The Prive Group, once a well-recognised name in Singapore’s dining scene, has officially closed all its restaurants, marking one of the most significant F&B casualties of 2025. The move reflects the broader struggles facing the food and beverage sector, which continues to grapple with high operating costs, manpower shortages, and shifting consumer spending habits.
Founded in 2007, Prive began as an upscale restaurant at Keppel Bay before expanding into a chain of casual dining cafes and Chinese restaurants. Known for its popular dishes such as the Juicy Lucy Burger and Brioche Kaya Toast, the brand built a loyal following over the years. However, worsening economic conditions and rising costs eventually forced the group to cease operations.
Commonwealth Concepts Steps In at the Asian Civilisations Museum
Two of Prive’s five outlets, both located at the Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM), will not disappear entirely. Instead, they will be taken over by Commonwealth Concepts, the operator behind well-known brands such as Fat Cow, PastaMania, Bedrock Bar & Grill, Swissbake, and Baker & Cook.
Empress, the smart-casual Chinese restaurant previously under Prive, will continue operations under Commonwealth Concepts, ensuring minimal disruption for customers and honoring existing bookings. Meanwhile, the space formerly occupied by Prive Café at ACM will reopen on September 4 as a new Baker & Cook outlet, adding to the group’s expanding portfolio.
Rising Costs and Difficult Market Conditions
Prive chairman Yuan Oeij, 55, explained that the decision to close was not taken lightly but had become unavoidable.
“Business started slowing down noticeably towards the end of 2023 and just got worse each year,” he said. “The combination of challenging market conditions and rising operational costs left us with no viable path forward.”
Suppliers were notified of the closures via a text message on August 31, with assurances that a professional financial adviser would follow up regarding next steps.
Efforts to Save Jobs and Secure Continuity
While the closures have left a gap in Singapore’s dining scene, the Commonwealth Concepts takeover has provided some relief. According to Prive’s leadership, this arrangement allowed many staff members at the ACM outlets to retain their jobs and ensured that event bookings could still be fulfilled without disruption.
Mr Oeij added that the group had made various attempts to secure continuity for its other outlets, including discussions with investors and interested buyers. Unfortunately, given the current economic climate, these efforts did not yield the desired outcome.
Setbacks Over the Years
The Prive Group’s struggles did not begin in 2025. Over the past few years, the brand had faced multiple setbacks, including the closure of its outlets at Jewel Changi Airport and 313 Somerset earlier this year. The 313 Somerset location was repossessed in February by landlord Lendlease, while its space at Paragon Mall was taken over by American coffee chain Blue Bottle, which opened in July.
The group also faced reputational challenges in 2021, when its former chief executive Jean-Luc Vu Han was involved in a legal case stemming from an assault incident. He was later sentenced in 2022, an episode that cast a shadow on the brand during its expansion years.
Wider Struggles in Singapore’s F&B Industry
Prive’s closure underscores a troubling trend within Singapore’s food and beverage sector. After the post-pandemic surge in spending, commonly referred to as “revenge dining,” consumers have become more cautious with their money. Many are either choosing to dine overseas when traveling or cutting back on local restaurant visits due to global economic uncertainties.
The challenges are further compounded by:
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Rising rents and operational costs that eat into already tight margins.
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Manpower shortages, with operators struggling to find and retain staff.
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Increased competition in a saturated dining market.
Statistics from the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) highlight the precarious state of the industry. In 2024, 3,790 new food businesses opened in Singapore, but 3,047 closed—the highest number of closures since 2005. As of August 2025, 2,333 new F&B outlets have launched, while 1,724 have already shut down.
What Prive’s Closure Means for the Dining Scene
The closure of the Prive Group is more than just the end of a beloved brand. It highlights the growing fragility of Singapore’s F&B industry, where even established names with strong customer recognition are not immune to economic pressures.
Industry watchers note that consolidation is becoming more common, with larger groups such as Commonwealth Concepts stepping in to take over spaces and brands that smaller operators can no longer sustain. This trend is expected to continue as rising costs force more independents and mid-sized players out of the market.
Conclusion
The shutdown of all Prive Group restaurants is a stark reminder of the volatile business environment facing Singapore’s F&B industry in 2025. Despite its long-standing presence and popularity, the group could not withstand the combined challenges of slowing consumer demand, escalating operational costs, and intense competition.
As Commonwealth Concepts integrates two of Prive’s former outlets into its portfolio, the broader question remains: how many more F&B operators will be able to survive the increasingly tough landscape?
For diners in Singapore, the closure signals not only the loss of a familiar brand but also a preview of how the dining scene may continue to evolve in the years ahead.
