Nurasa, a wholly owned company of Temasek and an organization in sustainable nutrition development in Asia, and the Saskatchewan Food Industry Development Centre (Food Center), a contract research, manufacturing and incubation organization in Canada, have teamed up to foster innovation and enhance collaboration within the global food and beverage industry.
The duo said in a statement on Thursday that the collaboration will support agri-food companies by facilitating cross-border commercialization, with each organization acting as a gateway for market entry – Canada providing access to North America, and Singapore serving as a gateway to Asia.
The partnership will offer collaborative seminars, webinars, and workshops highlighting both technical and commercial topics.
This strategic alliance will empower agri-food companies to navigate complex innovation challenges and successfully launch new products in the global food and beverage marketplace.
Nurasa is an independent company dedicated to addressing food challenges through strategic partnerships and comprehensive one-stop shop solutions.
The firm supports the acceleration and adoption of sustainable and nutritious ingredients and food products through their open innovation platform, partnerships, and investment activities.
Located in Singapore, it is strategically positioned to offer access to Asia’s thriving food ecosystem.
The Food Centre is a not-for-profit organization offering unique expertise to the agri-food sector from ideation to commercialization.
The firm specializes in product development, ingredient evaluation, technical innovation, co-manufacturing, interim processing, extrusion, fermentation and bioengineering, food safety training, and small business development – with an emphasis on female entrepreneurs in agri-food.
Located in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, the firm benefits from its strategic positioning within Canada, providing exceptional market access across North America.
By leveraging Saskatchewan’s thriving ingredient manufacturing ecosystem, the firm helps businesses expand their reach both domestically and internationally.
“This partnership with the Food Centre is a key step in accelerating the scaling up of food innovation and expanding market access for sustainably produced products,
“Canada has a strong foundation in sustainable agri-food production, and through this collaboration, we aim to help Canadian companies bring their ingredients and products to Asian consumers, who are increasingly looking for nutritious and sustainable food options,” said Xiuling Guo, Chief Executive Office, Nurasa.
“At the same time, this cross-border alliance creates opportunities for Asian innovators to enter the North American market, supporting businesses in commercializing their products at scale,
“By leveraging the strengths of both regions, we are fostering deeper collaboration and enabling food companies to grow globally. We look forward to working together to shape a more sustainable and innovative food ecosystem,” he added.
Mehmet Tulbek, President of Food Centre, said Saskatchewan’s growing ingredient manufacturing ecosystem along with its diverse range of sustainable agri-food products and ingredients will have new and expanded market access in Asia.
According to him, the partnership with Nurasa will provide joint and scalable innovation and commercialization opportunities for startups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Canadian food and beverage manufacturing ecosystem in Singapore and Asia-Pacific region.
“Singapore is the gateway to Asian food innovation, with a sophisticated regulatory infrastructure,
“Our partnership with Nurasa will assist agri-food companies in developing affordable and sustainable product solutions for the Asian food marketplace,” he added.
Warren Kaeding, Minister of Trade and Export Development of Saskatchewa, said the province is at the forefront of cutting-edge solutions that transform food systems, thanks to world renowned organizations like the Food Centre.
“Their partnership with Nurasa allows us to share the expertise in agriculture sustainability and agri-food innovation that we are so well known for, not only in Singapore but throughout Asia,
“This mutually beneficial partnership is sure to be the beginning of a long and fruitful relationship, helping to ensure food security across the globe for years to come,” he added.
Temasek backs Databricks in $15B financing to boost AI globally