OG has disputed a lawsuit brought by Hao Open Foods, a company linked to Hao Mart, over its early departure from Taste Orchard. This development concerns a contested claim and defence, rather than a court judgment dismissing the lawsuit.
That distinction matters. A party can reject allegations, challenge their legal basis and ask the court to dismiss proceedings. However, its own position does not determine the result. Readers should therefore treat descriptions of what OG or the claimant says as submissions to be assessed, rather than established findings.
For Singapore business owners, the dispute highlights practical questions about commercial leases, subletting, evidence of consent and the consequences when a main tenancy ends. It also shows why related lawsuits involving the same premises must be understood separately.
Who is involved in the Taste Orchard dispute?
The main relationships can be understood as follows:
Party and Reported Role
- OG – Landlord of the Orchard Point premises
- Hao Mart – Operator of Taste Orchard and tenant under the main lease
- Hao Open Foods – Sub-tenant bringing the related claim against OG
Hao Open Foods filed its claim on 5 August 2026, alleging misrepresentation, negligence, interference with trade and induced breaches of contract. OG’s defence, filed on 1 September, denied liability and characterised the proceedings as an abuse of process. Hao Open Foods rejected that characterisation. These positions were reported by The Business Times on 2 September 2026.
OG disputed that it had consented to subletting and said it had no contract with Hao Open Foods. The claimant’s position included an allegation that OG knew about and approved its occupation. The report does not establish a final judicial ruling on those competing positions.
Why rejecting a claim is different from winning a case
A statement of claim sets out what the claimant alleges and the remedy it seeks. A defence responds to that case. The disagreement may concern what happened, what the documents mean or whether the allegations establish a recognised legal claim.
The Singapore Courts’ guide to responding to a civil claim describes the progression from receiving an originating claim through preparation, applications and trial. A defence is part of that process.
Consequently, phrases such as “OG rejects the lawsuit” should be understood as describing OG’s response. They should not be rewritten as “the High Court rejects the lawsuit” unless there is a court decision supporting that statement.
For anyone reading litigation news, three questions help establish the position: who made the statement, what document or hearing it came from, and whether the court has decided the point. This simple check prevents an allegation in a filing from becoming an apparent fact through repeated reporting.
Why a main lease and a sub-tenancy need separate attention
A business operating inside a larger retail concept may have signed its agreement with the operator, rather than the building owner. Its commercial relationship therefore involves more than the name displayed outside the building.
Before entering such an arrangement, an occupier should examine the documents connecting each party. Our guide to landlord and tenant disputes in Singapore offers a starting point for understanding common tenancy issues.
Useful questions to ask before committing money include:
- Who is the legal entity granting occupation of the unit?
- Does the main lease permit the proposed arrangement?
- Is the landlord’s written approval required, and has it been obtained?
- Does the agreed business use match the permission granted?
- What happens to the occupier’s agreement if the main lease ends?
- Who is responsible for deposits, reinstatement and removal of fittings?
These are document-review questions, rather than predictions about the Hao Open Foods case. Their purpose is to identify assumptions before a dispute arises. A successful launch, visible signage or regular access to the building may give commercial reassurance, but the relevant contractual rights still need to be checked.
Evidence of consent should be specific
Disagreements over consent can become difficult because people use the word “approval” to describe different things. Permission to carry out renovation works may answer a different question from permission to grant a sublease. An operational approval may also have conditions attached.
For illustration, imagine a café receives approval for a signboard from a building manager. Before relying on that email as approval of its entire occupation arrangement, the café should ask what the manager was authorised to approve and what the email actually covered. This is a hypothetical example, not an additional fact about Taste Orchard.
A useful record identifies the requesting party, the approving party, the premises, the activity and any conditions. Where the intended approval is important to the commercial bargain, a clear written confirmation can reduce uncertainty.
Businesses should also retain the whole correspondence chain. A short message saying “approved” can be difficult to interpret without the request and attachments that came before it. Our article on briefing a lawyer effectively explains how organised records can make an initial consultation more productive.
What an allegation of abuse of process tells readers
In this dispute, “abuse of process” is OG’s allegation. The phrase should not be treated as a finding that the claimant has acted improperly. Equally, the claimant’s rejection of the allegation does not determine whether it has merit.
The distinction between making an application and obtaining an order is part of ordinary civil procedure. The Singapore Courts’ guide to applications before trial explains the management of pre-trial applications under the current framework. The existence of a disputed procedural issue does not itself resolve the underlying case.
For readers, the next meaningful development would be a court order, a reported judgment, a settlement or another confirmed procedural outcome. Repeating increasingly strong language from either side does not provide the same information.
The wider Hao Mart litigation requires separate case tracking
This was not the only dispute involving the retailer. In July 2026, The Business Times reported a fifth High Court lawsuit involving Hao Mart. That report concerned a landlord-and-tenant claim brought by Bio Organicare Scalp, which had operated a salon at Taste Orchard.
However, the existence of several proceedings does not prove the allegations in any one of them. Different claimants may rely on different agreements, statements, payments and losses. One case may also reach a procedural outcome while another remains unresolved.
Businesses following multiple related disputes should keep a separate note for each: the parties, case reference where available, subject matter, latest verified development and outstanding issue. Avoid combining claimed sums into a single total without checking whether they overlap.
That approach is also helpful when preparing internal briefings. A director reading a short update needs to know whether the company has received a claim, filed a defence, reached a settlement or been ordered to pay. Each has different implications for planning and communication.
What affected businesses should organise
The agreements and approval documents
Collect the signed tenancy agreement, relevant variations, permission letters, plans and correspondence. Identify missing documents promptly. If an important assurance was given verbally, record who gave it, when it was given and who else was present, while being clear about what is recollection.
The chronology
Prepare a dated sequence covering negotiation, payment, access, fitting-out, opening, notices and departure. Attach a document reference to each important event. Keep the chronology factual; the lawyer can help identify which events are legally significant.
The financial records
Separate deposits, rent, renovation expenditure, stock, removal costs and any claimed interruption losses. Retain invoices and receipts, and explain whether any item has been refunded, recovered or reused elsewhere.
The remedy being sought
Clarify the commercial objective. Is the business seeking payment, return of a deposit, an agreed departure arrangement or another remedy? Different objectives may call for different evidence and negotiation priorities. Our guide to breach of contract remedies in Singapore provides useful background, although the legal basis of any particular claim requires separate assessment.
Mediation can address practical concerns
Legal proceedings are one route to resolution. The Singapore Courts’ mediation guide explains how a neutral mediator helps parties explore an agreed outcome. The mediator facilitates discussions rather than deciding who wins.
In a commercial occupation dispute, matters for negotiation might include payment timing, access to remove equipment, outstanding invoices and the wording of a release. These examples are possible discussion points, rather than reported settlement terms in the Hao Mart disputes.
Before attending, a business should know who can authorise an agreement and what approvals are needed internally. It should also understand which parties would be bound by the proposed settlement. Resolving a claim against one company may leave other contractual relationships to address.
Our article on whether to accept a mediation proposal explains questions to consider when the other side suggests discussions.
Frequently asked questions
Has OG obtained a dismissal of this lawsuit?
The September report reviewed for this article describes the parties’ competing positions. It should not be read as confirmation of a court order dismissing Hao Open Foods’ claim.
Does occupying a unit prove the landlord approved the agreement?
That conclusion cannot safely be drawn from occupation alone. The agreements, communications, relevant authority and surrounding circumstances need to be examined. The precise type and scope of any approval matter.
Does a High Court lawsuit establish that a company is insolvent?
A contested civil claim is not, by itself, a winding-up order. The Singapore Courts treat company winding-up proceedings as a distinct process. Readers should avoid inferring an insolvency outcome merely from the existence of commercial litigation.
What should a tenant do after receiving a formal notice?
Keep the notice and proof of when it arrived, check any stated deadline and obtain advice promptly. Gather the agreement and correspondence before replying. Avoid assuming that a related company or another occupier will respond on your behalf.
This article provides general legal information and reporting, rather than advice on an individual tenancy or ongoing case.
Thank you for sharing this article...
About the Author: Randy Alta
