{
  "id": 754678,
  "title": "‘What else can I do?’: S'pore ice cream vendors plan to keep selling for 'as long' as they can, but how long will that be?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/13/what-else-can-i-do-spore-ice-cream-vendors-plan-to-keep-selling-for",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-13T10:28:52.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Mothership",
    "slug": "mothership",
    "url": "https://mothership.sg/2026/08/ice-cream-street-vendor-spore/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The traditional ice cream vendors in Singapore are planning to keep selling for as long as they can, despite the challenges they face. Many of these vendors have been in the business for decades, with some operating their carts for over 50 years. Operating a cart is not easy, as business varies day by day, and vendors often face issues such as rain, price hikes, and their own age. Some vendors, like Uncle Soh and Uncle Tang, started selling ice cream out of necessity when they couldn't find other jobs. They earn around S$40 to S$50 or S$200 to S$300 a day, respectively, and have to restock their supplies at designated locations. With no new street hawking licenses being issued, the industry is gradually declining, and vendors are likely to continue working until they are no longer able to or when their licenses expire. It is estimated that the traditional ice cream business could last another five to 10 years, but this depends on how the economy evolves.",
  "summary": "Decades-long traditional ice cream vendors explain why they entered the business, and what keeps them going.",
  "key_points": [
    "Singapore's traditional ice cream vendors plan to keep selling as long as possible.",
    "Many vendors have been in business for over 50 years.",
    "Industry may last 5 to 10 more years depending on economic conditions."
  ],
  "editors_take": "The ice cream vendors' decision to continue selling as long as possible means their traditional business will likely persist for another five to 10 years, until licenses expire or they can no longer operate.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}