FrieslandCampina Ingredients Opens New R&D Center in Singapore to Boost APAC Innovation

In a recent press release, a global nutrition company for proteins and prebiotics, FrieslandCampina Ingredients disclosed that the establishment would be opening a new application center located in Singapore.¹ This development would bring a 30% increase of R&D space to the city-state. The new facility will become a “strategic gateway” to the markets in Asia-Pacific (APAC), which include Australia, Southeast Asia, New Zealand, Japan, and Korea. The Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) are supportive of this new center. With the regional headquarters in Singapore as well, the application center will allow for faster delivery of ingredient solutions which will enable brands to meet nutritional needs of the area. Additionally in Singapore, FrieslandCampina Professional and FrieslandCampina Asia, are also established in the country.

Fueling Innovation Across APAC

In APAC, it was reported in a 2025 Asia Pacific Responsible Supplementation Survey conducted by Herbalife, that four in five consumers in the region are taking nutritional supplements.² “We uncovered significant gaps in the understanding of proper health supplement usage, leading to a lack of confidence in making good supplement decisions. The silver lining is that most consumers prioritize credible sources of supplement information and advice. This is why Herbalife actively collaborates with various institutions to improve nutrition education for the public, using science-backed facts and guidance to aid positive supplement choices. We are committed to helping people build a foundation of healthy habits and empower their journey to wellness,” said Thomas Harms, Managing Director, Asia Pacific, Herbalife.²

The opening of the new application center may help with the growing demand from consumers.¹ FrieslandCampina Ingredients’ new facility will have advanced laboratories which can help the company with functional food formulations, such as supplements, yogurts, and bars. The center will also have specialist expertise involving analytical testing, packaging, UHT processing, and sensory science that offers the potential to speed up application development, bringing products to the market at a faster rate.¹

FrieslandCampina Ingredients mainly focuses on medical and infant nutrition in Singapore but will be able to explore new markets. For example, children’s nutrition and performance & active nutrition.

Singapore has been home to FrieslandCampina Ingredients’ headquarters in the APAC region since 2011.¹ Aside from the opening of the new application center, the company has expanded their full-time workforce and will also now be able to work together with Institutes of Higher Learning located within the region to help inspire the next generation. The press release mentioned that “FrieslandCampina Ingredients has established a long-term internship programme with local universities, with three internships already offered under this initiative. The company has also recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Health Promotion Board for the Eat, Drink, Shop Healthy initiative and has previously partnered with ActiveSG on the Nurture Kids pilot to promote healthy lifestyles among children.”¹

“The opening of our new application center in Singapore marks a pivotal time for our business, demonstrating our commitment to the APAC market and the strategic importance we place on the region,” comments Tjalling Bekker, Regional Director APAC, FrieslandCampina Ingredients.¹ “The APAC market is changing rapidly. Consumers are prioritising daily health, emotional wellness and beauty-from-within. Our new application centre will help our customers succeed in this fast-moving and growing market by accelerating application development and enabling closer collaboration so we can navigate these exciting opportunities together.”

“FrieslandCampina Ingredients’ new application center is a valuable addition to our vibrant food and nutrition ecosystem,” adds Melissa Guan, Vice President & Head, Consumer, at the Singapore EDB.¹ “The facility will accelerate innovation through co-development efforts with customers to support health and well-being outcomes across all life stages. We look forward to seeing FrieslandCampina Ingredients work closely with industry partners to create nutritional solutions that unlock new business opportunities in the APAC region.”

References

1. Frieslandcampina ingredients expands R&D capabilities with new state-of-the-art application centre in Singapore https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250914161463/en/FrieslandCampina-Ingredients-Expands-RD-Capabilities-with-New-State-of-the-Art-Application-Centre-in-Singapore (accessed Sep 17, 2025).
2. Press releases https://www.herbalife.com/en-sg/about-herbalife/press-room/press-releases/4-in-5-apac-consumers-take-health-supplements (accessed Sep 17, 2025).