Food & Beverage Asia Jun/July 2021

ON THE TABLE 39
product. By formulating with different
ingredients and varied proportions in
the blend, the team was able to create a
sugar alternative that achieved the health
benefits which they initially sought to
accomplish. Furthermore, the team kept
in close contact with the experts from the
food industry both in US and Asia to gain
consumer insights and knowledge of the
manufacturing and testing process.
With a team based in Singapore, Manila,
and Hanoi, its members were able
to capture not only the demands of
customers from specific countries, but
across South East Asia – a cogent factor,
as sugar plays a significant role in South
East Asian cuisine.
The diversity of the team members,
whose individual majors span across food
science, applied chemistry, business, IT,
alongside a creative professional, also
allowed them a unique position in the
creation of the product and its business
model.
“Since we come from different cultural
backgrounds, however, it was a bit hard at
first to adjust to each other’s perspectives
and priorities when it came to the work
we wanted to do. But in the end, we
realised that these differences gave us a
chance to think more laterally and attack
problems from different angles until we
found the best solutions,” added Jereza.
The result: a dedicated product that
resonated with a consumer base across
various dimensions.
COMMITMENT TO
SUSTAINABILITY
Current sugar alternatives, such as agave
syrup and honey, have been criticised
in the past for being environmentally
unfriendly. The commercial production of
honey, for instance, has contributed to a
sharp decline in bee populations in the
United States. 2
With the use of ethically-sourced, 100%
natural and non-GMO products to create
its blend, Swiftlet is committed to its
sustainability cause. They are currently
looking at different technological
developments to further strengthen their
mission toward sustainability. Moreover,
they have plans for marketing partnerships
with institutions that are making
sustainability accessible and actionable.
LOOKING AHEAD
Though Swiftlet is currently tight-lipped
regarding any specific future products,
they are optimistic about the company’s
plans for expansions ahead.
“Our R&D team is working really hard
to get these to market as efficiently as
possible. We’re looking at releasing them
by the end of this year after the proper
tests have been done, and we’re very
much excited to get them out so we can
all celebrate a life of health and wellness!”
Jereza enthused.
The company also has plans to develop
a B2B business, having spent the last
year as a consumer-facing product. They
currently have a production capacity
of several tons a day, which is able to
increase based on demand. FBA
REFERENCES
1
https://foodsci.rutgers.edu/NewsAndEvents/
StudentParts.php?n=MinhLe; https://www.
foodnavigator-asia.com/Article/2020/11/17/
Cross-country-Asia-team-develops-worldfirst-zero-GI-zero-calorie-and-prebioticenriched-sugar-replacement
2
https://foodprint.org/blog/sugar-substitutes/
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA JUNE / JULY 2021