Growthwell Foods, a manufacturer of plant-based alternatives for meat and seafood for the Southeast Asian market, has launched an innovation, R&D and manufacturing center at JTC Foodhub Senoko, Singapore. It features Singapores first fully automated large-scale production line for plant-based products and will see the introduction of popcorn chicken nuggets and alternative fish sticks.

Growthwell is poised to become Asias leading plant-nutrition food tech company as the country continues its shift toward sustainable, plant-based options.

The R&D activities at the center will focus on improving the taste and nutritional properties of its plant-based products. It will also function as a pilot plant, making Singapore the launchpad for further expansion into other regions with dedicated production in the future.

Growthwell’s portfolio expansion offers chefs and consumers more plant-based options.

High moisture extrusion
Highlights of the facility include Singapores first production-scale high moisture extrusion (HME) line owned by a local SME. This HME line will enable Growthwell to significantly improve the texture of its plant-based meat products.

The new facility also features Singapores first fully automated large-scale production line for plant-based products, which will handle manufacturing, freezing and packaging.

The automation can produce 4,000 metric tons of products in a year.

“Growthwell Foods has come a long way since its inception in 1989,” says Justin Chou, executive director of Growthwell Foods. “We began as a food solution company catering to the needs of vegetarian consumers.”

Growthwell is poised to become Asias leading plant-nutrition food tech company (Credit:Growthwell).

“Now, we are looking to harness the potential of a global market hungry for alternative proteins. Well-equipped to handle large-scale production as well as spearhead our own R&D efforts, our facility is poised to shake up the status quo in the plant-based meat industry.”

New plant-based range
Growthwell will be producing Happiee!, a brand-new, homegrown plant-based range.

Produced locally, the plant-based nutritious bites tap into the growing demand for alternative protein as Singapore sees more flexitarian appetites and a push toward plant-based nutrition.

There are four products under the soy-based chicken range: Happiee! Plant-based Chicken Nuggets, Happiee! Plant-based Chickiee Popcorn, Happiee! Plant-based Chickiee Patties and Happiee! Plant-based Breaded Chickiee Patties.Growthwell’s portfolio expansion offers chefs and consumers more plant-based options.

The ChickP isolate is used in the Chickiee Nuggets. Made with konjac, the fish range comes with two products: Happiee! Plant-based Fishiee Sticks and Happiee! Plant-based Fishiee Patties. All six products are free from trans fat.

Distribution deal
Appointed distributors for Happiee! include Country Foods and Indoguna. Country Foods is a wholly-owned subsidiary of SATS Food Services and one of Singapores primary food importers, distributors and manufacturers.

“Country Foods has an extensive network and insight into the local marketspace and key players, and an established logistical, development and manufacturing infrastructure that will give both companies a strategic advantage in delivering on their ambitious growth plans in Singapore and beyond,” adds Susan Ng, Country Foods general manager.

Investing in ChickP
In 2019, Growthwell invested in ChickP an Israeli food technology start-up led by Professor Ram Reifen. ChickP developed a proprietary process and technology to make a 90% pure chickpea isolate that is high in protein, fiber and minerals, is free from hormones, allergens, gluten, lactose and GMO, and sas a neural aftertaste.

The 90% chickpea isolate is a complete protein with all nine essential amino acids.

It has a very mild taste and emulsifying properties, tipping it as a superior ingredient for dairy applications.

Unlike other plant protein sources such as soy, wheat and pea, chickpea is a crop that is available in Asia. This allows Growthwell to source ingredients closer to home, shortening the supply chain and making production more environmentally friendly.

Future food
Besides the Happiee! Growthwell is also poised to launch a new product, Plant-based Salmon Flakes which are made from soy, and incorporate algae-derived omega-3 oil.

Growthwell’s R&D team is exploring the use of ingredients such as legumes, algae and plants to provide clean and healthy proteins. Together with the Israeli ChickP team, it says that it will continue to push the boundaries of what ChickP isolate can do to make its products taste, feel and be better.