Japanese and Korean Supermarkets in Singapore: Don Don Donki, Meidi-Ya, LOTTE Mart Express and the Specialists | How Supermarket Works

By the WahLiao desk · Last verified 28 September 2026

For Japanese groceries in Singapore, start with Don Don Donki for range and value and Meidi-Ya for quality, with smaller specialists for sushi, fresh fish and sake. For Korean groceries, the easiest one-stop option is now inside FairPrice: LOTTE Mart Express sections in the FairPrice Xtra hypermarkets at Jem and VivoCity, with independent Korean marts filling in the rest.

One detail changes the shopping trip more than any other. Don Don Donki is not among the supermarkets that accept CDC supermarket vouchers, so a voucher shop for Japanese groceries belongs at the chains that do.

Japanese and Korean supermarkets: quick facts

Largest Japanese grocer Don Don Donki, since its first Singapore store opened at Orchard Central in December 2017
Long-established Japanese supermarket Meidi-Ya, with a two-storey flagship at Millenia Walk
Korean one-stop LOTTE Mart Express sections inside FairPrice Xtra at Jem and VivoCity
Specialists Smaller grocers for sushi, fresh fish, sake and snacks
CDC supermarket vouchers Not accepted at Don Don Donki; accepted at FairPrice, the home of LOTTE Mart Express
Why imports cost more Freight, cold chain and small volumes; Donki’s founder said at launch that items costing a dollar in Japan could cost two or three here

The WahLiao Verdict

Cost An import premium on most items, lower at Donki than at the specialists.
What you get The ingredients, snacks and ready meals that make Japanese and Korean cooking taste as it should.
The alternative The Asian aisles of a mainstream supermarket, which now carry the common staples such as soy sauces, noodles, gochujang and miso.
Worth it for Cooks, homesick expatriates, and anyone who has ever needed exactly the right curry roux.
Skip it if Your list is common staples. The mainstream aisles are usually cheaper for those.
Last verified 28 September 2026, against published store information, mall directories and FairPrice announcements.

Where to buy Japanese groceries in Singapore

Don Don Donki: range and value

Don Don Donki opened its first Singapore store at Orchard Central in December 2017, followed by Tanjong Pagar’s 100AM in 2018, and has since spread to malls across the island, including Jem, where it spans two levels, and City Square Mall. At launch the company said its range of about 30,000 items had been curated for Singapore, a third of it from Hokkaido. The name comes from the store’s theme song, chosen to avoid confusion with a restaurant here that already used the Japanese chain’s home name.

Donki is strongest on ready-to-eat meals, snacks, Japanese fruit and meat, and late opening hours; its Orchard Central store has operated round the clock. We tell the full story in How Don Don Donki Turned Japanese Groceries Into Retail Theatre.

Meidi-Ya: quality and the long view

Meidi-Ya is the Japanese supermarket that expatriates relied on long before Donki arrived. Its two-storey flagship at Millenia Walk has a bakery, a food hall and a wine and liquor section on one floor, and Japanese produce, meat and imported groceries on the other, with a Hokkaido specialty section for sweets and soft-serve. It also has a store at Great World. Expect to pay more than at Donki, particularly for Japanese beef, and to find better quality at the premium end.

The specialists

Smaller Japanese grocers serve particular needs: takeaway sushi and hand rolls, fresh fish for sashimi, hand-picked sake and rare snacks. Guides in 2025 listed Kuriya Japanese Market, Fish Mart Sakuraya, J-Mart and Iroha Mart among them, several with delivery. Outlets and terms change, so check each grocer’s own site before you travel.

Where to buy Korean groceries in Singapore

The simplest route is now inside a FairPrice Xtra. LOTTE Mart Express, the Korean retailer’s smaller format, runs sections in the FairPrice Xtra hypermarkets at Jem and VivoCity. At Jem the section carries more than 800 Korean products, from snacks and instant noodles to lifestyle items, with a ramen wall and a counter selling freshly made Korean street food such as fried chicken and tteokbokki.

Because it sits inside a FairPrice Xtra, it is also a Korean shop you can reach on the same trip as your weekly staples. If you plan to use FairPrice payment options, discount days or CDC vouchers on Korean products there, confirm at the checkout how they apply to that section.

Beyond LOTTE Mart Express, independent Korean marts across the island carry fresh kimchi, banchan, frozen goods and Korean meat cuts, and mainstream supermarkets now stock the common staples, such as gochujang, ramyeon and seaweed, in their Asian aisles.

Why do Japanese and Korean groceries cost more?

Because they travel far in small quantities, often chilled or frozen, and must clear the same import rules as everything else. When Don Don Donki arrived, its founder observed that prices in Singapore were often double or triple what the same item cost in Japan, and that was his reason for coming. Donki’s scale narrows the gap. The specialists, buying smaller volumes of premium items, cannot.

The practical rule: buy the items that only these shops carry, and buy the common staples in the Asian aisle of your usual supermarket, where house brands and discount days apply.

Shopping tips for Japanese and Korean groceries

  • Read the date format. Japanese and some Korean products print dates year first, so 26.11.05 is 5 November 2026. See what supermarket date labels really mean.
  • Check the Nutri-Grade on drinks. Imported drinks sold here carry the same A to D grades as local ones.
  • Check halal status if it matters to you. Imported products rely on foreign certifiers that MUIS recognises; our halal groceries guide explains how.
  • Plan vouchers around Donki. Use CDC supermarket vouchers at participating chains and pay at Donki another way.
  • Bring your own bag. Don Don Donki is among the large operators that charge for carrier bags.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I buy Japanese groceries in Singapore?

Don Don Donki for range and value, Meidi-Ya for quality, and specialist grocers for sushi, fresh fish and sake. Mainstream supermarkets stock the common staples.

Where can I buy Korean groceries in Singapore?

LOTTE Mart Express sections inside FairPrice Xtra at Jem and VivoCity are the most convenient one-stop option, alongside independent Korean marts and the Asian aisles of mainstream supermarkets.

Can I use CDC vouchers at Don Don Donki?

No. Don Don Donki is not among the participating supermarkets for CDC supermarket vouchers.

Is Don Don Donki open 24 hours?

Its Orchard Central store has operated round the clock; other outlets keep shorter hours, often late into the night.

Is Meidi-Ya more expensive than Don Don Donki?

Generally, particularly at the premium end, such as Japanese beef. Meidi-Ya is chosen for quality and range, Donki for value and convenience.

Read next

This page belongs to How Supermarket Works, our series on the grocery network behind the shelf. Continue with premium supermarkets in Singapore and 24-hour supermarkets.

Sources checked 28 September 2026: Jem shopping guide on FairPrice Xtra, LOTTE Mart Express and Don Don Donki; FairPrice announcements on LOTTE Mart Express at Jem and VivoCity; Inside Retail on Don Don Donki’s Singapore launch (2018); published store information for Meidi-Ya; 2025 guides to Japanese grocers; the CDC Vouchers Scheme; NEA on the carrier bag charge. Last updated 28 September 2026.