Food and beverage (F&B) manufacturer Cargill is working on enhancing its Singapore Innovation Centre with support from the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) and Enterprise Singapore, to advance food innovation and further contributing to Asia’s vibrant food ecosystem.
Set to be completed by early 2025, the enhancements will enable Cargill to better collaborate with its food manufacturing, foodservice and retail customers in Singapore and across the region.
Its chief technology officer and vice president of research and development (R&D) and innovation, Florian Schattenmann stated that Singapore’s reputation as a global food innovation hub, complimented by talent, technology and policies, which makes it an ideal location for these enhancements.
“We are confident that the updates to our Singapore Innovation Centre will expand and strengthen out suite of innovation capabilities and enable Singapore, Cargill and our customers to remain at the forefront of food innovation.
“Together, we will connect the regional food ecosystem, creating the high quality and novel foods and beverages which Asian consumers want to enjoy,” he said, adding that the centre will develop innovative foods that meet Asian consumer trends and also provide opportunities for customers to grow and expand locally – regionally or globally – by leveraging Cargill’s extensive network and regional strength.
Based on Cargill’s 2024 proprietary APAC TrendTracker study, health and wellness are a priority for Asian consumers when making diet and lifestyle choices. At the same time, consumers also enjoy indulging in F&B while seeking guilt-free pleasures, novelty and elevated sensory experiences.
Additionally, the rise of Asia’s middle-class, with more disposable income and a preference for convenience is driving strong growth in the food service and hotel, restaurant, café/catering (Horeca) sectors as dining out, takeaways and food deliveries become increasingly popular.
The upgraded centre will include new capabilities such as reimagined food service and bar space, an expanded kitchen with a modular layout and the latest equipment, a Chocolate Academy, a Product and Process Development Lab and a team of chefs, sensory scientists and food technologies working together.
Apart from Singapore, Cargill operates 3 other Innovation Centres in Shanghai, Beijing and Gurgaon, which serve as critical innovation hubs for local and regional markets. These centres enable end-to-end food innovation from development to application.
