Cold Storage, warm hearts
Even after 30 years, she still loves working at the supermarket chain
Cold Storage has become almost a family business for 66-year-old Jane Ng.
Madam Ng and her cousin work with the supermarket chain, which has been in Singapore for more than a century, while her uncle and his wife used to work in the bakery department in the old Orchard branch.
Madam Ng works as a seafood supervisor at the Centrepoint branch, while her cousin works at the dairy counter in the Plaza Singapura branch.
Madam Ng has worked in the seafood section for almost 30 years, starting out as a sales assistant before rising up the ranks.
"Her mother asked her to try working at Cold Storage when she was 30 because Madam Ng's uncle was with the supermarket at the time.
Madam Ng said in Mandarin: "After working at Cold Storage for a while, I realised I really enjoyed it because my supervisors and managers were all very kind to me. So I stayed on."
The mother of two sons, who are in their 40s, added: "I used to look for my uncle at the Orchard Road branch and would shop around there.
"It used to be an old building, but everything is much more modern now."
She retains a passion for her job because of the caring and friendly colleagues, supervisors and customers.
"When I worked at the Katong branch, I befriended some of my regular customers and after I told them that I would be shifting to Centrepoint, they would make it a point to visit me if they were shopping in the area.
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"I have seen them grow and some even became grandmothers."
Cold Storage has been serving customers since 1903 from its Orchard Road branch, beside Centrepoint.
In 1983, the store moved into Centrepoint and became the ultra-modern flagship mall of the 1980s.
The Centrepoint branch closed in April last year due to the mall's retrofitting.
Cold Storage at Centrepoint officially reopens today.
Mr Victor Chia, chief executive officer of Cold Storage, said: "Cold Storage, which is 113 years old, has come a long way after almost two years away from Centrepoint.
"When we started here, we were known as a cutting-edge supermarket that had its own dine-in area. It was a sanctuary for the well-heeled shoppers, the last stop before they made their way home."
Another long-time Cold Storage employee, store manager Mohd Ali, 64, who has worked at Cold Storage for 45 years, said: "Cold Storage has been through a lot over the years, but has grown from strength to strength.
"It is where my colleagues have become my family, just like how customers see Cold Storage at Centrepoint as home.
"It's a privilege to see it return to Centrepoint and to see the company bring Cold Storage to greater heights."
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