18 September 2023
Under the Radar: From serving World War II hero Lim Bo Seng to the modern Singaporean – How has Polar Puffs & Cakes evolved over the years? Its CEO weighs in
Today we’re going to bring you an inside look into one of the oldest bakeries in Singapore.
Make a guess – you might have just passed by one of their outlets today!
Back in 1926, Polar Puffs and Cakes, or the then Polar Cafe opened its first outlet on 51 High Street, where it was known for its Curry Puffs, ice-cream and chilled beverages.
The cafe was more notably the go-to place for politicians, lawyers and businessmen due to its strategic location near the trading harbour. Among them – prominent Hokkien businessman Lim Bo Seng, according to the firm.
Fast forward to the present, Polar has moved away from the cafe business by adopting a takeaway model. That started in 1996 when the company signed a supply partnership with Exxonmobil to turnaround the slowing cafe business.
And such partnerships have become an integral part of the business. Currently, Polar operates over 190 locations in Singapore. 165 are part of partnerships with businesses, while 30 of them sell directly to consumers in malls.
So how does the firm navigate its relationship with such partners, and what are some of Polar’s plans for the future?
On Under the Radar, Drive Time’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Francis Looi, CEO, Polar Puffs & Cakes.

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