THANK YOU FOR SUBSCRIBING
× 
Food and Beverage Tech Review Weekly Brief
Be first to read the latest tech news, Industry Leader's Insights, and CIO interviews of medium and large enterprises exclusively from Food and Beverage Tech Review
Asia-Pacific Agri-Food Innovation Summit, Singapore, October 26-28
Food and Beverages Tech Review | Tuesday, September 06, 2022
Asia’s agri-food system needs help. With global shocks highlighting import link weaknesses, rapid economic growth, and huge structural transformation across the region, the need to build strong, resilient supply chains has never been more urgent.
The fifth annual Asia-Pacific Agri-Food Innovation Summit presents 50 regional and international innovators who are pioneering breakthrough technologies in agri-food, to ensure food security and build capacity in Asia and beyond.
“Given the complex challenges Asia's food system faces, the need for fast-paced, scalable innovation has never been greater. The summit creates opportunities for entrepreneurs to connect directly with investors and corporate partners, to bring their solutions to scale and change the agri-food landscape for the benefit of all. I am excited to witness the collaborations stemming from the conference this October” says Theresa Flach, the summit’s Conference Producer and technology scout.
Stay ahead of the industry with exclusive feature stories on the top companies, expert insights and the latest news delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe today.
Start-ups are celebrated throughout the summit programme, with a pre-summit pitch day, themed innovation showcases across the three-day agenda, and a dedicated start-up exhibition space.
Innovation Showcases
12 start-ups from the Asia-Pacific region will pitch their solution to a panel of industry judges across four themed innovation showcases covering Agtech, Foodtech, Aquaculture and CEA & Vertical Farming.
AgTech Takes the Stage
◘ Qzense (India) aims to minimise and eliminate post-harvest food loss with its IoT solution that quickly and accurately grades fresh food. The technology employs a unique combination of near-infrared spectral sensors and olfactory sensors for analysis of internal spoilage, ripeness, sweetness, and shelf life.
◘ Boomitra (India & US) uses satellite and AI to measure a variety of soil properties including soil carbon, soil moisture and nitrogen, and provides an end-to-end solution where farmers are able to grow more with less through carbon farming.
◘ CH4 Global (Australia) provides seaweed-based Asparagopsis products to farmers worldwide so they can dramatically reduce the methane emissions of their livestock and realize significant value in the process.
CEA & Vertical Farming Spotlight
◘ Future Farms (Malaysia) aims to season-proof agriculture by building decentralized, remote-controlled farms. Future Farms promise that their services provide endless customization and are infinitely scalable.
◘ Grobrix (Singapore) presents a unique solution to indoor farming by combining the best of furniture with farming. Its soilless vertical farming design offers a cleaner, simpler, more efficient way to grow fresh, healthy food.
◘ Distar Fresh (Thailand) is a subscription service indoor farm that delivers pesticide-free medical grade vegetables from farm to door that are harvested all-year round.
Blue Food Shark Tank
◘ Forte Biotech (Singapore) provides diagnostic solutions to allow prawn farmers to ‘earn more’, with its patented product ‘RAPID’ (Robust Accurate Prawn Infection Detector) – developed in partnership with NUS – that enables farmers to detect diseases early and take mitigative action without the need for expert help.
◘ Sea Green (Singapore) is an ecosystem services provider, with a mission to deliver connectivity and services to the growing seaweed industry. Using blockchain technology, the company will maximise financial service integration for smallholders, and harness data to drive research into the potential of macroalgae.
◘ Magalarva (Indonesia) aims to provide sustainable protein for feed by bio-converting organic sidestreams using Black Soldier Fly larvae. The company is closing the loop by eliminating organic waste from producers including food and beverage factories, hotels and plantations.
Raising the Stakes in Food-Tech
◘ SeaSpire (India) blends cutting-edge technologies, digital tools and nutrition packed plant-based ingredients to develop plant-based cousins of the world's favourite marine species. SeaSpire's bioprinting tech promises whole muscle structures with no compromise on taste, texture and affordability.
◘ Magic Valley (Australia) is an Australian food company developing healthy and delicious cultivated meat products. Focused on building a better global food system, Magic Valley believes the solution is cultivated meat, where meat is grown without the animal.
◘ Float Foods (Singapore) is a company that believes in the power of plants. Singaporeans consume 2 billion eggs per year, but 74% of them are imported, a fact that became a problem during the pandemic - which is when Float Foods started developing Asia's first plant-based whole egg, OnlyEg.
Industry judges include leaders from Main Sequence Ventures, Spacetime Ventures, Innoget, Alune Aquaculture, Aqua-Spark, VisVires New Protein and Unovis Asset Management.
Start-Up Exhibition Powered by True
A buzzing part of the networking exhibition at the summit, the Start-Up Exhibition Powered by True Search is where delegates can connect with exciting international start-ups face-to-face.
"As a founder-led firm with innovation at the core of our culture, we are thrilled to sponsor a summit featuring so many disruptive and purpose-driven companies. The transformation of our food industry is essential, and we are grateful for the opportunity to provide talent solutions for these world-changing businesses" says Desmond O'Brien, Partner at True Search.
Exhibitors include:
Newschool Foods (Canada) produces whole-cut meat alternatives using a proprietary food structuring technology, offering a more authentic, scalable and cost-effective product.
Forte Biotech (Singapore) provides diagnostic solutions to allow prawn farmers to detect diseases early and take mitigative action using its patented product ‘RAPID’.
Sea Green (Singapore) is an ecosystem services provider, with a mission to deliver connectivity and services to the growing seaweed industry using blockchain technology.
Vitality Foods (Singapore) is developing plant-based foods designed to improve the health of elderly populations, addressing muscle maintenance issues and risk of metabolic diseases.
Check Out This : Eldercare Review
Read More : Top Hearing Aids Companies,(Lucid Hearing)
Bluu Seafood (Germany) produces cultivated seafood using proven technology that enables them to select the best performing cell cultures from any fish species.
Agros (Singapore) provides smallholder farmers with technologies, inputs, advice and financing while helping make farms climate-resilient for generations to come.
Miruku (New Zealand) combines deep farming traditions and computational biology to produce a range of animal-free dairy products including cheese, ice cream and yoghurt.
Pre-Summit Pitch Day
Featuring groups of up-and-coming start-ups presented by Singapore’s leading agri-food accelerators and international trade groups, the pre-summit pitch day on October 25 is an exclusive invite-only event for venture capitalists and corporate investors to connect with start-ups ahead of the summit.
Attendees will have the chance to network as well as hearing quick-fire pitches from the most exciting entrepreneurs breaking into the agri-food scene.
Start-up groups will be presented by:
◘ The Canadian High Commission
◘ Enterprise Singapore
◘ GROW Accelerator
◘ Trendlines
With more to be announced.
On the Main Agenda
Innovators are a critical part of the conversation, and the summit spotlights industry talent as entrepreneurs at various stages of scale-up share their perspectives in panels alongside major agribusinesses, food brands, investors, regulators and technology providers:
AgTech
◘ Amith Agarwal (Agribazaar) will present a case study on sustainable agriculture covering everything from pilot to scale.
◘ Gilad Gershon (Tropic Biosciences) will demonstrate how to harness advanced gene editing to prevent Banana Panama Disease.
◘ David Jun (Greenlabs) will discuss key points on how to drive digital transformation in the Korean agtech space.
◘ Chakradhar Gade (Country Delight) will connect the dots from farm to fork while presenting his insights on supply chain digitization.
◘ Mohit Pande (Cropin) and Dhruv Sawhney (Nurture.Farm) will bring their unique perspectives on driving technology adoption and scaling digital farming platforms in India.
CEA & Vertical Farming
◘ Jay Desan (BoomGrow), Jack Moy (Sustenir), Chris Lee (N.THING) and David Farquhar (IGS) will join the Vertical Farming Leaders Forum, focused on increasing support for innovation in precision growing.
◘ Tom Adams (Pairwise) and Derek Drost (Unfold) will explore the milestones that have been achieved in seed breeding and genetics for CEA and vertical farming.
◘ Eleanor Choong (Sunway XFarms) will focus on advancing resource efficiency and waste valorisation in urban food production.
Aquaculture
◘ Gibran Huzaifah (eFishery) and John Diener (Vertical Oceans) will join the Blue Food Leaders Forum, discussing how to transform aquaculture with digital solutions.
◘ Lou Cooperhouse (BlueNalu) will argue the case for strengthening seafood supply chains through the wider adoption of alternative proteins.
◘ Leo Wein (Protenga) and Gaetan Crielaard (Entobel) will talk one on one in a fireside chat focused on the acceleration of novel ingredients.
Food-Tech & Alternative Proteins
◘ XL Lin (Esco Aster), Sandhya Sriram (Shiok Meats), Didier Toubia (Aleph Farms), Amy Chen (Upside Foods) and Maarten Bosch (Mosa Meat) will deep-dive into cultivated proteins and the complexities of building supply chains to accelerate market growth.
◘ Helga Angelina Tjahjadi (Green Rebel) will explore new trends emerging for plant-based protein production advancement.
◘ Alex Ward (Next Gen Foods), Xun Wang (Triton Algae Innovations), Liat Lachish Levy (ChickP) and Jem Kim (BriteBelly) will meet on stage to discuss the innovation needed to produce green and clean plant-based protein.
◘ Justin Chou (Growthwell Foods) will present the benefits of diversifying portfolios of plant-based proteins, with specific reference to Asian tastes.
◘ Sunil Sukumaran (Perfect Day) and Jan Pacas (All G Foods) will share what they have learnt as leaders in fermentation and discuss the challenges of scaling production.
◘ Aaron Yeo (Eat Just) will engage the audience with an intimate fireside chat focused on consumer awareness, understanding and acceptance of novel food products.
◘ Nick Hazell (V2Food) will help close day one of the summit, looking at the bigger picture of how to build a thriving agri-food ecosystem in Asia-Pacific.
◘ Fern Ho (Leaf Protein) will prepare food live on stage as part of the Foods of the Future cooking demo.
The full programme, speaking faculty and delegate registration details are available now at http://www.agrifoodinnovation.com
More in News
The hospitality sector, encompassing bustling cafes, elegant fine-dining establishments, and bars, relies on a delicate equilibrium of outstanding service and operational efficacy. Frequently underestimated, yet undeniably crucial, is the discipline of inventory management. Within an industry characterized by exceedingly narrow margins and fluctuating consumer preferences, antiquated methods of inventory tracking—such as manual pen-and-paper or spreadsheet-based systems—are rapidly becoming obsolete. The advent of smart inventory management software signifies a quiet transformation, optimizing stock control, significantly reducing waste, and substantially enhancing profitability.
Digital Transformation: The Heart of Smart Inventory
Modern inventory management software transforms what was once a chaotic and time-consuming process into a seamless, data-driven operation. These platforms provide a centralized, real-time view of stock, offering visibility down to the smallest detail—from a single olive to a premium cut of steak. With real-time updates as items are sold or consumed, managers gain immediate insight into what is available, where it is located, and how much is needed, helping to prevent both stockouts and overstocking. Automated ordering and reordering further streamline operations, as systems can generate purchase orders based on predefined thresholds and sales patterns. Advanced solutions can even send orders directly to suppliers to ensure timely replenishment. By accurately tracking usage and highlighting slow-moving or expiring items, these tools also play a crucial role in reducing waste, enabling proactive measures such as promotions or menu adjustments before products spoil. In addition, they provide robust cost control and supplier management capabilities by monitoring the cost of goods sold in real-time, delivering insights into ingredient costs and dish-level profitability, while also tracking supplier performance, pricing, and order accuracy.
The Future is Smart: Benefits Beyond Measure
For restaurants, bars, and cafés, adopting smart inventory management is no longer just an operational upgrade—it is a strategic necessity. By leveraging technology-driven solutions, businesses can unlock a range of benefits that directly impact profitability, efficiency, and customer satisfaction. Smarter systems help reduce waste, optimize purchasing, and control costs, ultimately strengthening the bottom line. Automation further enhances efficiency by minimizing the time spent on tedious manual tasks, allowing staff to focus on delivering exceptional customer service. With accurate tracking and reduced stockouts, customers consistently enjoy access to their favorite dishes and drinks, fostering loyalty and repeat visits. At the management level, data-driven insights provide a robust foundation for informed decisions on menus, pricing, promotions, and staffing. Beyond financial and operational gains, a streamlined and predictable inventory process also reduces stress, bringing clarity and control to an area of hospitality that is often chaotic and disorganized.
The hospitality industry is constantly evolving, and success hinges on adaptability and efficiency. Smart inventory management software, powered by AI and seamlessly integrated with POS systems, is no longer a luxury but a necessity. It’s the intelligent backbone that ensures a restaurant or bar not only survives but thrives, maximizing profits and delighting customers with every perfectly stocked ingredient and perfectly crafted drink. The future of hospitality is digital, and it begins with smart inventory management.
...Read more
Collaborative brewing, encompassing strategic partnerships and co-manufacturing, has emerged as a foundational element within the Canadian craft beverage sector. This methodology enables both nascent and established breweries to contend with a competitive marketplace, optimize expenditures, and foster innovation. Although these terms are frequently employed interchangeably, significant distinctions delineate the essence of these associations.
Understanding the Landscape: Co-Manufacturing vs. Co-Packing
While both co-manufacturing and co-packing involve outsourcing aspects of production, they fulfill distinct roles within the supply chain.
Co-manufacturing (also known as contract brewing) represents a full-service arrangement in which a brand owner—whether they operate their brewery or not—contracts another brewery to manage the entire production process. This includes sourcing ingredients, brewing the beer to the brand’s specifications, and, in some cases, handling packaging and labeling. For startups, this model provides an opportunity to enter the market without the significant capital investment required to build a brewery. For established brands, it offers a flexible way to scale quickly to meet rising demand or to produce specialty lines that their facilities may not support. In this arrangement, the brand owner retains ownership of the recipe and brand identity. At the same time, the co-manufacturer maintains ownership of the raw materials and the final product until the brand owner purchases it.
Co-packing, by contrast, is a more limited engagement focused exclusively on packaging. A brewery that produces its beer may rely on a co-packer to provide specific packaging formats—such as canning, bottling, or kegging—that it does not have in-house. In this model, the brand owner is responsible for brewing the beer and then supplies it to the co-packer for final packaging and labeling. This approach is particularly beneficial for brands seeking to diversify their offerings without incurring the cost of installing specialized packaging lines.
The Strategic Advantages of Collaboration
Strategic partnerships and co-manufacturing present Canadian craft brewers with valuable opportunities to enhance efficiency, foster innovation, and strengthen market competitiveness. One of the most immediate advantages lies in cost efficiency, as collaborating with an existing facility enables brewers to avoid the significant capital investment required to build and maintain a full-scale brewery. This allows them to redirect resources toward high-impact areas such as marketing, sales, and recipe development. Similarly, co-packing provides access to advanced, high-speed packaging lines without the prohibitive expense of owning such equipment.
These arrangements also deliver scalability and flexibility, critical in a market defined by seasonal fluctuations and rapid growth. Small breweries can quickly scale production to meet surging demand, while larger brands can experiment with limited-run or seasonal offerings without disrupting their primary operations. Beyond operational benefits, partnerships encourage innovation by facilitating the exchange of ideas, techniques, and ingredients among brewers. Co-manufacturers further contribute by providing specialized equipment and expertise, ensuring consistency and quality in every batch.
Equally important, outsourcing production helps mitigate operational risks. With the partner brewery overseeing manufacturing, quality control, and regulatory compliance, craft brands can concentrate on building their identity, strengthening customer relationships, and expanding their core business. Taken together, these advantages make strategic partnerships and co-manufacturing a powerful pathway for Canadian craft brewers to thrive in a competitive industry.
The Canadian craft beverage sector is flourishing, and collaborative models are poised to assume an even more significant role. As the market matures, an increasing number of breweries are recognizing the inherent value of collaborative efforts, not merely for isolated projects but as an integral component of their long-term growth strategy. This trend is propelled by a pursuit of enhanced efficiency, a demand for innovative solutions, and the collective understanding that mutual advancement benefits all participants. For brewers, a judiciously selected strategic partnership can serve as the linchpin for accessing nascent markets, undertaking product experimentation, and ultimately, cultivating a more resilient and prosperous brand.
...Read more
The restaurant and bar industry has made notable strides in efficiency, largely driven by a significant transformation in inventory management. Once reliant on manual methods, clipboards, and estimation, inventory control has evolved into a sophisticated, automated, and data-driven process—thanks to the rise of specialized software solutions. This shift has not only streamlined day-to-day operations but also redefined how hospitality businesses maximize profitability and enhance the guest experience.
Managing inventory in a restaurant or bar was a significant challenge. Physical counts were sporadic, often inaccurate, and prone to human error. Ordering decisions were frequently based on intuition or rough estimates, resulting in either excessive waste from overstocking or missed sales opportunities due to stockouts. This lack of precise control directly impacted the bottom line, making it challenging to understand actual costs and identify areas for improvement.
The advent of specialized inventory management software marked a significant turning point in the field. Early iterations focused on basic digital record-keeping, moving away from paper logs to spreadsheets and simple databases. This provided a foundational level of organization, allowing for more consistent tracking. However, these systems still required significant manual input and lacked the real-time capabilities that define modern solutions.
Core Functionalities Redefining Operations
Today's restaurant and bar inventory management software is a comprehensive ecosystem designed to optimize every facet of stock control. A core feature is real-time inventory tracking. This allows operators to know precisely what they have on hand at any given moment. Through seamless integration with Point-of-Sale (POS) systems, items are automatically deducted from inventory as they're sold. This eliminates the need for manual updates, providing an immediate and accurate picture of stock levels. The ability to monitor inventory in real-time is crucial for avoiding unexpected shortages, especially during peak service hours, and for making agile decisions about menu availability.
Beyond mere tracking, these systems provide advanced integration for ordering and purchasing. Based on consumption patterns and predefined minimum stock levels (often referred to as "par levels"), the software can generate suggestive reorder lists or even automate purchase orders directly with suppliers. This intelligent automation removes the guesswork from replenishment, ensuring that necessary ingredients and beverages are always available without tying up excessive capital in overstocked items. Some systems also include features for managing supplier relationships, centralizing invoices, and tracking pricing variations, allowing for more strategic procurement.
Recipe management and costing are integral components of modern inventory software. By meticulously detailing the ingredients and quantities required for each menu item, the system can accurately calculate the theoretical cost of every dish or drink. This empowers operators, giving them a sense of control and confidence to make informed decisions about menu pricing, identify profitable items, and pinpoint areas where ingredient costs might be disproportionately high. When combined with real-time inventory usage data, this feature provides invaluable insights into actual versus theoretical usage, highlighting potential discrepancies due to waste, spillage, or portion control issues.
Data-Driven Insights and Accessibility
The analytical capabilities of contemporary inventory software are profound. Data analytics and reporting tools transform raw inventory data into actionable insights. Operators can generate reports on sales trends, ingredient consumption, waste percentages, and profitability by category or individual item. This historical data is then leveraged for predictive analytics, with advanced algorithms anticipating future demand based on seasonality, promotions, and past sales performance. This foresight enables highly accurate forecasting, leading to optimized ordering, reduced spoilage, and improved overall financial performance.
For businesses with multiple locations, multi-location management features are indispensable. Centralized dashboards offer a comprehensive view of inventory across all establishments, enabling efficient stock transfers, standardized ordering processes, and consistent menu offerings. This ensures uniformity in operations and empowers management to identify and address inconsistencies across their portfolio.
The contemporary landscape also emphasizes mobile accessibility. Many solutions offer dedicated mobile applications, allowing staff to conduct inventory counts, receive deliveries, and check stock levels using handheld devices or even their smartphones. Features like barcode scanning or QR code integration further enhance accuracy and speed during physical inventory processes. This mobile flexibility significantly reduces the time and labor associated with traditional inventory tasks, freeing up staff to focus on guest service.
The Future of Inventory Management
Looking ahead, the trajectory of restaurant and bar inventory management software is one of increasing sophistication and integration. The continued rise of cloud-based solutions provides unparalleled accessibility, scalability, and data security. The infusion of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) is making systems even smarter, moving beyond predictive analytics to intelligent automation, where systems can learn and adapt to business conditions with minimal human intervention. The emphasis on sustainability is driving features that help businesses minimize food waste and optimize resource utilization, aligning with growing consumer and industry demands for environmentally conscious practices.
Restaurant and bar inventory management software has evolved from a simple tracking tool to a strategic asset. It underpins operational efficiency, enhances profitability, and plays a vital role in delivering a consistent and high-quality experience for patrons. As the hospitality industry continues to embrace digital transformation, these sophisticated systems will remain at the forefront, driving smarter decisions and fostering greater success.
...Read more
IoT-based applications are significantly improving food safety in food processing establishments. They provide one opportunity to monitor a supply chain, use sensors to check food quality, and alert users to potential safety risks, thereby improving the process of food processing and manufacturing.
Real-Time Temperature Data
IoT systems employ a wide range of sensors, including real-time temperature, moisture, carbon dioxide, and heavy metal sensors, to monitor food quality in fields and during transportation and to alert users to potential contamination risks.
It is easier to identify any contaminated items or incorrect environmental conditions, whether handled on-site or throughout other operations. Then, before they damage further food or endanger consumers, they may be appropriately held or removed from a processing line.
IoT Sensors
During shipping, goods and packaging can frequently sustain damage that results in stock loss, lost time and money, and business interruption. It might be not easy to prevent downtime for food businesses that get their packaging from outside sources.
Nonetheless, IoT sensors might be useful since they can automatically identify damage and deterioration in packaging. This helps producers reduce the possibility that this will happen again, saves time, and guarantees the quality of packing.
Traceability and Food Safety
The origins of their food are a growing issue for consumers. The epidemic reaffirmed their demands for openness and traceability about the origins of their food. IoT technology, which enables consumers to follow items along the whole supply chain, can help satisfy these needs and foster customer trust. Customers will be provided with the transparency and assurance they require by being able to access information about ingredients, supply, raw materials, and finished food items.
Ensuring food safety is another benefit of IoT technology. Real-time food safety data is available to food makers, enabling them to closely monitor conditions and satisfy HACCP and food safety regulations. Additionally, IoT technology may alert employees to potential food safety violations, allowing them to promptly determine whether or not contamination has occurred.
Food Waste Reduction
A significant proportion of food is wasted during food manufacture, handling, and storage. IoTs, however, can assist in reducing this. Based on real demands, orders can be issued for new ingredients. Because of this, workers cannot estimate how much food is needed, which can result in wasteful food loss. IoT technology can even automate this process to increase productivity and decrease waste.
In addition, real-time sensor data collection on food production can assist in determining and mitigating the underlying causes of food waste. You can quickly decide which goods are overstocked and which aren't by using essential data that the IoT can offer, such as expiration dates and stock levels. This tackles the issue of food waste and stops people from placing unnecessary orders.
...Read more
Top
