This led to the launch of the Asia Pacific Market Entry Program to support Canadian plant-based firms eyeing APAC growth.
The initiative supports PIC’s goal of growing Canada’s plant-based sector while reinforcing Singapore’s role as a regional hub for sustainable food innovation.
A win-win situation
Canada sees a CAD$25bn (US$17.9bn) market opportunity in APAC, said CEO Robert Hunter of PIC – one of Canada’s five Global Innovation Clusters that help drive economic growth for the country.
“Market development is essential to achieving this, and we know that finding the right partners abroad would be critical to help our food and ingredient companies expand and grow. This partnership came together very naturally to help us fully leverage that opportunity,” Hunter told FoodNavigator.
Hunter said the economic opportunity for Canada lies in meeting Asia’s growing demand for sustainable nutrition.
“It comes down to two words: sustainable nutrition. That’s where the economic potential lies for Canada – to supply the growing demand, particularly in Asia. This aligns with our flagship mission of delivering sustainable nutrition.
“The Asian market is looking for diversification and unique, tailored products, and that’s exactly what Canada is developing with our diverse, innovative offerings. There is a clear match between what Asia needs and what Canada can provide,” said Hunter.
The launch event was graced by Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Heath MacDonald, who said the partnership not only supports Canadian farmers but also responds to rising demand from younger families for more nutritious food.
“This opportunity is driven by young families looking for higher nutrient levels in the food they consume. It reflects a growing consciousness among consumers,” Minister MacDonald told us.
“There is a real market opportunity here. What’s unique is how quickly this partnership has taken shape [and this is just the] tip of the iceberg. This project will lead the way and open doors for many more collaborations in the future.”
A sustainable collaboration
Nurasa CEO Guo Xiuling said Singapore has built a strong pilot-scale ecosystem for sustainable food innovation, but scaling production across Asia remains a challenge that requires greater resources and supply chain development, making Canada a natural partner.
“Here at Nurasa, we see a strong pipeline developing – from plant proteins and alternative proteins to precision fermentation and finished foods. The technology is advancing quickly through an ecosystem. But there is still a gap when it comes to scaling,” Guo said.
“Singapore, and much of APAC, does not have the natural resources needed for large-scale production. Scaling up regionally requires full supply chain development, and Canada is a strong partner for this. Our conversations started with these intentions, alongside the goal of building cross-ecosystem education on both sides.”
While there are opportunities abound for this collaboration, we asked about the viability of exporting Canadian products over long distances into APAC regions.
Guo responded that Canada’s plant-based exports are rooted in strict sustainability practices, which not only reduces environmental impact but also creates opportunities for joint innovation with Asian partners to co-develop products for regional markets.
“Canadian plant-based exports leverage robust domestic sustainability practices – regenerative agriculture, efficient water use, and minimal chemical inputs – in line with stringent Canadian and global standards. Programmes like the Asia-Pacific Market Entry Initiative are designed to ensure food safety, lower environmental impact, and nutritional value by helping companies optimise product formulation for target markets,” Guo explained.
Collectively, these efforts mean that expanding Canadian exports into APAC is supported by a rigorous sustainability commitment at every stage, from farm to international market, while promoting the long-term resilience of regional food systems.
Guo added that there are major opportunities for knowledge transfer and joint innovation between Canada and Asian partners to strengthen local production capacity for plant-based and sustainable food systems.
The Canada–Singapore Asia-Pacific Market Entry Program, for instance, brings together Canadian agri-food innovators and Asian firms to co-develop, adapt, and commercialise plant-based products tailored to Asian markets.
Diversifying non-US trade amid US tariff threats
This initiative is part of Canada’s ongoing efforts to diversify trade beyond the United States.
On September 24, Canada signed a bilateral free trade agreement with Indonesia, which aims to eliminate or reduce tariffs on over 95% of Ottawa’s exports to its largest market in South East Asia.
Canada’s Prime Minister’s Office confirmed that Prime Minister Mark Carney will attend the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur in October, a meeting expected to help finalise a free trade agreement between ASEAN and Canada by the end of 2026.
Canada is seeking to expand into new markets in response to punitive tariffs imposed by the United States, its largest trade partner, Foreign Minister Anita Anand said after meeting her ASEAN counterparts in July in Kuala Lumpur.
Minister Anand believes the Indo-Pacific region will drive the global economy and sees it as a key opportunity for Canada.
