Productivity and automation seem to be the latest buzzwords, especially in the food and beverage business.

But long before the government sounded its clarion call, entrepreneur and CEO Alson Teo of Stamfles Group already saw the future of the F&B business – it was in automation and internationalisation.

Some 15 years ago, Mr Teo had a vision of a chicken rice concept restaurant, supported by a robust back-end automation that is replicable in any part of the world.

So he and a team of engineers, a food science team and the late chef Toh Thian Ser came up with iKook, world’s first patented, automated poultry cooker.

Mr Teo recalled how he had to convince the late Mr Toh, an ex-chef at Shangri-La, that a machine can cook just as well as a human.

But after seeing the capabilities of just the first prototype, Mr Toh was onboard, formulating recipes and ideas for the project, which he worked on till he died of cancer in 2006.

Now in its sixth edition, the iKook, which is conceptualised, designed and assembled in Singapore, can cook up to 10 birds in about 40 minutes.

The machine ensures consistent cooking when braising or poaching a chicken, retaining its flavours and nutrients.

Creating a machine that cooks chicken is more complex than it appears to be. For example, different parts of the chicken require different cooking times.

Throughout the decade, different research teams from National University of Singapore’s Design Technology Institute and Singapore Polytechnic’s Food Innovation and Resource Centre have worked on the machine.

The sixth prototype is equipped with a touch screen and made with Japanese parts after Mitsubishi heard about the project and wanted to be part of it.

The iKook is used in Roost, a four-month-old local eatery that serves chicken rice and other Asian dishes.

But to Mr Teo, the creation of the iKook is not meant to grow chicken rice restaurants in Singapore – his aim since 15 years ago is to bring chicken rice to the world.

“We were way ahead of our time. More than 10 years ago, nobody talked about scaling up the F&B model and internationalisation,” he said.

“But I realised, even back then, that you cannot have a business model that is solely dependent on the chefs’ skills. You wouldn’t be able to grow and make it out of Singapore.”

A master chef can be at only one place at a time. But with the iKook, the same level of consistent, good food can be achieved and scaled up anywhere, added Mr Teo.

To date, Mr Teo has invested at least S$1.2 million to perfect the machine. He believes that the iKook is finally ready to move beyond Singapore shores.

Mr Teo said he is in discussions with partners in countries such as Japan, China, London and Australia. He is looking to use the franchise or joint venture model to bring the concept of Roost, together with the iKook, overseas.

His team has also created the sauces and pastes, used in cooking the different dishes at Roost, to be part of the package deal.

While the iKook was invented primarily to cook poultry, it can also cook other types of meats in various styles, including sous vide.

Mr Teo said they are still in the process of experimenting with other dishes, such as bak kut teh, using the iKook.

While there have been offers to buy just the machine, Mr Teo said he is in no hurry to sell it at the moment as his primary goal is to maintain relationships with possible joint venture or franchise partners.

Reflecting on his entrepreneurial journey, he admitted that the road is often “lonely”, but his persistence on the iKook is rooted on the strong conviction that the world market is a much bigger one. Even with little funding and support, he has pushed on.

“I always believe that you must be passionate in what you do, and then work out the business model to sustain it.”

vshiao@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Apr 10, 2017.
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Even after 10 years of experience in dealing with security incidents in Singapore’s public transport system, police Staff Sergeant (SSG) Nasron Nasir had his nerves rattled when he was tasked to respond to a 999 call on April 2.

The 35-year-old had to rush to Hougang MRT station after an unattended bag was found on the platform, resulting in operator SBS Transit ordering a temporary closure and trains to bypass the stop.

Together with Special Constabulary Corporal (Cpl) Muhammad Ruzaini, 22, they were the first Public Transport Security Command (TransCom) officers to arrive at the MRT station.

“Honestly speaking, I was really nervous. I thought it was going to be the first explosives case (on the MRT) in Singapore.

“But we needed to overcome our fear and be sharp. We couldn’t let our flaws cloud our judgment,” SSG Nasron, a TransCom veteran, told The Straits Times in an interview with him and Cpl Ruzaini.

The bag, left behind by a 39-year- old man while he ran an errand, was later found to contain only household items.

He was arrested for causing alarm to the public after preliminary investigations showed that he had left the bag intentionally.

The incident also cast the spotlight on the work of the TransCom, which was commissioned in 2009.

TransCom had its beginnings as the Police MRT Unit, which was formed in 2005 in the light of growing global security threats and the vulnerability of the public transport system to attacks.

In July that year, terrorists struck London with coordinated bombings on three underground trains and on a bus.

The unit has grown from 30 officers to about 500 now, in tandem with the expansion of Singapore’s rail network.

Full-time national servicemen such as Cpl Ruzaini account for 80 per cent of the unit’s staff strength and play a vital role in patrolling the transport network daily, responding to a range of incidents, from theft to outrage of modesty and disputes.

SSG Nasron said TransCom officers are trained to know the ins and outs of each MRT station, so they can help evacuate commuters if necessary.

They also need to learn the different “characteristics” of each station, based on the crowds which frequent it at various times of the day, and the associated crime risks.

While both he and Cpl Ruzaini were unable to discuss the specifics of the April 2 case as it is under investigation, they said the general procedure would be to cordon off the area around the bag.

When dealing with suspicious items a visual assessment is first conducted.

“We look for tell-tale signs – like oil leaks, protruding cables, ticking sounds, pungent smell – signs indicating it could be dangerous,” said SSG Nasron.

“We also assess (based on) whether bomb threats have been made recently,” said Cpl Ruzaini.

SSG Nasron, who has 150 officers in his team, said they are asked to respond to cases of unattended bags left at MRT stations and bus interchanges “every few days”.

But they are mostly false alarms, with contents of the bags ranging from towels to rotten food.

Still, SSG Nasron said: “There’s always a stressful feeling when we open up a bag… But that’s why we are here – to make sure the public transport system is safe.”

adrianl@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on April 10, 2017.
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Eateries with zero manpower interaction, 3D printing of food, meal kit subscription boxes with ingredients – these are all but a taste of what is to come.

These concepts may not be in the mainstream here yet, but it is a matter of time before Singapore moves in that direction, according to industry players.

What was considered revolutionary previously such as vending machine hot food and ready-to-eat meals are no longer so novel.

Developments in the areas of food services and manufacturing are progressing at a breakneck pace, as food and beverage (F&B) companies increasingly tap technology and automation to compete.

In the last few years, institutes of higher learning and consultancies such as the Singapore Productivity Centre have seen a surge in companies seeking their assistance to transform their F&B businesses.

Just in the last year, Singapore Polytechnic’s Food Innovation & Resource Centre (FIRC) has seen an increase of about 20 per cent of companies asking for help.

Loong Mann Na, centre director of FIRC, says: “Some of these companies are looking at setting up central kitchens, while others are exploring creating new products or improving existing products in terms of quality and shelf life.”

Nanyang Polytechnic’s Asian Culinary Institute has also seen a “healthy” increase in F&B businesses wanting to work with them in areas such as workflow processes, manpower capability development, adoption of new business models, and automation solutions.

It can also be attributed to greater awareness on the need for innovation, as the Food Services and Food Manufacturing Industry Transformation Maps were rolled out last year. Led by Spring Singapore, the roadmaps aim to go beyond technology improvements to revamp business models as well.

Michael Tan, CEO of Singapore Productivity Centre, believes that more enterprises now see the urgency to become more manpower-lean, especially small and medium enterprises, as they grapple with intense competition, rising costs and a sluggish economy.

As to the belief that automation would cause workers to lose their jobs, industry specialists say that that is a misconception.

Explains Mr Tan: “Many F&B businesses today still face constraints on manpower and we have yet to see any displaced workers on the technology and automation projects that we worked on.”

In fact, the manhours saved from automation relieves the worker to do other tasks which often leads to higher value contribution per worker.

New advances in technology and changing lifestyle trends have opened up a world of possibilities for the Singapore consumer, where the world is indeed their oyster.

Trends that were once foreign are now becoming more common; dining formats such as ready-to-eat and grab-and-go meals are increasingly found in convenience stores and supermarkets.

At the back end, there has also been an increased adoption in efficient cooking methods such as sous vide and cook-chilled foods.

Technology advances also have made it possible for food manufacturers to extend shelf-life for up to a year, such as through the high pressure processing (HPP) technique.

Some up and coming trends such as 3D printing which uses edible ingredients are still in the exploratory stage for food companies in Singapore, which has the potential to shake things up.

For example, FIRC is designing and developing 3D printed meal solutions for the silver generation to maintain balanced physiological functions such as mobility, visual or brain health.

Another trend that is likely to hit is the meal-kit concept, says Mr Tan.

He recently visited Blue Apron in New York as part of a study mission in collaboration with the Culinary Institute of America.

He was amazed by the meal kit evolution there where elderly couples, family members or friends can bond over a meal kit delivered to their home with all the necessary and sometimes unique ingredients to cook from scratch by simply following the recipe to whip up a finished product.

Alternative dining formats with minimal manpower interaction such as the US fast food restaurant chain Eatsa may also be a possibility here in the future, which might suit the busy executive during lunch hour or the working parent rushing back home.

Food innovation is not limited to just what is edible – solutions for food wastage are also likely to grow.

Tan Jek Min, director of ACI, says that he sees a growing interest in food manufacturers looking to recycle downstream food by-products and reduce food wastage. New products are being produced through such means.

Recently, Nanyang Polytechnic collaborated with a research team from Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore to develop a mussel sauce which is made using leftover broth from steaming mussels.

Even as innovations in the food industry continue to take place, one key challenge for businesses to overcome is the receptiveness of staff.

ACI’s Mr Tan says that there is a need to change the mindset of staff to embrace these changes and to allay their job fears. This is on top of ensuring that workers are trained to use new equipment and technology.

But no matter how advanced technology has become, he says, there will always be a need for the “human touch” in F&B businesses.

“Machines can replace the laborious and manual work but you need the chef’s creativity and passion to create new, wonderful recipes, and service staff who provide excellent service will always be in demand . . . Machines are enablers but will not fully replace all aspects needed to run an F&B business.”

vshiao@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Apr 10, 2017.
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A fare hike for buses and trains is very much on the cards, going by the words of two key stakeholders.

As the Public Transport Council announced a review of the fare formula last Wednesday, chairman Richard Magnus wrote that “service improvements come at a cost”.

His words echoed Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan’s in Parliament last month that it was not sustainable for taxpayers to increasingly subsidise the costs of running Singapore’s public transport system.

Commuters should be prepared for the likelihood of the revised formula – which will be used next year – having a component to pass to them some of the load which taxpayers are bearing to boost public transport service standards and reliability.

What is being spent to improve public transport over the next five years is no small change – close to $4 billion will go to subsidising public bus services and another $4 billion to replacing ageing rail assets.

This is on top of $20 billion that the Government has committed to build more infrastructure.

However, new or upgraded infrastructure will mean nothing to commuters if it does not translate into a better ride for them.

Tracking service quality – which includes reliability and frequency – is a parameter that is lacking in the current fare formula.

The formula, which has been used since 2013, largely takes into account public transport operators’ costs and expected profitability.

And while a fare hike is on the horizon, it is vital that public transportation remains accessible to all.

When fare increases took place in 2014 and 2015, transport operators had to contribute a percentage of their revenue gains to a Public Transport Fund.

From there, vouchers were distributed to low-income households for use on public transport.

Under the bus contracting model, the Government now retains all the fare revenue in the bus industry, and thus any gains from a hike.

Even under this model, contributions to the fund must be instituted to support needy commuters.

This article was first published on April 10, 2017.
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Growing investor advocacy and board accountability, and dealing with the ongoing challenge of obtaining funding, will be at the top of the agenda for former Singapore Exchange (SGX) chief Magnus Bocker in his new role as honorary chairman of Singapore’s investor advocacy group, the Securities Investors Association (Singapore) or SIAS.

Speaking exclusively to The Business Times soon after his appointment, Mr Bocker shared the key objectives and challenges he intends to tackle during his three-year tenure, even while he stressed that his role would mainly support that of SIAS president and CEO David Gerald.

“I hope to see two things develop in the year to come. The first is to see more retail investors engaging in the market, hopefully through SIAS. The second and maybe the more important is to seek effective accountability and asking the right questions of boards and senior management, primarily through direct contact and not through campaigns via the media,” Mr Bocker said.

“We need to accept that shareholder activism is an important pillar in the stock market, and it gives good feedback to achieve better corporate governance. Many boards listen regularly to institutional shareholders and should do the same with minority shareholders.”

SIAS, considered the voice of minority shareholders here, hopes to tap Mr Bocker’s reputation and experience garnered from decades spent in the financial industry.

He served as SGX chief from 2009 to 2015, and as president of American stock exchange, Nasdaq, before that. Prior to his position at Nasdaq, he was involved in the creation of Nordic exchange OMX, and its eventual merger with Nasdaq in 2008.

Mr Bocker, who hails originally from Sweden but now calls Singapore home, is involved with tryb Capital, which provides funding for fintech companies in Asia.

He also chairs Blibros Capital Partners, his own investment company, based in Singapore and Sweden, that focuses on companies that are part of the digital transformation.

Despite a seemingly busy schedule, he said, he decided to take on the role as SIAS’s honorary chairman (taking over from Lim Hwee Hua) as he had worked closely with the organisation during his years with SGX.

“I have always had a passion for investing in stocks. I bought my first stocks when I was 11 years old, and most of the education I got at that time came from Aktiespararna, the Swedish equivalent of SIAS.”

He hopes to tackle the challenges – some more longstanding than others – facing SIAS.

“For an organisation like SIAS, independent funding will always be a challenge. It has been that way since SIAS started in 1999, and I’m sure it will be so going forward.”

SIAS operates on a non-profit basis, with its funding made somewhat easier when it was recognised as a charity and an Institution of Public Character (IPC) recently.

Mr Bocker added: “We (also) need to establish a strong case for retail shareholders to join SIAS, and for listed companies to support what we do. Another very important challenge is of course SIAS’s mission to protect minority shareholders and be vigilant to any misconduct that goes on in the market.

“SIAS needs to stand up for the rights of minority shareholders and convince companies to be more accountable to all shareholders; one very good example is how SIAS is always present at all AGMs (annual general meetings) asking relevant and important questions.

“Additionally, we can always be better in investor education, a topic that is very close to my heart.”

He emphasises, though, that his role is to support Mr Gerald. “It is not my role to be part of SIAS’s day-to-day operations or (to say) how SIAS should be organised.

“I will focus my efforts on supporting David and his team on any issues they might have, give my input on where we can make things better and be generous with the contacts I have both here in Singapore and around the world. It is also the duty of the honorary chairman to see that the president and management committee act in the interest of SIAS and its constitution.”

michquah@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Apr 10, 2017.
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