Food Manufacturing

Engineers are the vital link in getting food onto consumers’ tables.

In alignment with one of Singapore’s biggest national pastimes, eating, the nation’s food manufacturing industry extends across a huge range, from flavours and sauces to ready-made meals, confectionery and beverages.

As such, employers run the gamut, from major players like Nestlé and Suntory to fast food companies, food merchandisers and producers of edible additives.

These companies maintain strong manufacturing presences in the city-state, especially as its position as a regional logistics hub allows for easy export to other ASEAN countries and global markets.

Career overview

Engineers play an important role in this industry’s supply chain – they are the ones managing the processes, equipment, supplies and distribution channels to ensure that high-quality food products successfully reach the customer.

In terms of job roles, graduates may end up in either the production or research divisions. Production roles tend to focus more on the manufacturing aspect of the supply chain, and there is a lot of work with production machinery, as well as concentration on optimising processes.

On the other hand, in the research division, recruits will be more focused on discovering better ways to produce specific food products, such as lengthening the shelf-life of an item or looking into new chemicals that can reduce processed ingredients.

Trends and developments

“Unmanned equipment” and “automated processes” are the watchwords in this field, and it is up to engineers to discover solutions to optimise production while maintaining constant quality.

Increased automation, however, has made it easier for major industry players to consolidate their operations, so hopefuls have to make it a point to keep up with such exchanges, along with staying abreast of who is acquiring who, and consider the impacts that it may have on the sector in both the short and long terms.

Another growing trend is the focus on organic ingredients or socially-responsible food processing, as the present, more healthaware and socially-conscious generation holds production practices along the food manufacturing supply chain up to deeper scrutiny.

Moreover, in this field, timely yet hygienic delivery is a perpetual pursuit – food items are highly perishable, and must be delivered with minimal risk of contamination.

Further complicating matters are the drastically varying shelf lives of individual food products. Some products may only have a shelf life of a few hours, such as processed ingredients at fast food outlets, while others can be stored up to a few years, much like dried or canned goods.

Career highlights

Opportunity to work overseas

Working for a global conglomerate may bag graduates the chance to work overseas and experience new working cultures.

Japanese food companies, for example, typically require new staff to be seconded at their production headquarters in Japan for a period of time in order to immerse them in the company’s in-house production standards and culture.

Good training ground

Many of the larger employers in this field run graduate schemes, which provide graduates with excellent training and opportunities to experience working in different areas of the food manufacturing industry.

Skills required in food manufacturing

• Ability to work in a team • Good interpersonal skills • Problem-solving skills • An analytical mind set • Ability to work well under pressure • Good time management skills