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Digital initiatives launched to help Singapore F&B companies access global markets and improve efficiency

Digital initiatives launched to help Singapore F&B companies access global markets and improve efficiency

Enterprise
Singapore
has introduced
new digital initiatives at the Food & Hotel Asia (FHA) 2018 to support
Singapore food and beverage (F&B) and food manufacturing companies in
adopting technology to capture new overseas opportunities and improve
operational efficiencies.

The initiatives launched include a B2B online platform for
food manufacturers and a showcase of newer technologies that F&B companies
can adopt, called RESTAURANT 3.0.

The food services industry contributes 5% of total
employment in Singapore. Efficient technology-enabled processes can help
improve workflow, enhance the working environment for staff and retain
employees with the right skills and aptitude. According to the press release, as
of end-2017, more than a third of food outlets in Singapore were already
adopting technology such as digital services and kitchen automation.

B2B online platform

The SMF SMART App, conceptualised and executed by Enterprise
Singapore and the Singapore Manufacturing federation (SMF) aims to make it
easier, faster and more convenient for food manufacturers to export overseas.

The B2B online platform supports food manufacturers in
gaining greater access to markets such as Southeast Asia as it allows for
easier consolidation of online orders and checks on authenticity of products
purchased.

Visitors at the show can use the smart app to scan barcodes
of physical products to view more product details and checkout via the smart
app. Additionally, to extend the reach of the Singapore Pavilion beyond the
physical show, Enterprise Singapore and SMF introduced an online Singapore
Pavilion on Alibaba.com. This enables the products to be showcased on a
globally recognised business-to-business platform where overseas buyers can
browse Singapore products and indicate business interest.

Key highlights of the app which was developed by Singapore
technology company iSprint Innovations include easy consolidation of online
orders for overseas buyers, where buyers can use the app to either scan the
barcode of physical products at FHA, or access the SMF Digital Marketplace on
the app. Details of Singapore products will be listed on the SMF Digital
Marketplace for buyers to view.

The app facilitates automatic checks on quantities of
product/s required to fill each shipping container through the shipping cubic
meter calculation function. Singapore products can be authenticated with a
track and trace function via the use of QR code and IT security technology. The
app will also reduce paperwork for food manufacturers with an online
procurement process.

Currently, there are 103 Singapore companies with 871
products on board the SMF SMART App and SMF Alibaba.com platforms. SMF is
working to bring in more food manufacturers on board and exploring the
feasibility of extending the digital initiatives to other industries. The
digital initiatives are supported through Enterprise Singapore’s Local
Enterprise and Association Development (LEAD) programme. The programme aims to
enhance industry and enterprise competitiveness by providing focused and
customised support at the industry level for industry associations that are willing
to take the lead in industry development and drive initiatives to improve the
overall capabilities of SMEs in their industries.

Mr Sunny Koh, Deputy President of SMF and Chairman of the
F&B Industry Group, said, “Today’s launch of the digital initiatives
enhances the effectiveness of our WIP programme. They will further benefit our
SMEs in reaching out to users overseas including Southeast Asia. The track and
trace function of the SMF SMART App also helps prevent counterfeit of goods.” The
WIP programme is a partnership between Enterprise Singapore and SMF to enable
different Singapore food products to be consolidated in containers and exported
to overseas retailers/importers through direct shipment.

Ms Kee Ai Nah, Executive Director of Lifestyle &
Consumer Cluster, Enterprise Singapore, commented, “Enterprise Singapore’s
partnership with SMF enables Singapore SMEs to capture more overseas
opportunities by making the buyer’s procurement process easier through the use
of technology. SMF has been proactive and forwardlooking in driving tech
adoption; we hope to work with other TACs to implement such digital initiatives
to benefit our SMEs collectively.”

RESTAURANT 3.0 

RESTAURANT 3.0 at FHA 2018 showcases the newer technologies
that F&B companies can adopt. It presents how digital, robotics and
technology-enabled modular systems can improve the overall supply chain of food
services – from farm, processing and production (back-of-house) to service at
the table (front-of-house).

The showcase is a multi-party collaboration by Enterprise
Singapore, Workforce Singapore, Singapore Productivity Centre and Restaurant
Association of Singapore.

Back-of-house

Urban farming: F&B
operators and hoteliers can experiment on an urban farming solution to grow
their own vegetables and herbs in a controlled environment. This will cater to
customers’ increased preference for fresh ingredients and healthier food, and
also help create a novel dining experience.

Outsourcing of food
preparation
: F&B outlet kitchens can be made much more efficient by
outsourcing parts of the meal preparation to larger and better-equipped central
kitchens, operated by food manufacturers. This will reduce the need for smaller
F&B operators to make big investments in fully-equipped kitchens. In
addition, kitchen staff would have more time to review menu items, and work
with the manufacturer to serve consistently good food.

Ready Meals: Many
successful F&B operators already use this model, by leveraging a central
kitchen, to enable lean operations, where kitchen assistants only heat up,
plate and serve. This reduces back-of-house manpower requirements and the
chef’s time is freed up for menu engineering. By extension, the concept of
ready meals could open up new distribution channels, such as supermarkets and
e-commerce, without having to open additional outlets.

Optimising workflow
with automation
: RESTAURANT 3.0 demonstrates how smaller food companies can
adopt bite-sized automation in their outlet kitchens, where workflow can be
streamlined and redesigned to reduce labour-intensive tasks, such as inventory
management (receiving, storage, drawing of stocks); food preparation; and dishwashing.

Food preparation with
robotics
: Robotics, a step up from automation, can help achieve more
complex tasks. For instance, a pre-programmed robotic arm that can grill beef, will
pick up the raw meat from the chiller, cook it on the griddle, plate the steak
and have it placed at service point, all at the touch of a button.

Front-of-house

Food vaults: This
enables a new business format, where meals can be ordered from anywhere through
a mobile phone app or web-based platform, and then picked up at the allocated
vault. This is convenient for the customer, and spares the operator the need to
employ waiters.

RFID vending machines:
Food vending machines save manpower and space. The first Vendcafé , launched at
Anchorvale Drive in 2016, has 90% less manpower than an eatery offering a
similar menu and seating space. Open 24 hours, patrons can pop by anytime for a
meal or takeaway. From an operator’s standpoint, this completely man-less
outlet, which delivers a meal in under three minutes from ordering, is
productive. RESTAURANT 3.0 showcases new-generation vending machines that
utilise Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to serve up a variety
of hot and chilled meals.

Robotics: Robotics
deployed at the front-of-house to serve customers have proven to be both
efficient and entertaining. For example, a robotic platform may be programmed
to fulfil an order of serving ice cream inside a coconut shell, or make coffee.

As with back-of-house processes, food companies can also
automate front-of-house operations such as customer reservation and queue
management, as well as ordering, serving, billing and payment.

PARTNER

Qlik’s vision is a data-literate world, where everyone can use data and analytics to improve decision-making and solve their most challenging problems. A private company, Qlik offers real-time data integration and analytics solutions, powered by Qlik Cloud, to close the gaps between data, insights and action. By transforming data into Active Intelligence, businesses can drive better decisions, improve revenue and profitability, and optimize customer relationships. Qlik serves more than 38,000 active customers in over 100 countries.

PARTNER

CTC Global Singapore, a premier end-to-end IT solutions provider, is a fully owned subsidiary of ITOCHU Techno-Solutions Corporation (CTC) and ITOCHU Corporation.

Since 1972, CTC has established itself as one of the country’s top IT solutions providers. With 50 years of experience, headed by an experienced management team and staffed by over 200 qualified IT professionals, we support organizations with integrated IT solutions expertise in Autonomous IT, Cyber Security, Digital Transformation, Enterprise Cloud Infrastructure, Workplace Modernization and Professional Services.

Well-known for our strengths in system integration and consultation, CTC Global proves to be the preferred IT outsourcing destination for organizations all over Singapore today.

PARTNER

Planview has one mission: to build the future of connected work. Our solutions enable organizations to connect the business from ideas to impact, empowering companies to accelerate the achievement of what matters most. Planview’s full spectrum of Portfolio Management and Work Management solutions creates an organizational focus on the strategic outcomes that matter and empowers teams to deliver their best work, no matter how they work. The comprehensive Planview platform and enterprise success model enables customers to deliver innovative, competitive products, services, and customer experiences. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, with locations around the world, Planview has more than 1,300 employees supporting 4,500 customers and 2.6 million users worldwide. For more information, visit www.planview.com.

SUPPORTING ORGANISATION

SIRIM is a premier industrial research and technology organisation in Malaysia, wholly-owned by the Minister​ of Finance Incorporated. With over forty years of experience and expertise, SIRIM is mandated as the machinery for research and technology development, and the national champion of quality. SIRIM has always played a major role in the development of the country’s private sector. By tapping into our expertise and knowledge base, we focus on developing new technologies and improvements in the manufacturing, technology and services sectors. We nurture Small Medium Enterprises (SME) growth with solutions for technology penetration and upgrading, making it an ideal technology partner for SMEs.

PARTNER

HashiCorp provides infrastructure automation software for multi-cloud environments, enabling enterprises to unlock a common cloud operating model to provision, secure, connect, and run any application on any infrastructure. HashiCorp tools allow organizations to deliver applications faster by helping enterprises transition from manual processes and ITIL practices to self-service automation and DevOps practices. 

PARTNER

IBM is a leading global hybrid cloud and AI, and business services provider. We help clients in more than 175 countries capitalize on insights from their data, streamline business processes, reduce costs and gain the competitive edge in their industries. Nearly 3,000 government and corporate entities in critical infrastructure areas such as financial services, telecommunications and healthcare rely on IBM’s hybrid cloud platform and Red Hat OpenShift to affect their digital transformations quickly, efficiently and securely. IBM’s breakthrough innovations in AI, quantum computing, industry-specific cloud solutions and business services deliver open and flexible options to our clients. All of this is backed by IBM’s legendary commitment to trust, transparency, responsibility, inclusivity and service.

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