image: (L-R) Chua Ding En (from Singapore Management University), Teo Shi Qi (from National University of Singapore), and Khoo Guo Chin (from Singapore Management University), from Team Cvrry, the winner of the ADM x NTUitive Plant-based Perfection Challenge 2021 view more
Credit: NTU Singapore
Cvrry emerged as the champion of the Plant-based Perfection Challenge 2021, a competition that looks for the most innovative plant-based meat alternative that best represents Asia, with an associated business concept.
Jointly organised by ADM, a global leader in human and animal nutrition, and NTUitive, the innovation and enterprise company of Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore), the Plant-based Perfection Challenge aims to promote and popularise plant-based protein meat alternatives by challenging aspiring chefs and students to create the best dish tailored to Asian palates.
NTU’s support of the competition reflects its growing expertise in sustainable food and food technology, including its emerging role in driving Singapore’s food safety science capabilities with the launch of its Future Ready Food Safety Hub (FRESH) in April, in support of the nation’s growing food innovation ecosystem.
The Plant-based Perfection Challenge 2021 seeks to address the rapid growth of the global meat substitutes sector, which is estimated to be worth US$8.3 billion, as consumers worldwide, especially in Asia, are increasingly adopting diets with less meat or meat-free lifestyles. “As Asian consumers increase consumption of plant-based foods for their nutritional and environmental benefits, our partnership with NTUitive seeks to encourage and challenge students to develop innovative recipes using ADM’s proteins and flavours to create products that deliver on taste, texture and nutrition for a great eating experience”, said Mr Dirk Oyen, Vice President and General Manager of South East Asia Human Nutrition, ADM.
Cvrry beat three other teams in the finals with their Cvrry Chicken Puff which was wrapped in a delicious crispy and delicate vegan pastry, combined with a spiced plant-based chicken and curried potato filling. The three-person team was awarded S$3,000 worth of cash prizes and opportunities with ADM, which include an internship, trial production with ADM ingredient solutions, and technical and regulatory support.
Out of the top four teams, three were made up of NTU students. In addition, NTUitive will offer support and opportunities to the winning teams in the form of access to funding and grants to spinoff the commercial potential, as well as continued mentorship.
XLBaos came in second place and received S$2,000, Temptations came in third and received S$1,000, and Vrab received S$300 worth of vouchers as a consolation prize.
“Our team believes that the versatility of plant-based food can be accentuated through simplicity. We are reinventing our favourite Southeast Asian snack, the humble curry puff, while sticking to our traditional roots. It is highly adaptable to appeal to various diets and cuisines, and can be eaten anytime, anywhere”, said Khoo Guo Chin, a member of team Cvrry.
Mr David Toh, Interim Chief Executive Officer of NTUitive, said, “The Plant-based Perfection Challenge has been an excellent avenue to expose our students to food innovation and its commercial potential. This competition enables our students to gain deeper insights into nutritional issues while developing implementable solutions through collaboration with industry experts from ADM."
“With NTUitive providing continued support and access to resources beyond the competition, we hope this will inspire the students to embark on their entrepreneurial pursuits in the rising plant-based food industry, offering exciting new products to meet growing demand from consumers.”
The Plant-based Perfection Challenge took place over six months and drew interest from students from various local universities, polytechnics, and tertiary institutions. 16 teams competed in the competition, with four teams facing off against each other at the finals in the form of a cook-off on 25 August 2021 at Palate Sensations, while adhering to the various COVID-19 safe management measures. Audience members were able to watch the event live via Zoom. (Please refer to Annex for details on the Top Four teams and their creations.)
Judges for the finals were notable individuals from the culinary and food innovation scene:
- Mr Joshua Soo, Chief Executive Officer, GROW
- Chef Issachar Lee, Manager (Culinary & Pastry), SHATEC
- Mr Eelke Kroes, Partner and Senior Innovation & Venture Strategist, Innoboost
- Ms Lori Murphy, Vice President, Creation, Design & Development Asia Pacific Human Nutrition, ADM
- Mr David Toh, Interim Chief Executive Officer, NTUitive
***END***
Media Contacts
On behalf of ADM
Ms Shirley Kettler
Account Manager
Grayling
Email: Shirley.kettler@grayling.com
NTU Singapore
Mr Joseph Gan
Manager, Media Relations
Corporate Communications Office
Email: joseph.gan@ntu.edu.sg
About ADM
At ADM, we unlock the power of nature to provide access to nutrition worldwide. With industry-advancing innovations, a complete portfolio of ingredients and solutions to meet any taste, and a commitment to sustainability, we give customers an edge in solving the nutritional challenges of today and tomorrow. We’re a global leader in human and animal nutrition and the world’s premier agricultural origination and processing company. Our breadth, depth, insights, facilities, and logistical expertise give us unparalleled capabilities to meet needs for food, beverages, health, and wellness, and more. From the seed of the idea to the outcome of the solution, we enrich the quality of life the world over.
Learn more at www.adm.com.
About NTUitive
NTUitive Pte Ltd (“NTUitive” in short) is the innovation and enterprise company – and a wholly-owned subsidiary – of Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore). NTUitive manages the University’s intellectual property, promotes innovation, supports entrepreneurship, and facilitates the commercialisation of research.
Visit www.ntuitive.sg to find out more.
About Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
A research-intensive public university, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) has 33,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students in the Engineering, Business, Science, Humanities, Arts, & Social Sciences, and Graduate colleges. It also has a medical school, the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, established jointly with Imperial College London.
NTU is also home to world-renowned autonomous institutes – the National Institute of Education, S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Earth Observatory of Singapore, and Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering – and various leading research centres such as the Nanyang Environment & Water Research Institute (NEWRI) and Energy Research Institute @ NTU (ERI@N).
Ranked amongst the world’s top universities by QS, NTU has also been named the world’s top young university for the last seven years. The University’s main campus is frequently listed among the Top 15 most beautiful university campuses in the world, and it has 57 Green Mark-certified (equivalent to LEED-certified) building projects, of which 95% are certified Green Mark Platinum. Apart from its main campus, NTU also has a campus in Singapore’s healthcare district.
Under the NTU Smart Campus vision, the University harnesses the power of digital technology and tech-enabled solutions to support better learning and living experiences, the discovery of new knowledge, and the sustainability of resources.
For more information, visit www.ntu.edu.sg.