You are what you eat – food manufacturers know this truism well as they cater to an increasing pool of discerning consumers.

From localised flavours to clean labels, the growing demand for healthy original foods is creating fruitful grounds for home-grown food companies.

Making lemon from lemonade

The food and beverage (F&B) industry was among the worst hit during the pandemic, with Foodedge Gourmet no exception. Its sales of frozen meals to businesses plunged “almost down to zero”, from raking in S$30,000 in sales daily. 

The company found respite in selling frozen food products to the public under its consumer-facing retail brand Melvados which unexpectedly took off.

It also benefited from the pandemic-era trend of food gifting, with corporate orders for food hampers and welfare packs surging.

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Similarly, the pandemic was a gamechanger for Batu Lesung Spice Company. As more people picked up cooking, sales of its spice pastes and sambal doubled from pre-pandemic levels.

Even though sales have cooled from their peak during the pandemic, it expects another surge with the resumption of international travel and the upcoming gifting season.

Grade C for “Clean”

Clean labels – not just the latest fad or trend, but a new norm spurring food manufacturers to adapt their products for health-conscious consumers. 

Desserts without artificial additives or preservatives may sound unlikely, but that’s what Melvados is serving up with its “clean label” ice cream, brownies, cakes, snacks and ready-made frozen meals.

Likewise, local deli meat business Jill’s Sausages offers a guilt-free alternative with its “clean label” sausages and hams by using a preservation method called high-pressure processing.

It is an alternative to vacuum-sealed cooked and smoked sausages that are produced by bigger manufacturers – many of which are not “clean label”.

In addition, Jill’s Sausages says its meats have a much longer shelf life of about 2 months compared with vacuum-sealed cooked sausages that can only stay fresh for 2 to 3 weeks without preservatives.

And it’s proving a hit with health-conscious and socially responsible consumers, with the meats selling out daily.

Jill’s Sausages, which saw an initial investment of more than S$500,000, expects to break even by year-end and is even exploring “clean label” ham products.

Food without borders

Besides clean foods, the ever-increasing customer preference for home-grown foods is driving companies to invent Singapore-driven menus and localise flavours. 

Artisanal manufacturer Batu Lesung Spice Company collaborated with fast-food chain Shake Shack on a Singapore-inspired menu to create an exclusive sambal sauce for its limited-edition burgers. 

It also plans to work with overseas F&B brands to create exclusive recipes or Singapore-driven menus using its spice pastes. 

Likewise for Melvados, its distinctly local-flavoured snacks, from ondeh ondeh brittle and gula melaka biscotti to kopi peng ice cream, are carried by various cafés and coffee chains, including Starbucks.

The company hopes to eventually export its products to Malaysia, Indonesia, United Arab Emirates, Japan and South Korea.

Expansion is also in the pipeline for Jill’s Sausages who aims to be a first mover in East Asia and South-east Asia in producing “clean label” smoked sausages and ham. 

It plans to find an overseas distributor for the brand and export to Japan and South Korea, while discussing with several halal meat manufacturers to embark on joint ventures in the region.