Farmer Brand Peanut or 味香園(Wei Xiang Yuan or Mei Heong Yuen) was the talk of town when I posted the photo of this can online. I took the photo of this can when I visited Cameron Highland's Time Tunnel Museum.
The peanuts are grown in the Menglembu Plains of Perak, Malaysia since the 1940s. The love relationship blossomed between Singapore and the Farmer Brand Peanut when the late-Mr Lee Chit Heng decided to move his "processing and distribution operations to Singapore in the 1950s". (1)
Mei Heong Yuen Food Industries Pte Ltd is currently located at 261, Pandan Loop, does the processing, packaging and distribution of these peanuts. (2)
This brand of peanuts has accompanied many through the decades. The public was able to purchase this brand of peanuts from various leading supermarkets and convenience stores (From the old Emporium in the 1970s to NTUC and Cheers in current times). (3)
In Singapore, peanuts are eaten for all occasions - from wedding dinners and regular restaurant dinners, to funeral wake.
Facebook user Larry Lai shared that in the past, "they even use paper-bag to pack their ground-nut if you buy small quantity".
In 1979, a bag of 227g roasted peanuts costs S$0.95. Now, a bag of peanuts comes in 150g and with multiple flavours such as Garlic and Coconut.
Here's the email interview with a representative of the Farmer Brand Peanut.
1. Where was the original shop in Singapore? [Nicholas] Also along Temple Street but not at the present unit.
2. When was the shop set up? [Nicholas] Unable to recall the year.
3. Was there only one type of peanuts commercially sold in the past? [Nicholas] Yes and it gradually expanded to more flavours.
4. Do any of the peanuts still come from Menglembu? [Nicholas] No, it is now from another country.
Updated: 25 June 2015
References
1. Tee, E. April 10, 2012. Historic Singapore: 5 Chinatown businesses that endure. http://travel.cnn.com/singapore/visit/old-shops-chinatown-748077 Accessed on June 22, 2015.
2. Singapore Chinatown Heritage Brands. http://www.farmerpeanuts.com/aboutus.html Accessed on June 21, 2015.
3. Emporium Holding Group. June 15, 1979. Super Special. The Straits Times. P7.
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