Best CNY Deals for Hampers & Goodies in Singapore (2021)
Key Highlights
- Purchasing CNY hampers online can save you up to S$39 compared to the average price of offline hampers.
- Buying unbranded CNY treats offline saves you roughly 50% compared to their online counterparts.
- When purchasing CNY hampers, consumers can get their money’s worth by ensuring the bulk of their pen cai contains premium ingredients, instead of filler ingredients.
This year’s CNY celebrations will be a muted affair; families need to dine in smaller groups and stagger their house-visit timings to adhere to the Covid-19 social distancing measures. Nonetheless, this changes nothing about Singaporeans’ love for the mouth-watering spread that CNY brings. After all, in Chinese families, each CNY treat is seen as a bonding tool that enhances familial ties. So, don't expect to skip out on gift-giving (especially in the form of edible goodies) this upcoming Year of the Ox! To make the shopping experience more manageable for you, here's a list of the best CNY deals for hampers and goodies that are sure to impress.
Buy CNY Hampers Online for Highest Affordability
| Hamper | Details | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online | Eu Yan Sang Riches And Wellness Imperial Treasure Box |
| S$98 |
| Online | Noel Gifts Golden Wishes Gift Basket |
| S$126.26 |
| Online | FarEastFlora Prosperity Vessel |
| S$104.86 |
| Average | S$109.71 | ||
| Offline | NTUC FUNA Chinese New Year Hamper GS118 |
| S$118 |
| Offline | Giant FUNA Traditional Basket Hamper BSAS13L |
| S$128 |
| Offline | Shangri-La Hotel Happiness Hamper |
| S$198 |
| Average | S$148 |
To get the most bang for your buck, ensure the bulk of your hamper consists of premium products, like canned abalone, dried oysters, bird’s nest, and scallops – instead of ‘filler’ (i.e. cheaper) options like pineapple tarts and butter cookies. Also, don’t shortchange yourself by buying fruits-only hampers. Take, for instance, this Source: FarEastFlora, which costs a whopping S$96.19, yet only contains 18 oranges and artificial flowers. For comparison’s sake, paying S$1.81 more for Source:Eu Yan Sang entitles you to a can of abalone, premium fish maw soup, razor clams, and premium mushrooms.
An important takeaway: retail store options (i.e. offline) may not necessarily be better deals than online options. You’ll need to do your due diligence in ensuring that a particular hamper’s contents justify its price tag.
Buy Unbranded CNY Snacks Offline for Highest Affordability
| Brand/Product Name | Price | Pieces | Price/Piece | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Online | Pineapple Tarts Singapore Melt In Your Mouth Pineapple Tarts | S$29.9 | 20 | S$1.50 |
| Online | Diing Bakery Award-Winning Premium Melt-In-Your-Mouth Pineapple Tart | S$22.9 | 32 | S$0.72 |
| Online | Kele Golden Pineapple Balls | S$29.8 | 30 | S$0.99 |
| Average | S$1.07 | |||
| Offline | Le Café Confectionery & Pastry Golf Ball Tarts | S$10 | 9 | S$1.11 |
| Offline | NTUC Pineapple Tart Roll | S$8.9 | 30 | S$0.30 |
| Offline | Giant Yakim Pineapple Tarts | S$7.2 | 42 | S$0.17 |
| Average | S$0.52 |
Consider sourcing your treats and goodies from the nearest grocery store in your neighbourhood. These 'unbranded' snacks tend to be a lot cheaper than their 'branded' counterparts from famous home bakeries or bakery chains. Additionally, you could head to wholesale distributors for even more savings. At DJ Bakery's exclusive factory discount bazaar located in Source: Seedly, you can find all the traditional CNY goodies priced at S$11+, instead of the typical S$15+.
Ultimately, retail store options may be better deals than online options (i.e. home bakeries/bakery chains). Despite their lack of aesthetic appeal when it comes to packaging, buying unbranded CNY treats offline comes with an affordable price point – at roughly 50% off compared to their online counterparts.
Save Time and Effort by Ordering Ready-To-Eat Pen Cai
| Restaurant/Hotel | Pen Cai Name | Details | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pan Pacific | Premium Wealth Treasure Pot | Eight Head Whole Abalone, Dried Oysters, Sea Cucumber, Dried Fish Maw, Pork Knuckle, Lobster, Goose Web, Dried Scallops, Boiled Chicken, Dumplings, Bean Gluten, Chinese Mushrooms, Black Moss, Sliced Lotus Roots and Broccoli | From S$508 |
| The Capitol Kempinski Hotel Singapore | “Treasures In A Pot" Pen Cai | Abalone 10 head, sea cucumber, fried fish maw, oysters, black moss, flower mushrooms, roasted duck, pork knuckles, cabbage, lotus root, yam, bean cake, black fungus, dried scallops and succulent prawns | From S$286.76 |
| Yan | YÀN HARVEST PEN CAI | 6 head whole abalone, sea cucumber, live prawns, whole conpoy, fish maw, king grouper fillet, scallops, roast pork, soya chicken, roast duck, black mushroom, yam, lotus root, tianjin cabbage, beancurd skin, sea moss, ginkgo, broccoli | From S$300 |
One of the best CNY goodies for families who are not keen on hours of cooking for the reunion dinner is undoubtedly the pen cai – a braised one-pot dish packed with everything from baby abalones and sea cucumbers to roasted duck. Do note that there are no 'online' options for pen cai as it’s typically only available in restaurants/hotels. Regardless, as with purchasing CNY hampers, you want to get your money’s worth by ensuring the bulk of your pen cai contains premium ingredients, like dried oysters, abalones, dried fish maw, instead of ‘filler’ ingredients like bean curd, lotus root, and cabbage.
Remember to be Socially Responsible as You Celebrate CNY
There’s nothing quite like filling your belly with delectable goodies and catching up with your relatives from every part of Singapore. However, there is still a real risk of sparking large coronavirus clusters during the festive season. Keep yourself and your loved ones safe by adhering to the Source: Seedly.
Connect digitally with loved ones whenever possible— and, of course, show your love with the CNY hampers and goodies mentioned in this article. For an additional bonus, put your purchases on a rewards credit card (preferably cash-back, in these Covid-19 times where travel is still out of the picture) if you’re looking to save some money in the Year of the Ox!