Jumbo to Close Flagship East Coast Seafood Centre Outlet on Sept. 30

Singapore seafood restaurant chain Jumbo Group will close its flagship Jumbo Seafood outlet at East Coast Seafood Centre when its lease expires on September 30, 2026, ending nearly 40 years at the location. The restaurant first opened in 1987 as the group’s first Jumbo Seafood outlet, and the company said in a regulatory filing on Friday, May 29, that it will vacate the premises at the end of the lease. Jumbo said the landlord, the National Parks Board, is reviewing redevelopment plans for East Coast Seafood Centre as part of longer-term plans for East Coast Park.

The East Coast outlet is an important part of Jumbo’s business, contributing about 14% of group revenue in the financial year ended September 30, 2025. Still, the company said the closure is not expected to have a material impact on earnings per share or net tangible assets per share for the financial year ending September 30, 2026, because the restaurant will remain open until the lease ends. The effect on revenue is expected to be felt in the following financial year.

To soften the impact, Jumbo said it plans to rely more on newer outlets, including locations in Sentosa and Tai Seng, as well as its other existing restaurants. The group said it will continue focusing on improving the performance of its outlet network and overall operations. East Coast Seafood Centre also houses rival seafood chain Long Beach’s UDMC outlet.

Jumbo’s latest financial results, released on May 8, showed that profit for the six months ended March 31 fell to S$6.2 million from S$7.9 million a year earlier. Revenue for the period rose 7.9% to S$105.1 million, supported by growth in Singapore and China. Singapore revenue increased 9.9% to S$92.7 million, which Jumbo said was driven by recently opened outlets. Revenue from China rose 11.5% to S$10.7 million on stronger dining demand, along with targeted marketing and customer engagement efforts.

Operating expenses also increased, due to higher employee benefit costs, lease expenses, utilities and other operating costs. Jumbo said these were mainly linked to annual wage adjustments, a higher headcount needed to support newer outlets, stronger business activity and its expanded operating premises. Executive chairman and group CEO Ang Kiam Meng said the company would remain focused on productivity, sharper offerings and a more efficient platform for sustainable growth amid cost pressures and competition.

According to its website, Jumbo operates seven Jumbo Seafood outlets in Singapore, three in Shanghai, two in Bangkok, and one each in Beijing, Fuzhou, Xiamen, Nanjing, Wuhan, Sanya, Seoul and Phnom Penh. The company is best known for Singapore chilli crab, along with black pepper crab, cereal prawns, salted egg yolk prawns and crispy baby squid.