Eateries and bars have been rolling out pineapple-related promotions from prata to soju to cakes, in the light of Mr Tharman’s victory at Friday’s polls, where he secured 70.4 per cent of the vote. Sales of pineapples and pineapple-related products have also soared.
Cafe owner Celine Ng would normally sell two or three of her signature charred pineapple cheesecakes each day, but her sales have shot up after President-elect Tharman Shanmugaratnam stomped to victory at the polls.
42-year-old Celine said that she received 30 orders on Saturday for those cakes, after she had launched a one-for-one deal to commemorate Mr Tharman’s win at the presidential election.
The cakes typically cost $48 each.
She said she thought offering this promotion on pineapple cheesecake would be a fun way to celebrate his victory and was quite surprised by the number of orders.
Ms Ng who runs dessert cafe Ree and Mummy said she did not expect the response to be so good. The promotion runs until Monday.
The former senior minister Tharman’s campaign symbol was a pineapple, and he was often presented with pineapples and greeted with chants of “ong lai” and “huat ah” during the hustings.
Ong lai is pineapple in Hokkien, and its fruit is seen as a symbol of prosperity and good fortune.
The Casuarina Curry eatery along Upper Thomson Road is offering its pineapple and pineapple cheese prata at half price until 9th September to celebrate Mr Tharman’s win.
Its owner, Mr Elango Subramaniam, 52, said that he appreciates Mr Tharman and was very fond of him. He said he wanted to show his appreciation to Singaporeans and have them celebrate this occasion over prata.
Business is also booming for fruit store owners, with sales of pineapples rising by 10 to 15% in August from the month before.
On Sunday, Chinese newspaper Shin Min Daily News reported that some fruit stores sold over a thousand pineapples daily during the campaign period.
Some of the bars have also launched promotions to ride the pineapple-themed wave.
Patrons who came dressed in pineapple-related attire received a tower of 1.5 litres of pineapple soju at Soi 44 in Prinsep Street, which normally costs $48.
By Sunday evening, the last day of the promotion, over 30 groups of patrons turned up wearing pineapple-themed dresses, socks and shirts, after the bar launched the promotion on Instagram and Facebook.
Soi 44’s owner Ambert Ng said he wanted those who supported Mr Tharman to wear pineapple-related apparel and have a drink on them. “Our team is quite happy with the outcome and wanted to join in the pineapple hype,” he said.
Songwriter Hubert Ng and Model booker Yihru Koo were among those who came dressed looking like pineapples.
Ms Koo said she saw this promotion online and remembered that her boyfriend had a pineapple costume. “Since it was free and we had no other plans for the weekend, I thought ‘why not?”
She said the atmosphere was good and when the staff served the tower, he actually said ‘Ong lai!’ and I had to say ‘Huat ah!’
“It was quite an interesting experience.”
Unveiling the Symbol Behind Presidential Candidate
Why Tharman selected Pineapple
Tharman’s connection to the pineapple symbol goes beyond mere aesthetics. The pineapple represents more than just a fruit; it embodies the values of welcome, prosperity, and good luck, which are deeply rooted in many cultures, including Singapore. The pineapple moreover, is indigenous to Singapore, boasting a rich history of cultivation within the country.
Thanking Supporters
After securing victory in the presidential election, Tharman Shanmugaratnam chose a unique way of expressing his gratitude to his supporters, by gifting them pineapples. This heartfelt gesture symbolized not only his appreciation but also his vision of a prosperous future for Singapore. It was a sweet and memorable way to acknowledge his supporters’ pivotal role in his campaign.
