SGProtein To Build South East Asia’s First Large Scale Contract Manufacturing Facility For Plant-Based Meat Alternatives

SGProtein, the Singapore-based contract manufacturing platform, has recently announced that it plans to open a large-scale plant-based meat alternative production facility situated at Commonwealth Capital’s Food Hub that will help boost local sustainable food production in Singapore as well as South-east Asia.

Singapore-based contract manufacturing platform for meat analogues, SGProtein is building the first large-scale facility that is scheduled to start production later this year which will have an initial production capacity of over 3000 tons a year. 

This new production platform will help plant-based brands to meet increasing demands and consumers too will have access to a wider range of sustainable, healthy and affordable plant-based food.

This move is part of the efforts to make Singapore a regional hub for plant-based food innovation as well as manufacturing, especially since the government has plans to ensure that 30% of its food consumption is produced locally by 2030.

The facility will have the latest high-moisture extrusion technology that will facilitate the large-scale texturing of plant proteins into meat alternatives.

In a press release seen by Green Queen, co-founder of SGProtein Riccarda Züllig said that the company is helping innovative food startups close the gap between plant-based meat innovation and commercialization. “At the same time, we offer our multinational clients to enter the fastgrowing Asian markets through a local production facility, ensuring highest standards for food safety, quality and certifications. Democratizing access to the most advanced technology for manufacturing meat alternatives adds to Singapore’s attractiveness as a regional hub and ecosystem of world reference.”

In addition, SGProtein wants to help multinational food manufacturing and FMCG companies to ramp up the production of plant-based food by eliminating the tremendous capital needs, extended timelines and capacity restrictions of running their own facilities with the new plant able to help reduce supply chains, minimize their environmental impacts and offer costs savings.

We are helping innovative food start-ups close the gap between plant-based meat innovation and commercialization. At the same time, we offer our multinational clients to enter the fastgrowing Asian markets through a local production facility, ensuring highest standards for food safety, quality and certifications

Riccarda Züllig, Co-Founder of SGProtein

Züllig added: “SGProtein has successfully raised SGD$4M (approx. US$2M) from a consortium of established food companies in its seed round and will leverage on their industry expertise and global network to fuel its growth.” 

The new plant will be located within Commonwealth Capital’s Food Hub itself.

Group managing director of Commonwealth Capital, Andrew Kwan, said: “Commonwealth Capital is thrilled to have SGProtein setting up in our food hub. They will be great company, create buzz in the community and catalyse food innovation and manufacturing in our country’s alternative protein eco-system. SGProtein will be an enabler for offering consumers sustainable, healthy and of course, very tasty plant-based food safely and proudly made in Singapore.”

Democratizing access to the most advanced technology for manufacturing meat alternatives adds to Singapore’s attractiveness as a regional hub and ecosystem of world reference

Riccarda Züllig, Co-Founder of SGProtein

When it comes to plant-based meat, Singapore is booming, with several companies working on alternative protein innovation, for instance, Next Gen Foods recently launched its plant-based chicken brand Tindle across restaurants in the country, Karana unveiled its jackfruit ‘Pork’, Impossible Foods doubled up on its retail presence in the Lion city and frozen foods giant TYJ debuted its frozen meatless brand ALTN.

Apart from plant-based meat production, Singapore is focussing its efforts on various sustainability initiatives, and to further support the government, investment company Temasek said that the corporate giant will keep climate change as the top priority going forward.

Lead image courtesy of SGProtein.