{"id":15778,"date":"2026-01-30T17:36:46","date_gmt":"2026-01-30T09:36:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/?p=15778"},"modified":"2026-01-30T17:36:49","modified_gmt":"2026-01-30T09:36:49","slug":"serving-with-purpose-the-people-behind-singapores-fb-social-enterprises","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/30\/serving-with-purpose-the-people-behind-singapores-fb-social-enterprises\/","title":{"rendered":"Serving with Purpose: The People Behind Singapore\u2019s F&amp;B Social Enterprises"},"content":{"rendered":"\n[et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; admin_label=&#8221;Header&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.21.0&#8243; background_color=&#8221;#FFFFFF&#8221; background_color_gradient_type=&#8221;circular&#8221; background_color_gradient_direction_radial=&#8221;top left&#8221; background_color_gradient_stops=&#8221;rgba(255,255,255,0.89) 30%|rgba(255,255,255,0) 80%&#8221; background_color_gradient_start=&#8221;rgba(255,255,255,0.89)&#8221; background_color_gradient_start_position=&#8221;30%&#8221; background_color_gradient_end=&#8221;rgba(255,255,255,0)&#8221; background_color_gradient_end_position=&#8221;80%&#8221; background_image=&#8221;http:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-30-at-5.26.03-PM.png&#8221; background_size=&#8221;custom&#8221; background_image_width=&#8221;75%&#8221; background_image_height=&#8221;0%&#8221; width=&#8221;100%&#8221; min_height=&#8221;100px&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;-12px||194px||false|false&#8221; custom_margin_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; custom_margin_phone=&#8221;-50px||194px||false|false&#8221; custom_margin_last_edited=&#8221;on|phone&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;8vw|1px|0|0px|false|false&#8221; link_option_url_new_window=&#8221;on&#8221; hover_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; title_text=&#8221;Screenshot 2026-01-30 at 5.26.03\u202fPM&#8221; sticky_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243;][et_pb_row custom_padding_last_edited=&#8221;on|desktop&#8221; admin_label=&#8221;Row&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.19.4&#8243; background_color=&#8221;rgba(0,0,0,0.49)&#8221; transform_translate_linked=&#8221;off&#8221; min_height=&#8221;192px&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;160px|auto|150px|auto|false|false&#8221; custom_margin_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; custom_margin_phone=&#8221;&#8221; custom_margin_last_edited=&#8221;on|desktop&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;61px|48px|61px|48px|true|true&#8221; custom_padding_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; custom_padding_phone=&#8221;&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; admin_label=&#8221;Column&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; custom_padding=&#8221;|||&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; custom_padding__hover=&#8221;|||&#8221;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.21.0&#8243; text_font=&#8221;Ogg|700|||||||&#8221; text_text_color=&#8221;#ffffff&#8221; text_font_size=&#8221;44px&#8221; text_line_height=&#8221;1.2em&#8221; header_font=&#8221;Raleway|700|||||||&#8221; header_font_size=&#8221;80px&#8221; header_2_font_size=&#8221;28px&#8221; header_5_font=&#8221;Raleway|700||on|||||&#8221; header_5_text_color=&#8221;#000000&#8243; header_5_font_size=&#8221;20px&#8221; header_5_letter_spacing=&#8221;0.5em&#8221; header_5_line_height=&#8221;1.8em&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;-30px||-2px|0px|false|false&#8221; custom_margin_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; custom_margin_phone=&#8221;-25px||||false|false&#8221; custom_margin_last_edited=&#8221;on|phone&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;|90px|0px|0px|false|false&#8221; custom_padding_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; custom_padding_phone=&#8221;|0px|||false|false&#8221; custom_padding_last_edited=&#8221;on|desktop&#8221; animation_style=&#8221;zoom&#8221; animation_intensity_zoom=&#8221;5%&#8221; hover_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243; text_font_size_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; text_font_size_phone=&#8221;27px&#8221; text_font_size_last_edited=&#8221;on|phone&#8221; text_line_height_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; text_line_height_phone=&#8221;1.2em&#8221; text_line_height_last_edited=&#8221;on|phone&#8221; header_font_size_tablet=&#8221;48px&#8221; header_font_size_phone=&#8221;28px&#8221; header_font_size_last_edited=&#8221;on|phone&#8221; header_5_font_size_tablet=&#8221;14px&#8221; header_5_font_size_phone=&#8221;12px&#8221; header_5_font_size_last_edited=&#8221;on|desktop&#8221; text_text_shadow_style=&#8221;preset1&#8243; inline_fonts=&#8221;Montserrat&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; sticky_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243;]<p><strong>Serving with Purpose: The People Behind Singapore\u2019s FnB Social Enterprises<\/strong><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.21.0&#8243; background_enable_color=&#8221;off&#8221; use_background_color_gradient=&#8221;off&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;-194px||||false|false&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_row admin_label=&#8221;Row&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.17.4&#8243; min_height=&#8221;84px&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;-80px|auto||auto|false|false&#8221; custom_margin_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; custom_margin_phone=&#8221;-145px|auto|-100px|auto|false|false&#8221; custom_margin_last_edited=&#8221;on|phone&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.19.4&#8243; text_font=&#8221;Montserrat|300|||||||&#8221; text_text_color=&#8221;#000000&#8243; transform_scale_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; transform_scale_phone=&#8221;&#8221; transform_scale_last_edited=&#8221;on|desktop&#8221; transform_translate=&#8221;0px|-22px&#8221; transform_translate_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; transform_translate_phone=&#8221;&#8221; transform_translate_last_edited=&#8221;on|desktop&#8221; transform_translate_linked=&#8221;off&#8221; transform_rotate_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; transform_rotate_phone=&#8221;&#8221; transform_rotate_last_edited=&#8221;on|desktop&#8221; transform_skew_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; transform_skew_phone=&#8221;&#8221; transform_skew_last_edited=&#8221;on|desktop&#8221; transform_origin_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; transform_origin_phone=&#8221;&#8221; transform_origin_last_edited=&#8221;on|desktop&#8221; transform_styles_last_edited=&#8221;on|desktop&#8221; min_height=&#8221;112.8px&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;5px||-48px||false|false&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;31px||0px||false|false&#8221; text_font_size_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; text_font_size_phone=&#8221;14px&#8221; text_font_size_last_edited=&#8221;on|phone&#8221; transform_styles_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; transform_styles_phone=&#8221;&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; admin_label=&#8221;About Us&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.21.0&#8243; background_enable_color=&#8221;off&#8221; use_background_color_gradient=&#8221;off&#8221; min_height=&#8221;1396px&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;-136px||-433px|||&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;107px||44px|||&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_row column_structure=&#8221;1_5,3_5,1_5&#8243; custom_padding_last_edited=&#8221;off|desktop&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.21.0&#8243; custom_margin=&#8221;-55px||||false|false&#8221; custom_margin_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; custom_margin_phone=&#8221;-35px||||false|false&#8221; custom_margin_last_edited=&#8221;on|desktop&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;2px|0|0px|0px|false|false&#8221; custom_padding_tablet=&#8221;|0px||0px||true&#8221; locked=&#8221;off&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_5&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.21.0&#8243; text_font=&#8221;Montreal Medium||||||||&#8221; text_line_height=&#8221;1.5em&#8221; header_font=&#8221;||||||||&#8221; header_2_font=&#8221;Raleway|700|||||||&#8221; header_2_font_size=&#8221;50px&#8221; header_2_line_height=&#8221;1.4em&#8221; header_5_font=&#8221;Montserrat||||||||&#8221; header_5_text_color=&#8221;#b3b3b3&#8243; header_5_font_size=&#8221;14px&#8221; header_5_line_height=&#8221;0.5em&#8221; header_6_font=&#8221;Raleway|700||on|||||&#8221; header_6_font_size=&#8221;16px&#8221; header_6_letter_spacing=&#8221;5px&#8221; header_6_line_height=&#8221;1.8em&#8221; max_width=&#8221;659px&#8221; module_alignment=&#8221;center&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;0px|79px|104px||false|false&#8221; custom_margin_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; custom_margin_phone=&#8221;-40px|79px|0px||false|false&#8221; custom_margin_last_edited=&#8221;on|phone&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;|0px||||&#8221; hover_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243; text_font_size_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; text_font_size_phone=&#8221;15px&#8221; text_font_size_last_edited=&#8221;on|phone&#8221; header_2_font_size_tablet=&#8221;35px&#8221; header_2_font_size_phone=&#8221;25px&#8221; header_2_font_size_last_edited=&#8221;on|phone&#8221; locked=&#8221;off&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; sticky_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243;]<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">BY<br \/><b><i>ASHLEY LOK<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Deputy Editor<\/b><\/p>\n<p><strong>Hype Issue #86<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><\/strong><\/p>\n<h5>Published on:<\/h5>\n<p><strong>Jan 30<\/strong><\/p>\n<h5><\/h5>\n<h5>2026<\/h5>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.21.0&#8243; text_font=&#8221;Montreal Medium||||||||&#8221; text_line_height=&#8221;1.5em&#8221; header_font=&#8221;||||||||&#8221; header_2_font=&#8221;Raleway|700|||||||&#8221; header_2_font_size=&#8221;50px&#8221; header_2_line_height=&#8221;1.4em&#8221; header_5_font=&#8221;Montserrat||||||||&#8221; header_5_text_color=&#8221;#b3b3b3&#8243; header_5_font_size=&#8221;14px&#8221; header_5_line_height=&#8221;0.5em&#8221; header_6_font=&#8221;Raleway|700||on|||||&#8221; header_6_font_size=&#8221;16px&#8221; header_6_letter_spacing=&#8221;5px&#8221; header_6_line_height=&#8221;1.8em&#8221; max_width=&#8221;659px&#8221; module_alignment=&#8221;center&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;0px|79px|104px||false|false&#8221; custom_margin_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; custom_margin_phone=&#8221;-40px|79px|0px||false|false&#8221; custom_margin_last_edited=&#8221;on|phone&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;|0px||||&#8221; text_font_size_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; text_font_size_phone=&#8221;15px&#8221; text_font_size_last_edited=&#8221;on|phone&#8221; header_2_font_size_tablet=&#8221;35px&#8221; header_2_font_size_phone=&#8221;25px&#8221; header_2_font_size_last_edited=&#8221;on|phone&#8221; locked=&#8221;off&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;]<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h5><\/h5>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;3_5&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; custom_padding=&#8221;|||&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; custom_padding__hover=&#8221;|||&#8221;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.21.0&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; text_font=&#8221;Montreal Medium||||||||&#8221; text_font_size=&#8221;16px&#8221; inline_fonts=&#8221;Montreal Medium&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.21.0&#8243; text_font=&#8221;Montreal Medium||||||||&#8221; text_text_color=&#8221;#000000&#8243; transform_scale_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; transform_scale_phone=&#8221;&#8221; transform_scale_last_edited=&#8221;on|desktop&#8221; transform_translate=&#8221;0px|-22px&#8221; transform_translate_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; transform_translate_phone=&#8221;&#8221; transform_translate_last_edited=&#8221;on|desktop&#8221; transform_translate_linked=&#8221;off&#8221; transform_rotate_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; transform_rotate_phone=&#8221;&#8221; transform_rotate_last_edited=&#8221;on|desktop&#8221; transform_skew_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; transform_skew_phone=&#8221;&#8221; transform_skew_last_edited=&#8221;on|desktop&#8221; transform_origin_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; transform_origin_phone=&#8221;&#8221; transform_origin_last_edited=&#8221;on|desktop&#8221; transform_styles_last_edited=&#8221;on|desktop&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;31px||0px||false|false&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;||||false|false&#8221; hover_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243; text_font_size_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; text_font_size_phone=&#8221;14px&#8221; text_font_size_last_edited=&#8221;on|phone&#8221; transform_styles_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; transform_styles_phone=&#8221;&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; sticky_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243;]<p><em><b>ASHLEY LOK<\/b><\/em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0dives deeper into how food and coffee are creating spaces for inclusion and second chances in Singapore.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.21.0&#8243; text_font=&#8221;Montreal Medium||||||||&#8221; text_text_color=&#8221;#000000&#8243; transform_scale_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; transform_scale_phone=&#8221;&#8221; transform_scale_last_edited=&#8221;on|desktop&#8221; transform_translate=&#8221;0px|-22px&#8221; transform_translate_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; transform_translate_phone=&#8221;&#8221; transform_translate_last_edited=&#8221;on|desktop&#8221; transform_translate_linked=&#8221;off&#8221; transform_rotate_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; transform_rotate_phone=&#8221;&#8221; transform_rotate_last_edited=&#8221;on|desktop&#8221; transform_skew_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; transform_skew_phone=&#8221;&#8221; transform_skew_last_edited=&#8221;on|desktop&#8221; transform_origin_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; transform_origin_phone=&#8221;&#8221; transform_origin_last_edited=&#8221;on|desktop&#8221; transform_styles_last_edited=&#8221;on|desktop&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;31px||0px||false|false&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;||||false|false&#8221; hover_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243; text_font_size_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; text_font_size_phone=&#8221;14px&#8221; text_font_size_last_edited=&#8221;on|phone&#8221; transform_styles_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; transform_styles_phone=&#8221;&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; sticky_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243;]<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In Singapore, we understand that effort is rewarded and everyone gets a fair shot at life. But step into a restaurant staffed by persons who are differently-abled, or a cafe run by people who once saw the inside of a jail cell, and that belief gets challenged. Social enterprises like Soul Food and The Caffeine Experience exist precisely because opportunities in life are not always evenly distributed, and because someone has to step in when systems fall short.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sgenable.sg\/about-us\/our-impact\/disability-in-singapore\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SG Enable<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, employment rates for persons with disabilities in Singapore remain lower than the national average. Only about 33.6 per cent of Singaporeans with disabilities aged 15 to 64 are employed, compared with over 80 per cent of the general population. This highlights the persistent gap that social enterprises <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">s<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">uch as Soul Food Enterprise and The Caffeine Experience are helping to close. They turn ideas of inclusion, second chances and meaning into something tangible, served daily on plates and in coffee cups.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Soul Food Enterprise: Building Belonging, Not Just Jobs<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At Soul Food, employment is never treated as a transaction, but instead as a relationship. Their mission is to \u201cEquip, Employ and Empower\u201d individuals who are differently-abled through their food production and service business. \u200bThey aim to provide a conducive space for their \u200bteam to contribute meaningfully and \u200bbe included in mainstream society. Staff members are trusted with varied responsibilities, moving between the kitchen and the dining floor as they build skills, confidence, and independence.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWe\u2019re not interested in the numbers,\u201d shared Gerald Png, founder of Soul Food Enterprise. \u201cWe&#8217;re interested in the depth of our time with them [our employees], our training with them. It is not just about giving them a job. It&#8217;s about giving them community. It&#8217;s about giving them a sense of hope, a sense of realising that they belong and we treat them like family.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Raising a differently-abled daughter gave the founders a clear vision of the kind of business they wanted to build, one where others like her could belong, contribute, and be seen for more than their diagnoses. Over the past 18 years, Soul Food Enterprise has worked with more than 50 people who are differently-abled. Some of whom have stayed for over a decade, learning through observation and hands-on practice rather than textbooks. Progress is never rushed here \u2013 when challenges arise, the team pauses, revisits, and starts again.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mr Png shared how he and his wife care beyond just the work that their employees do.\u201cIt takes a level of patience and \u2026 not just [looking] at the work per se, but also having to find out what&#8217;s going on [with] where they are socially, emotionally\u2026 so that we can help them along, so that we can continue to cheer them on,\u201d said Mr Png. <\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=&#8221;http:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-30-at-5.26.17-PM.png&#8221; alt=&#8221;Pet Sitter&#8221; title_text=&#8221;Screenshot 2026-01-30 at 5.26.17\u202fPM&#8221; force_fullwidth=&#8221;on&#8221; src_last_edited=&#8221;off|desktop&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.21.0&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; min_height=&#8221;220.2px&#8221; hover_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243; locked=&#8221;off&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; src__hover_enabled=&#8221;off|desktop&#8221; sticky_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243;][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.21.0&#8243; text_font=&#8221;Montreal Medium||||||||&#8221; text_text_color=&#8221;#000000&#8243; transform_scale_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; transform_scale_phone=&#8221;&#8221; transform_scale_last_edited=&#8221;on|desktop&#8221; transform_translate=&#8221;0px|-22px&#8221; transform_translate_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; transform_translate_phone=&#8221;&#8221; transform_translate_last_edited=&#8221;on|desktop&#8221; transform_translate_linked=&#8221;off&#8221; transform_rotate_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; transform_rotate_phone=&#8221;&#8221; transform_rotate_last_edited=&#8221;on|desktop&#8221; transform_skew_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; transform_skew_phone=&#8221;&#8221; transform_skew_last_edited=&#8221;on|desktop&#8221; transform_origin_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; transform_origin_phone=&#8221;&#8221; transform_origin_last_edited=&#8221;on|desktop&#8221; transform_styles_last_edited=&#8221;on|desktop&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;31px||0px||false|false&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;||||false|false&#8221; hover_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243; text_font_size_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; text_font_size_phone=&#8221;14px&#8221; text_font_size_last_edited=&#8221;on|phone&#8221; transform_styles_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; transform_styles_phone=&#8221;&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; sticky_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243;]<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The warm &amp; friendly interior of Soul Food Enterprise\u2019s restaurant (Photo credit: Wafeeqa Sulaiman)<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.21.0&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; text_font=&#8221;Montreal Medium||||||||&#8221; text_text_color=&#8221;#000000&#8243; text_font_size=&#8221;16px&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;||0px|||&#8221; hover_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243; inline_fonts=&#8221;Montreal Medium&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; sticky_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243;]<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The restaurant\u2019s cosy and welcoming environment reflects their philosophy <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">to provide the best environment for their employees<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Soundproofed spaces, gentle lighting, a spacious layout with a homely feel, and a fully electric kitchen to reduce sensory overload for employees were all intentional parts of Soul Food&#8217;s interior. This truly reflects the amount of thought that has gone into ensuring the space not only benefits the staff, but also the diners there.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>When support turns into respect<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mr Png elaborated that for many guests, their shift in perspective often happens quietly, somewhere between the first interaction with the staff and the last bite of their meal. Some come in simply expecting to \u201csupport a good cause\u201d, but they leave realising they have experienced something far more intentional and meaningful. Every dish, every service moment, and every experience in the restaurant reflects hands-on involvement from the team.<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=&#8221;http:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-30-at-5.26.31-PM.png&#8221; title_text=&#8221;Screenshot 2026-01-30 at 5.26.31\u202fPM&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.21.0&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; hover_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; sticky_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243;][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.21.0&#8243; text_font=&#8221;Montreal Medium||||||||&#8221; text_text_color=&#8221;#000000&#8243; transform_scale_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; transform_scale_phone=&#8221;&#8221; transform_scale_last_edited=&#8221;on|desktop&#8221; transform_translate=&#8221;0px|-22px&#8221; transform_translate_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; transform_translate_phone=&#8221;&#8221; transform_translate_last_edited=&#8221;on|desktop&#8221; transform_translate_linked=&#8221;off&#8221; transform_rotate_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; transform_rotate_phone=&#8221;&#8221; transform_rotate_last_edited=&#8221;on|desktop&#8221; transform_skew_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; transform_skew_phone=&#8221;&#8221; transform_skew_last_edited=&#8221;on|desktop&#8221; transform_origin_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; transform_origin_phone=&#8221;&#8221; transform_origin_last_edited=&#8221;on|desktop&#8221; transform_styles_last_edited=&#8221;on|desktop&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;31px||0px||false|false&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;||||false|false&#8221; hover_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243; text_font_size_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; text_font_size_phone=&#8221;14px&#8221; text_font_size_last_edited=&#8221;on|phone&#8221; transform_styles_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; transform_styles_phone=&#8221;&#8221; locked=&#8221;off&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; sticky_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243;]<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Soul Food\u2019s Exclusive 18th Anniversary Lunch Menu (Photo Credit: Wafeeqa Sulaiman)<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>.<\/span><\/i><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.21.0&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; text_font=&#8221;Montreal Medium||||||||&#8221; text_text_color=&#8221;#000000&#8243; text_font_size=&#8221;16px&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;0px||2px|||&#8221; hover_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243; inline_fonts=&#8221;Montreal Medium&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; sticky_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243;]<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">HYPE had the opportunity to taste Soul Food\u2019s exclusive 18th Anniversary Lunch Menu, and it was nothing short of divine. Beyond flavour, each plate carried intention, embodying the owners\u2019 belief that with the right support, differently abled individuals can thrive just as fully as anyone else in the culinary industry. There was a sense of care, patience and pride woven into every element of the meal, serving as a reminder that the work here was deeply skilled. Seeing staff members confidently performing both back-of-house and front-of-house duties offers a palpable sense of something rare: possibility. A quiet reassurance that with the right environment and support, meaningful work is not out of reach.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>The Caffeine Experience: Brewing Second Chances<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If Soul Food focuses on long-term belonging, The Caffeine Experience (TCE) centres on rebuilding structure and direction. They partner with The Yellow Ribbon Project to support individuals who have fallen through society\u2019s cracks.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI\u2019m very good at failing,\u201d founder Matthew Poh said candidly. \u201cBankruptcy, divorce, addiction, incarceration \u2014 I\u2019ve been through all of it.\u201d Rather than concealing that past, he draws strength from it. \u201cBecause I\u2019m quite [an] expert in failing, when my boys [employees] face the same situations, I can advise them accordingly.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Caffeine Experience offers ex-offenders a place to start anew with a structured and supportive environment where mistakes are treated as part of the process, and growth is measured not just in technical skill, but in confidence and self-belief. As an ex-convict himself, Mr Poh finds it easy to empathise with those who walk through his doors looking for a second chance. <\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=&#8221;http:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-30-at-5.26.45-PM.png&#8221; title_text=&#8221;Screenshot 2026-01-30 at 5.26.45\u202fPM&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.21.0&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; hover_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243; locked=&#8221;off&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; sticky_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243;][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.21.0&#8243; text_font=&#8221;Montreal Medium||||||||&#8221; text_text_color=&#8221;#000000&#8243; transform_scale_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; transform_scale_phone=&#8221;&#8221; transform_scale_last_edited=&#8221;on|desktop&#8221; transform_translate=&#8221;0px|-22px&#8221; transform_translate_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; transform_translate_phone=&#8221;&#8221; transform_translate_last_edited=&#8221;on|desktop&#8221; transform_translate_linked=&#8221;off&#8221; transform_rotate_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; transform_rotate_phone=&#8221;&#8221; transform_rotate_last_edited=&#8221;on|desktop&#8221; transform_skew_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; transform_skew_phone=&#8221;&#8221; transform_skew_last_edited=&#8221;on|desktop&#8221; transform_origin_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; transform_origin_phone=&#8221;&#8221; transform_origin_last_edited=&#8221;on|desktop&#8221; transform_styles_last_edited=&#8221;on|desktop&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;31px||0px||false|false&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;||||false|false&#8221; hover_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243; text_font_size_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; text_font_size_phone=&#8221;14px&#8221; text_font_size_last_edited=&#8221;on|phone&#8221; transform_styles_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; transform_styles_phone=&#8221;&#8221; locked=&#8221;off&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; sticky_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243;]<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Owner Matthew Poh and his wife Hue Siew Yeun (Photo credit: Wafeeqa Sulaiman)<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>.<\/span><\/i><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.21.0&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; text_font=&#8221;Montreal Medium||||||||&#8221; text_text_color=&#8221;#000000&#8243; text_font_size=&#8221;16px&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;0px||2px|||&#8221; hover_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243; locked=&#8221;off&#8221; inline_fonts=&#8221;Montreal Medium&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; sticky_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243;]<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cCoffee is something you can learn easily,\u201d Mr Poh explained, \u201cbut it takes about a year to master. That gives us a long runway.\u201d Unlike volatile industries, the cafe business offers stability and a consistent rhythm where habits can be rebuilt.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>From Setbacks to Skillsets<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But the training goes far beyond just pouring cups of coffee, setbacks are expected. Relapse, self-doubt, and emotional volatility are all part of the process. \u201cYou don\u2019t just tell them what to do,\u201d Mr Poh shared. \u201cYou walk with them. You sit with them at their lowest points. And that takes years.\u201d<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=&#8221;http:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-30-at-5.27.00-PM.png&#8221; title_text=&#8221;Screenshot 2026-01-30 at 5.27.00\u202fPM&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.21.0&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; hover_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243; locked=&#8221;off&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; sticky_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243;][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.21.0&#8243; text_font=&#8221;Montreal Medium||||||||&#8221; text_text_color=&#8221;#000000&#8243; transform_scale_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; transform_scale_phone=&#8221;&#8221; transform_scale_last_edited=&#8221;on|desktop&#8221; transform_translate=&#8221;0px|-22px&#8221; transform_translate_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; transform_translate_phone=&#8221;&#8221; transform_translate_last_edited=&#8221;on|desktop&#8221; transform_translate_linked=&#8221;off&#8221; transform_rotate_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; transform_rotate_phone=&#8221;&#8221; transform_rotate_last_edited=&#8221;on|desktop&#8221; transform_skew_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; transform_skew_phone=&#8221;&#8221; transform_skew_last_edited=&#8221;on|desktop&#8221; transform_origin_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; transform_origin_phone=&#8221;&#8221; transform_origin_last_edited=&#8221;on|desktop&#8221; transform_styles_last_edited=&#8221;on|desktop&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;31px||0px||false|false&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;||||false|false&#8221; hover_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243; text_font_size_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; text_font_size_phone=&#8221;14px&#8221; text_font_size_last_edited=&#8221;on|phone&#8221; transform_styles_tablet=&#8221;&#8221; transform_styles_phone=&#8221;&#8221; locked=&#8221;off&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; sticky_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243;]<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mastering the machinery at The Caffeine Experience &#8211; practice makes perfect. (Photo Credit: Ashley Lok)<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>.<\/span><\/i><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.21.0&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; text_font=&#8221;Montreal Medium||||||||&#8221; text_text_color=&#8221;#000000&#8243; text_font_size=&#8221;16px&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;0px||2px|||&#8221; hover_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243; locked=&#8221;off&#8221; inline_fonts=&#8221;Montreal Medium&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; sticky_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243;]<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Employment plays a critical role in reducing reoffending. According to the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sps.gov.sg\/files\/annual%20reports\/Press_Release___SPS_YRSG_Annual_Statistics_Release_for_2024.pdf?\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Singapore Prison Service<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, Singapore\u2019s two-year recidivism rate fell to 21.1 per cent in 2021, down from over 30 per cent two decades ago, underscoring the importance of stable work and structured support.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For those who pass through TCE, the impact can be life-changing. Mr Kevin Lim, a former barista at TCE shared, \u201cThey didn\u2019t just teach me how to make coffee. They helped me become a better person, day by day.\u201d After years of instability, he now works overseas, confident in both his skills and his sense of direction.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At TCE, success isn\u2019t about keeping employees forever. It\u2019s about helping them stabilise, move forward, and eventually outgrow the space. As Mr Poh put it, \u201cIf they leave and live a good life, then my job is done.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Why These Spaces Matter<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Both Soul Food and The Caffeine Experience operate under immense pressure \u2014 rising rentals, shrinking margins, and the emotional weight of caring deeply for the people they employ. Their success is not measured by scale, but by trajectory. People come in, find stability, and eventually move on stronger than before.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What these social enterprises offer Singapore is not charity. They offer proof that inclusive workplaces are possible, that dignity can be restored through trust, and that food and coffee can become tools for connection and change.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In a society that moves fast, these spaces remind us that sometimes, progress happens slowly. And sometimes, the most meaningful work begins simply by pulling up a chair, sharing a meal, and choosing to see people for who they can become.<\/span><\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_5&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; custom_padding=&#8221;|||&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; custom_padding__hover=&#8221;|||&#8221;][et_pb_sidebar _builder_version=&#8221;4.16&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][\/et_pb_sidebar][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.21.0&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; background_enable_color=&#8221;off&#8221; use_background_color_gradient=&#8221;off&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_row _builder_version=&#8221;4.21.0&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.21.0&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ashley Lok dives deeper into how food and coffee are creating spaces for inclusion and second chances in Singapore.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":122,"featured_media":15781,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"2880","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[211,1159,768,47,120],"class_list":["post-15778","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-happenings","tag-hype","tag-hype-singapore","tag-ngee-ann-polytechnic","tag-singapore","tag-youths"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Serving with Purpose: The People Behind Singapore\u2019s F&amp;B Social Enterprises - Hype Singapore<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Ashley Lok dives deeper into how food and coffee are creating spaces for inclusion and second chances in Singapore.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"http:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/30\/serving-with-purpose-the-people-behind-singapores-fb-social-enterprises\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Serving with Purpose: The People Behind Singapore\u2019s F&amp;B Social Enterprises - Hype Singapore\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Ashley Lok dives deeper into how food and coffee are creating spaces for inclusion and second chances in Singapore.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"http:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/30\/serving-with-purpose-the-people-behind-singapores-fb-social-enterprises\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Hype Singapore\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/HYPEsg\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-01-30T09:36:46+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-01-30T09:36:49+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-30-at-5.26.03-PM.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1196\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"672\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Ashley Victoria Lok\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@hypesg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@hypesg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Ashley Victoria Lok\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/hypesingapore.com\\\/index.php\\\/2026\\\/01\\\/30\\\/serving-with-purpose-the-people-behind-singapores-fb-social-enterprises\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/hypesingapore.com\\\/index.php\\\/2026\\\/01\\\/30\\\/serving-with-purpose-the-people-behind-singapores-fb-social-enterprises\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Ashley Victoria Lok\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/hypesingapore.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/4a29df519852c9f5f211f437c7f64253\"},\"headline\":\"Serving with Purpose: The People Behind Singapore\u2019s F&amp;B Social Enterprises\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-01-30T09:36:46+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-01-30T09:36:49+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/hypesingapore.com\\\/index.php\\\/2026\\\/01\\\/30\\\/serving-with-purpose-the-people-behind-singapores-fb-social-enterprises\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":3575,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/hypesingapore.com\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/hypesingapore.com\\\/index.php\\\/2026\\\/01\\\/30\\\/serving-with-purpose-the-people-behind-singapores-fb-social-enterprises\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/hypesingapore.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/01\\\/Screenshot-2026-01-30-at-5.26.03-PM.png\",\"keywords\":[\"Hype\",\"hype singapore\",\"Ngee Ann Polytechnic\",\"Singapore\",\"Youths\"],\"articleSection\":[\"HAPPENINGS\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/hypesingapore.com\\\/index.php\\\/2026\\\/01\\\/30\\\/serving-with-purpose-the-people-behind-singapores-fb-social-enterprises\\\/\",\"url\":\"http:\\\/\\\/hypesingapore.com\\\/index.php\\\/2026\\\/01\\\/30\\\/serving-with-purpose-the-people-behind-singapores-fb-social-enterprises\\\/\",\"name\":\"Serving with Purpose: The People Behind Singapore\u2019s F&amp;B Social Enterprises - Hype Singapore\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/hypesingapore.com\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/hypesingapore.com\\\/index.php\\\/2026\\\/01\\\/30\\\/serving-with-purpose-the-people-behind-singapores-fb-social-enterprises\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/hypesingapore.com\\\/index.php\\\/2026\\\/01\\\/30\\\/serving-with-purpose-the-people-behind-singapores-fb-social-enterprises\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/hypesingapore.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/01\\\/Screenshot-2026-01-30-at-5.26.03-PM.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-01-30T09:36:46+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-01-30T09:36:49+00:00\",\"description\":\"Ashley Lok dives deeper into how food and coffee are creating spaces for inclusion and second chances in Singapore.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/hypesingapore.com\\\/index.php\\\/2026\\\/01\\\/30\\\/serving-with-purpose-the-people-behind-singapores-fb-social-enterprises\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"http:\\\/\\\/hypesingapore.com\\\/index.php\\\/2026\\\/01\\\/30\\\/serving-with-purpose-the-people-behind-singapores-fb-social-enterprises\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/hypesingapore.com\\\/index.php\\\/2026\\\/01\\\/30\\\/serving-with-purpose-the-people-behind-singapores-fb-social-enterprises\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/hypesingapore.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/01\\\/Screenshot-2026-01-30-at-5.26.03-PM.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/hypesingapore.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/01\\\/Screenshot-2026-01-30-at-5.26.03-PM.png\",\"width\":1196,\"height\":672},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/hypesingapore.com\\\/index.php\\\/2026\\\/01\\\/30\\\/serving-with-purpose-the-people-behind-singapores-fb-social-enterprises\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"http:\\\/\\\/hypesingapore.com\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Serving with Purpose: The People Behind Singapore\u2019s F&amp;B Social Enterprises\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/hypesingapore.com\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/hypesingapore.com\\\/\",\"name\":\"Hype Singapore\",\"description\":\"An Expression of Youth\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/hypesingapore.com\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/hypesingapore.com\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/hypesingapore.com\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"HYPE Singapore\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/hypesingapore.com\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/hypesingapore.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/hypesingapore.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/06\\\/HYPELOGO_ORIGINAL-1.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/hypesingapore.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/06\\\/HYPELOGO_ORIGINAL-1.png\",\"width\":928,\"height\":500,\"caption\":\"HYPE Singapore\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/hypesingapore.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/HYPEsg\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/hypesg\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/hypesg\\\/\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/hypesingapore.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/4a29df519852c9f5f211f437c7f64253\",\"name\":\"Ashley Victoria Lok\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/99e41238dbffa0633767f188987237145f67b2750642c3a5c7a03b58e1901ea9?s=96&d=retro&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/99e41238dbffa0633767f188987237145f67b2750642c3a5c7a03b58e1901ea9?s=96&d=retro&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/99e41238dbffa0633767f188987237145f67b2750642c3a5c7a03b58e1901ea9?s=96&d=retro&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Ashley Victoria Lok\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/hypesingapore.com\\\/index.php\\\/author\\\/ashley-victoria\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Serving with Purpose: The People Behind Singapore\u2019s F&amp;B Social Enterprises - Hype Singapore","description":"Ashley Lok dives deeper into how food and coffee are creating spaces for inclusion and second chances in Singapore.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"http:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/30\/serving-with-purpose-the-people-behind-singapores-fb-social-enterprises\/","og_locale":"en_GB","og_type":"article","og_title":"Serving with Purpose: The People Behind Singapore\u2019s F&amp;B Social Enterprises - Hype Singapore","og_description":"Ashley Lok dives deeper into how food and coffee are creating spaces for inclusion and second chances in Singapore.","og_url":"http:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/30\/serving-with-purpose-the-people-behind-singapores-fb-social-enterprises\/","og_site_name":"Hype Singapore","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/HYPEsg\/","article_published_time":"2026-01-30T09:36:46+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-01-30T09:36:49+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1196,"height":672,"url":"http:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-30-at-5.26.03-PM.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Ashley Victoria Lok","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@hypesg","twitter_site":"@hypesg","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Ashley Victoria Lok","Estimated reading time":"7 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"http:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/30\/serving-with-purpose-the-people-behind-singapores-fb-social-enterprises\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"http:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/30\/serving-with-purpose-the-people-behind-singapores-fb-social-enterprises\/"},"author":{"name":"Ashley Victoria Lok","@id":"https:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/#\/schema\/person\/4a29df519852c9f5f211f437c7f64253"},"headline":"Serving with Purpose: The People Behind Singapore\u2019s F&amp;B Social Enterprises","datePublished":"2026-01-30T09:36:46+00:00","dateModified":"2026-01-30T09:36:49+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"http:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/30\/serving-with-purpose-the-people-behind-singapores-fb-social-enterprises\/"},"wordCount":3575,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"http:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/30\/serving-with-purpose-the-people-behind-singapores-fb-social-enterprises\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-30-at-5.26.03-PM.png","keywords":["Hype","hype singapore","Ngee Ann Polytechnic","Singapore","Youths"],"articleSection":["HAPPENINGS"],"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/30\/serving-with-purpose-the-people-behind-singapores-fb-social-enterprises\/","url":"http:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/30\/serving-with-purpose-the-people-behind-singapores-fb-social-enterprises\/","name":"Serving with Purpose: The People Behind Singapore\u2019s F&amp;B Social Enterprises - Hype Singapore","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"http:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/30\/serving-with-purpose-the-people-behind-singapores-fb-social-enterprises\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"http:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/30\/serving-with-purpose-the-people-behind-singapores-fb-social-enterprises\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-30-at-5.26.03-PM.png","datePublished":"2026-01-30T09:36:46+00:00","dateModified":"2026-01-30T09:36:49+00:00","description":"Ashley Lok dives deeper into how food and coffee are creating spaces for inclusion and second chances in Singapore.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"http:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/30\/serving-with-purpose-the-people-behind-singapores-fb-social-enterprises\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["http:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/30\/serving-with-purpose-the-people-behind-singapores-fb-social-enterprises\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"http:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/30\/serving-with-purpose-the-people-behind-singapores-fb-social-enterprises\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-30-at-5.26.03-PM.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-30-at-5.26.03-PM.png","width":1196,"height":672},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"http:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/30\/serving-with-purpose-the-people-behind-singapores-fb-social-enterprises\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"http:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Serving with Purpose: The People Behind Singapore\u2019s F&amp;B Social Enterprises"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/","name":"Hype Singapore","description":"An Expression of Youth","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/#organization","name":"HYPE Singapore","url":"https:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/HYPELOGO_ORIGINAL-1.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/HYPELOGO_ORIGINAL-1.png","width":928,"height":500,"caption":"HYPE Singapore"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/HYPEsg\/","https:\/\/x.com\/hypesg","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/hypesg\/"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/#\/schema\/person\/4a29df519852c9f5f211f437c7f64253","name":"Ashley Victoria Lok","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/99e41238dbffa0633767f188987237145f67b2750642c3a5c7a03b58e1901ea9?s=96&d=retro&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/99e41238dbffa0633767f188987237145f67b2750642c3a5c7a03b58e1901ea9?s=96&d=retro&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/99e41238dbffa0633767f188987237145f67b2750642c3a5c7a03b58e1901ea9?s=96&d=retro&r=g","caption":"Ashley Victoria Lok"},"url":"https:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/index.php\/author\/ashley-victoria\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15778","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/122"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15778"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15778\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15790,"href":"https:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15778\/revisions\/15790"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15781"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15778"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15778"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hypesingapore.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15778"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}