SINGAPORE: Homegrown snack company The Kettle Gourmet is taking its distinctly local flavours beyond Singapore’s shores, expanding into markets such as Malaysia, the Philippines and China.
But like many local lifestyle brands, its plans to go abroad are increasingly being tested by the rising cost of doing business.
Material costs – such as plastic, which is primarily made from petroleum – have surged by around 60 per cent in the past month, driven in part by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Shipping delays and higher freight rates are adding further strain, squeezing profit margins.
