Singaporean catering company Neo Group has brought over the operations of local bakery chain PrimaDeli for an undisclosed sum, The Business Times reported on June 10, 2025.
PrimaDeli will be fully managed by Neo Group Bakery, a new entity within Neo Group formed to handle the group’s bakery-related businesses. PrimaDeli will maintain its current branding across its outlets, while Neo Group Bakery will retain all existing employees.
Neo Group Bakery announced that it will seek more strategic partners and franchisees to expand the PrimaDeli brand, while continuing to support its existing franchisee partnerships.
“A new era of growth and innovation”
PrimaDeli was first established in 1992 as Singapore’s first bakery franchise and the longest-standing food franchise in the country, with over 45 outlets in local shopping malls and heartlands. The brand is operated by Prima Food, the food manufacturing branch of flour supplier Prima Ltd.
Neo Group boasts a diverse portfolio of catering brands, including Neo Garden, How’s Catering, and Chilli Manis. The group also operates quick-service and restaurant dining concepts, with over 20 retail outlets throughout Singapore.
Responding to media queries from The Business Times, Prima Food’s executive director Tony Loke said it was “timely” for the company to “exit the downstream industry,” having “accomplished PrimaDeli’s mission to transform and upgrade the local bakery industry.”
He added that Prima Food will prioritise growing its upstream flour-milling business to more effectively serve the local flour-based industry.
In a separate joint media statement published on June 10, Neo Group and PrimaDeli described the move as a strategic step that ushers in “a new era of growth and innovation for Singapore’s first home-grown bakery franchise.”
This transition offers a unique opportunity to blend PrimaDeli’s established brand equity with Neo Group Bakery’s innovative approach and operational excellence, delivering an even more enriching experience for our customers.
Neo Group and PrimaDeli in a joint media statement
Made headlines for controversy
Since 2016, local bakery chain PrimaDeli has faced multiple allegations of poor treatment of interviewees and customers.
That year, Sarah Carmariah accused a department head of racial discrimination during a job interview. She claimed he dismissed her portfolio, mocked her cake-coating demo, and made derogatory remarks about Malays. PrimaDeli promptly sacked the employee and issued an apology.
In 2021, customer Izah Ramizah Fahrin reported on Facebook that she and another Malay woman were denied waffles at the Bedok Mall outlet, only to witness Chinese staff serve a Chinese man who asked for the same item. PrimaDeli stated that it reached out to Fahrin shortly after her post and investigated the matter.
The bakery also drew criticism regarding food quality in 2022 when a long-time customer complained that a S$3 cake upgrade turned out to be a cheese slice instead of white chocolate. PrimaDeli apologised and offered a refund and a complimentary cake.
-//-
As PrimaDeli enters a new chapter under Neo Group’s leadership, the takeover could mark a turning point for the business—one that helps the brand move past its controversies and bring the bakery chain to greater heights within Singapore’s F&B scene.
- Read more stories we’ve written about Singaporean startups here.
Featured Image Credit: Prima Deli via Facebook
