Speech by MOS Low Yen Ling at the Official Opening of Monde Nissin’s Green Protein Hub and Launch of &SO

Mr Hoediono Kweefanus, Vice-Chairperson, Monde Nissin Corporation,

Ms Betty T. Ang, Director and President, Monde Nissin Corporation,

Mr Rufino Tiam-Lee, Chief Executive Officer, Monde Nissin Singapore,

Introduction

1. Good morning. The key stakeholders of the food manufacturing ecosystem are here to witness this very important milestone event. It is my pleasure to join you to witness the official opening of Monde Nissin’s Green Protein Hub in Singapore as well as the launch of &SO, a homegrown brand of meat-free products that cater to Asian palates.

2. I agree with Rufino that localising and differentiating based on Asian delights is key to penetrating the market. We all know that ASEAN will be the fourth largest market in 2030.

3. Like what Rufino has mentioned, in Singapore, we prioritise food manufacturing as one of the key sectors, because it also flies the Singapore flag in terms of integrity, rule of law, food safety, food security and sustainability.

4. My heartiest congratulations to Monde Nissin on this significant milestone. Monde Nissin’s investment in Singapore is a reflection of the growing interest in Asia as a market for alternative proteins.

a. The total spending on food in Asia is expected to double to over US$8 trillion between now and 2030.

b. Asia is also urbanising faster than any other region in the world; by 2030, 65 per cent of the world’s middle-class population will reside in Asia.

i. This group of consumers will drive greater consumption of high-value animal protein as their growing purchasing power shifts diets from being predominantly carbohydrate-heavy to more protein-based meals.

ii. Alternative protein players like Monde Nissin are well-placed to tap into this growing demand, especially as consumers become more eco-conscious and seek to reduce their carbon footprint.

Singapore is a gateway for alternative protein companies to expand in Asia

5. As many of you may know, we launched the Food Manufacturing Industry Transformation Map (ITM) 2025 last month. It was launched by Second Minister for Trade and Industry Dr. Tan See Leng. Developed together with our industry stakeholders, the refreshed ITM outlines our vision to establish Singapore as a trusted food and nutrition leader and be the preferred launchpad into Asia for quality brands, like Monde Nissin.

6. With our multicultural and multiracial roots, as well as excellent connectivity to Asia, Singapore is an ideal spot for alternative protein companies to pilot their food innovations for the diverse Asian market. Singapore is really a living lab. You can do your pilot testing here as a living lab before scaling to ASEAN and the rest of Asia.

7. Many alternative protein companies like Monde Nissin, Eat JUST, Oatly and Avant Meats are leveraging Singapore as a hub for innovation and a gateway to access Asian markets. Food companies that aim to expand into Asia, can do so with ease from Singapore by taking advantage of our strong fundamentals such as the wide network of trade agreements, a facilitative regulatory framework, stable political governance, and a skilled talent pool. As we penetrate the alternative protein market, we do need to design regulatory sandboxes to make sure that we can market effectively. I want to thank Betty, Hoediono and Rufino for training Singaporeans and developing a pipeline of talents here and for the region.

8. In addition, companies  can leverage critical shared infrastructure in Singapore to develop dedicated go-to-market strategies for expansion into Asia.

9. In Singapore, we have a network of innovators, companies and startups in this field, that have been working together to strengthen the alternative proteins technology ecosystem in Singapore and propel knowledge sharing across the industry. This is a really exciting area that we will see a lot of creativity and innovation in, in the next few years. Examples include the opening of the Buhler-Givaudan APAC Protein Innovation Centre in 2021, Cremer Sustainable Foods - a joint venture between Cremer and Temasek, as well the ScaleUp Bio ADM-Temasek Joint Venture.

10. These agri-food shared service providers will enable alternative protein companies to accelerate their product commercialisation and capture the growth opportunities in the Asian market for plant-based products.

Monde Nissin’s Green Protein Hub

11. The Singapore government is delighted that Monde Nissin is making Singapore your strategic base by setting up your Green Protein Hub here.

a. The one-stop, Halal-certified accelerator, the Green Protein Hub will offer players in the food industry a full suite of end-to-end alternative protein solutions, from R&D and manufacturing to logistics and distribution. It will give startups, manufacturers, and food service channels a leg-up from ideation to commercialisation.

b. The Green Protein Hub will provide consultancy services on culinary expertise, regulatory compliance, consumer insights generation, and omnichannel marketing.

12. The Green Protein Hub is also Monde Nissin’s first R&D and Manufacturing Hub in Asia for its alternative protein products.

a. This includes products under the company’s newly launched &SO brand, which features a unique blend of plant protein and mycoprotein – a protein-rich food ingredient that is derived from a naturally occurring fungus. This 100 per cent developed and made-in-Singapore line of alternative protein products is tailored to complement Asian taste profiles. Inspired by our local hawker food and chefs, the products are easily incorporated into familiar Asian cuisines. I understand that &SO products also cater for the health conscious as they are high in fibre, yet low in fat and caloric content. This makes alternative protein an ideal food source for a healthy, meat-free diet.

13. Consumers in Singapore and Asia can look forward to more diverse and interesting food offerings as players like Monde Nissin ramp up their innovations. In addition, the Green Protein Hub will form part of Singapore’s growing efforts to bolster our local food production capabilities as we aim to sustainably produce 30 per cent of our nutritional needs locally by 2030.

14. The Singapore Government  is strongly committed to supporting the growth of our alternative proteins sector.

a. We will continue to partner with and attract alternative protein companies like Monde Nissin to strengthen R&D and innovation capabilities, produce and differentiate distinctive products and together, capture the burgeoning opportunities in this part of the world.

b. We hope many more alternative protein companies will take hold of "the Singapore advantage” to start and grow their businesses in Asia and contribute to a more sustainable future for all.

Conclusion

15. I would like to thank Monde Nissin for their trust and confidence in Singapore.

a. We look forward to seeing more innovative alternative protein products from the Green Protein Hub that will be enjoyed by people from Asia and all around the world.

b. I wish you every success as you launch your green protein hub today. On that note, my heartiest congratulations.

16. Thank you.