Refreshed Industry Digital Plan to support over 1,500 food manufacturers in accelerating technology adoption

1. Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG) and the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) launched the refreshed Food Manufacturing Industry Digital Plan (IDP) today to guide over 1,500 food manufacturers on their digital transformation journey. The announcement was made by Ms Low Yen Ling, Senior Minister of State for the Ministry of Trade and Industry & Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, at the opening of soya sauce and condiments manufacturer Kwong Cheong Thye's new factory.

2. Since the first Food Manufacturing IDP was launched in 2021, significant progress has been made in transforming Singapore's food manufacturing sector through digital adoption. As of 2025, more than 90% of food manufacturing businesses have adopted at least one sector specific digital solution, up from 75% in 2023. Meanwhile, advances in artificial intelligence (AI) have expanded the range of digital solutions available to food manufacturers, even as businesses face challenges such as rising operational costs, manpower constraints, and productivity pressures.

3. In response to these developments and to make it easier for companies to identify digital tools, EnterpriseSG and IMDA worked closely with industry stakeholders and solution providers to refresh the IDP with new, relevant solutions in a company-centric and user-friendly format. This approach allows businesses to determine suitable digital solutions based on their specific operational challenges and business needs. The refreshed plan organises solutions around three business outcomes through digitalisation:

• “Digitalising Tedious Processes” - for businesses seeking to automate routine administrative tasks and focus on easy-to-adopt business solutions. Solutions include Integrated Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems and e-commerce software.
• “Optimising Manufacturing” - for businesses looking to gain deeper insights and improve their production processes. Solutions include basic Manufacturing Execution System (MES) and Manufacturing Analytics.
• “Scaling Up and Expansion” - for businesses looking to scale up production and expand operations overseas. A newly added solution, the Logistics Control Tower, enables businesses to maintain real-time oversight of their global supply chain operations from their Singapore headquarters, reducing the complexity and risks associated with international expansion.

4. To help businesses achieve greater impact from digitalisation, the refreshed Food Manufacturing IDP incorporates AI and Generative AI solutions to elevate customer experience, improve operational efficiency, and accelerate business growth. For example:

• AI-enabled Automated Ordering Management helps businesses reduce manual workload and improve order accuracy by automatically capturing orders from WhatsApp and syncing them to existing systems. Toh Thye San Farm, a poultry distributor, implemented this solution and achieved 20% higher order accuracy, saving up to eight hours of labour per mistake avoided while freeing staff for higher-value tasks.
• AI Chatbots allow businesses to enhance customer satisfaction while reducing operational costs by providing 24/7 automated support for customer service and internal operations. Businesses can handle more enquiries with fewer resources while ensuring consistent, prompt responses to customers.
• Manufacturing Analytics enable businesses to boost productivity and reduce downtime through AI-powered insights for production optimisation and predictive maintenance. Kwong Cheong Thye (KCT) implemented a MES to monitor critical fermentation variables such as temperature and humidity. The system helped to streamline scheduling and multi-batch planning, and is expected to increase soya sauce yields from 70% to 90%.

5. The adoption of digital and AI solutions can also create opportunities for workers in the food manufacturing industry. This includes the upskilling and reskilling of workers, allowing them to transition from routine manual tasks to higher-value roles, while also creating new positions. For example, following the implementation of the MES, KCT is in the midst of upskilling two of their soya sauce production staff to take on the role of Data Control Specialists, where they will be trained to monitor production data using the system to ensure smooth, optimal manufacturing processes.

6. To help businesses safely digitalise their operations, a Cybersecurity and Data Protection Roadmap has been included in the refreshed plan to provide practical guidance and measures that SMEs can adopt to protect systems and data as they grow digitally.

7. Beyond digital solutions, EnterpriseSG is working with industry partners to build a comprehensive support ecosystem for food manufacturers to help them address operational challenges, raise productivity, and scale sustainably. For example:

• Food manufacturers can access personalised advisory services on digitalisation at the SME Centre@SMF (Singapore Manufacturing Federation). Business advisors equipped with food manufacturing industry knowledge can help to assess businesses' digital readiness and provide guidance on suitable solutions tailored for food manufacturers. 
• Businesses will also be able to tap on a talent development programme that will be launched in the second half of this year. This programme will connect computing and IT students from Institutes of Higher Learning with food manufacturers through internships. These young talents will provide technical expertise to support food manufacturers with digital solution adoption and integration, allowing businesses to nurture a pipeline of skilled talent while addressing digital challenges.

8. Food manufacturers can visit https://go.gov.sg/foodmanufacturing-idp for more information on the refreshed Food Manufacturing IDP.

Resource:

Annex A - Food Manufacturing Sector Overview and Quotes for Media Reporting (151.13KB)

Annex B - Company Profiles (179.93KB)