Shree Ann Mathavan, The New Paper 2 Jun 08;
WITH the recent spike in food prices, you would be lucky if your favourite hawkers do not raise their prices.
But one hawker is making an unconventional move.
He has not only slashed his prices, but is also giving away a delicacy for free.
Two months ago, Mr Alan Ng, 32, owner of Huang Pu Jiang chicken rice stall at Block 82, Whampoa Drive, cut his prices from $2.50 a plate to $2, in a bid to draw more customers.
And just a month ago, he started giving away one bowl of shark's fin soup for every $2 plate of chicken rice, roasted pork rice or roasted duck rice bought.
It's a move that does not seem to make economic sense, especially in the face of rising food prices and since Mr Ng said his profits have dropped.
Mr Ng said he used to make about $2,000 a month before he cut prices, but now, he makes only about $1,600 a month.
PROFITS DROPPED
His profits dropped because he has to spend more on ingredients such as rice, and also because of the price cut.
On top of that, he now has to fork out more money on shark's fin.
Mr Ng said a 1kg packet of shark's fin, which can make about 60 bowls of soup, sets him back by $21.
It takes him close to two hours to make the soup, compared to the 30 minutes he takes to brew chicken soup.
But Mr Ng said he is not going to stop the offer anytime soon, even though fellow hawkers have called him nuts.
Mr Ng said: 'This area isn't so popular, and with prices increasing everywhere, I needed to think of something to attract more customers.
'The customers who come here, 70 per cent are senior citizens and they don't have much money to spend.
'Times are hard, so I hope to help them by doing this.'
He also said he was able to slash prices and offer free shark's fin because he does not have to pay for a part-time helper and runs the stall by himself.
So far, his strategy seems to have worked.
From selling about 70 plates of rice a day previously, he said he now moves 110 to 130 plates a day.
And his customers are taking to his lower prices and freebie offer.
Madam Alice Tan, 65, a retiree, patronises Mr Ng's stall about three times a week.
She said: 'Nowadays, where can you find hawker food at $2?'
Another customer, Madam Zheng Ah Shui, 65, a part-time cleaner, agreed.
'Prices are very important to us, especially if we don't earn so much. Some hawkers charge more and their food isn't even nice. Here, the food is not bad and the shark's fin soup is tasty.'
But others such as Mr K L Tan, 35, who is self-employed, questioned the sustainability of Mr Ng's offer.
He said: 'I don't think he can earn much. I'm not sure how long he can maintain this for.
'But I will support him, of course - it's value for money.'
While Mr Ng said he won't raise his prices, he added that $2 is the lowest he would go.
But if people get sick of the shark's fin soup, he may change it to another food item.
He said with a grin: 'I like being different from others.'
