13 S'pore schools to implement central kitchen model from 2026 due to difficulties finding stallholders

13 schools in Singapore will adopt the Central Kitchen Meal Model (CKMM) from January 2026.

Under the CKMM, a single operator will manage the school canteen.

According to the Ministry of Education (MOE), these schools opted for this new model due to difficulties in finding new stallholders to fill in vacant stalls, despite the low rental.

Their existing canteen stallholders were also retiring.

In addition, schools face competition for stallholders from food courts, hawker centres, and other public eating houses where they can serve a larger customer base.

Meal dispensers in canteen

Under the CKMM, the operator must adhere to the Health Promotion Board's Health Meals in Schools guidelines and provide a good range of food choices.

The central kitchen operators will be required to provide at least one full meal priced at a maximum of S$2.70 in primary schools and S$3.60 in secondary schools.

Alenus Lee, vice-principal of Kranji Primary, told The Straits Times that their operator will provide automated meal dispensers, which store prepacked hot meals, for the canteen.

Students will be able to use their bus passes to pay for the meals by tapping on the terminals.

Meanwhile, four canteen stalls at Northoaks Primary School will be manned by staff from the operator, reported ST.

Their students can also purchase instant hot meals from a vending machine.

"MOE and the schools will work closely with the appointed central kitchen operators to provide students with health, affordable, and diverse food options in a sustainable way, taking into account feedback from parents and students," said the ministry.

Pilot conducted

MOE has been working with Yusof Ishak Secondary School to pilot the CKMM since 2022.

With CKMM, it was observed that there were shortened queue times while offering students a wider variety of healthy and affordable meals.

Then-Minister for Education Chan Chun Seng also brought the topic of the CKMM up during parliament in November 2024, sharing that the meals would be preordered and prepared at a central kitchen before being delivered to schools.

Moving forward, MOE will work with the 13 other schools and three appointed vendors to implement the CKMM.

Chang Cheng Mee Wah Food Ind Pte. Ltd. will cater food for:

• Dazhong Primary School
• Kranji Primary School
• Pioneer Primary School
• Qifa Primary School
• West View Primary School

Gourmetz Pte. Ltd. will cater food for:

• Blangah Rise Primary School
• CHIJ Kellock
• Radin Mas Primary School
• River Valley Primary School
• Outram Secondary School (York Hill campus)

Wilmar Distribution Pte. Ltd will cater food for:

• Casuarina Primary School
• Chongzheng Primary School
• Northoaks Primary School
• Outram Secondary School (Anchorvale Crescent campus)

MOE reassured that while CKMM is a solution to ensure students continue to have access to healthy and affordable meals, individual stallholders remain the default model for school canteens.

MOE will continue to support these schools, such as seeking favourable utility rates from the energy market and charging nominal rental fees for canteen stalls.

In addition, schools have the autonomy to supplement individual stallholders with other solutions, such as vending machines.

"Nevertheless, MOE will continue to explore different ways to operate school canteens and study the feasibility of extending them to more schools who wish to adopt them."

Top photo via First Sights