Written by Joyce Nesan, Mathuusha Uthayakumar, Robin Trajanov & Tirza Regamey
On the 2nd of July 2024, we engaged with two Swiss industrial companies.
Bühler Protein Innovation Centre
In the morning, we visited Bühler’s Protein Innovation Centre. Buhler is a leading global provider of solutions for food processing. Ms Melita Brainta told us that since 2021, Buhler has been working with flavour manufacturer Givaudan in Singapore. Together, they are working on the texture and taste of plant-based meat substitute products for the Asian market.
The Protein Center develops plant-based products ranging from meat substitutes to modified flours, starches, and breadcrumbs, as well as the recycling of by-products. The focus is on the development of alternative proteins and the processing of food ingredients.
We had the opportunity to enter the machine room in protective clothing and observe the process of manufacturing plant-based meat products. An extruder is used to create a product from plant proteins that closely resembles meat. We were even allowed to taste a sample of the plant-based meat produced.
The highlight of the morning was when Ms. Melita Brainta herself cooked plant-based beef and chicken for us in the kitchen. We were all amazed at how similar the plant-based products were to real meat and how different the spices are in Asia compared to Europe. It was an interesting and interactive tour that gave us an insight into innovation in the food industry. It showed the importance of adapting European products to local needs and benefiting from local expertise.
Schindler Lifts (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
In the afternoon we visited Schindler in Singapore. Since 1992, Schindler has successfully operated a joint venture with Jardine from Hong Kong. As a naturally cautious Swiss company, the Schindler family was looking for a suitable partner in Asia to gain a foothold in the Asian market.
Mr Lim explained that they sell and maintain elevators, escalators and moving walks. Price pressure in the Asian market is high, so it is even more important to differentiate yourself from the competition. Schindler achieves this by investing heavily in staff training to provide excellent customer service. Mr Lim emphasised that Schindler Singapore employees are expected to be available to customers 24/7. Unlike European customers, Asian customers are more demanding. Asian customers expect Schindler to deliver customised products with tomorrow’s technologies yesterday. We realised how demanding and fast moving the Asian market is.
Finally, we were able to visit the showroom and get a good impression of Schindler’s new technologies.
Many thanks to Melita Brainta and Anthony Lim for their hospitality and the fascinating insights into the two companies and the Asian market.