In 2024, over 3,000 food and beverage (F&B) businesses in Singapore were forced to close due to escalating costs, according to a report by Channel News Asia (CNA) earlier this week. Among those shutting their doors were two prominent natural wine bars: Wine RVLT and Rebel Rebel.
Rebel Rebel, located on Bukit Pasoh Road, announced its closure in December via an Instagram post. The wine bar, which had been a fixture for four years, was known for its focus on terroir-driven wines. The establishment, owned by wine distributor Artisan Cellars, was particularly notable for introducing relatively unknown winemakers to the Singapore market, such as Japanese wine producers like Fujimaru.
Neomi Novelonio, a representative from Artisan Cellars, cited a lack of effective marketing as a key factor in the closure. “The biggest downfall for Rebel is the lack of marketing. Many customers have mentioned they never heard of us and wish they had discovered us sooner,” Novelonio explained.
Similarly, Wine RVLT also revealed its gradual closure in December. The eight-year-old wine bar, which initially focused on natural wines, expanded its selection to include sustainable, minimal intervention, and biodynamic wines over time. In a post shared on Instagram on December 6, 2024, the team explained, “It’s no longer sustainable, and we’ve decided to call it quits. Seven to eight years for a single concept is a pretty good run, in our opinion.”
Alvin Gho, co-founder of Wine RVLT and Singapore’s Star List Ambassador, attributed the decision to rising operational costs, particularly rent. Gho stated that the costs to run the business had increased by 30%, while revenues had significantly decreased.
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