delivery and retail distribution.
4. B2B capability — importing, wholesale, manufacturing, packing and OEM services.

In simple terms, Garden Picks is a Singapore-grown nuts, dried-fruits and healthy-snacks company that evolved from a university pushcart business into an integrated food importer, distributor, retailer and OEM manufacturer. Its consumer brand focuses on convenient wholesome snacks and ingredients, while its B2B operation supplies food businesses, offices, hotels, airlines, retailers and other organisations.

1. About Garden Picks | Garden Picks
2. The healthy snack brand customers are going nuts for
3. Garden Picks Food Manufacturing LLP
4. Garden Picks
5. GARDEN PICKS FOOD MANUFACTURING LLP (T12LL0135F) – DRIED FRUITS, OATS, SEEDS AND NUTS – Singapore Company