This article was originally published on SGX's investor education portal, My Gateway, and is republished with permission.
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Singapore's deep and diverse street food heritage has evolved over the generations into a market that serves just about every type of food you can think of to customers across all points of the income chain. Hence, Food & Beverage, or F&B, plays a large role in Singapore's economy and stock market.
The 10 largest capitalised F&B stocks listed on Singapore Exchange (SGX) averaged a year to date total return of 22.7% in the year through to the end of last week. This consisted of seven gainers and three decliners. These 10 stocks maintain an average market capitalisation of S$3.5 billion.
The strongest performer among these 10 biggest F&B stocks in the first 34 weeks of 2016 was Japfa. Japfa is an industrial agri-food company that produces and sells dairy, animal protein, and packaged food products in Asia. It operates through four segments: Poultry Division, Aquaculture Division, Beef Cattle Division, and Trading and Other Businesses Division. While the share price of Japfa ended 1 cent higher in July from end of June, average daily turnover of the stock in July at S$1.9 million was almost five times that of July 2015. In mid-August, Japfa reported operating profit for six months ending 30 June, was US$163.0 million compared to US$76.0 million for the same period a year ago.
Of the 10 biggest F&B plays, the next best performing stocks in the 2016 year through to the end of last week were Thai Beverage PCL and Jumbo Group. To see the full profile of each stock tabled below in SGX StockFacts click on the stock name below.
10 Biggest F&B Stocks 
After the largest capitalised 10 F&B stocks, the next 10 largest capitalised F&B stocks averaged a very similar year to date total return of 23.0% over the first 34 weeks of 2016. These 10 stocks maintain an average market capitalisation of S$153 million.
This group of 10 stocks consisted of six gainers and four decliners and included newly listed Katrina Group. The total returns of these next 10 largest capitalised F&B stocks were also more varied for the first 34 weeks of 2016, ranging from a 52.4% gain for Food Empire Holdings to an 18.9% decline for Hanwell Holdings. 
Klassno is one of the key 3-in-1 coffee brands of Food Empire. File photoFood Empire Holdings operates as a branding and manufacturing company in the food and beverage sector. Its products include instant beverage products, frozen convenience food, confectionery, and snack products. During the month of July, average daily turnover of Food Empire Holdings was S$91,000, which was seven times the average daily turnover in July 2015. In mid-August, Food Empire Holdings reported profit before taxation for the six months ending June was $7.0 million compared to $3.1 million a year ago.
Of the next 10 biggest F&B plays, Katrina Group and China Kangda Food Co were the next best performers after Food Empire Holdings. Please note China Kangda Food Co was the second least active stock of the table below (after ABR holdings) in July 2016, with an average daily turnover of $6,000. To see the full profile of each stock tabled below in SGX StockFacts click on the stock name below.
Next 10 Biggest F&B Stocks 
The newest stock to list among the F&B plays tabled above is Katrina Group. Katrina Group is an investment holding company that owns, operates, and manages restaurants and cafes. The company operates restaurants under the nine food and beverage brands and concepts, including Bali Thai, Streats, Honguo, So Pho, Indobox, Muchos, RENNthai, Bayang, and Hutong.
Katrina Group was incorporated in 1995 and listed on SGX on 26 July. With an initial offer price per share of S$0.21, the share price finished its first session at S$0.34. The stock price has since retraced some ground from the first day high, and ended last week at S$0.315.
