Opening Remarks by Senior Minister of State Low Yen Ling at the Franchising and Licensing Asia (FLAsia) 2026

Mr Gan Shee Wen, President, Franchising and Licensing Association (Singapore),

Mr Dhirendra Shantilal, Organising Chairman, Franchising and Licensing Asia,

Mr Vincent Yap, Vice President, MP Singapore,

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and gentlemen,

1 Good morning. I am delighted to join you at the opening of the 21st edition of Franchising & Licensing Asia (FLAsia) 2026. A warm welcome as well to all our international guests joining us here in Singapore.

2 This year's theme, "Growing Singapore Brands, Connecting Global Opportunities" reflects our ambition to support aspiring entrepreneurs and brands looking to expand regionally and globally. FLAsia continues to be an important platform for enterprises to strengthen their ideas and brands, scale sustainably and connect with investors and ecosystem partners. These connections can help businesses seize opportunities beyond their home markets.

Building Strong Brands

3 In today's economy, some of a company's most valuable assets are often not physical. They are its ideas, brands and innovations. Building a strong brand therefore goes hand in hand with recognising intellectual property as a valuable business asset. By protecting and commercialising their intellectual property through franchising and licensing, businesses can strengthen their brands, unlock new revenue streams and develop scalable business models. This can also strengthen their competitiveness as they expand into international markets.

4 KC Group is a good example. Its home-grown concepts kcuts and Kskin are familiar names in Singapore. The company has actively participated in overseas franchising and licensing trade shows organised by FLAsia, supported by EnterpriseSG’s LEAD Trade Fairs and Business Missions. These platforms have helped KC Group connect with overseas franchise partners and grow to more than 250 outlets across five markets. Its journey shows how a strong brand, combined with the right franchising and licensing opportunities, can open doors to international growth.

Scaling Enterprises Sustainably

5 Franchising and licensing also offer a practical and capital-efficient pathway for Singapore’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to scale and enter new markets. By working with local partners, businesses can expand internationally with lower upfront investment and reduced operational risks. They can also adapt more effectively to local consumer preferences and market conditions. This gives enterprises a more sustainable way to test new markets, refine their business models and build an international presence.

6 Take for instance Snack Empire. It has leveraged FLAsia and EnterpriseSG’s Trade Fairs and Business Missions to grow Shihlin Taiwan Street Food to over 270 outlets worldwide. These include key ASEAN markets such as Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Building on its regional footprint and expertise, the company is now introducing new international concepts to the region. One example is South Korea’s Eat Pizza, which currently operates nine outlets across Singapore and Malaysia.

7 Platforms such as FLAsia play an important role in bringing together businesses, investors, ecosystem partners from Singapore and the region. I am therefore pleased to note that this year's FLAsia features global partner and government pavilions from Thailand, Japan, Hong Kong, Spain, Indonesia and the Philippines. Their participation reinforces Singapore's position as a trusted gateway to opportunities in ASEAN, and a key node in the global economy.

Leveraging Connections for a Thriving Enterprise Ecosystem

8 Ultimately, no enterprise succeeds alone. Helping businesses capture opportunities through franchising and licensing requires a strong and collaborative ecosystem. The Franchising and Licensing Association will mark an important milestone later this morning with the signing of three strategic Memoranda of Understanding.

• The first MOU, with Nanyang Polytechnic’s School of Business Management, will strengthen partnerships between academia and industry. It will create opportunities for students and businesses to work together through industry projects, internships, competitions and modular certifications in internationalisation and brand expansion, including franchising and licensing.

• The second MOU, with Singapore Retailers Association (SRA), will strengthen collaborations between licensors and retailers. It will also encourage greater adoption of licensing to support Singapore's retail ecosystem.

• The third MOU, with Design Business Chamber Singapore (DBCS), will bring together expertise in branding, product and service innovation. This will help enterprises strengthen their branding capabilities and compete more effectively in regional and global markets.

9 Together, these three partnerships show the value of bringing together complementary strengths. By connecting academia, industry, retailers and designers, we can build a thriving enterprise ecosystem that gives businesses the capabilities, partnerships and confidence to grow internationally.

10 As global markets become increasingly interconnected, franchising and licensing will continue to be important levers for enterprise growth. They help businesses build strong brands, scale sustainably, and tap the strengths of partners across the ecosystem. This gives them greater confidence to venture beyond their home markets.

11 I am confident that FLAsia 2026 will spark new ideas, forge meaningful partnerships and open up new opportunities for businesses to grow.

12 I wish everyone a fruitful and rewarding time at FLAsia 2026. Thank you.