The food manufacturing sector in Singapore is a significant contributor to the country's economy, with a diverse array of companies operating in the industry. The industry’s cross-section ranges from small-scale local enterprises to large multinational corporations. These companies are involved in various sub-sectors, including processed food and beverages, confectionery, snack foods, and ingredients manufacturing.

There are many jobs in the food manufacturing industry that exist today, including production line workers, quality control technicians, and process technicians, to name a few. However, with the rapid adoption of new technologies and the push towards digital transformation, many of these roles may evolve or become obsolete in the future. For example, as automation becomes more widespread, the need for manual labour may decrease, leading to a shift in job requirements towards skills in technology and programming.

The adoption of new technologies and data analytics may create new job roles in areas such as predictive maintenance and supply chain optimisation. As such, workers in the sector must adapt and develop new job skills to keep up with changing trends and technology adoption, to ensure that they remain relevant and employable in the industry.

The food manufacturing industry in Singapore is rapidly evolving, and industry players are keen on implementing new trends to stay ahead of the curve. With the rise of digitalisation and technological advancements, businesses are adopting innovative solutions to enhance production processes and offer unique products to consumers. Upcoming trends in the food manufacturing sector include:

Implementing Digitalisation and Utilising Advanced Technologies

Digitalisation is revolutionising the food manufacturing industry, and businesses are investing in automation, robotics and AI to improve productivity and efficiency. Automated manufacturing processes and incorporating autonomous robots into workflows are becoming part of the norm. By automating processes, companies can reduce the risk of errors, improve product quality and increase production output.

Furthermore, data analytics and predictive modelling can help companies to make informed decisions about inventory management, production scheduling and pricing strategies.

Developing Unique Offerings and Optimising Business Practices

In a highly competitive market, food manufacturers are continuously looking for new and innovative ways to differentiate their products from their competitors. One way to achieve this is by developing unique offerings, for example, catering to specific dietary requirements, such as gluten-free or vegan products. Companies can also optimise their business practices through measures such as adopting sustainable sourcing and packaging practices, which consumers are increasingly demanding.

Expanding Globally or Partnering with International Firms

With a small domestic market, many food manufacturers in Singapore are looking to expand their business globally. This can be achieved by exporting products to new markets or partnering with international firms to develop new products and technologies. Such partnerships can bring new expertise, access to new markets and customers, and increased production capabilities.

Incorporating Food Tech Solutions and Embracing Sustainable Products

Food tech solutions such as biodegradable packaging and blockchain technology are gaining popularity in the food manufacturing sector. Biodegradable packaging offers a sustainable alternative to traditional packaging materials, while blockchain technology can enhance supply chain transparency and traceability. By incorporating such solutions, companies can demonstrate their commitment to sustainability and gain a competitive advantage.

Sustainability is no longer just a buzzword but a crucial factor for consumers when making purchasing decisions. As such, food manufacturers in Singapore are increasingly incorporating sustainable products into their offerings, such as plant-based meats or sustainable seafood. By doing so, companies can tap into the growing demand for sustainable products and contribute to environmental conservation efforts.

Challenges and Drivers of Growth in the Food Manufacturing Sector

Singapore's food manufacturing sector faces significant challenges such as manpower and talent shortages, changing consumer expectations, a saturated local consumer market, and lack of natural resources. However, avenues for growth are present such as adopting digitalisation and advanced technologies to increase productivity, innovating food products and business models and processes, internationalisation through expansion into other markets and strategic partnerships, and embracing sustainable food sources and manufacturing practices.

Growth drivers can be applied in some of the following ways: the shortage of skilled talent can be alleviated by upskilling and reskilling the current workforce and adopting advanced manufacturing technologies. Innovation in food products and production processes can help businesses stand out in a crowded market, while forming strategic partnerships internationally can access new customers and diversify revenue streams. Lastly, improving sustainability can help businesses meet changing consumer preferences and contribute to global sustainability efforts.

• Production jobs will continue to be in demand, but attracting and retaining talent is challenging due to shrinking talent sources and public perceptions of the industry. The growing use of advanced technologies will help alleviate manpower challenges and redesign ground-level production roles.




• The quality assurance and quality control function will need to keep up with changing food regulations and adopt advanced technologies to meet consumers' expectations.




• Business development will need to develop new skillsets and source for revenue streams to spearhead the growth of new business segments and channels.




• Research & development remains key to driving new product development given global food issues and changing consumer expectations, with a potential future demand for local talent in alternative protein research and production. Within R&D, the role of the Assistant Food Technologist will shift to be filled by more interns, creating opportunities to groom young talent in the sector.

Job Roles with Medium Degree of Change

Five job roles will experience a medium degree of change in tasks and will require job redesign. These job roles will undergo transformation to take on new or additional duties, with moderate upskilling or reskilling.

The five job roles that will see a medium degree change are:

• Supervisor / Production Planner
• Process Technician / Maintenance Technician
• Section Head / Team Leader / Line Operator
• Production Operator
• QC Technician / QC Assistant / Laboratory Technician

Employers and workers can find details pertaining to the changes in jobs and skills in the Jobs Transformation Map Report.

With ongoing transformation in the food manufacturing industry, the following job roles are emerging:

• Head of Regulatory Affairs

• Process Engineer

• Food Biotechnologist

• Data Analyst

• Novel Foods Technical Services Manager

• Sustainability Manager

• Bioprocess Engineer

• Automation Engineer

More than 2,500 jobs over five years will be created as the food manufacturing sector is projected to experience an average headcount compound annual growth rate of manpower (CAGR) of 1.8%. Accelerated growth is expected for the research and development, quality assurance and quality control, and business development functions. Continuous growth is projected for production, which remains the largest contributor of manpower to the food manufacturing sector and a key function within the sector.

With some job roles seeing degrees of changes and potential emerging roles set to grow in the coming years, both workers and jobseekers in the food manufacturing sector should equip themselves with these essential skills:

• Application of food tech innovations

• Automation coding and programming

• Data integration, exploration and analysis

• Introduction and marketing of novel foods

• Industrial production of novel foods

• Process engineering and optimisation

• Regulatory and legal advisory and compliance

• Sustainable manufacturing and management

The Skills Framework

The Skills Framework (SFw) is a SkillsFuture initiative, designed to promote skills mastery and lifelong learning for the Singapore workforce.

For more information on each job role (career pathways, list of skills and competencies, critical work functions and key tasks), please refer to Skills Framework for Food Manufacturing.