New product network to take Malaysian foods to Singapore, UAE

FELDA said that it would cooperate with Singapore-based E-Frozen Food Pte Ltd to set up a food product network as per a memorandum of understanding signed last week.

Under the MoU, the two parties will establish a network that will see the manufacture and distribution of 15 food products by FELDA entrepreneurs for the markets of Singapore, Australia and the UAE.

Aman Shah Alladin, a spokesperson for FELDA, told FoodNavigator-Asia that the two parties would also jointly undertake research to develop potential new products for these markets.

According to Alladin, FELDA is creating this food product network as part of its One Region, One Industry goal (SAWARI) project that is aimed at encouraging its members to start businesses in three categories including processed food.

“We will test the market with Singapore first. The products that will first see a rollout will be Roti Canai and Popia Roll frozen foods and we will then evaluate other potential food products for UAE and Australia,”​ said Alladin.

FELDA said that it has already facilitated the export of banana and tapioca chips to the UK and China on a consignment basis.

Alladin added that for the time being, focus will be put on increasing the number of small businesses under FELDA making processed foods to feed the product network and benefit the entrepreneurs as well.

While E-Frozen is a wholesaler and distributor of frozen food products in Singapore for the past 50 years, FELDA is a Malaysian government agency that was originally mandated to help smallholder farms growing cash crops.

However, FELDA has since diversified into other arenas including the food and beverage sector, where it helps micro, small, and medium enterprises make and sell their products.