Try food creations inspired by animal diets from these 10 local F&B brands & do good for the planet

Mandai is collaborating with a variety of local food establishments with sustainable practices to offer menu items and grocery bundles inspired by the diets of wildlife from Oct. 21 till Nov. 25, 2022.

These special creations shed light on the different roles wildlife play to help keep our ecosystem in balance and provide us with services like clean air and more - be it dispersing seeds or controlling populations of pests and prey to nutrient cycling. 

A healthier planet benefits all of us, and we too can do our part by making good choices in our everyday lives. 

You can start by trying these creations the next time you dine out. 

A part of the proceeds will go towards supporting wildlife conservation efforts in Singapore and across Southeast Asia.

Here are 10 of the 20 participating establishments and the creations they are whipping up, which you can have for breakfast, lunch, dinner, as a snack or simply to quench your thirst.

Breakfast

1. Dearborn

Start your day off with some Strawberries and Blueberries granola from Dearborn, inspired by the critically endangered Pancake Tortoise’s diet.

This delicious bowl of granola features Dearborn’s signature maple base with almonds, and is made with sustainably sourced ingredients.

Dearborn

Address: 1 Everton Park, #01-29, Singapore 081001

Opening hours: Monday to Saturday, 9am to 5pm

2. The Social Space

Alternatively, drop by The Social Space for their  “Monkey Business” smoothie bowl.

The smoothie bowl is made from ingredients like banana, dragon fruit and papaya, referencing the diet of the Celebes Crested Macaque.

It is also one of The Social Space’s most sustainable smoothie bowls as it is made with fruits that are sourced regionally. 

Moreover, the eatery specially looks out for “ugly fruits” to incorporate into their dishes. 

These fruits may appear bruised but taste just as good, if not even sweeter.

The Social Space Kreta Ayer 

Address: 333 Kreta Ayer Rd, #01-14, Singapore 080333

Opening hours: Monday to Sunday, 9am to 5pm

The Social Space Marina One

Address: 5 Straits View, #01-03 Marina One Residences, Garden Tower, Singapore 018935

Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 9am to 5pm

Lunch

3. The Coconut Club

For lunch, head down to The Coconut Club and try their Sayur Lodeh Rebung, a traditional Indonesian dish featuring one of the Giant Panda’s favourite foods - bamboo shoots. 

Made with their proprietary blend of coconut milk, it’s a dish you will not want to miss.

The Coconut Club Flagship Store

Address: 269 Beach Rd, Singapore 199546

View The Coconut Club’s opening hours here.

4. Afterglow

Calling all the vegan food lovers. 

Make sure to drop by Afterglow, a whole foods plant-based restaurant for lunch and try out the Raw Mixed Berries Cheesecake. 

This was specially created to celebrate the Lesser Bird-of-paradise which contributes to ​​the growth of more trees by dispersing seeds.

Made with cashew nuts to substitute dairy, this cheesecake is entirely plant-based.  

Afterglow 

Address: 24 Keong Saik Road, Singapore 089131

Opening hours: Monday to Saturday, 12pm to 10pm

Snack and desserts

5. Foreword Coffee Roasters 

Get your mid-day coffee fix with Foreword Coffee Roasters’ Banana Walnut Lava Cookie with Hazelnut Chocolate & Honey Oat Latte, created to celebrate the Malayan Sun Bear.

This bundle features banana and honey which are part of the Sun Bear’s diet. 

Though the Malayan Sun Bear is the smallest bear species, it plays a key role in promoting nutrient cycling in the ecosystem. When foraging for food, the Sun Bear loosens and mixes nutrients in  the soil which enhances the nutrient cycle and health of the forest.

Despite being a small coffee company,  Foreword Coffee Roasters hopes to drive a positive  impact on the community by providing employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities and special needs - just like the contributions to the ecosystem from the world’s smallest bear.

Psst, did you know that their coffee beans are sustainably sourced?

Foreword Coffee Roasters Temasek Shophouse

Address: 28 Orchard Rd, Singapore 238832

Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm, Saturday to Sunday, 11am to 4pmForeword Coffee Roasters MediaCorp Campus

Address: 1 Stars Ave, #03-02, Singapore 138507

Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm

6. Mr. Bucket Chocolaterie 

Mr. Bucket Chocolaterie is offering Bear Grub, a Mixed Fruit Chocolate Bar featuring orange, coconut and fig, inspired by the Malayan Sun Bear’s diet. 

Just like the Malayan Sun Bear that is native to Asia, Mr. Bucket Chocolaterie uses only sustainably sourced cacao beans from across Asia.

Their use of a Direct Trade model also ensures farmers receive the full benefit of proceeds instead of it going to middlemen, enabling them to enrich the communities they live in. 

This delicious dark chocolate bar is also perfect for gifting and can be found both online and in-store.

Mr. Bucket Chocolaterie

Address: 23 Sin Ming Road, #01-15, Singapore 570023

Opening hours: Tuesday to Friday, 11am to 7pm, Saturday and Sunday, 10am to 7pm

7. Kind Kones

Indulge in Kind Kones’ Banana & Coconut Ice Cream with Fig Jam that also champions the Malayan Sun Bear. 

This cool treat is plant-based and made locally with all-natural ingredients. 

Get this ice cream at Kind Kones’ i12, Paragon and Forum outlets.

Dinner and drinks

8. Three Buns 

Fancy some burgers for dinner? 

Three Buns will be offering Bear Necessities, a plant-based chicken burger with fresh and tangy local flavours in celebration of the Asiatic Black Bear.

For a drink to go with your burger, sip on Happy Horton, a banana colada featuring some of the Asian Elephant’s favourite foods - banana and coconut - as well as rum, pineapple and lime juice.

The Asiatic Black Bear and Asian Elephant help ensure our forests flourish through seed dispersal and creating clearings that allow sunlight to reach low-lying plants on the forest floor respectively. 

What’s more, customers can rest assured that Three Buns uses sustainable ingredients as much as possible when preparing food.

Three Buns Quayside

Address: 60 Robertson Quay, Singapore 238252

Opening Hours: Monday to Thursday, 5pm to 12am | Friday, 12pm to 12am | Saturday, 10am to 12am | Sunday, 10am to 10pm

9. Open Farm Community 

Love the idea of farm-to-table dining? 

Head over to Open Farm Community for dinner and round off your scrumptious meal with Tall Order for dessert.

Using produce grown in its own backyard using sustainable agriculture practice, Tall Order is a sticky date and sweet potato pudding with spiced orange glaze and house-made sourdough ice cream incorporating dates, sweet potato and orange from the diet of a Rothschild’s Giraffe.

If you didn’t already know, the Rothschild’s Giraffe helps promote the canopy's foliage growth by reaching for leaves high above the ground.

Open Farm Community 

Address: 130E Minden Road, Singapore 248819

Opening Hours: Monday to Friday, 12pm to 3pm, 6pm to 11pm | Saturday and Sunday, 11am to 4pm, 6pm to 11pm

For those who prefer cooking their own meals 

Bonus: Did you know that Singapore has farms? Those who prefer to cook their own meals can consider ordering groceries online from FoodXervices, which offers locally-farmed produce.

10. FoodXervices 

FoodXervices has curated two baskets of groceries inspired by the Sumatran Orangutan and Asiatic Black Bear’s diets. 

The groceries include an assortment of vegetables, fruits, nuts and even coconut milk. 

For the uninitiated, FoodXervices uses freshly grown and harvested vegetables from its local vegetable farm.

Purchase the different items offered by FoodXervices here.

Win Mandai Wildlife Reserve park tickets, F&B Vouchers and more 

If any of these food items interest you, join the Choose Good Food Trail and stand to win attractive prizes such as park tickets and F&B vouchers.

Here’s how to join: 

1. Enjoy food items inspired by the diets of wildlife on our Choose Good Food Trail. 
2. Take a photo of your dish, post it on your Instagram page and tag @MandaiWildlifeReserve along with the hashtag #ChooseGoodwithMandai’. Don’t forget to follow @MandaiWildlifeReserve on Instagram and set your profile public to qualify!
3. Increase your chances of winning with more photos of your good choices for people, wildlife and our planet. Post photos of at least five creations for a chance to win the grand prize.

Here are the prizes up for grabs:

Weekly prizes x20 (Four per week)

• Pair of Singapore Zoo tickets + S$20 Grab voucher 
• S$30 Voucher from partner F&B brands 

Grand Prize x3 

• Pair of Manatee Mania tickets 
• S$20 Grab voucher  
• S$600 vouchers from partner F&B brands

Besides the possibility of winning attractive prizes, you will also be contributing to a good cause since a portion of proceeds from the food trail items will go towards supporting wildlife conservation efforts in Singapore and across Southeast Asia.

For the uninitiated, Mandai, a biodiversity brand, plays an important role in championing sustainability, biodiversity and wildlife conservation.

Find out more about the campaign here.

This sponsored article in collaboration with Mandai made this writer want to try the food items and support wildlife conservation efforts.