The future of food

EVEN as Christmas and New Year festivities have come to a close, it is time to make preparations for the upcoming Chinese New Year - the feasting has not quite ended yet.

As a country of food lovers, it is no surprise that food manufacturing is taken so seriously in Singapore. In the first issue of the new year, we zoom in on the latest developments in the food manufacturing sector and what forward-looking small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are doing to compete.

For instance, The Soup Spoon has invested in technology to extend the shelf-life of its products, opening more doors for the firm to export overseas. Another local food manufacturing firm is Seng Hua Hng Foodstuff, which owns the Camel Nuts brand. It is working with institutes of higher learning to work on new products and improve processes, as well as to pick the brains of what Millennials want.

This leads us to our Towkay for this issue - Andre Huber of premium meat products company Huber's Butchery. It is a family business that insists on making its meat products the traditional way, and yet it ensures its relevancy by boosting productivity and enhancing its presence online.

Mr Huber shares how the business took off despite its tumultuous start, how the three family members manage to work together, and what plans they have to take Huber's Butchery to a whole new level.

Speaking of food, this issue's Budding Entrepreneurs section features CrowdFarmX, said to be the world's first cooperative farming platform on blockchain. It connects farmers directly to the global market, providing a decentralised and digitally connected farming solution.

This brings us to Cutting Edge, where two local food and beverage brands Sunfresh and Song Fa share their journeys in the food and beverage (F&B) business and what lies ahead for them in the industry.

Finally, this issue's Space looks at why technology investment ought to be among the top priorities of mall owners with the rise of e-commerce.

We hope the pages come in useful, and may you have a wonderful year ahead.

Vivien Shiao EDITOR