I do not know much about this factory, only that I used to pass it everyday on my way to school in those days. The factory started off processing soya sauce but its most famous product was the 'Green Spot' orange drink.
In fact, the most prominent thing about this factory was a giant replica of the Green Spot bottle facing Upper Bukit Timah Road. Travelers going down the road cannot fail to notice this landmark. It was astute advertising even in those days! The bottle was on a revolving platform and that made it stand out even more.
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| Amoy Canning with its giant revolving Green Spot bottle |
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| Taken in 1993. Sadly, Green Spot was no longer produced by then. |
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| Upper Bukit Timah Road. Building is the Hock Soon Ind Warehouse located next to the Amoy Canning factory. |
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| The former Chinese kampong originally called Kg Quarry and later Yuasa Barracks was down the road from Hock Soon Warehouse. |
Further down was a Chinese kampong originally called Kg Quarry but later known as Yuasa Barracks.
Today, this entire stretch has been completely replaced by condominium developments.
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| An old advertisement by Amoy Canning Corp. |
James. Do you know that when you turn into Jurong Rd from Upp Bt Timah Rd, there used to be a small kampong on the left - up a steep slope. During my NS days, I knew a girl who lived there.
ReplyDeleteAlso, at Lor Sesuai there also was a small kampong. My Indian neighbour says he grew up there.
Yes. I remember this Green Spot landmark as well as the rubber factory. I think you can find some photos of this rubber factory in Picas website.
ReplyDeleteHi Chun See. I know of the kampong at Lor Sesuai. There was a road running through it called Jalan Udaya. I had a classmate who lived at that kampong. It was located between Lor Sesuai and the Ford factory.
ReplyDeleteThough I can't recall the other kampong on the left of Jurong Road, it must be at Margaret Ave which no longer exist. Would it have been behind the Cold Storage Magnolia factory?
I saw some pictures of a rubber factory in Picas saying 'at Bukit Timah' but it didn't look like the Hock Soon Rubber Factory, so I didn't use those pictures as it may be wrong. Hopefully, someone reader will come forward with some pictures.
About this kampong at Jurong Rd. The actual road leading to it is from Jurong Kechil. But I guess it must be quite bad condition, and thus this lady always asked me to stop the car at the main road, and she had to climb a slope. We just met a couple of times.
ReplyDeleteIn those days, I recall that Green Spot was synonymous with funeral wakes. This was the drink that was always served at wakes.
ReplyDeleteActually, I worked as a part-time employee at Amoy Canning Corp during the holidays just before I went into Ngee Ann Technical College (now Ngee Ann Poly).That was around March 1978. It was a tough job but I did enjoy the simple company of friends. Had free chilly orange drink everyday. They were also fermenting vats of soya beans to produce soy sauce. (chengkok@gmx.net)
ReplyDeleteAs a very young child then, I was fascinated with the revolving Giant Green Spot bottle replica! By reading your blog, brings back many fond memories of my childhood.
ReplyDeleteAmoy Canning's Soya Bean Drink is good.
ReplyDelete