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Customers of Royal Cuisine Group and its associated brands have lodged complaints after the business ceased operations suddenly.
Former employees are also filing salary claims in the fallout.
Investors deleted customer databases, orders and financial platforms
The founder of Royal Cuisine Group told 8world that more than 15 brands under the company shut down at the end of November.
There had been an internal dispute between the company and its investors in October, he shared.
He claimed that in mid-November, without warning, the investors deleted the brands' websites, customer databases, customer orders and financial platforms.
As a result, the company did not have the information to complete customer orders or issue refunds.
The founder said the company was "forced to close down" as it had no means to provide services.
Customers were unable to place orders, and without revenue, the company could not pay its employees.
He added that he is currently searching for new investors and looking for ways to save the company.
At the same time, he is working to resolve the issue with owed salaries and customer orders in cooperation with the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM).
S$20,000 of unfulfilled orders
In response to Mothership's queries, Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) president Melvin Yong said 64 complaints against the Royal Cuisine Group and its associated brands were received from Nov. 25 to Dec. 21, 2022.
| No. | Company/brand | No. of complaints |
| 1 | Royal Cuisine Group | 37 |
| 2 | Happy MamaPapa Catering | 13 |
| 3 | Healthy Meals Catering | 7 |
| 4 | Angel Confinement Meals | 4 |
| 5 | Tingkat Singapore | 2 |
| 6 | Vegetarian Buffet | 1 |
| Total | 64 | |
"In general, consumers complained that the businesses did not deliver their prepaid Tingkat meals, confinement meals and catered food," said Yong.
Affected consumers told CASE that the businesses' explanation for the non-delivery was a power failure at their central kitchen.
Royal Cuisine Group was also unable to provide a specific date on which it could resume operations or food delivery, according to the consumers.
The company also did not respond to consumers’ requests for a refund.
The total value of the unfulfilled meal orders is close to S$20,000, he added.
No response from Royal Cuisine Group
Yong said CASE has reached out to the Royal Cuisine Group to seek recovery on consumers’ monies.
However, there has been no response from the company.
As the Royal Cuisine Group and its brands have ceased operations, consumers are advised to file a claim with the Small Claims Tribunals to recover their monies, said Yong.
Consumers who have paid for meal packages using their credit cards can also file a chargeback request with their banks within 120 days of the transaction to get back the unfulfilled monetary value of their packages.
Consumers with unresolved disputes can approach CASE for assistance via their hotline 9795 8397.
Former employees lodge salary claims
Royal Cuisine Group has also been accused of failing to pay employees, with one claiming to be owed two months of salary.
A MOM-TADM spokesperson told Mothership MOM is currently investigating Royal Cuisine Group and its related entities for any possible offences under the Employment Act.
87 former employees from Royal Cuisine Group had lodged salary claims at the TADM as of Dec. 23, 2022.
TADM is currently assisting these employees in the recovery of their salaries, and linking them up with NTUC e2i for employment assistance.
Top images via Royal Cuisine Group Facebook.