Interview: Kelvin NG, ASEAN Business Development Director Green Monday
“We aim to rally everyone in Singapore to be part of the ecosystem to achieve global impact”
As part of the Veganuary SG 2021 campaign, Centre for a Responsible Future Vice President Heng Guan Hou recently had the opportunity to sit down with Kelvin Ng, Director ASEAN from Green Monday to learn more about Green Monday’s plans in Singapore and role in Veganuary SG 2021.
We also got to pick Kelvin’s brain with some hot tips for you readers!
GH: With recent announcements about Green Monday raising capital from global investors, what are your plans for Singapore in the Plant-Based protein space?
KN: We aim to rally everyone in Singapore to be part of the ecosystem to achieve global impact and meet the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development through the following ways:
Opening of Green Common in January 2021. It’s Singapore’s first plant-based concept store to create a revolutionary food and lifestyle experience to champion the climate-friendly diet while providing the solutions. It will be bringing consumers sustainable and nutritious innovations by the world’s most pioneering food tech companies. It will also serve as a social hub where individuals and organizations convene to engage in meaningful dialogues and to collaborate in the hopes of permeating sustainability in society.
Nurturing talents who are passionate about working with purpose to help accelerate the growth of the plant-based movement through school, community and corporate outreach as well as introducing more plant-based solutions to the public.
Expanding beyond Singapore and we strive to lead the movement in ASEAN, shifting more people towards a plant-based diet.
GH: Some have described the Food & Beverage Industry as recession proof. Being in the middle of a pandemic, what opportunities and challenges is the F & B industry and Green Monday facing now and in the future?
KN: The F&B industry is not recession-proof and there are several factors to sustain the business: convenient locations, affordable price points and being relevant to the local taste/demands.
The pandemic has introduced another level of complexity. With increasing take-aways, food packaging needs to keep the food warm and tasty, while also being environmentally friendly. On the other hand, the pandemic has prompted quite a lot of people to eat healthier and live a wholesome life. There has been a significant steady increase in the demand of our frozen products as more people are cooking from home. Also, we have evolved through digitalisation as we use virtual cooking demonstrations and social media to help people cook plant-based. As a result, we have managed to continue our outreach in the midst of the pandemic.
GH: Are you able to share any top tips for companies looking to enter the Plant-Based Protein space?
KN: What works in Europe and the US may not work in Asia because we have different taste buds. Therefore, it’s important to localise the products and also use the right marketing strategies to cultivate consumer acceptance.
GH: Question: Green Monday recently partnered with The Centre for a Responsible Future on the Veganuary SG 2021 campaign - can you tell us how this came about and what do you hope to achieve as a result of this partnership.
KN: We met up with Mike (Michael Broadhead) who was formerly with CRF. We were impressed with the impact that CRF has created in Singapore with Veganuary. Green Monday and CRF are definitely mission-aligned and so we have teamed up to encourage people to go plant-based for January and hopefully all year round. We hope to replicate the success of Veganuary in the UK, orchestrating a major movement in Singapore where schools, community, corporates, retailers, restaurants, and schools can all take part. This would also be a great opportunity to position Singapore as a visionary plant-based food mecca where tourists all around the world come to experience the hawker culture which is now enhanced with innovative plant-based options. For example, OmniMeat dishes are available in some hawker centres.
"Green Monday Group was founded in 2012 in Hong Kong SAR with the vision to “Make Change Happen, Make Green Common”. It is the pioneer in Asia to launch a large scale plant-based movement by advocating flexitarian lifestyle. The Group comprises Green Monday Holdings, the operational arm producing and distributing plant-based food products in Asia and beyond, Green Monday Ventures, the impact investment arm dedicated to supporting and accelerating growth of mission-aligned entrepreneurs and start-ups globally and Green Monday Foundation, the non-profit arm advocating sustainable plant-based living through community initiatives. Green Monday Holdings comprises OmniFoods and Green Common: OmniFoods is a food tech company with a Canadian-based R&D team creating its own range of alternative protein food products including OmniMeat, OmniMeat Luncheon, OmniMeat Strip and OmniEat; Green Common is a one-stop plant-based platform combining retail, distribution and dining service in over 10 markets, empowering communities in Asia and beyond with sustainable, innovative and wholesome food choices.
The Green Monday Group is named to Fortune's 2020 "Change the World" list. For more information, please visit: www.greenmonday.org