Visiting a friend with younger children, I had the excruciating moment of re-discovering stepping on a LEGO block. As I gouged out this little red block of sharp angles and contemplated it, I realised this toy and brand have been with me my entire life, and it looks exactly the same as when I played with it (which is definitely a few years ago).

It is such a simple design and idea, and yet it has persisted as one of the largest toy companies in the world. As I googled, I saw this Danish company’s US$9.7 billion revenue had “out-paced” the toy industry.  I also realised it had been around since the 1930s.  The actual patent expired in 1989.

So how has such a simple, aged toy maintained such a dominant position in the “Plastic Construction Toy” category?   And how has a Danish company with a small domestic market driven this global success?

Take a step back and ask where you have seen LEGO recently. As a Star Wars kit? As an amusement park experience (LEGOLAND)? At the Levi’s store, embedded into a jean jacket? At a retail mall with models on display? As a combined online and offline interaction? The answer is correct for all. And it is only the tip of the iceberg of where and how LEGO shows up in its ecosystem.

LEGO is not just plastic construction toy, it is an entire experience around their key sub-brand “Bricks World”, enabled primarily via a clear and compelling Ecosystem Strategy.

Think about the LEGO joint branding and marketing deals with the biggest brands out there. They don’t go small with their marketing alliances. It’s Disney (including Star Wars and Marvel Comics), Warner Studio (which also includes DC comics), Adidas, IKEA, or Levi’s. They do deals with governments for LEGOLAND (Malaysia, Dubai, USA, Germany, Japan). It’s education-oriented, similar to NASA or the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA).

But it’s also the huge digital component of the experience.   It’s offline but online as well, with over 180 video games released.  It’s “LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game”, but it’s the fluid experience across physical (retail, community, leisure park), online, and physical home-play.

“The entire Lego ecosystem is actually, I think, only at the beginning. So, it’s less about just creating an e-commerce store or an online store. It is really about this entire digital ecosystem and creating that future,” said LEGO CEO Niels B. Christiansen.

Also Read: Lead, don’t follow: The essential guide to category creation and market domination

It is clear that LEGO is executing an experience ecosystem strategy. They are the orchestrators for this and have a clear strategic intent to continue evolving this experience and ecosystem and to continue dominating the Plastic Construction Toy category.

From blocks to chips

Let’s shift our thinking from plastic interconnecting blocks to the more complex semiconductor chips.  Whether you know it or not, the smartphone device you currently have in your hand or beside you invariably has most of its chips linked to the company Advanced RISC Machine (ARM).

In fact, 90 per cent of smartphones produced globally have ARM designs in them (and thus pay royalties to ARM). For “higher-end smartphones”, the market penetration and share are an astounding 99 per cent.

As a global success story, driven by a UK based company, it has been largely driven by an ecosystem strategy, but one with a very different nuance than LEGO’s.

This category and ecosystem of “Processor IP” has brought together silicon, system and software companies to ship more than 250 billion ARM-based chips to date.  These players are often ruthless competitors (Apple and Samsung for example), but participation in the ecosystem means “the sum is greater than the parts” and specific benefits arise. Joint research into chip design benefits all players involved, even though they also compete with each other.

This is a design ecosystem that was built by ARM and continues to dominate.

“Ecosystem strategy” is eclipsing “platform as a strategy”

The above ecosystem examples go beyond the traditional model of a business network of suppliers, partners and customers. However, it also goes beyond the more recent models around a managed platform of products and services.

In both the LEGO and ARM cases, the domestic market and country of origin have not held back the success of the company but have, in fact, induced a “think different” approach around their category and ecosystem.

Also Read: Leading the category, then losing it all: What WeWork can teach us

Don’t find your tribe, build it

So, how do I get started with this design thinking and strategy?

Start with the category you are in or want to be in. What problem are we solving? What entire experience are we delivering? How can we tell a great point of view that leads with this perspective (and doesn’t immediately lead with your product or company)?

A category (or ecosystem) cannot exist as one company. Categories and ecosystems feed off of each other. Visualise (draw) the ecosystem with your company as one slice of it, but what other players/components/influencers are there?  Does this visualisation truly describe both the category and ecosystem?

What role will you play in the ecosystem? Will you be the instigator? Or do you believe you can be the orchestrator? Think carefully—the resourcing required to truly be the orchestrator and to maintain that role is substantial.

How will information and knowledge sharing occur and be managed across the ecosystem? Can you add this to the visualisation?

How do data, transactions, or the experience flow?  Will there be transaction and data sharing?

How will business and technology innovation occur via the ecosystem?

By designing and catalysing this category and symbiotic ecosystem, how big does it get?  What new economics are created (beyond the basic TAM (Total Addressable Market) of the existing market)?  How do participants in the ecosystem benefit?

Admittedly, these are rudimentary questions that require a lot of thought and delivery on very complex issues.  But start there and do not let your geo, market, or thinking hold you back.  It is about designing a category, ecosystem, and global levels!

Lead, don’t follow!

It has been my  privilege to work in, and with, companies who are truly designing and dominating their category, with the ecosystem strategy at its very heart.  Carpe Diem!

—

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This article was first published on July 30, 2024

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The world is changing fast. Businesses can’t just focus on profits anymore — they’ve got to be more. We’re living in a time when trust is in short supply, and people are tired of companies that only take, take, take. So what’s the solution? It’s simple: brands have the power to shape the future. If you’re not using that power to drive positive change, you’re missing the point.

Shareholders used to care about one thing: returns. But today’s long-term investors know that social capital—the trust you build with people — is the key to the momentum that sticks. Brands aren’t just logos or marketing fluff. They’re the connection between your business and society. If you’re not using your brand to create real impact, what’s the point?

The best brands today don’t just sell products—they shape public discourse. At a recent speech I gave at PR Asia 2024, I explored how forward-thinking brands challenge the status quo, push boundaries, and make people think.

So, how do you make that happen?

Here’s the playbook: thought leadership, reimagining business potential, and purpose-driven programs.

Thought leadership: Own the conversation

From 2016 to 2019, I led communications for a tech company in Asia Pacific. We were bringing data analytics to the masses. While the tech world understood that “data is the new oil,” many in Asia still saw data analytics as something reserved for IT departments. People didn’t see the potential for a true data democracy. So, we set out to change that mindset.

We pushed a narrative that data should empower everyone — from government officials to everyday citizens. We didn’t just sell software; we made data part of the bigger conversation about productivity, decision-making, and the future of work.

In Singapore, we partnered with the government, launched academic programs, and held industry events to amplify the message. We even created a data-readiness index with market analyst group IDC, which became a benchmark for how prepared different countries were for the digital age.

And guess what? It worked. We transformed our brand from a software provider to one of the most essential data skillsets in Asia’s digital economy. The lesson here is clear: thought leadership isn’t just about following trends—it’s about owning the conversation and steering it in your direction. When people buy into your vision, you’re already halfway to success.

Reimagining business potential: Become a societal institution

At one point, I was asked to help turn around a private education group based in Singapore. The brand was struggling with low demand and relevance. Private education was seen as second-class compared to public institutions. The status quo was against us. So, what did we do? We didn’t just fix the marketing—we transformed the narrative.

Also Read: Why AI will be critical to brand strategy

We hit the public forums, using mainstream media to reframe the conversation. We positioned private education as a critical piece of Singapore’s future, advocating for multiple pathways to success. The message? Diversity in education creates diversity in opportunities. We became vocal supporters of a more inclusive, merit-based system where every Singaporean had a fair shot, no matter their educational background.

Our efforts paid off. We went from barely being part of the conversation to leading it. Brand relevance skyrocketed, leads surged, and we slashed marketing costs while driving revenue growth. But it wasn’t just about numbers—we changed how private education was perceived in Singapore. That’s the power of reimagining your business to challenge societal norms.

Purpose-driven programs: Build for impact

Now, let’s talk about the future. After years working with foreign MNCs, I joined Temus, a digital transformation start-up in Singapore. What drew me in wasn’t just the technology—it was the potential for impact. Digital transformation isn’t about software—it’s about people. And if we’re going to build the future, we need to make sure everyone has a seat at the table.

That’s why we launched Step IT Up, a tech career conversion program designed to take Singaporeans with zero prior tech background and turn them into digital professionals. We partnered with government agencies like IMDA, guaranteed jobs to graduates, and made it our mission to prove that anyone with the right motivation and aptitude can thrive in tech if they’re given the commensurate opportunity, training and support.

The results have been remarkable. We’ve hired, placed and trained people from all walks of life and deploying them in critical digital transformation projects—everything from healthcare to finance to environmental intelligence. This program is proof that when you align your purpose with real societal needs, you don’t just grow your business—you create lasting impact.

Also Read: How to use podcasts to enhance your brand visibility and reach

And here’s the kicker: we’ve grown Temus from 100 to over 400 people in just two years, through Step IT Up and other strategic talent initiatives, riding the wave of growing digital demand in Singapore and beyond.

Conclusion: Brands as forces for change

So, what’s the bottom line? Brands can be more than just symbols of profit. They can be forces for real change. In today’s world, where things are fractured—geopolitically, socially, economically—brands have the power to bring people together.

Thought leadership, reimagining your business potential, and building purpose-driven programs are just three ways to make that happen.

We live in an era where businesses can no longer afford to sit on the sidelines. The world needs change, and brands have the tools to make it happen. If you’re running a business, you’re not just a CEO or founder—you’re an architect of the future. Use your brand wisely, shape the conversation, and start building something bigger than yourself.

That’s how we’ll change the world.

—

Editor’s note: e27 aims to foster thought leadership by publishing views from the community. Share your opinion by submitting an article, video, podcast, or infographic

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This article was first published on September 24, 2024

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Most teams running a mobile or a web application are struggling with improving the key performance indicators of their apps.

For consumer-facing applications, teams might be interested in conversion rates or engagement. For applications used by professionals such as CRMs and ERPs, the most important goal might be to improve data quality and completed tasks.

However it be, it’s not an easy task. The low-hanging fruits have long been picked and the teams spend hours and hours in long meetings deciding which colours they should A/B test for their CTA buttons next or whether they should use the word ‘purchase’ or ‘buy’.

While this might be a good and fun exercise, everyone already knows that any change won’t improve these metrics by a lot.

But there is one thing that can be done pretty easily that might make filling an average form up to five times faster or decrease the time that a search takes by seconds.

Most of today’s user interfaces are operated solely by using two modalities: touch (tactile) and vision. We click, type, and touch and see from our displays what’s happening.

The third common modality is the voice and many people already have a good example of a device using this modality in their living rooms: smart speakers.

Also Read: Passionate about user experience? Check out these 10 UI/UX jobs

Voice is unlike the other two modalities in that it’s pretty easy to use it for both directions: you can command the device by voice and it replies by using voice. This is unlike touch that is only used for input or vision that is only used for output.

However, voice has its drawbacks too. The main drawback is that it’s a pretty slow mean for transmitting information and if you misheard one critical piece of information somewhere in the middle of the utterance, it’s not very easy to get back to that piece. Compare that to a book where you can read a line for as many times as you want and you get the point.

Another issue is that when a smart speaker fails, it can be a frustrating experience. One reason for that is that smart speakers do not support the other modalities. This is why smart speakers are probably not the future of voice.

But how about using all the three modalities at the same time? What if your average application didn’t limit itself into two most common modalities and wouldn’t replace the two modalities by one smart speaker skill but rather leveraged them all?

Well, that would be the way to get the improvements I promised earlier.

For example, in this video a regular web form for booking flights is turned into a multimodal form that supports voice and touch simultaneously and shows the results in real-time for fast feedback.

That I think will be the way to improve your applications key metrics in a simple way. Or you can go back thinking whether a blue button would still work better.

–

Editor’s note: e27 aims to foster thought leadership by publishing contributions from the community. Become a thought leader in the community and share your opinions or ideas and earn a byline by submitting a post.

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This article was first published on November 2, 2024

The post How to improve your app’s user experience with a new UI modality appeared first on e27.

In nearly every industry, a small number of companies are capturing the majority of the profits.

A McKinsey Global Institute study revealed that the top 10 per cent of companies in the world capture 80 per cent of economic profits. This leaves very little for the companies at the bottom.

The middle 60 per cent of businesses earned close to zero economic profit from 2014 to 2016, according to McKinsey, while each of those in the bottom 10 per cent recorded economic losses of $1.5 billion on average.

These companies are also among the world’s most sought-after employers and most valuable brands. Apple, which is highly coveted for its iPhones and MacBooks, is the most valuable company in the world, with a market cap of US$2.54 trillion. It is followed by Microsoft at US$2.09 trillion.

What makes these companies so successful while the majority struggle? Research studies have shown that successful organisations do these key things really well.

Company culture to enhance productivity

Productivity matters — not just by itself. 66 per cent of C-suite executives believe culture is more important to performance than the organisation’s strategy or operating model, based on the findings of PwC’s Global Culture Survey 2021.

If we dig deep into a company’s culture, it will reveal both the written and unwritten rules that people in an organisation follow. The visible parts of a company culture include the vision, strategy, shared values and goals.  The invisible parts, which are very crucial and often overlooked, include beliefs, feelings, norms and traditions. 

Employee morale declines when the workers do not feel a connection to the organisation, which leads to a greater challenge in achieving the company’s goals. 

Engaged employees experience significantly less stress, anger and health issues. Unfortunately, most employees remain disengaged at work. In fact, low engagement alone costs the global economy US$7.8 trillion, according to workplace consultancy Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace: 2022 Report. 

It’s a reality check for companies. How do management teams create a platform where employees feel safe to voice out their opinions and concerns? It’s important that the organisation keeps employees engaged through active dialogue.

Workplace design is a powerful yet underutilised tool for creating engaging, innovative, flexible and creative work environments through a deep understanding of the needs of employees and the companies’ workflows, communication and collaboration patterns.

66 per cent of people feel that a positive work environment is imperative for them to do their best work, and 41 per cent of people agreed that mental well-being at work greatly influences their performance. Studies also show that flexibility is the top priority for employees to return to work. These are high-level indicators of how workplace design impacts people — by building flourishing communities at work, people thrive, and organisations succeed. 

Also Read: Skate to where the puck will be: How category design gives you a breakaway

Global reinsurer Scor realised the need for their business to have a more collaborative, connected and engaged workforce post-pandemic, a problem they chose to solve through their workplace design by creating an engaging workspace. The idea was to create a flexible workspace design around social interaction, collaboration, and relationship building. 

Their workspace, a 20,000 sq ft office in the heart of the commercial district in Singapore, was transformed to encapsulate and amplify the ‘One Scor’ spirit. The design halved the provision of traditional ‘me’ workspace, whereas community spaces saw a four times increase to support collaboration and facilitate conversations. Think more shared desk areas and small meeting spaces for team huddles or just employee get-togethers.

The new workplace design also boasts of a six times increase in alternate work points, lending employees the flexibility to work the way they want. Scor’s new workplace is a true testament to how workplace design encapsulates an organisational culture and drives behaviour change.

Research and development to drive innovation

Secondly, they allocate research and development budgets to drive innovation. 

Never underestimate the power of Research & Development (R&D). Investments in intangible assets such as software and training have become critical to a company’s strategy and growth trajectory, research has shown. 

Any top company would actively invest in R&D to generate new knowledge to create new technology, products, services and systems that it will either use or sell. Top companies spend two to three times more on R&D than their peers, accounting for 70 per cent of total R&D expenditure. 

Companies need to revisit their roadmap and think about the percentage of time and money to be allocated to R&D. Companies that do not innovate often lag behind peers. To remain relevant, companies need always to ensure that they are at the forefront of innovation and thinking a few steps ahead. 

For example, tech giant Microsoft has R&D centres globally. Microsoft is famous for spending vast amounts of money on R&D to hail breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, computer systems, speech recognition and more.

Collaboration space in SCOR, one of the world’s largest insurance companies in Singapore

A positive company culture and a commitment to innovation are essential ingredients for establishing a thriving organisation. When combined, they form a potent success formula that increases employee engagement, improves customer satisfaction, and drives long-term profitability. 

Recipe for success

Research studies have shown that strong organisations do four other things really well.

Also Read: Embracing workplace flexibility: The new era begins

They have leadership teams with clear vision and priorities. Business leaders can create a workplace where employees feel valued, motivated, and inspired to bring their best selves to work every day by prioritising these factors. They can also foster an innovative culture in which employees are encouraged to think creatively and take calculated risks, resulting in new ideas and breakthroughs that drive growth and success.

They have clear roles and accountabilities for decisions. Good decision-makers recognise which decisions matter to performance. They think through who should recommend a path, who needs to agree, who should have input, who has ultimate responsibility for making the decision, and who is accountable for follow-through, according to Harvard Business Review.

They have superior execution of programmatic work processes, as well as effective and efficient support processes and systems. Productivity is driving output with the same or less input while nullifying the negative impact from the variables related to a demotivated workforce or cognitive overload — a point of paralysis of information where employees are not able to process and then act on what is heard.

Lastly, there are performance metrics and incentives to attract and retain talent. Performance measures motivate workers to work towards improving productivity. When employees are appreciated for their contribution through incentives, they are motivated to work towards organisational goals.

There is no absolute recipe for success. It is an amalgamation of experimentation and innovation. In order to stay relevant in today’s dynamic business landscape, companies must constantly strive to be on the cutting edge of innovation and possess the foresight to anticipate future trends by being open to experimentation. Ultimately, workplaces and organisation cultures that allow for creative disagreements and friendly “co-opetition” are the ones that ultimately thrive.

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Editor’s note: e27 aims to foster thought leadership by publishing views from the community. Share your opinion by submitting an article, video, podcast, or infographic

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This article was first published on November 2, 2023

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Brand storytelling is crucial if companies want to create a cohesive message to their audience. Good storytelling can invoke a response, but great marketing requires sending a message that transcends into brand loyalty. The difference between the two ultimately boils down to how compelling your brand storytelling is in reaching your audiences.

As startups grow across markets, creating a unified campaign with different types of audiences can be daunting. Larger companies have the luxury of trial and error. However, with limited resources available, startups have to be more strategic in communicating their product to new markets.

Applying the 5C’s of effective storytelling

Effective storytelling can follow a format regardless of use. Whether it is copywriting for social media use, telling your fundraising story, or convincing stakeholders of your business’ value, founders can apply the formula for compelling storytelling, applying principles on building Character, Context, Conflict, Climax, and Closure.

Your character would be your target segment, and giving context on their current background would include existing trends you see in their behaviour. Conflict allows the reader to flesh out the problem you are trying to solve, and the climax generates the light bulb moment that makes your solution stand out from the rest. Lastly, landing a deal can also boil down to how you reach the conclusion or the closure. Typically, if enough emotions were evoked from your storytelling, a successful closure would highlight and summarise the desired result and build your customers’ loyalty.

This format serves as the blueprint, and the devil is in the details. Here are some tips and tricks to supplement your overall messaging.

Make sure to highlight individual customer stories

One of the more successful campaigns tried and tested by brands is to underline “before and after” case studies and narrate how they achieved customer success. This strategy helps establish an inclusive connection between your local and regional markets, as new potential customers see their user journey mirrored and solved with this narrative. 

Also Read: Mastering LinkedIn: Strategies for building a compelling personal brand

This strategy requires brands to feature honest client video testimonials. As a startup, this is more effective in gaining trust and boosting your company’s reputation. Given the plethora of online information, providing honest reviews signifies a culture of straightforward feedback from your users and encourages the savvier customers to recommend you to their networks. In the end, responsible messaging promotes authenticity that allows for deeper connections.

Showcase a genuine connection with the market you are expanding to

Being factual about your success can only get you so far, but there are other ways to evoke deeper emotions that allow for a more genuine connection. For startups that aim to create impact, understanding their audience’s stories and turning them into homegrown heroes would illustrate a better narrative. 

For example, a Philippine-based ride-hailing service called Angkas created a campaign highlighting its motorbike drivers’ inspiring stories featuring resilience and determination. The campaign crafted a beautifully packaged narrative that appealed to the mass market and proved Angkas’ loyalty to its stakeholders. 

Real stories can come from clients, employees, and other evangelists who feel passionately about the company’s mission and culture. Storytelling feeds into people’s innate curiosity to learn more about other people’s lives and become the best reference materials for capturing the right audience. The impact of these narratives ensures that the people who resonate with it get to believe in what the organisation is about and try to experience what the company has to offer for themselves.

Lastly, when hiring local influencers and partners, emotions must be cultivated, as they are your most significant currency with your audience. As these people are extensions of your brand, you must spotlight authenticity and be more particular that their values and past content align. 

Also Read: Brands as forces for change: Shaping the future through purpose

Spending money on influencers and partners with significant followings is easy, but ensuring quality more than quantity is trickier. This can be checked based on engagement and other metrics, but as proven by past failed startups, overspending on influencer marketing without a strategy can lead to your burn rate heading for a crash. 

The pros can easily outweigh the cons if done correctly. For one, researching before expansion and outlining a stakeholder map can help the company determine the right partners who will help bridge them to the regional markets. An influencer in Indonesia, for example, would know better how to reach online users and can help navigate the nuance and complexities of local behaviour than someone more famous in Malaysia.

Another priority to emphasise authenticity is to create a diverse “Story Bank” focused on inclusivity. A “story bank” is a collection of stories from customers and partners that would humanise the brand. As writers usually advise, it is always better to “show rather than tell”.

For example, a brand focused on the mom customer segment can highlight their customers’ journeys from different backgrounds. Their needs may be similar, but each mom could share a unique perspective, further demonstrating why the brand is a success. Creating a story bank that can be shared across marketing channels would communicate a culture celebrating diversity, showing their audience that the company values and supports it. 

In the end, effective storytelling is universal. The key to doing so is to use your existing resources—your relationship with your customers—as case studies as you convert your new audience into paying customers. 

A landscape as diverse as Southeast Asia provides multiple opportunities for company growth, and connecting with each market would require a universal message signalling authenticity and commitment to your stakeholders. 

—

Editor’s note: e27 aims to foster thought leadership by publishing views from the community. Share your opinion by submitting an article, video, podcast, or infographic.

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This article was first published on October 14, 2024

The post Storytelling in diverse markets: How you can effectively market as you expand appeared first on e27.

There’s a big problem in the food industry that we don’t like to talk about. It’s a hidden problem with roots steeped in inefficiency and a desire for “aesthetics.” It’s an issue we never saw as an issue until we realised food scarcity is imminent and in fact, existing. It’s often unseen and unheard behind closed doors, yet it’s a massive issue. That issue? Food waste and loss.

Was your gut reaction “Eww!” or “Oh yeah. That problem…”? Whether you’re a food waste fighter or not, there’s no denying it: Food waste and loss is one of the biggest yet most underrated problems facing the food industry.

Every year, a third of food produced or 1.3 billion tonnes gets lost or wasted globally. According to the UN, the global cost of food wastage amounts to a shocking US$2.6 trillion a year.

That’s almost equivalent to India’s GDP. And if food waste were a country, it’d be the third largest greenhouse gas (GHG) emitting country after the US and China. Just let that sink in for a moment.

Source: World Resources Institute and UNEP

As if wasting food instead of feeding 690 million hungry people wasn’t bad enough, food waste and loss contributes significantly to global warming, specifically 8-10 per cent of global GHG emissions.

That’s four times as much GHG emissions as the entire aviation industry. This is because most food waste ends up in landfill, where it decomposes and releases methane, a GHG up to 30x more harmful than carbon dioxide.

With the increasing scarcity of key resources and limited opportunities for agricultural expansion especially in land-scarce countries such as Singapore and Japan, eradicating food waste and loss should be high on any food agenda.

A rising number of companies have looked to upcycling food waste and loss as a solution, using technology and food science to upcycle surplus and otherwise discarded food ingredients and turning it into delicious and nutritious products.

Also Read: In brief: An organic disinfectant from cashew waste; Orios Venture closes $30M Select Fund I

The case for upcycling

Upcycling is based on the philosophy of using all of what we already have and doing more with less. Most of all, upcycled food is about reducing food waste and loss by creating high-quality products using the resources that slip through the cracks of our food system.

Whether it’s turning brewer’s spent grain into crunchy snacks or turning surplus bread into beer, surplus ingredients or food byproducts are used and transformed into value-added products that nourish people and the planet.

Source: Regrained

A team of experts from Harvard Law School, Drexel University, World Wildlife Fund, Natural Resources Defense Council, ReFED, and others officially defined “upcycled food” in 2020: “Upcycled foods use ingredients that otherwise would not have gone to human consumption, are procured and produced using verifiable supply chains, and have a positive impact on the environment.”

Globally, we lose almost US$1 trillion in monetary or retail costs per year on food that is wasted or lost. Upcycled food captures that value, elevating it to create a sustainable and resilient food system.

Here’s the case for upcycled food:

• Upcycling is a growing trend that gives consumers the power to make conscious choices – Upcycled food enables anyone to vote with their dollar and prevent food waste via the products they buy. And guess what? Consumers like you and I want to reduce our food waste! According to Mattson, 95 per cent of us want to do our part to reduce food waste, while 60 per cent of us want to buy more upcycled products. In fact, both Food Network Magazine and Whole Foods Market have named upcycled food as a top food trend for 2021.
• Upcycling tackles and prevents global warming – According to Project Drawdown, the global leader in ranking climate solutions, preventing food waste is one of the single most effective solutions to prevent global warming. By reducing and upcycling food waste, we can prevent food waste from ending up in landfill and contributing 8 per cent of global GHG emissions.
• Upcycling optimises the energy efficiency of our food system, helping us feed the planet with minimal resources – Considering an increasing scarcity of resources, upcycled food can help to feed a growing population without putting extra pressure on the environment. Instead of food ending up in incinerators, as animal feed, or in landfill, upcycled food makes better use of the energy expended in growing, transporting, and preparing that food.

Source: The Upcycled Food Association

The popularity and increasing focus on upcycling as a trend and a need, has paved the way for a better and more optimal way of producing our food and beverages.

What it takes to move the upcycling needle

Now what will it take to move the upcycling needle? Three things:

• Upcycling advocacy and education – Upcycling is still a relatively new term. While it is gaining traction in the U.S. and the U.K., here in Asia, most people have never heard of the term. If we can’t put a name to it, then how can we move the needle on it?

Also Read: Plant-based protein: Is it really meat?

That’s why the advocacy work that organisations such as the Upcycled Food Association or ReFED do, the upcycling initiatives driven by large companies such as Dole and AB InBev, and the exciting upcycled products being rolled out by companies like Renewal Mill and I Am Grounded are all so crucial to flying the upcycled flag high.

• Change in consumers’ perceptions towards “food waste”- Many peoples’ initial reaction to upcycled food looks a little like this: “Ew! This was made with something that would’ve been thrown away?!”

Thus, we need to find innovative ways to make upcycled products more fun and approachable for consumers. At CRUST Group, our upcycled beers and pun-filled demeanor acts as a conversation starter to create a fun and alternative approach to reducing food waste & loss.

• Political will and action towards better waste management and reduction practices – As with most fights to create behavioural change, impact at scale only truly happens when policies to incentivise desired behaviours or punish undesired ones are implemented.

To move the upcycling needle, we need policies and laws that incentivise and/or mandate businesses to better manage and reduce their food wastage.

A prime success story is South Korea, which has ramped up its food waste recycling rates from just two per cent in 1995 to 95 per cent in 2019, having implemented a compulsory food waste recycling program in 2013. A leader in tackling food waste in Asia, South Korea has also implemented other initiatives like tapping on smart bins to better manage food waste.

By crafting out waste-reduction programs and investing in technology and infrastructure, it was able to effectively and swiftly reduce food waste.

Even if it involves banning online binge-eating or “Mukbang” videos as China did, political will and action is needed to provide incentives for creating value-added products and reducing food waste.

Creating a truly circular food economy

There is nothing remotely efficient about 30-40 per cent of food being wasted or lost yearly– a great deal of it dumped when it’s still perfectly good to consume or loaded with nutrients. It’s about time we paid more attention to the food that is being lost and wasted throughout our global supply chain.

That means it’s about time we embraced innovative technologies and new production methods to reduce food waste and loss.

If we want a truly circular food economy that can sustainably feed the planet, then we need to turn to upcycling. The art of transforming food byproducts and surplus ingredients into a novel and nutritious products for human consumption, creating new sources of protein, nutrients, and fibre in the process—and keeping it all out of landfills.

Ultimately, we’ll need this new way of producing goods and other innovative ways of thinking to save the food the world needs and deserves.

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Editor’s note: e27 aims to foster thought leadership by publishing views from the community. Share your opinion by submitting an article, video, podcast or infographic

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This article was first published on August 12, 2021.

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The pandemic interrupted businesses worldwide, with offline corporations, particularly restaurants, bearing the brunt of the worldwide lockdown. Despite the ease of restrictions, customers were too reluctant to dine out.

The global crisis has altered the user experience by balancing technology and authentic experiences and the customer’s role in the value chain. Market disruption has compelled restaurants to innovate and go digital in nearly every aspect of their operations.

The turning point in the food tech and online ordering space was the introduction of third-party delivery apps, also known as food aggregators. Consumers accustomed to doing everything online increasingly expected the same experience, convenience and transparency when ordering dinner.

Aggregators offer access to multiple restaurants through a single portal where consumers can opt for one-tap delivery, compare menus, prices, and reviews. The players in this category provide the logistics for the restaurant and are compensated by the restaurant with a fixed margin of the order.

While food aggregators give restaurateurs a good customer base and order volumes, paying commissions to aggregators takes away restaurants’ revenues. Also, the app owns customer data, not the restaurant.

While third-party apps offer restaurant delivery through their network, the last-mile delivery experience for the customer is still powered by the aggregator and not the restaurant.

Customer loyalty in the food industry is unparalleled to anything I’ve ever seen. Once you like food from a restaurant, you’ll end up ordering from them, no matter how difficult it is to order from them.

During the lockdown in Malaysia, a person got in a helicopter to get food from his favourite restaurant. Even on third-party aggregators, most orders that a restaurant receives are repeat orders. 

Therefore, restaurants soon realised it’s not enough to digitise just the ordering process. Restaurants that are successful develop strong relationships with their customers. This compelled restaurants to invest in technologies that aid in building a solid customer bond and delivery automation.

Taking control of both sides of the experience– ordering and delivery have helped restaurants engage customers with their brand experience and boost direct business, allowing the company to become self-sufficient in order fulfilment, thus supporting customer loyalty.

Restaurants went digital by introducing new technologies to automate ordering, like progressive web apps (PWA) and SMS/Whatsapp ordering. PWAs are Web-based experiences that resemble mobile apps but do not require users to download anything.

A PWA for restaurants would display menus, enable selection, place orders, and pay. With SMS or WhatsApp ordering, users can place their orders through messaging apps. Restaurants use both these technologies and multiple CX tools to maximise customer engagement.

Also Read: The spotlight on foodtech: Why we believe that what we put on our plate will determine the future

And, for all of these techniques to work around each other, they must be linked to the restaurant’s existing point-of-sale (POS) systems. While traditional POS systems enable restaurant operations to perform smoothly, new-gen restaurant Operating Systems (OS) will proactively help restaurant owners to make insightful decisions using data and help provide a superior UX for their customers.

In the future, restaurants will become more and more dependent on an ever-changing digital ecosystem. Apps, services, and personal AI assistants will serve as the eateries’ primary contact points with their customers. AI will play a significant part in consumer decisions, and restaurants will require access to relevant and detailed data.

The data collected would be used to create new menus or implement real-time pricing based on supply and demand changes. With all this new digital ecosphere evolving, restaurants will be forced to adapt or build entirely new data collection methods and IT structures.

Also Read: Meet the 10 agritech, foodtech startups pitching for Future Food Asia’s US$100K grand prize

Virtual assistant platforms would be used as direct marketing channels for brands, with algorithms responding to price fluctuations and other data. Because of these large datasets available, consumers’ choices will become easier to determine and will effectively lower costs for restaurants, both acquiring cost per user and delivery cost per user.

Initially, technology apps were intended to serve as two-sided marketplaces, connecting customers and restaurants. They were concerned with being a resource, joining the two parties, and stepping aside.

However, the perimeter between technology and the physical world is now being infringed due to consumption shifting to the digital turf.

It has become more critical than ever for restaurants to build self-sustained capabilities and become truly autonomous.

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Editor’s note: e27 aims to foster thought leadership by publishing views from the community. Share your opinion by submitting an article, video, podcast, or infographic

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Image credit: georgejmclittle

This article was first published on December 6, 2021

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Singapore-based fibre broadband service provider MyRepublic has introduced Geek Insurance, a new product designed specifically for hobbyists, gamers, and collectors.

This initiative, developed in collaboration with HL Assurance, aims to provide specialised protection for high-value collectibles and gaming equipment.

Geek Insurance provides a dedicated solution, focusing on coverage for collectibles, personal electronic devices, and other household contents while they are in the home. The policy protects against loss, theft, and accidental damage.

Also Read: Rise of digital collectibles: The long-awaited “NFT” rebrand

Items specifically eligible for coverage under Geek Insurance include:

• Trading Card Games (TCGs)
• Figurines and Toys
• Game Collections
• Comic Books
• Limited-Edition Merchandise
• Memorabilia

The insurance plans start from S$4.90 (under US$1) per month with coverage up to S$15,000 (US$11,500).

The launch addresses a growing need in Singapore, where interest in items like trading card games, figurines, and collectible merchandise is on the rise. Enthusiasts are making significant investments in their collections, and traditional home insurance policies often offer limited or no coverage for such items.

In addition to this new offering, MyRepublic is also preparing to introduce a comprehensive home insurance plan for individuals seeking broader coverage for their residences and personal property.

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Secai Marche, an agritech company focusing on farm-direct e-commerce in Southeast Asia, has been selected for a US$4 million grant programme from Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI).

The funding comes under METI’s FY2023 Supplementary “Global South Future-Oriented Co-Creation Program Grant”.

Based in Tokyo with global bases in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and Singapore, Secai Marche is building a fresh food supply chain across the region. The grant is aimed at accelerating the development of next-generation fresh food infrastructure in Malaysia and Singapore, including expanding a new cold-chain facility in Selangor, Malaysia.

Also Read: Secai Marche adds US$1.6M to Series A round to double down on Southeast Asia

Since 2020, Secai Marche has been conducting demonstration projects in Malaysia to tackle inefficiencies within the fresh food supply chain. This has led to the establishment of a network comprising 450 producers and 1,700 HORECA (Hotel, Restaurant, Cafe) clients in Malaysia and achieved over 90 per cent share within the high-end segment.

The company reports that feedback from customers and collaboration with local government agencies have highlighted a clear and growing demand for its services.

The METI grant will enable Secai Marche to broaden its reach beyond its current high-end clientele to encompass the wider mid-volume HORECA segment, which constitutes 70 per cent of Malaysia’s HORECA market.

While quality is the paramount concern for high-end users, mid-volume clients prioritise cost-efficiency and short lead times, specific needs identified during previous pilot programmes.

To address these requirements, the agritech firm plans to implement AI technologies. These will include demand forecasting, automated picking, and delivery routing, designed to streamline fulfilment operations further, reduce costs, and significantly quicken order-to-delivery speeds.

The initiative enables Japanese companies to use Secai Marche’s proprietary digital platform, which manages the entire fresh food e-commerce fulfilment process—from ordering, packaging, and shipping to delivery, inventory management, payments, and returns—as a software-as-a-service (SaaS) solution. This offers considerable potential to increase export revenue for Japanese suppliers.

Furthermore, the insights and data gathered through this project could be fed back into Japan’s domestic supply chain, creating a ‘reverse innovation’ model to benefit small and medium-sized producers facing comparable structural challenges at home.

Also Read: ‘Amazon for fresh farm produce in SEA’ Secai Marche raises US$3.5M to add AI feature, optimise last-mile deliveries

The project aligns with Malaysia’s national policies, specifically the 12th Malaysia Plan, led by the Prime Minister’s Office. This plan emphasises transforming the logistics ecosystem through digital adoption and centralised planning. Secai Marche’s efforts directly support these aims by introducing high-quality, digitalised logistics services and contributing to the national agenda for economic modernisation and governance improvement.

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Left to right: General Assembly Chief Business Officer Jourdan Hathaway, Chief Executive Officer Daniele Grassi

As artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes the global economy, businesses are increasingly recognising that upskilling is no longer a discretionary benefit—it is a strategic imperative. However, many companies still treat employee training as a passive perk rather than an integrated part of workforce development.

According to Daniele Grassi, CEO of General Assembly (GA), this outdated mindset is one of the most common mistakes organisations make in their approach to upskilling and reskilling.

“Too often, companies treat upskilling like gym access,” Grassi explains. “They provide employees with learning tools and leave them to decide if and when to use them. This hands-off strategy usually results in low engagement and minimal outcomes.”

In contrast, effective upskilling initiatives are driven by intentional design and closely tied to business needs. Jourdan Hathaway, Chief Business Officer at GA, highlights that successful programmes begin with leadership buy-in and are aligned with broader organisational goals—from boosting productivity to addressing future talent gaps.

“Upskilling initiatives should be embedded into the company’s strategic roadmap,” Hathaway says. “They must be directly applicable to business objectives and support employee mobility and retention. Without this alignment, training risks becoming irrelevant.”

Also Read: Anchanto CEO on why human resource is essential for a growth stage startup

A key challenge many organisations face is ownership. Grassi points out that when employees need to transition between roles, current and future team leaders often fail to take responsibility for the training process. This lack of clear accountability can derail even the best-intentioned efforts.

“It’s more efficient to retrain existing talent than to lay off and hire anew,” he argues. “It also preserves organisational knowledge and culture. Yet many firms default to restructuring rather than planning for internal mobility.”

The rise of AI has only intensified the urgency of effective upskilling. Notably, demand is no longer limited to technical teams. GA reports a growing need for AI training across non-technical roles—including HR, sales, finance, and legal—indicating a shift in how organisations view digital literacy.

“In the past, we trained people entering the tech industry,” says Grassi. “Now, we’re supporting experienced professionals and even C-level executives who need to understand AI’s implications for their work. As a result, we’ve expanded our curriculum to provide role-specific, continuously updated content.”

Measuring the impact of training is also essential. Hathaway stresses the importance of data-driven optimisation: “It’s not enough to deliver a training programme. Companies must measure outcomes—productivity, innovation or employee satisfaction—and refine their approach based on these insights.”

GA’s experience in Asia, particularly Singapore, offers a model for public-private collaboration in upskilling. “Our partnership with the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) is a standout example,” says Grassi. “It’s been recognised globally, including by the World Economic Forum, and has inspired similar partnerships in other regions.”

Also Read: How AnyMind Group achieved profitability through its approach to human resource and leadership

Reskilling is especially critical in Southeast Asia, where countries like Japan and Thailand have longer employee tenure. Grassi notes that many of GA’s programmes in these markets are designed to ensure employees remain valuable to their organisations for a decade or more—an approach that will become increasingly relevant as the pace of change accelerates.

“The AI landscape is evolving rapidly,” he says. “What was cutting edge a year ago may be obsolete today. That’s why our curriculum is constantly revised to reflect the latest developments, such as generative AI and AI agents.”

Ultimately, fostering a culture of continuous learning is not just beneficial—it is essential. Companies that embed upskilling into their core operations will be better positioned to adapt, innovate, and compete in AI.

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Image Credit: General Assembly

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