When it comes to carrot cake, most Singaporeans would have a preference between the white and black varieties. But is one actually worth more than the other?
Recently, a customer complained about an Ang Mo Kio (AMK) hawker stall charging S$0.50 to S$1 more for the black carrot cake compared to the white one.
Source: Shin Min Daily News
The stall owner herself proceeded to address the issue, pointing out that the sweet soy sauce in the black carrot cake is S$10 per bottle. As such, the difference in pricing is necessary.
According to Shin Min Daily News, Vegetable Oil Fried Carrot Cake has been operating at Teck Ghee Court Market & Food Centre for 26 years.
A reader informed the news outlet that the stall reportedly sets different prices for its carrot cake. The black carrot cake is S$0.50 to S$1 more expensive than the white one.
When reporters went down to investigate, they found that white carrot cake costs S$3, S$3.50, and S$6 for a small, medium, and large plate respectively.
On the other hand, the black version of the dish, which has sweet soy sauce, costs S$3.50, S$4, and S$7.
The owner of the stall, Madam Yang, explained that the price difference is due to the high cost of the soy sauce.
Source: Shin Min Daily News
She explained that she uses a “better” type of sweet soy sauce, which is “very expensive”.
“A bottle costs more than S$10,” she said. “Everyone loves to eat the black carrot cake. If the price was the same, I would lose money.”
Madam Yang added that she uses a fish sauce that’s double the price of the ones that other stall owners normally use.
However, Shin Min Daily News noticed that other carrot cake stalls sell both black and white versions at the same price.
One vendor said that the cost of the two varieties is similar and that they are equally popular among customers. Hence, they felt no need to set different prices.
Fans of Vegetable Oil Fried Carrot Cake’s black version certainly don’t seem fazed by the price difference.
In fact, a stall assistant claimed that despite being slightly pricier, around 60% of their customers order the black carrot cake.
One customer, who usually orders the black version, told Shin Min Daily News that the carrot cake at the stall is “especially soft”.
Another patron said that it’s simply a matter of personal preference, saying, “Those who prefer something lighter will get the white carrot cake, the price doesn’t matter.”
Madam Yang herself isn’t worried about the price distinction scaring customers away.
She shared that most of her customers go there for her homemade carrot cake since not many people make it themselves these days.
If they don’t want to eat it because it’s a bit more expensive, then it’s their loss.
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Featured image adapted from Cheen T. on Foursquare & Chris C. on Foursquare.
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