The Archer-Daniels-Midland Company (ADM) has inaugurated a new plant-based innovation lab, located in ADM’s Biopolis research hub in Singapore. The lab will develop “next-level, on-trend” and nutritious products to meet growing food and beverage demand in the Asia-Pacific region. 

The new facility features a combination of experts in proteins and texturing ingredients, coupled with flavor specialists, allowing ADM to “quickly and efficiently” create tailor-made solutions for the Asian consumer palate. 

“Our plant-based innovation lab is a significant addition to the ADM Technical Innovation Center in Singapore,” Dirk Oyen, VP and general manager, South East Asia, Human Nutrition of ADM, tells FoodIngredientsFirst.

“The lab will allow for rapid solution creation through testing of key sensory and functional elements of plant-based applications.”

The new research center features sensory evaluation facilities and a customer innovation center. It also includes a food and flavor analytic lab; a beverage and dairy applications lab and pilot plant; a bakery and confectionery lab; a meat and savory lab; and a sweet and savory creation lab. 

Each of these capacities is “crucial in pushing the envelope” of new product development for the Asia-Pacific region, the company states.

A host of R&D capacities
This lab gives ADM the ability to test flavors, textures, fats and binding characteristics in-house and accelerate product development for customers. Additionally, the lab can provide medium-scale sampling through a variety of forming and freezing capabilities to support market evaluation of new products and solutions.

“To make plant protein more accessible to Southeast Asia, ADM is open to partnerships,” Oyen details.

“We currently collaborate with Nanyang Technological University’s innovation and enterprise company, NTUtive, to develop a series of challenges that aim to educate and challenge Food Science students and young chefs to create the best plant-based meat alternative dish tailored to Southeast Asian tastes.”

Also known as the “Plant-based Perfection Challenge,” this project was set up to provide an opportunity for young homegrown talents to demonstrate their capabilities by introducing new flavors tailored to the Asian palate.

In recent months, Asia-Pacific’s rapidly evolving food scene has been revitalized with new regional plant-based launches inspiring new iterations of traditional cuisine staples. 

For instance, Tokyo-based Next Meat has unveiled vegan Japanese yakiniku grilled meat in Singapore, while peanut-based chicken from Haofood debuted in Chinese and Indonesian recipes through various partnerships in Shanghainese foodservice.

Meatless momentum in Asia
The Asian market presents a lucrative opportunity to pilot these food-tech developments.

ADM Outside Voice research shows that the Asia-Pacific region has seen large gains in alternative meat and dairy product launches, with an increase of 186 percent between 2015 and 2019.

As the region is home to over half of the world’s population, meeting consumers’ evolving demands across the continent is ever more prevalent, notes Oyen.

“Singapore brings these many discerning tastes together and is critical to food and beverage growth, especially in the plant-based space,” he remarks. 

As the plant-based category continues to expand and evolve, Oyen highlights increasing consumer interest in advancements in plant-based alternatives to shellfish, cheese and ready-to-eat protein snacks. 

Beyond these applications, processes like fermentation and new technologies like 3D printing are spurring inventive creativity. “Plant-based innovation is only beginning, and the future holds many different techniques and applications as research increases and consumer acceptance grows,” says Oyen.

“Spicing things up with intriguing regional and global flavors can capture and hold consumer interest in plant-based foods and beverages,” adds Marie Wright, chief global flavorist and president of creation, design & development at ADM.

“With the intersection of cultures in Singapore, we’re at the leading edge of flavor trends for delicious new product development.”

Last summer, ADM partnered with Imagine Meats, a venture backed by Bollywood celebrity couple Riteish and Genelia Deshmukh which promises to boost plant-based innovation in India.

ADM product development and trend highlights
In recent years, ADM has invested significantly in flavor creation and other ingredients that help elevate taste profiles.

ADM recently introduced SweetRight Reduced Sugar Glucose Syrup (RSGS) in the US. The solution can replac traditional corn syrup (glucose-fructose syrup) in various applications without sacrificing functionality. 

In flavor trends, the company expects to see trending foods and beverages to feature bold citrus tonalities and new exotic tastes with warm undertones for this year.

“importantly, the true innovation lies in our team – experts in ingredients such as proteins and texturizers, who work closely with our flavorists and the application and culinary teams to bring it all together to meet consumers’ ever-evolving needs,” Oyen concludes.