Cheers brings Singapore’s chili crab to the daily commute

Cheers is putting a Singaporean spin on the daily commute with a limited-edition chili crab SimplyGo EZ-Link charm, now available across all Cheers stores islandwide.

Created in collaboration with SimplyGo and Golden Chef, the collectible turns an everyday commuting essential into a playful nod to one of Singapore’s most recognisable dishes.

The charm first debuted at Cheers Peranakan Place on 14 August before rolling out across the wider Cheers network. It is now available exclusively at all Cheers stores islandwide.

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The launch is backed by an integrated campaign spanning social media, digital channels and in-store touchpoints, following the journey of “Mr Crab” as he makes his way around Singapore.

The campaign also uses Cheers’ store network as part of the experience, with the initial launch at Peranakan Place tying the collectible to the heritage of its surroundings.

The collaboration brings together two familiar elements of Singapore life, local food and public transport, while tapping into the appeal of limited-edition, locally inspired collectibles.

By putting chili crab onto a functional commuter accessory, the campaign transforms a routine item into something consumers can collect, carry and identify with. The charm can also serve as a travel-friendly keepsake for visitors looking to bring a piece of Singapore home.

For Cheers, the collaboration forms part of its broader push to move beyond the traditional convenience store proposition, using its physical stores and digital channels as platforms for discovery through exclusive products, partnerships and experiences.

The collaboration with SimplyGo and Golden Chef also allows Cheers to connect a distinctly Singaporean food icon with an everyday consumer touchpoint, giving the brand another way to build relevance around familiar moments in consumers’ lives.

“Cheers has always been part of the everyday lives of Singaporeans, and we see an opportunity to make those everyday interactions more engaging and memorable," said Jaren Loy, business marketing lead, Cheers.

"The chili crab SimplyGo EZ-Link Charm brings together something distinctly Singaporean with something people use on their daily commute, in a fun and unexpected way. Through collaborations such as this, we want to continue creating reasons for consumers to discover and engage with Cheers beyond the traditional convenience store experience,” he added.

The move also comes as convenience retailers increasingly look beyond everyday transactions to create more experiential reasons for consumers to engage with their brands. 7-Eleven Singapore, for instance, has partnered with Play Nation on locally inspired collectibles that turn familiar Singaporean rituals, such as kopi runs and neighbourhood mama shops, into playful products.

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