Yeo's lays off 25 employees at Singapore's Senoko facility
The Singapore food and beverage company says it is consolidating can manufacturing to Malaysia.
A row of Yeo's canned drinks displayed at a supermarket on Mar 31, 2026. (Photo: CNA/Davina Tham)
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SINGAPORE: Yeo Hiap Seng (Yeo’s) announced on Tuesday (Mar 31) that 25 employees will be laid off due to a “consolidation of can manufacturing to Malaysia”.
“This consolidation enables the Group’s Johor and Selangor facilities to optimise capacity utilisation and strengthen overall manufacturing efficiency across its network,” said the food and beverage company in a media statement.
Yeo's said its Senoko facility will continue to serve as its headquarters, cross-border logistics hub and smaller-scale manufacturing centre.
“Yeo’s is fully committed to helping affected employees with job placement assistance, career guidance and counselling support,” it said, adding that opportunities for open roles in Malaysia will be offered to them whenever possible.
In response to CNA's queries, Yeo's added that it will have 245 employees across all its Singapore operations after the retrenchment. The affected roles were all within can manufacturing.
It said the Senoko facility will continue to support light manufacturing activities, along with logistics optimisation, commercialisation initiatives, innovation work and regional coordination.
Yeo's is unionised under the Food, Drinks and Allied Workers Union (FDAWU) and informed the union in advance of the consolidation. The Manpower Ministry said the union was informed in early 2025.
The company said it worked closely with the union to ensure that the retrenchment package and transition support “reflect appreciation for the contributions of affected staff”.
Affected employees will receive retrenchment benefits, agreed with the union and in line with the Ministry of Manpower’s Tripartite Advisory on Managing Excess Manpower and Responsible Retrenchment, it said.
“These benefits will be commensurate with each employee’s salary and years of service.”
Since it was informed of the consolidation, FDAWU engaged the company to negotiate fair and responsible outcomes for the affected employees, said Mr Sankaradass S Chami, the union's general secretary.
"FDAWU was present at Yeo’s communications session with affected employees on Mar 31 to ensure that they were provided with accurate and clear information," he said.
It was also there to address questions and concerns, and reassure those affected that the union is there to support them, he added.
The general secretary said the union is working closely with Yeo’s to support the affected employees in the next phase of their careers, including career planning, job transitions and skills upgrading.
This includes connecting them to the Labour Movement’s network, such as the National Trades Union Congress's e2i (Employment and Employability Institute).
"e2i stands ready to support affected Singaporeans and permanent residents with job matching services, career coaching and skills upgrading advisory," he said.
The institute was also on-site to provide information kits on career resources and share available career support services and career advisory to help the affected workers transition to new job opportunities.
The SGX-listed company reported a higher net profit of S$21.1 million for the financial year ending Dec 31, 2025, up from S$6.9 million the previous year.
Group revenue and core food and beverage revenue declined, which Yeo's said reflected weaker consumer spending and intensified competition across key markets.
Yeo's last laid off 25 workers in December 2024 after Swedish drink company Oatly decided to close its plant in Singapore. Those employees had been hired specifically to support Oatly's production.
In 2022, Yeo's axed 32 workers, representing less than 2 per cent of its 1,900-strong workforce at the time. The company cited changing consumer patterns and retail conditions on top of increasing cost pressures.
Additional reporting by Davina Tham.
