MoU inked to help local F&B companies

Lyna Mohamad

Darussalam Enterprise (DARe) and Universiti Teknologi Brunei (UTB) will assist native meals and beverage (F&B) corporations enhance their merchandise by leveraging on UTB’s Centre for Analysis on Agri-Meals Science and Know-how (CrAFT), a collaboration marked with the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between DARe and UTB’s CrAFT.

The collaboration will see the launch of the Meals Improvement and Innovation for Enterprises (FOODIE), an initiative to assist companies enhance their merchandise by addressing points requiring analysis and growth (R&D).

The MoU signing to officiate the collaboration was held on the Most important Auditorium of the Design and Know-how constructing at Anggerek Desa Tech Park within the presence of UTB Vice-Chancellor Datin Paduka Professor Dr Hajah Zohrah binti Haji Sulaiman, as visitor of honour.

Brunei Financial Improvement Board (BEDB) and DARe Appearing CEO Daniel Leong stated FOODIE “was designed after session with many companies who expressed challenges in increasing as a result of lack of technical data in product R&D, in addition to excessive prices related to the acquisition of lab tools and supplies for R&D actions”.

“With the services and experience supplied by UTB CrAFT, the initiative will help in linking business must useful resource capabilities supplied by Institutes of Greater Studying (IHLs) and supply meals enterprises with technical options in product R&D reminiscent of shelf-life extension, various packaging supplies, use of pure preservatives and evaluation of dietary advantages in meals and beverage merchandise, “ added the performing CEO.

In the meantime, CrAFT Director Dr Syazana Abdullah Lim famous that armed with experience and services at UTB, it’s anticipated that the joint collaboration will result in innovation, which is seen as a helpful method for enterprise development.

The improvements, she added, embrace new services, processes, and artistic methods to work together with prospects and moreover, intense R&D will permit companies to make choices backed by science.

“We additionally hope that F&B corporations are open and able to embrace new applied sciences reminiscent of Web of Issues (loT) to assist their long-term development by the R&D programme.”

Daniel Leong signed on behalf of DARe whereas UTB Registrar and Secretary Lim Chui Hua represented the college.

Established in 2018, UTB CrAFT was shaped as a university-wide analysis centre to function a platform for networking UTB researchers and pooling sources from agri-food organisations, tutorial and governmental establishments at native and worldwide ranges.

Being the primary and solely analysis centre focussed on agriculture, meals science and vitamin within the Sultanate, CrAFT is dedicated to looking for options by analysis and industrial challenges in agrifood sectors and to encourage tradition of collaboration between members and exterior stakeholders. FOODIE intends to help established F&B corporations underneath DARe’s Elevate, a three- to six-month development programme.

The programme is designed to nurture, facilitate and drive MSME development by customised help and common monitoring over 5 years the place individuals will develop tailor-made strategic roadmaps, supplied with enterprise teaching classes and mentorships, networking, funding recommendation and options in addition to entry to different growth programmes.

Elevate is ready with the goals in serving to MSMEs develop to be extra sustainable and resilient, able to worldwide growth and collaboration, and contributing considerably to the nation’s industrial growth which can affect positively to Brunei’s economic system.