Japfa launches its AI and Quantum Computing Centre of Excellence in Singapore for more efficient and sustainable food production

31 Oct 2025•3 min read

This press release was issued by Japfa Ltd.

Supported by Enterprise Singapore and the Singapore Economic Development Board, Japfa’s Centre of Excellence collaborates with Singapore’s deep-tech ecosystem to gain deeper insights into the livestock industry and improve operational efficiency, ultimately strengthening regional food security.
Japfa partners with the Singapore Institute of Technology and Nanyang Polytechnic to focus on applied AI research and talent development, and with AngelQ, a Singapore-based quantum computing start-up, to explore the use of quantum computing for production optimisation.
Pilot projects underway in Vietnam and Indonesia show how digitalisation and AI can enhance farm efficiency, product quality and animal health.
The collaborations were announced at SWITCH 2025, Singapore’s flagship innovation and technology event.

Japfa launches its AI and Quantum Computing Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Singapore, and signs collaboration agreements with the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT), Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP) and AngelQ. Supported by Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG) and the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), these initiatives apply AI and quantum computing to help Japfa gain deeper insights across its livestock operations.

Headquartered in Singapore, Japfa is one of Asia’s leading industrialised agri-food companies, producing essential proteins for millions of consumers across the region. The new CoE builds on Japfa’s ongoing digitalisation and long-term focus on improving efficiency across its vertically integrated operations - from feed to farm to food. This will ultimately contribute to advancing the livestock industry and strengthen the regional food system.

Through a dedicated digital innovation team and strong partnerships within Singapore’s vibrant innovation ecosystem, the CoE aims to gain deeper insights and address real-world operational challenges in livestock farming and food production. In doing so, the CoE builds on local talent and tests new technologies such as AI, quantum computing and data science that can enhance productivity, animal health and sustainability.

Under the collaborations signed today, Japfa and its partners will work together on three fronts:

With SIT, to advance applied AI research that supports food processing quality inspections using computer vision;
With NYP, to develop sensor and AI prototyping solutions, as well as digital talent through training programmes and professional development;
With AngelQ, to explore how quantum computing can be applied to optimise operations, including benchmarking against Japfa’s current AI models.

These partnerships build on Japfa’s growing use of AI and data-driven systems across its regional operations. Pilot projects in swine operations in Vietnam and in poultry operations in Indonesia are already testing how these technologies can enhance farm operation performance - for example by leveraging AI to enable real-time monitoring of farm operations.

"Technology and data are redefining how we produce food. For us, this is much more than running our operations more efficiently. With the support of Enterprise Singapore and the Singapore Economic Development Board, and through the collaborations that we are announcing today, we are bringing together applied research, technology and industry expertise to gain further insights to turn ideas into practical solutions that deliver real operational impact."

Tan Yong Nang
Chief Executive Officer
Japfa

"Japfa is a pioneer among Singapore-based agri-food companies in applying quantum computing to its operations and will leverage our strong deep tech ecosystem to drive more efficient and sustainable food production in Asia. Our partnership is part of Singapore’s continued efforts with leading agri-food traders to anchor their innovation capabilities here as part of our Trade 2030 strategy."

Lee Pak Sing
Assistant Managing Director for Trade and Connectivity
Enterprise Singapore

"Japfa’s Singapore COE will add new digital and AI capabilities that drive operational efficiency across the agri-food industry in Asia. We welcome more like-minded companies to tap on Singapore’s vibrant research ecosystem and accelerate collaborations between industry, academia, and government, to bring impactful innovations to the world."

Lim Wey-Len
Executive Vice President
EDB

"Through the collaboration between Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP) and Japfa, NYP learners gain opportunities to work directly with industry experts in creating practical solutions ranging from sensor development to AI prototyping. We are glad that such partnerships provide them with invaluable insights into advanced technologies and industry best practices, while preparing them for emerging roles in key growth sectors."

Dr Phua Chee Teck
Deputy Principal (Sustainability & Technology)
Nanyang Polytechnic

"SIT’s collaboration with Japfa reflects the university’s commitment to drive innovation through applied research that delivers tangible impact for industry. By combining our expertise in food tech and applied AI with Japfa’s deep domain knowledge in agri-food production, we are co-developing AI-driven inspection systems that monitor and enhance product quality standards, minimise food waste and promote sustainable practices in food processing. Such partnerships will strengthen Singapore’s innovation ecosystem and contribute to building a more resilient and efficient regional food supply chain."

Professor Susanna Leong
Vice President (Applied Research)
SIT

"Through the collaboration between Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP) and Japfa, NYP learners gain opportunities to work directly with industry experts in creating practical solutions ranging from sensor development to AI prototyping. We are glad that such partnerships provide them with invaluable insights into advanced technologies and industry best practices, while preparing them for emerging roles in key growth sectors."

Dr Phua Chee Teck
Deputy Principal (Sustainability & Technology)
Nanyang Polytechnic

"We are very excited about this new collaboration with Japfa supported by ESG and EDB. We look forward to deploying our qubit efficient algorithms and software to produce useful solutions to real-world operational challenges in livestock farming and food production. An important step for us in our efforts to bring quantum computing out of the academic labs and to industry applications."

Professor Dimitrios Angelakis
Founder
AngelQ

As one of the largest staple protein producers in Asia, contributing about 20% of the protein in its key markets through its integrated value chain, Japfa places a strong emphasis on technologies and innovation that drive operational efficiency and long-term sustainability. This initiative aligns with Singapore’s national priorities to strengthen food security and deepen technological capabilities across key industries.

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This press release was issued by Japfa Ltd.

Supported by Enterprise Singapore and the Singapore Economic Development Board, Japfa’s Centre of Excellence collaborates with Singapore’s deep-tech ecosystem to gain deeper insights into the livestock industry and improve operational efficiency, ultimately strengthening regional food security.
Japfa partners with the Singapore Institute of Technology and Nanyang Polytechnic to focus on applied AI research and talent development, and with AngelQ, a Singapore-based quantum computing start-up, to explore the use of quantum computing for production optimisation.
Pilot projects underway in Vietnam and Indonesia show how digitalisation and AI can enhance farm efficiency, product quality and animal health.
The collaborations were announced at SWITCH 2025, Singapore’s flagship innovation and technology event.

Under the collaborations signed today, Japfa and its partners will work together on three fronts:

With SIT, to advance applied AI research that supports food processing quality inspections using computer vision;
With NYP, to develop sensor and AI prototyping solutions, as well as digital talent through training programmes and professional development;
With AngelQ, to explore how quantum computing can be applied to optimise operations, including benchmarking against Japfa’s current AI models.