Singapore-based beverage chain Fruce has permanently closed its last outlet, located in Wisma Atria shopping mall, after a brief attempt to remain open following an initial closure announcement.

Fruce’s Final Days

Fruce first announced its planned closure on January 10, initially stating January 14 would be its last day of operations. This announcement reportedly left many customers “shocked and disappointed.” The brand then announced on January 13, via Instagram, that the closure was “officially on hold,” stating they would continue to serve customers at the Wisma Atria location.

However, operations ceased on January 19, according to a spokesperson for Wisma Atria. The store’s listing has since been removed from the mall’s online directory. A hoarding for Miki Mizu, another beverage stall, was observed at the location on February 19 and is expected to open by the end of February or early March.

Customer Reaction

Fruce was known for its unique fruit drink flavors, including durian, cempedak, and avocado. Fans of the brand have expressed sadness over its closure on social media. Ms. Gooi Jia Hui, a 29-year-traditional marketing professional, enjoyed Fruce’s drinks approximately once a month and hoped for the brand’s return. Ms. Ann Wee, 28, a market research professional, described Fruce as her “go-to” for a refreshing drink and expressed hope that Singaporeans would continue to support local brands.

A TikTok video mourning the closure of Fruce, dedicated to the avocado coconut drink, had garnered over 168,600 views as of February 20.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened to Fruce?

Fruce has permanently closed its last outlet in Wisma Atria on January 19, despite briefly announcing its closure was “on hold” in January.

What will replace Fruce in Wisma Atria?

Miki Mizu, a beverage stall, will replace Fruce and is expected to open at the end of February or in early March.

Where else did Fruce have locations?

Fruce operated stores in at least six other locations, including Nex shopping mall, Our Tampines Hub, Lau Pa Sat hawker centre, the Hillion Mall, Sun Plaza and Yew Tee Point, all of which have similarly closed.

As local businesses navigate evolving consumer preferences and market conditions, what role do consumers play in sustaining homegrown brands?

Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz has been re-elected as chairman of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) at the party’s two-day convention in Stuttgart. The CDU chairman received 91.17 percent of the vote, with 878 of 1,001 delegates voting in favor of the Chancellor. A total of 963 valid votes were cast.

Following the election, Merz accepted his re-election as CDU chairman on the stage of the party convention and thanked the delegates for their “great trust.”

The 70-year-old achieved his second-best result as party chairman with this outcome. In 2022, he was elected with 94.6 percent of the votes at an online party convention and later confirmed with 95.3 percent by mail-in ballot. In 2024, he received 89.8 percent. In May 2024, Merz received nearly 90 percent of the votes in his re-election as party chairman.

As is customary within the CDU, abstentions were not included in the election result. There were 14 abstentions. Had they been included, Merz would have received a result of 89.87 percent instead of 91.17 percent.

Linnemann Also Re-elected

CDU General Secretary Carsten Linnemann was also confirmed in office, receiving 90.5 percent of the votes. This was slightly less than his first election two years ago, when he received 91.4 percent. In his speech to the delegates, Linnemann called for “real structural reforms” this year. He stated that the coalition “must not even consider taking on more debt or generating recent sources of revenue to paper over the structural problems and push them into the future,” adding, “Now is the time” for reforms.

Linnemann also stated that several government-appointed commissions to reform the social welfare state would present their recommendations this year, at which point, he said, “there will be no dodging.” He continued, “We are called upon to take responsibility and implement structural reforms in Germany.”

Deputy Chairpersons Re-elected

The deputy chairpersons were also re-elected. The number of vice-chairpersons increased from five to six. Ines Claus, the parliamentary group leader in the Hessian state parliament, is new to the office of deputy federal chairwoman, receiving 76.2 percent of the votes.

North Rhine-Westphalia’s Minister of Social Affairs Karl-Josef Laumann (89.2 percent), Saxony’s Minister President Michael Kretschmer (87.8 percent), Baden-Württemberg Member of Parliament Andreas Jung (77.4 percent), State Secretary for Agriculture Silvia Breher (76.8 percent), and Federal Minister for Family Affairs Karin Prien (70.1 percent, the weakest result among the deputy chairpersons) were all confirmed in their positions.

Technical Problems Before the Vote

Due to technical problems, the CDU had to choose its federal chairman using traditional ballot cards instead of digitally. North Rhine-Westphalia’s Minister for Home Affairs, Municipalities, Building and Digitalization, Ina Scharrenbach, said as the meeting’s chairwoman before the vote: “We are currently experiencing strong technical irregularities at several points that cannot currently be explained.”

She added that the integrity of the elections was at stake, stating, “They must be legally secure and the result must be beyond doubt. Due to the importance of these elections, we have decided to play it safe and conduct the elections analogously as in previous years.”

Prior to this, the conference leadership had attempted to test the system with the delegates using a trial vote – with the question: “What do you think, who will win the 2026 World Cup?” No result was announced.

Frequently Asked Questions

What percentage of the vote did Friedrich Merz receive?

Friedrich Merz received 91.17 percent of the vote at the CDU party convention in Stuttgart.

Who else was re-elected at the convention?

Carsten Linnemann was re-elected as CDU General Secretary, receiving 90.5 percent of the votes. The deputy chairpersons were also re-elected, with Ines Claus joining their ranks.

What caused the delay in the voting process?

The voting process was delayed due to “strong technical irregularities” that could not be explained, forcing the CDU to revert to traditional paper ballots.

As the CDU navigates internal leadership and prepares for future elections, what role will structural reforms play in shaping the party’s platform and appeal to voters?