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SINGAPORE: Bakery chain Twelve Cupcakes is being investigated for non-payment of salaries and other potential breaches of the Employment Act, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and the CPF Board said on Friday (Oct 31).<\/p>\n
About 80 workers were affected by the company’s sudden closure, with the business saying it had been placed under provisional liquidation on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Employees told CNA that there was no prior notice from the management, and they only learned of the closure when liquidators arrived at the office.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Staff were owed salaries, and despite being a unionised company, Twelve Cupcakes did not engage the union early, before affected employees were notified.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Such behaviour is \u201cirresponsible\u201d, said MOM and the CPF Board.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile retrenchments may be unavoidable, employees should be treated in a responsible and sensitive manner,\u201d they added.<\/p>\n
The CPF Board will file a Proof of Debt with the liquidator to recover outstanding CPF contributions for September and October.<\/p>\n
CNA has contacted the parent company, Dhunseri Group, and Twelve Cupcakes CEO Juliana Lee for comment.<\/p>\n
The bakery operated outlets at locations including Changi City, Sentosa and Star Vista. In August, it opened a new outlet in Hougang Mall.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Financial statements show that the company has been in the red since 2023, when it made a total comprehensive loss of S$463,618 (US$356,100).<\/p>\n In the 2024 financial year, this figure grew to S$1,070,855, and S$1,233,943 the year after.<\/p>\n In its latest financial statement, auditors hinted at business uncertainty, with a note implying that the bakery could only be sustainable if it continued to depend on its parent company for financial support.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n