29/05/2026
There is a distinct heartbreak in documenting a dream from its very first spark, only to watch it vanish into the ledger of liquidation. When XPACE was first launch in 2021, it arrived not merely as a commercial building, but as a monument to what the future of Singapore’s F&B ecosystem could be.
Spearhead by the forward thinking minds of Nichol and Nicholas Ng, a third generation successors of a 92 year old food distribution business, XPACE was a $65 million, 22,000 square meter gamble on collaboration. It was designed to be the ultimate culinary playground- a vibrant intersection where traditional F&B distribution met the cutting edge energy of tech startups, hype brands, hotels and boutique restaurants.
To step into XPACE in its early days was to feel unmistakable, youthful current of energy. It rejected the cold boring nature of industrial food warehouses,
opting instead for a youth infused warm community first ecosystem.
On one floor, you would find “The Xhowroom”- an experiential hub broken
down into dynamic zones like The Xtory (a beautiful museum- like timeline
paying homage to a heritage tracing back to 1934), The Xhoppe, and Xin Bao Bao Bar. Every corner was built to celebrate legacy while heavily leaning into the future.
There were sleek, mid-century inspired colourful co-working lounges, private workpods and design elements that honoured the old school Singaporean grit like the vintage delivery bicycles stacked with egg crates and traditional birdcages overhead, alongside its replica of the wooden furniture of Ng Chye Mong, the first shophouse trading dry goods alongside the Singapore River.
The real magic happened where food met future, XPACE aimed to be a sanctuary for visionary food tech. It hosted experimental concepts like the Xupper Club and deliciated spaces for alternative protein creators, where plant-based pioneers like Wagyu, The Vegetarian Butcher, and Harvest Gourmet could showcase the future of sustainable eating to chefs, restaurateurs, curious distributors and even their own staff. Its wasn’t just a warehouse; it was an incubator for dreams.
