TiNDLE Launches Made in Singapore Vegan Chicken Pieces to Boost Local Food Security

A week after its rebranding and product expansion announcement, TiNDLE Foods has launched new vegan chicken pieces in Singapore and the Netherlands. It marks the brand’s first offering fully designed and manufactured in Singapore, and one of the first times* a locally-made plant-based meat product will be exported from the island nation. The launch is also in line with the Singapore government’s 30 by 30 food security initiative.

The new plant-based chicken pieces by the Singapore-based brand will enter the market through fast-casual spots SaladStop! in Singapore and SLA in the Netherlands. The alt-chicken is made up of only a handful of ingredients – water, soy protein, sunflower and rapeseed oils, natural flavourings, and salt – playing into what consumers want- a 2022 global survey by Ingredion revealed that more than half of consumers find it important to have a short ingredient list in the food they buy, while further research showed that consumers are willing to pay extra for ‘clean-label’ formulas.

To celebrate National Day in Singapore (August 9), SaladStop! will serve TiNDLE’s plant-based pieces as the main chicken protein in its new Homegrown bowl. This is a result of the salad chain’s new ‘Homegrown’ initiative, which champions fresh ingredients and products that have been exclusively grown and manufactured in Singapore.

Singapore’s 30 by 30 initiative and protection against disruptions

TiNDLE’s chicken pieces are the result of extensive research, development and testing conducted at its global R&D and innovation headquarters. It’s the first product to be entirely conceptualised from initial idea to execution at this centre, and produced locally at a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility.

It’s a step towards supporting Singapore’s 30 by 30 project, which aims to reduce the city state’s reliance on food imports. Part of the Singapore Green Plan 2030, the goal is to sustainably produce 30% of all food domestically by the end of the decade.

The initiative also hopes to mitigate the effect of supply disruptions. Think of neighbouring Malaysia’s chicken export ban last year, which restricted the export of 3.6 million chickens a month. It led to Singaporean authorities needing to diversify their chicken imports as the country faced a poultry shortage. It also saw price hikes for chickens across retailers and restaurants, with one eatery applying a daily cap on the number of boiled chickens each outlet served.

Plant-based meat products like TiNDLE’s new chicken pieces can safeguard Singapore from similar supply chain disruptions in the future, as well as reduce its reliance on imports of consumer-favourite foods – thus contributing to a more resilient food system.

“Both Singapore and the Netherlands have embraced the future of food by creating ecosystems that support companies on a mission to create a more sustainable food system,” said TiNDLE co-founder and CEO Andre Menezes, adding that he hopes the product is “a plant-based meat export that will entice foodies and consumers globally”.

*Update: This article has been updated to reflect that TiNDLE is one of a handful of plant-based meat brands with products manufactured local, rather than the first. Singapore jackfruit meat company KARANA has been producing in Singapore and exporting its alternative since 2021.