Apical Collaborates with Singapore Agri-Food Innovation Lab (SAIL) to Advance Innovation and Sustainability in Agri-food Sector

SINGAPORE,Nov. 29,2021 -- Apical Group,a leading global palm oil processor and a member of the RGE group of resource-based companies,has been named one of the agri-commodity corporate partners of the newly launched Singapore Agri-Food Innovation Lab (SAIL) by Nanyang Technological University (NTU Singapore),in partnership with Enterprise Singapore (ESG).

Officially launched on 24 November 2021 by Mr. Gan Kim Yong,Minister for Trade and Industry,and NTU Singapore President Professor Subra Suresh,SAIL will serve as a platform that engages and seeds partnerships across the food value chain. It will work with corporate partners to curate industry-wide challenges and drive collaboration between demand drivers and solution providers.

Apical is among the first batch of over 20 agri-food corporates collaborating with SAIL. Speaking at a panel discussion on the "Innovations in the Agri-Food Industry" at the launch,Bremen Yong,Apical Director of Sustainability emphasised the importance of being open to innovation and approaching sustainability as a shared responsibility if the agri-food industry is to progress and prosper.

"Being sustainable should be viewed as a strategic decision beyond mandate. To grow and thrive in the long run,companies should view sustainability as key to differentiating themselves," he added.

As a corporate partner of SAIL,Apical hopes to leverage NTU Singapore's strong research capacities and the platform's extensive and interdisciplinary network of partners to bring research outcomes to the market and address landscape-level concerns across the full supply chain,from plantation to storefront.

With smallholders representing approximately 40% of the world's palm oil production,Apical hopes to leverage technology to promote greater inclusion while improving their resilience and livelihoods.

About Apical Group

Apical Group is a leading global palm oil processor. It owns a broad spectrum of the palm oil business value chain including downstream processing into oleochemicals,functional fats,and biodiesel among others for domestic use and international export. Its operations are located in Indonesia,China and Spain,and include six refineries,four biodiesel plants,two oleochemical plants and two kernel crushing plants. Through its joint ventures,Apical also has processing and distribution operations in India,Pakistan,Philippines,Vietnam,Myanmar and Brazil.

Apical's business is built on an extensive sourcing network in Indonesia with integrated refinery assets in strategic locations. This is reinforced by efficient logistics channels supported by Apical's own infrastructure to deliver to local and international industrial clients comprising of food,feed and fuel brands among others. With its unique business model,Apical has been able to control product quality and address sustainability and food safety concerns,while running highly efficient operations in integrated world-class refineries and downstream processes.

For more information,please visit www.apicalgroup.com