PR93059

SINGAPORE, Nov. 15, 2021 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --

The Asia Sustainable Foods Platform aims to alleviate "friction-to-adoption" by

providing solutions and support to food-tech companies at every stage of their

growth cycle.

Temasek today announced the launch of the Asia Sustainable Foods Platform to

focus on addressing the challenges of scaling up the production of alternative

proteins, as well as accelerating the growth of sustainable foods in Asia.

The Asia Sustainable Foods Platform aims to provide solutions and support, as

an enabler, operator and investor, to food-tech companies as they go through

their life cycle from product development to commercial scale-up.

-As an enabler, it will provide R&D advisory and pilot-scale manufacturing

facilities to support food-tech businesses accelerate their product

commercialisation;

-As an operator, it will provide manufacturing capabilities, along with market

insights into commercialisation opportunities to support scaling up across

Asia; and

-As an investor, it will also provide businesses with a network of strategic

connections and allocate capital to promising food-tech start-ups.

"Asia is expected to require around US$1.55 trillion of investment over the

next decade to satisfy growing consumer demands for healthier and more

sustainable food options. We need to evolve our current capabilities to bolster

food security and strengthen supply chains," said Yeoh Keat Chuan, Deputy Head,

Enterprise Development Group at Temasek.

"Temasek has invested over US$8 billion in the global farm-to-fork value chain

since 2013, and will continue to increase our investments in this space.

Singapore has a significant role to play in the transformation of the agri-food

sector. The Asia Sustainable Foods Platform aims to support local and regional

businesses, innovate, scale up and commercialise," he added.

The Asia Sustainable Foods Platform will be managed by a core team of food-tech

professionals, led by newly appointed CEO, Mathys Boeren. Prior to joining the

Platform, Mr Boeren worked in the food and food-ingredients industry for more

than 25 years, amongst others for Unilever, Givaudan, Symrise and Kerry. More

recently, he has advised start-ups in the sustainable food space on the

alignment of product attributes and consumer preferences.

Mr Boeren highlighted that "Our key differentiating factor is our end-to-end

enabler, operator, and investor capabilities that provide bespoke solutions and

support to aspiring food-tech companies at every stage of their growth cycle.

With our support to remove friction-to-adoption, companies can speed up their

product development and pilot launch, as well as accelerate their commercial

scale-up and go-to-market. In the end, it is our goal to delight consumers

across Asia with tasty, fresh, traceable and sustainable food."

Accelerating Product and Process Development with the Food Tech Innovation

Centre (FTIC)

The Asia Sustainable Foods Platform and A*STAR's Singapore Institute of Food &

Biotechnology Innovation (SIFBI) have committed to invest over S$30 million in

the Food Tech Innovation Centre (FTIC) over the next three years, to provide

tailored infrastructure and service offerings to promising food-tech start-ups.

FTIC will be a one-stop shop where aspiring food-tech start-ups will have

access to a

food grade pilot scale facility with extrusion and fermentation equipment,

shared labs, test kitchens, co-working spaces, as well as A*STAR's deep R&D

know-how.

"SIFBI is excited to partner with Temasek's newly established Asia Sustainable

Foods Platform on the FTIC, which will provide much-needed pilot scale

capabilities for Alternative Protein (AP) companies to shorten time to market.

We expect that this partnership will help anchor AP companies, and to

contribute significantly to the flourishing and vibrant food-tech landscape

here in Singapore," said Dr Hazel Khoo, Executive Director, SIFBI.

This will address pain points food-tech businesses face in bringing their

innovations to market, such as long wait-times for pilot-scale facilities and

equipment; the lack of deep product & process development capabilities; and the

difficulty in navigating regulatory processes and understanding unfamiliar

markets in other parts of Asia.

FTIC is also pleased to announce that its first partner, Next Gen Foods, will

be setting up their global R&D and innovation centre within FTIC. Next Gen

Foods is a food start-up that is creating a portfolio of delicious, nutritious

and sustainable plant-based foods – beginning with its popular chicken made

from plants, TiNDLE, now available in over 150 restaurants across seven markets

in Asia, Europe and the Middle East.

"At the core of Next Gen Foods is a dedication to creating plant-based foods

that are not only sustainable – but also delicious, nutritious and scalable,"

says Timo Recker, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Next Gen Foods. "We can

only do this through a commitment to continuous product innovation and growth,

and we're thrilled to become the first company to put down roots in the

brand-new FTIC. It is a significant milestone that reinforces our commitment to

build a global impactful player based in Singapore, and we are grateful to our

partners at A*STAR and Temasek's Asia Sustainable Foods Platform for joining us

on our mission to create a better food system for future generations to come."

Robust Co-manufacturing Capacity with Leading Industry Players

The Asia Sustainable Foods Platform is exploring two joint ventures with global

industry experts in plant-based and microbial proteins.

A partnership with CREMER, a German agri-food multinational with expertise in

plant-based protein, through a joint venture company, will augment the

Platform's manufacturing capabilities for plant-based protein products. Key to

this process is high moisture extrusion (HME), a new technology for producing

texturised proteins that more closely resemble meat than other plant-based

manufacturing techniques. The Platform's investment in, and the operation of,

the joint venture company are subject to obtaining all required regulatory

approvals and consents.

Given the nascent technology, CREMER's expertise in contract manufacturing and

operating other HME plants globally will provide essential support for

businesses in this area where few companies have mature HME capabilities and

capacity, particularly in Asia.

"For CREMER, the customer has always been the starting point of our decisions.

We are constantly improving and developing value-added services and products

for our customers in tomorrow's world. Recognising the growing importance of

sustainability, health and plant-based foods in supporting the global food

ecosystem, CREMER wants to play a major role in driving these trends by

contributing production knowledge we have gained over decades. By bringing HME

capabilities to Asia, CREMER aims to provide production support to the

fast-growing plant-based community here," said Damian Krueger, General Manager

of Sustainable Nutrition at CREMER.

The Asia Sustainable Foods Platform has also signed an agreement with ADM, a

global leader in nutrition, that will pave the way to form a joint venture that

enables contract development and manufacturing services for microbial proteins

produced via precision fermentation. ADM's global capabilities, and innovative

fermentation-based expertise, will help enable smaller existing food-tech

companies to efficiently scale their fermentation innovations through to the

pilot scale. This project is supported by the Singapore Economic Development

Board (EDB).

"We've talked to innovators, from startups to mature food providers, in

Singapore and across APAC, and they have told us that they are eager and

waiting for a partner that can provide support for food-grade precision

fermentation technology," said Joe Taets, president of ADM's APAC business.

"This first-of-its-kind joint venture in Singapore would meet that demand, and

in doing so, will help further the development of the alternative protein

industry in APAC."

"EDB is pleased to be supporting ADM and Temasek's Asia Sustainable Foods

Platform efforts in building up precision fermentation expertise in Singapore.

The joint venture addresses the needs of innovators in developing and scaling

fermentation-based solutions, allowing them to serve global customers from

Singapore. This will also strengthen our agri-food ecosystem through ensuring

that the suitable infrastructure and technological capabilities are in place to

spur innovation of agri-food technologies," said Damian Chan, Executive Vice

President, Singapore Economic Development Board.

To explore business partnerships with the Asia Sustainable Foods Platform,

please scan the QR code:

About Temasek

Temasek is a global investment company with a net portfolio value of S$381

billion

(US$283b, €241b, £206b, RMB1.86t) as at 31 March 2021. Headquartered in

Singapore, it has 13 offices in 9 countries around the world.

The Temasek Charter defines Temasek's three roles as an Investor, Institution

and Steward, which shape its ethos to do well, do right, and do good. As a

provider of catalytic capital, it seeks to enable solutions to key global

challenges.

With sustainability at the core of all Temasek does, it actively seeks

sustainable solutions to address present and future challenges, as it captures

investible opportunities to bring about a sustainable future for all.

For more information on Temasek, please visit www.temasek.com.sg.

About Asia Sustainable Foods Platform

The Asia Sustainable Foods Platform, a wholly-owned company of Temasek, aims to

delight consumers across Asia with tasty, fresh, traceable and sustainable food

by accelerating the commercialisation of sustainable foods in the region. It

provides solutions and support to aspiring food-tech companies at every stage

of their growth cycle, alleviating friction-to-adoption as they advance from

product development and pilot launch to commercial scale-up and go-to-market.

About CREMER

CREMER was founded in 1946 by Peter Cremer. Today, in its third generation of

family ownership, the company has grown to become an established German

multinational with a long-standing history of success in trade, logistics and

industry. With over 2,000 employees in over 60 companies and holdings, CREMER

is active on all continents.

In recent years, recognising the growing market for healthy and sustainable

food products, CREMER embarked on a growth strategy in the plant-based protein

segment.

The company has now committed investments into plant-based contract

manufacturing capabilities in North America, Europe and Asia, and is

well-equipped to

help clients in the plant-based space with their various contract manufacturing

needs.

For more information on CREMER, please visit www.cremer.de/.

About ADM

At ADM, we unlock the power of nature to provide access to nutrition worldwide.

With industry-advancing innovations, a complete portfolio of ingredients and

solutions to meet any taste, and a commitment to sustainability, we give

customers an edge in solving the nutritional challenges of today and tomorrow.

We're a global leader in human and animal nutrition and the world's premier

agricultural origination and processing company. Our breadth, depth, insights,

facilities and logistical expertise give us unparalleled capabilities to meet

needs for food, beverages, health and wellness, and more. From the seed of the

idea to the outcome of the solution, we enrich the quality of life the world

over.

Learn more at www.adm.com.

About Next Gen Foods

Founded in 2020, Next Gen Foods is a food-tech startup developing and

commercializing innovative and sustainable plant-based food products --

starting with TiNDLE. Next Gen Foods is backed by top-tier investors and led by

a team with proven experience in plant-based foods technology, along with

global brand development and operational scaleup. For more information, visit

www.nextgenfoods.sg.

About the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)

A*STAR is Singapore's lead public sector R&D agency. Through open innovation,

we collaborate with our partners in both the public and private sectors to

benefit the economy and society. As a Science and Technology Organisation,

A*STAR bridges the gap between academia and industry. Our research creates

economic growth and jobs for Singapore, and enhances lives by improving

societal outcomes in healthcare, urban living, and sustainability. A*STAR plays

a key role in nurturing scientific talent and leaders for the wider research

community and industry. A*STAR's R&D activities span biomedical sciences to

physical sciences and engineering, with research entities primarily located in

Biopolis and Fusionopolis. For ongoing news, visit www.a-star.edu.sg.

About the Singapore Institute of Food and Biotechnology Innovation (SIFBI)

The Singapore Institute of Food and Biotechnology Innovation (SIFBI) was

inaugurated in 2020 with a vision to be a global leader by providing end to end

capabilities in the food innovation value chain while establishing a

sustainable food ecosystem. Our core capabilities include discovery, strain

engineering, biotransformation, nutrition and food process engineering.

About Economic Development Board

Economic Development Board ("EDB") is a government agency under the Ministry of

Trade and Industry, is responsible for strategies that enhance Singapore's

position as a global centre for business, innovation, and talent. EDB

undertakes investment promotion and industry development, and work with

international businesses, both foreign and local, by providing information,

connection to partners and access to government incentives for their

investments.

SOURCE: Temasek

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