FrieslandCampina Ingredients expands R&D in Singapore

FrieslandCampina Ingredients has announced the opening of a new application centre in Singapore, representing a 30% increase of R&D space in the city-state.

Supported by the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), the facility will serve as a strategic gateway to the evolving Asia-Pacific (APAC) markets, including Japan, Korea, Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia, the company says.

The expanded application centre enables the faster delivery of tailored ingredient solutions to help brands meet the region’s nutritional needs. Singapore is also home to other FrieslandCampina business groups, including FrieslandCampina Professional and FrieslandCampina Asia.

With four in five consumers in APAC proactively taking nutritional supplements, according to a Herbalife survey, growing demand in the region offers opportunity for consumer-focused application development, according to the firm. The new application centre strengthens FrieslandCampina Ingredients’ on-the-ground application and technical expertise in APAC in order to meet this need. Equipped with advanced laboratories for developing functional foods like yogurts, bars, and supplements, the centre brings together specialists in UHT processing, analytical testing, sensory science and packaging to accelerate application development and help customers bring innovations to the APAC market faster.

While the company’s existing activities in Singapore focused primarily on infant and medical nutrition, the new facility will also add capabilities in high-demand areas – including performance & active nutrition and children’s nutrition. As such, it will enable partners to address emerging trends and co-create innovative applications such as yogurt, functional beverages, snacks and supplements.

This investment in an additional FrieslandCampina Ingredients application centre further establishes Singapore as a crucial part of the company’s innovation ecosystem. In addition to expanding its full-time workforce, FrieslandCampina Ingredients has established a long-term internship programme with local universities, with three internships already offered under this initiative. The company has also recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Health Promotion Board for the Eat, Drink, Shop Healthy initiative and has previously partnered with ActiveSG on the Nurture Kids pilot to promote healthy lifestyles among children.

“The opening of our new application centre 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,” comments Tjalling Bekker, regional director APAC, FrieslandCampina Ingredients. “The APAC market is changing rapidly. Consumers are prioritising daily health, emotional wellness and beauty-from-within. Our new application centre 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.”