Bolton Food Group opens Singapore R&I centre to drive sustainable seafood innovation
Bolton Food Group has inaugurated its first Bolton Food Research & Innovation Center in Singapore, marking a significant expansion of the company’s scientific and sustainability capabilities as it seeks to tackle some of the seafood sector’s most urgent challenges.
The facility, established with support from Enterprise Singapore, will focus on three core areas: valorisation of marine by‑products, healthier seafood consumption, and reducing plastic use and marine pollution.
The centre represents a major investment in research infrastructure for the Italian FMCG group, which owns leading seafood brands and is one of the world’s largest tuna companies. Bolton said the new hub reflects its long‑term commitment to “science‑driven innovation and positive impact across the seafood industry.”
One of the centre’s primary research tracks will be valorisation – transforming fish processing by‑products into high‑value ingredients. According to the Singapore Economic Development Board, the centre will work with universities and research institutes to develop new ways to increase yield and convert marine side streams into usable resources.
This aligns with a growing global push to reduce waste in seafood supply chains, where up to 50% of biomass can be lost to low‑value uses.
The centre will also support scientific research into sustainable seafood nutrition, exploring how seafood can play a greater role in healthy, lower‑impact diets. Bolton says this work will help shape future product development and consumer education initiatives.
A third pillar of the centre’s work will focus on plastic reduction, including developing new packaging formats and strategies to cut marine plastic pollution. Singapore’s EDB highlighted that the centre will contribute to solutions that reduce plastic use across the seafood value chain.
Singapore’s position as a regional innovation hub – with strong R&D institutions, government support and proximity to Asian seafood markets – made it a strategic choice for Bolton. The company already has an established presence in the country, and the new centre will deepen collaborations with local and regional partners.
Bolton executives described the opening as a milestone in the company’s sustainability journey, reinforcing its ambition to lead on responsible seafood production globally. The centre will serve as a platform for translating scientific research into commercial applications, from new ingredients to packaging innovations.
With seafood demand rising and environmental pressures intensifying, the company says the Singapore hub will help accelerate solutions that benefit both industry and ecosystems.
