FrieslandCampina Ingredients unveils Singapore hub to accelerate functional food innovation in APAC

FrieslandCampina Ingredients has launched a new application center in Singapore to boost the supply of its ingredient solutions in the evolving Asia-Pacific (APAC) markets, including Japan, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and Southeast Asia.

The move expands the company’s current processes in Singapore beyond infant and medical nutrition to include in-demand areas such as performance, active nutrition, and children’s nutrition. 

The application center will focus on developing functional foods like yogurts, bars, and supplements by tapping the company’s expertise in UHT processing, analytical testing, sensory science, and packaging.

Singapore is FrieslandCampina’s headquarters in the APAC region and the only development center outside the Netherlands. According to the company, the new site will increase R&D space in the city-state by 30%.

“The opening of our new application center in Singapore marks a pivotal time for our business, demonstrating our commitment to the APAC market and the strategic importance we place on the region,” says Tjalling Bekker, regional director APAC, FrieslandCampina Ingredients.

“The APAC market is changing rapidly. Consumers are prioritizing daily health, emotional wellness, and beauty from within. Our new application center will help our customers succeed in this fast-moving and growing market by accelerating application development and enabling closer collaboration so we can navigate these exciting opportunities together.”

Targeting consumer-focused innovations

Approximately four in five consumers in APAC proactively consume nutritional supplements, leading to increased demand and innovation opportunities for “consumer-focused application development,” notes FrieslandCampina Ingredients.

The new center will develop yogurts, bars and supplements using UHT, testing and sensory science.The facility will use its advanced laboratories to develop functional foods that meet consumers’ nutrition demands, and help manufacturers speed up application development and the lab-to-market process for their innovations.

Melissa Guan, VP and head of consumer, at the Singapore Economic Development Board, which supports the facility, says the site will “accelerate innovation through co-development efforts with customers to support health and well-being outcomes across all life stages.”

“We look forward to seeing FrieslandCampina Ingredients work closely with industry partners to create nutritional solutions that unlock new business opportunities in the APAC region.”

Increasing employment opportunities

FrieslandCampina Ingredients says that alongside regional innovation, the application center will foster job creation by focusing on developing local skills and supporting the nation’s health agenda.

The facility will increase its full-time workforce and partner with local institutes of higher learning to support young talent through long-term internship programs with regional universities. Three internships have already been offered under this initiative. 

The protein and prebiotics firm recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Health Promotion Board for the Eat, Drink, Shop Healthy initiative, and previously partnered with ActiveSG on the Nurture Kids pilot to promote healthy lifestyles among children. 

In April, it received 16 key health claim approvals from the Food Standards Australia New Zealand, out of which 12 are related to Biotis Fermentis, its active and sports nutrition ingredient.