Nurasa, a company wholly owned by Temasek and a prominent player in sustainable nutrition advancement in Asia, has joyfully unveiled its state-of-the-art Food Tech Innovation Centre (FTIC) in Singapore. The Guest-of-Honour at the ceremony, which represented a noteworthy achievement in Nurasa's dedication to propelling sustainable food solutions, was Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies Mr. Heng Swee Keat.
Situated strategically within Biopolis, an integral hub of Singapore's innovation ecosystem, Nurasa's FTIC spans 3,840 square meters and is designed as a food-grade facility. It boasts cutting-edge laboratories equipped with advanced capabilities in precision fermentation (PF) and food processing. The PF laboratory houses bioreactors with production capacities of up to 100 liters, enabling companies to scale beyond developmental capacities. Leveraging the ecosystem capabilities at the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), ScaleUpBio, and other partners, these labs represent a significant step forward in sustainable food innovation.
The Centre serves as a pivotal hub for Nurasa’s NuFood Concept Studio – an open innovation platform that pioneers the product development and commercialization of sustainable foods. The NuFood Concept Studio fosters culinary creativity and encourages consumer-centric food innovation and sustainable practices. It addresses emerging food industry innovations like low-sugar, cholesterol-free, and gut-friendly foods with exceptional flavour profiles. Corporations and start-ups will have access to scout out the latest ingredients, co-create recipes based on the latest technologies and market insights, and ideate on the delivery of accessible, adaptable, and affordable sustainable food solutions that will feed more people in the future.
Crafted to expedite and expand product commercialization, the FTIC is geared towards sustaining and enhancing the influence of innovation and novel advancements to bolster food security. Its robust ecosystem encompasses industry partners, portfolio companies, and joint ventures such as ScaleUp Bio and Cremer, all collaborating to foster a sustainable food future through inventive solutions. Thanks to the backing of Nurasa and the FTIC, Cremer Sustainable Foods now operates one of Singapore's largest HME manufacturing facilities, producing plant-based alternative proteins.
During the official opening, DPM Heng toured the NuFood Concept Studio and participated in discussions with Nurasa's partners, showcasing the innovation in culinary design alongside food tech joint labs aimed at facilitating research and development. Every detail, from ingredient storage to preparation areas, complies with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), ensuring both quality and safety.
Guo Xiuling, Chief Executive Officer at Nurasa, said, “Nurasa is poised to lead insight-driven product innovation and accelerate commercialization to meet the increasing demands for wellness and sustainability. At the Food Tech Innovation Centre, cutting-edge technology is at the heart of everything we do. Our facility enables us to challenge the status quo of the existing food system and develop solutions alongside our startup and corporate partners. Our mission is simple yet profound: to enable accessible, appealing, affordable sustainable nutrition solutions for the everyday person”.