Twelve Cupcakes shutdown leaves migrant worker unable to return home while awaiting unpaid wages

SINGAPORE: Three more former Twelve Cupcakes employees have spoken publicly about the hardship they continue to face after the chain abruptly ceased operations and entered provisional liquidation on 29 October, leaving about 80 workers jobless without notice.

A week ago, on 13 November, former employees Rajesh, Vilma and Mei shared their experiences in an interview with F&B labour collective Makan Minum Workers, saying the sudden shutdown not only cost them their livelihoods but left many struggling to pay for basic necessities and support their families.

Another interview, uploaded by Workers Make Possible on Instagram on 19 November, featured three more workers — Ying, Stella and Gina — who described their ongoing distress.

One worker said she was feeling “very miserable”, explaining that she wanted to return home but was unable to do so until she recovered her unpaid wages.

She added that after working at the chain for 11 years, she now had to “start over” and search for a new job.

Another worker explained that she was still waiting for her final salary, which she had planned to allocate to rental, daily expenses in Singapore, and family support in the Philippines.

She said she supports one child and her mother, who requires maintenance medication as a senior citizen.

Speaking about the fundraising effort to help stranded Twelve Cupcakes employees, one worker said any successful fundraiser would significantly ease their burden by helping them cover rent, food and transport costs while job hunting.

She stressed that the fund was not only for migrant workers but would be shared equally among all 80 affected staff — including Singaporeans and permanent residents.

“We are still one. We are still workers in Twelve Cupcakes,” she said.

In its caption accompanying the video, Workers Make Possible appealed for assistance to raise an additional S$3,000 to support Ying, Stella and Gina.

According to an update on 17 November, the group said around 17 workers had already received assistance.

As of 21 November morning, the ongoing fundraiser had collected more than S$20,150.

The campaign seeks to raise a total of S$80,000 to provide approximately S$1,000 per worker, covering a month’s rent and basic necessities for the roughly 80 former employees left stranded by the closure.

Workers Make Possible Calls for Public Support

Workers Make Possible has urged the public to step in and support former Twelve Cupcakes staff who remain stranded following the sudden shutdown.

Apart from fundraising, the group also appealed for job openings for affected workers, warning that many face heightened precarity after the cancellation of their work passes.

According to the collective, about half of the stranded employees have already had their passes cancelled.

Members of the public were encouraged to share any available vacancies — even those open only to Singaporeans and permanent residents — as the group is also supporting local workers who lost their jobs in the closure.

MOM Investigating Abrupt Shutdown

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has launched a formal investigation into the circumstances surrounding Twelve Cupcakes’ sudden closure.

The chain, owned by Kolkata-based Dhunseri Group, ceased operations on 29 October while around 80 employees were still on duty.

At around 8pm that evening, workers reportedly received a WhatsApp message informing them that their employment had ended with immediate effect and that their salaries would not be paid until liquidation was completed — a process estimated to take six months.

Officials have cited potential breaches relating to unpaid wages.

In a joint statement on 31 October, MOM and the CPF Board said the Board would file a claim with the liquidator to recover outstanding CPF contributions for September and October.

The Food, Drinks and Allied Workers Union (FDAWU) issued a statement on 30 October describing the closure as “unacceptable and unfair”, noting the absence of consultation or warning.

According to Workers Make Possible, the former employees are scheduled to meet the company’s liquidators on 24 November.