ScaleUp Bio secures food manufacturing licence from Singapore Food Agency

ScaleUp Bio, a CDMO service provider based in Singapore, has announced it has secured a food manufacturing license from the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) for its Commercial Pilot Production facility located in Tuas, western Singapore.

This milestone signifies ScaleUp Bio has successfully fulfilled Singapore's stringent food production standards. These encompass requirements for ensuring adherence to specific infrastructure and facility standards for food safety production, and requirements emphasising training, collaboration, and regulatory compliance to uphold hygiene and operational excellence. This makes ScaleUp Bio one of the few CDMO’s in the world approved as a food manufacturing facility, focusing on submerged microbial and precision fermentation services at a scale of up to 10,000 liters.

“We are deeply grateful to SFA for this milestone, and we are ready to go. If you are a global food-tech startup in need of pilot-scale manufacturing, we invite you to engage with us,” commented Francisco Codoñer, CEO of ScaleUp Bio. “ScaleUp Bio’s value proposition offers anyone with the next best concept in food to bring that idea to reality, and to pilot stage commercial production in Singapore, backed by a blue-chip corporate ecosystem of support. With this milestone, we are moving one step forward towards enabling the next food revolution.”

The SFA food manufacturing license signifies adherence to the highest global standards of food safety and quality in food production. Awarding of the SFA license to ScaleUp Bio is the culmination of a year and a half’s effort in building out Singapore’s pioneer, dedicated food-grade pilot-stage food production facility. Covering a footprint of approximately 2,266m2, the Commercial Pilot Production facility located in Tuas, on the western side of Singapore island, offers food innovators access of up to 10,000 liters of fermentation and associated downstream processing capacity.

The new facility complements ScaleUp Bio’s Fermentation Joint Lab, designed and operated in conjunction with the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)’s Singapore Institute of Food and Biotechnology Innovation. The Fermentation Joint lab is housed in Nurasa’s (wholly owned by Temasek and one of ScaleUp Bio’s corporate parents) Food Tech Innovation Centre (FTIC). The Fermentation Joint Lab enables food innovators to bring an idea to life, offering start-ups up to 100 litres of fermentation capacity in a dedicated food grade, scientific research laboratory.

"At Nurasa, we are committed to pioneering a new world of sustainably produced nutrition solutions for our planet. ScaleUp Bio’s milestone from SFA is a pivotal step forward in this journey," added Guo Xiu Ling, CEO of Nurasa. "We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the team and eagerly anticipate our ongoing partnership as Nurasa continues to nurture and empower global food tech start-ups with a robust community and support ecosystem."

Food-tech startups globally will also benefit from the deep nutrition and innovation expertise offered by ADM, ScaleUp Bio’s other corporate parent. “ScaleUp Bio stands as a significant joint venture with Temasek’s Nurasa, demonstrating our commitment to meeting Asia’s unique food needs. Congratulations to the team on receiving the SFA's food manufacturing license, and we look forward to continuing our support for ScaleUp Bio and aspiring food-tech companies as we collectively pave the way for a more sustainable food system,” said Gary McGuigan, President, Asia-Pacific, ADM.

"ScaleUp Bio's two facilities represent a pioneering initiative for Singapore and globally. Need food-grade facilities? We've got you covered. From R&D to pilot scale, our fermentation expertise ensures excellence. Transitioning from bench to market? Our collaborative ecosystem, including parent and sister companies, research institutions, and industry partners, offers guidance. Seeking funding? We tap into our parent companies' extensive corporate network, ADM and Nurasa. Reach out to us now, and let's help you ScaleUp for success in Asia's lucrative markets," concluded Codoñer.