Archer Daniels Midland company celebrated the opening of a cutting-edge flavour and ingredient creation, application, development and customer innovation centre at the Biopolis research hub in Singapore on January 24. The opening of the 825 square-metre space was announced at a dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony with the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB).
“Consumer tastes and preferences are changing, as people look to balance busy lifestyles with healthy eating habits. Our goal is to be the first-call ingredient and flavour experts for customers working to meet those consumer needs throughout South-east Asia,” said Donald Chen, ADM’s president, Asia. “Singapore is a critical hub of innovation and growth in the food and beverage world, and we are excited to leverage our technology, expertise and global scale to help South-east Asian food and beverage customers remain at the forefront and to offer job creation and talent development opportunities for scientific, technical, marketing and regulatory professionals in the food and beverage industries.”
The Singapore innovation centre will serve as the gateway to customers in South-east Asia and beyond, and enable ADM to work closely with customers to create complete flavour and specialty ingredient solutions that meet consumer preferences for taste, nutrition, function and texture. It will be staffed by a
team of food scientists, flavourists and applications experts, along with sales, marketing and regulatory personnel.
“We are heartened that ADM has chosen to locate their innovation centre for flavours and specialty ingredients in Singapore. The opening today demonstrates Singapore’s value as a hub for agri-commodity companies to co-innovate with their downstream customers. With Singapore’s focus on building consumer market insights, food and agriculture technologies, Singapore is well placed to serve innovative agri-commodity companies in building their capabilities in ingredient valorisation and cater to Asian customers,” said Lee Eng Keat, Executive Director for International Organisations Programme Office, Logistics and Natural Resources, EDB.
“This new facility is yet another important step as we continue to enhance our portfolio and our capabilities around the globe,” said Vince Macciocchi, president of ADM’s wild flavours and specialty ingredients business. “Consumers are looking for new, innovative foods and beverages, and ADM continues to invest to ensure that we are the go-to solution providers for clean labels, sustainable ingredients and great taste.”
The new innovation centre features a wide range of capabilities, including a food and flavour analytic lab; a beverage and dairy applications lab and pilot plant; a bakery and confectionery lab; a meat and savory lab; a sweet and savory creation lab; sensory evaluation facilities; and a customer innovation centre.
Singapore is home to approximately 100 ADM employees. ADM has more than 1,000 employees throughout the wider Asia-Pacific region, where the company operates a wide range of processing facilities, including several animal feed facilities, a flavour and ingredient facility and a sweetener and
soluble fibre complex in China; food and flavour labs in Japan, China, Singapore and Australia; and sales offices in every major market in the region. ADM also owns a 24.9 per cent stake in Singapore-based Wilmar Limited, the region’s leading agribusiness and packaged food oils company.
