To find importers in Singapore, combine chamber directories (SICCI, SCCCI), your own High Commission or embassy, Singapore's trade fairs and direct research on company websites, then check each company in ACRA's Bizfile register. There is no public list of importers with what they buy. And because most of what Singapore exports is re-exported goods, many "importers" buy to resell across Southeast Asia: decide which kind of buyer you want before you build the list.
In this guide
- Why Singapore is different: a re-export hub
- End buyers, distributors and traders
- Size the market first
- Official and free sources
- Trade fairs in Singapore
- What your buyer needs to import
- How to check a Singapore importer in 7 steps
- The rules for a first email
Why Singapore is different: a re-export hub
Singapore's total merchandise trade rose 8.7% to about S$1.4 trillion in 2025, according to Enterprise Singapore's review of 2025 trade. Much of that trade is goods passing through: Singapore buys to resell into the region. In the same review, non-oil re-exports grew 17.7% in 2025 while non-oil domestic exports grew 4.8%. For the current split between imports, domestic exports and re-exports, see SingStat's merchandise trade table.
For an exporter this means two things. First, a Singapore buyer can be your door to Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines or further, not only to Singapore's own market of a few million people. Second, a trader who resells abroad wants price, volume, payment terms and to know which markets you already sell to, while a company that sells in Singapore wants specification, certification and reliable small deliveries.
End buyers, distributors and traders
- End buyers: supermarket and retail groups, hotel and restaurant groups, contractors, shipyards, laboratories and manufacturers that use or sell your product in Singapore.
- Distributors: companies with a sales team that sell your category to Singapore retailers and businesses, often with Malaysia covered too.
- Regional traders and re-exporters: companies that buy into Singapore and sell on across the region, sometimes without the goods ever being sold locally.
A trader's first question is price per container and payment terms; a distributor's is margin and exclusivity; an end buyer's is specification and delivery. Pick one before you write.
Size the market first
Look at how much Singapore imports of your product and from where in ITC's free Trade Map: set the importer to Singapore and your HS code, and view by exporter. Then compare with Singapore's exports of the same code. If exports are close to imports, most of the market is trading, not consumption.
SingStat publishes the same split itself: re-exports and domestic exports by commodity and by market, for example re-exports of food by destination. Its Table Builder is free. A product that Singapore re-exports mostly to Indonesia tells you where the traders you will meet actually sell.
Official and free sources
| Source | What it gives you | Where it falls short |
|---|---|---|
| ACRA Bizfile | Singapore's company register: free search by name or UEN with status and registered address; a Business Profile (S$5.50) adds the registration date and position holders; a financial and compliance profile costs S$50 | A checking tool, not a buyer list |
| SICCI | The Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry: a member directory and a Business Match service for local and overseas companies | Members only; membership does not show what a company buys |
| SCCCI | The Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry's members' directory and business advisory enquiries | Same: a directory of members, not of buyers |
| SingStat | Imports, domestic exports and re-exports by commodity and market | No company names |
| Your High Commission or embassy | Commercial section contacts, market briefs, sometimes importer lists and introductions | Depth varies by country; lists age |
| Trade fairs in Singapore | Regional buyers in one place; exhibitor lists | Most exhibitors are sellers; many visitors are from neighbouring countries |
| Trade data platforms | Shipment records from each provider's own sources | Ask where Singapore records come from; coverage varies |
| Web buyer research | Companies that sell or use your product today, and who decides | You have to describe the buyer well; Outfound does this work |
Most Singapore companies publish their main business in English, so website research works well. For the limits of customs data in general, see customs data vs buyer research.
Trade fairs in Singapore
Dates and venues below are as listed on each organiser's site in October 2026; check them again before you book.
| Fair | Sector | Next edition |
|---|---|---|
| FHA (Food & Hotel Asia) | Food and beverage, hospitality equipment | 20-23 April 2027, Singapore EXPO |
| BeautyAsia | Beauty and cosmetics, trade only | 7-9 April 2027, Marina Bay Sands |
| Asia Photonics Expo | Photonics, optics and lasers | 3-5 March 2027, Sands Expo and Convention Centre |
| MRO Asia-Pacific | Aircraft maintenance and parts | 21-23 September 2027, Singapore |
| Asia Pacific Maritime | Shipbuilding, marine equipment and offshore | 22-24 March 2028, Marina Bay Sands |
Before a fair, sort the exhibitor list into buyers, distributors and competitors. During it, note which local partners your competitors' countries work with. After it, follow up within a week; see after the trade fair: the follow-up.
What your buyer needs to import
You do not need to know Singapore's procedures in detail, but knowing what your buyer has to do helps you tell a real importer from a broker with no licences:
- A UEN and a Customs account. Singapore Customs requires importers to register with ACRA (or another UEN-issuing agency) and activate a Customs account. All import permits are filed through TradeNet, often by a declaring agent.
- GST. Non-dutiable goods pay GST only; liquor, tobacco, motor vehicles and petroleum also pay duty. GST is charged on the CIF value plus any duty (Singapore Customs), at the current rate of 9% (IRAS).
- Food. Commercial food importers must be registered with the Singapore Food Agency and licensed to import food, and imported processed food needs a valid permit. Rice needs a separate licence. A food buyer without SFA registration is not ready to import.
- Controlled goods. Some goods need advance notification, a licence or a certificate from the competent authority before import, such as the Health Sciences Authority or NParks; Singapore Customs has a product code checker.
How to check a Singapore importer in 7 steps
- Is the company registered and live? Search the name or UEN in Bizfile and note its status and registered address.
- How old is it, and who runs it? For S$5.50 the Business Profile shows the registration date and position holders such as directors; in small trading companies a director is often the buyer. For S$50, ACRA's financial and compliance profile adds financial ratios and the audit opinion.
- What does the website sell? Product pages and brands carried say more than the "about us" page.
- Where does it sell? "Southeast Asia", "ASEAN" or a list of countries usually means a regional distributor or trader; outlets and delivery areas in Singapore mean a local seller.
- Does it already import your category? Foreign brands and origins on its product pages say yes.
- Does it have the licences your product needs? For food, ask for its SFA licence; for controlled goods, the relevant approval.
- Before you ship on credit: ask for trade references, and use your country's High Commission if it offers company checks, or secure payment terms for the first orders.
A worked example with a made-up company: "Example Trading Pte Ltd" (example.com) is live in Bizfile, lists spices, rice and pulses on its website, names Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia as markets and carries two Indian brands. It is a regional trader that already buys from abroad. The first email should lead with price per container, packing options for onward shipment and payment terms, not with your brand story.
Outfound runs this check for every candidate: it keeps the companies that fit with the reason and a source link, finds the decision-maker, verifies the email address and writes the first email for your approval.
The rules for a first email
Singapore's Spam Control Act applies to commercial messages with a Singapore link, which includes a recipient that carries on business in Singapore. Senders of unsolicited commercial email in bulk (more than 100 messages with similar content in 24 hours, more than 1,000 in 30 days or more than 10,000 in a year) must include an unsubscribe facility with a clear statement in English, honour requests within 10 business days, use a subject line that is not misleading and starts with "<ADV>", and give a working contact. Separately, the PDPC's guidelines say the Personal Data Protection Act's main data protection provisions do not apply to business contact information such as a work email address.
The practical answer is the same as everywhere: a few well-chosen companies, one email each, written about that company. English works for business in Singapore; see the ideal email length.
For the methods in general, see how to find buyers for export; for Indian exporters, how to find buyers for export from India. Other country guides: UAE and Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Australia, USA, UK, Germany, France, Canada, Mexico.
Last updated: · By: Tolga Tatar