Overview 

In the words of (the late) Anthony Bourdain, “Singapore is possibly the most food-centric place on Earth, with the most enthusiastic diners, the most varied and abundant dishes…” It is therefore fitting that Singapore has emerged as the food technology (foodtech) hub in Asia, with several leading startups in the foodtech field headquartered here. As a world first, Singapore is the only country in the world that has approved lab-grown chicken meat for sale (in 2020, regulators in Singapore gave their approval to Eat Just Inc., a San-Francisco-based startup, to publicly sell their lab-grown cultured chicken meat in the form of chicken nuggets). The foodtech industry in Singapore is strongly bolstered by government support, the country announced in 2020 a SGD100 billion plan to improve Singapore’s food self-sufficiency, and a robust “30 by 30” plan (to produce 30% of its food locally by 2030).

Industry segments 

Broadly, the foodtech industry in Singapore comprises the following segments: (1) Urban farming (2) Alternative Proteins and (3) Aquaculture.

Urban Farming in Singapore spans across vertical vegetable and high-tech farms to community gardens found in housing estates, offices, restaurants, schools, and rooftops.

The Alternative Proteins market in Singapore is primarily composed of:

• plant-based protein, which comes entirely from plants such as nuts, fruits, beans, and vegetables, and
• cultivated, cell-based, or lab-grown meat, which uses animal cells to create substitutes for seafood, meat, and dairy.

Singapore’s Aquaculture ecosystem consists of farm operators, Internet of Things (IoT) players (offering solutions to help farmers improve their farm productivity, control the water environment to minimize risk, and subsequently increase their earnings), and aquaculture financiers.

Legal aspects 

The key regulations in Singapore applicable to foodtech are:

Sale of Food Act (Chapter 283, Singapore statutes)

This Act is a far-encompassing statute that covers areas such as food processing standards, food safety, and food additive substances; it applies to all food-related businesses.

Wholesome Meat and Fish Act (Chapter 349A, Singapore statutes)

This statute sets out requirements concerning meat (e.g., beef, pork, and chicken) and fish products, including their processing, storage, and export-import.

Singapore Food Agency Act 2019 (No. 11 of 2019, Singapore statutes)

This statute is concerned with the functions, authorities, tasks, and responsibilities of the Singapore Food Agency regarding food policy in the country.

Intellectual Property protection

Apart from the above regulatory framework which provides clarity on legal aspects of foodtech, Singapore has a reliable intellectual property framework which is critically important for the protection of foodtech inventions, for instance, patent protection for meatless food products may be possible in respect of the extraction and assembly process in relation to raw materials to the end food product itself.

Governmental agencies 

The strong governmental support and pro-business environment in Singapore are often cited as key factors of the growth of the foodtech industry in Singapore. The governmental agencies in the foodtech ecosystem and their supportive measures include:  

Enterprise Singapore is the government agency tasked with supporting the creation, development, innovation, and international expansion of startups and small and medium enterprise (SMEs). Enterprise Singapore is a source of grants for foodtech startups, such as SEEDS Capital, the investment arm of Enterprise Singapore, which supports the growth of promising Singapore-based startups by co-investing with independent investors in innovative startups with strong intellectual content and global market potential.

Economic Development Board (EDB)

In 2019 and 2020, the EDB launched Tech@SG and Tech.Pass, a visa program that allows pass holders flexibility to participate in activities such as starting and operating a business, being an investor, employee, consultant or director in one or more Singapore-based companies, mentoring start-ups and lecturing at local universities. The program targets high-potential companies in growth areas such as agri-tech, among others.

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

The Singapore Institute of Food and Biotechnology Innovation (SIFBI) was launched in 2020 by bringing existing A*STAR divisions together as a single touchpoint for collaborators to tap on research capabilities and knowledge to sustainably develop innovative food solutions, as well as opportunities for research funding.

Singapore Food Agency

The Singapore Food Agency is primarily responsible for monitoring food safety and security in Singapore. Besides regulation, the Singapore Food Agency is home to the Singapore Food Story R&D Programme, which releases grants for foodtech research.

National Research Foundation (NRF)

NRF, a department within the Prime Minister's Office, develops policies, plans and strategies for research, innovation and enterprise, and has channels for funding and grants, which have programs relevant to foodtech, such as “SG Innovate” which is a collaboration and investment platform that focuses on Deep Tech, or startups that harness new technology to solve scientific or engineering challenges, including foodtech industry.

Future outlook

Singapore’s strong innovation climate, reliable intellectual property and standards framework, coupled with all arms of the government from investment, development, research and regulatory working collaboratively, create a strong and solid foundation for the foodtech industry in Singapore to achieve even greater growth in the days ahead.