Lotte Mart Express launches in Singapore, complete with DIY ramyeon bar and ready-to-eat street food

Those who head to Korea regularly would be familiar with Lotte Mart. It is often a common pre-departure pitstop, where one can stock up on snacks — often by the boxload — before flying back to Singapore.

Good news: You can now save all that luggage space, because there’s now a Lotte Mart Express in Singapore, right at VivoCity’s Fairprice Xtra.

Not only is the Express concept new to Singapore, but it’s also Southeast Asia’s first, too — there are existing Lotte Marts in Indonesia and Vietnam, but Singapore is home to the region’s first Lotte Mart Express. 

While it is set to launch officially in Singapore on May 15, the vibrant-hued section within Fairprice Xtra has been already open to the public since early-May. Most, if not all, of its offerings — snacks, DIY ramyeon bar and its ready-to-eat food counter — are already available and operating in full-swing.

First up, the goods. Lotte Mart Express in Singapore stocks some 180 products, exclusively from the Lotte brand, as well as its private labels Good Today and Yorihada. This makes Fairprice the only place in Singapore where you can get items under these labels, for now. 

Lest you think exclusivity means elevated prices, a packet of Good Today seashell shaped snack retails for just S$2, while the widely loved Good Today americano black (2.1L) is just S$6.95. That works out to barely a dollar for a cup of americano! 

Other items to look out for include Lotte’s Zero series of snacks, which come with no sugar —-w ideal for the calorie-conscious.

Snacks aside, there’s also a fully-equipped DIY ramyeon bar with shelves of Korean instant noodles for you to choose from and cook on the spot.

There are even toppings such as vegetables, crabsticks, sausages, meatballs, eggs, and cheese to jazz up your instant noodles. 

The only downside is that there are just two self-cooking stations, and the ramyeon section is relatively small, so there might be a bit of a wait to choose and cook your noodles.

If you prefer not to stand around waiting for your food to cook, you can pick up the ready-to-eat snacks at Yorihada Kitchen, right next to the ramyeon bar. 

The snack counter stocks well-loved Korean street snacks such as tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), eomuk (fish cake skewers), gimbap, and even dakgangjeong (sweet crispy Korean fried chicken).

Choices are relatively limited for its gimbap (S$8.90 for a full roll) — there’s original, tuna mayo, and bulgogi, for now. There’s the option to get a half portion at just S$4.90, which is perfect for small eaters, or if you’re just feeling peckish. 

As someone who relishes stopping by a street food stand every time I’m in Korea, the eomuk (S$5.90) tasted just like the ones you’d get there, as did the dakgangjeong (from S$8.90 for a small portion). 

I would have liked a saucier tteokbokki (from S$5.90 for a small portion), but it is by no means a bad version. 

It would have been amazing, too, if Yorihada had also stocked fried fritters, which typically go with tteokbokki at street food stalls. But considering that it’s operating as a supermarket food counter for now, the variety is decent. 

To complete the whole K-experience, visitors to Lotte Mart Express can also try the photobooth located within the space, at S$10 per photo session.

If Vivocity is a bit of a trek for you, the ongoing partnership between Lotte Retail and Fairprice Group also means that you’ll also get selected Lotte products at Fairprice supermarkets near you.

This was an invited tasting.

For more new Korean eats around town, check out Taste Myeongdong, a new food hall in Orchard, as well as Gangnam Ok, a Korean barbecue spot specialising in a unique multi-component beef brisket dish.

Fairprice is on the GrabMart delivery service and offers free delivery (up to S$3 off) with GrabUnlimited. 

Enjoy up to 50% off when you dine with GrabFood Dine Out.

Book a ride to Lotte Mart Express in Singapore.