Geylang Serai Pretzel Stall Owner Spends S$50K In 2 Weeks To Run Business, Hopes For More Customers

Nasty Cookie Founder Incurs Heavy Operational Costs To Run Geylang Serai Pretzel Stall

While seeing stalls at Ramadan bazaars enjoy brisk business, many of us may not be immediately aware of the challenges faced by owners.

However, rising costs have caused many stall owners to grapple with staying afloat. The owner of Let’s Pretzel has spoken candidly of this struggle in a TikTok video.

Let’s Pretzel is a side venture by the founder of Nasty Cookie, Regine Sum. Within two weeks of hosting the stall at the Geylang Serai Ramadan Bazaar, she explained that she incurred a cost of S$50,000.

In addition to the struggle to keep her stall afloat, Ms Sum ran into many other difficulties. In response, netizens expressed sympathy for her troubles.

Nasty Cookie founder’s pretzel stall incurs high costs

Ms Sum shared in a video posted to her pretzel stall’s official TikTok account @letspretzelsg that she had spent S$50,000 for the upkeep of her stall in the Geylang Serai Ramadan Bazaar in two weeks.

Source: TikTok

The owner of Let’s Pretzel states that a variety of factors had led to her racking up such a huge cost:

• rental
• sink fee
• electricity fee
• food equipment
• booth set-up
• packaging and logistics
• 15 days’ worth of manpower costs.

Source: Instagram

She also adds that this is her first time setting up such a stall at a Ramadan bazaar. Currently, Ms Sum aims to break even for the duration of the event.

Her plight was met with sympathy from TikTok users.

Source: TikTok

Many have expressed their shock at the high rental costs. Others have also encouraged Ms Sum to aim for setting up at other bazaars the next time round.

Could only secure stall a day before the fair

Handling the exorbitant sunk costs of managing the stall was not the only difficulty Ms Sum faced.

Source: TikTok

Nasty Cookie revealed in a press release that Ms Sum had initially opened the stall as a side venture and solo concept. However, she faced numerous challenges because she could only secure the booth one day before the start of the fair.

As a result, Ms Sum had limited time to develop pretzel flavours and figure out shipping logistics and packaging.

Source: Instagram

Other challenges, such as designing and setting up the booth, culminated in the stall operating a week after the bazaar had started.

As a result, Let’s Pretzel missed out on all media coverage and the opening crowd.

Ms Sum currently works daily at the bazaar, managing Nasty Cookie’s office in the mornings and manning the booth afternoon till past midnight. She hopes to gain more customers in the last few days of the fair.

Support our local businesses

With the current state of inflation, it is understandable that local stall owners are struggling to keep their ventures afloat.

However, we can also do our part to support these businesses. Something as simple as spreading the word can go a long way in lending these entrepreneurs our much-needed support.

If you find yourself in Geylang Serai this weekend, do head down to the bazaar and pay Let’s Pretzel – and other similar stalls – a visit.

Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at hello@mustsharenews.com.

Featured image adapted from Let’s Pretzel on TikTok and Instagram.