Nestlé R&D to improve regional capacities in Singapore
Nestlé Research & Development (R&D) will strengthen local capabilities in key innovation areas with the support of the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB).
To strengthen its capabilities at the R&D Center in Singapore, Nestlé will commit resources to support various roles ranging from chefs to engineers and product developers. The company said the move will enable it to drive innovation in key areas such as alternative proteins including hybrid plant/dairy and plant-based products, sustainable packaging and digital transformation.
With the continued support of EDB and other government agencies, Nestlé R&D will also work with local enterprises, including start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), to co-innovate, evaluate and adopt emerging technologies for the next generation of sustainably produced products and ingredients as well as manufacturing solutions. These partnerships are seen as key to driving relevant and fruitful innovation for the region.
Guglielmo Bonora, head of Nestlé R&D Singapore noted that for over 40 years, the R&D Center in Singapore has played a key role in developing products and technologies for Southeast Asia and globally, for well-known Nestlé brands.
“Our ongoing partnership with the EDB underscores our commitment to contribute to making Singapore a recognised global hub for innovation and technology,” Bonora said. “Only with a thriving local business ecosystem and a core of competitive talent, can our R&D teams continue to drive science-based innovations that cater to local and regional consumers’ taste preferences and nutritional needs.”
Nestlé first established its R&D Center in Singapore in 1980. The facility, which also includes the Nestlé Quality Assurance Centre (NQAC), now employs more than 200 people.
Rajat Kumar Jain, managing director, Nestlé Singapore said with the center situated in the heart of Southeast Asia, Singapore, it is well positioned to tap into the region’s rich culinary heritage and novel food trends to create innovative products in Asia, for Asia and beyond.
“The R&D Center complements our decades old presence in Singapore, enabling us to rapidly develop, test and roll out game-changing products, driving sustainable growth of our business in Singapore and beyond,” Kumar Jain added.
“We have witnessed Nestlé’s growth over the past four decades to become one of the largest R&D centres in Singapore. Nestlé R&D’s latest investment to build new future-forward capabilities in their workforce in areas such as innovation, digitalisation and sustainability are aligned with Singapore’s Job Transformation Map (JTM) for the Food Manufacturing industry. Nestlé’s investment underscores Singapore’s attractiveness as a regional R&D hub for consumer companies to partner with our local ecosystem to co-create and co-develop new products and processes,” said Melissa Guan, acting vice president & head, consumer, EDB.
Over the years, the Singapore R&D Center has contributed significantly to the innovation of many products across major brands for consumers in the region. For example, Nestlé experts recently developed a breakthrough sugar reduction technology that was rolled out for MILO beverages in Southeast Asia and beyond.”
The Center has also developed new coffee experiences for both hot and cold use, as well as ice cream innovations that were launched both locally and globally for global brands like Nescafé, Starbucks, Blue Bottle Coffee, KitKat and MILO.
