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Healthier Ingredient Development Scheme

Healthier Ingredient Development Scheme

About the scheme
Due to changing lifestyle needs and a desire for convenience, Singapore residents are dining out more frequently with as many as 60% of Singapore residents dining out at least 4 times a week*.

To help Singapore residents improve the diet quality of the foods consumed when dining out, the Health Promotion Board introduced the Healthier Ingredient Development Scheme (HIDS) to encourage the use of healthier ingredients in the food service industry by supporting suppliers/manufacturers in innovating and developing a wider variety of healthier ingredients.

HIDS works in tandem with the Healthier Dining Programme (HDP), to increase the number of healthier meal options available when eating out.

HIDS was further enhanced in 2021 to comprise 2 sub-schemes:

about the programme
about the programme
There are 2 sub-schemes you can apply to for grant support:
HEALTHIER CHOICE SYMBOL DEVELOPMENT SCHEME (HDS)*
Worth up to $200,000/project of grant support to support the R&D of products to obtain the Healthier Choice Symbol (HCS) certification.

*HDS is offered for products that are not yet HCS certified.
GO-TO-MARKET SCHEME (GTMS)*
Worth up to $300,000/year of grant support to support the commercialisation and marketing of Healthier Choice Symbol (HCS) products.

*GTMS is offered for products that are already HCS certified.
As a HIDS partner, you are eligible to receive support worth up to $200,000/project from HPB for the development of healthier ingredient(s), as well as up to $300,000/year for the commercialisation, marketing and promotion efforts of qualifying healthier ingredients.

As a HIDS partner, you will receive up to $500,000/project in product development and marketing support from the Health Promotion Board (HPB) for the development or improvement of qualifying healthier ingredient(s) as well as for the commercialisation, marketing, and promotion efforts of these ingredients.

*Source: National Nutrition Survey, Health Promotion Board Singapore, 2010
Tap into the expanding market demand for healthier options
Nielsen’s retail measurement studies have shown that demand for lower-sugar drinks, wholegrain rice and bread have increased significantly over the last few years. This is evidence that there is a real and growing trend of Singapore residents switching to healthier variants in their daily meals, thus showing their desire for healthier options to improve their health and well-being.

With the launch of Healthier SG and the government's emphasis on health and prevention, the demand for healthier meals is expected to keep growing.

By joining HIDS, your approved products will be endorsed with HPB's Healthier Choice Symbol. Similarly, your downstream F&B outlets will also display HPB's healthier choice decals. These serve to assure and signal to health conscious consumers that your products are officially endorsed by HPB as healthier options.
Increasing sales of lower-sugar drinks
Retail Volume Market Share of Lower-sugar Drinks
Increasing Sales of Wholegrain Rice
Retail Volume Market Share of Wholegrain Rice
Increasing Popularity of Wholegrain Bread
Retail Volume Market Share of Wholegrain Bread
Singaporeans are increasingly more
health-conscious
79%
Singaporeans actively making dietary choices to help prevent
health conditions1
74%
Singaporeans willing to pay more for foods that promote
health benefits1
Singaporeans want food companies to
reformulate dishes to be healthier
65%
Singaporeans look out for healthier options when
dining out2
77%
Singaporeans happier about food products and recipes being
made healthier3
Upon approval of your HIDS application, you are entitled to:
  • Have your approved products endorsed with HPB’s Healthier Choice Symbol.
  • Have your downstream F&B outlets endorsed with HPB’s decals so that consumers can identify food outlets that use healthier ingredients.
Benefits for Healthier Ingredient Development Scheme (HIDS) partners
Tap into the expanding market demand for healthier options
Nielsen’s retail measurement studies have shown that demand for lower-sugar drinks, wholegrain rice and bread have increased significantly over the last few years. This is evidence that there is a real and growing trend of Singapore residents switching to healthier variants in their daily meals, thus showing their desire for healthier options to improve their health and well-being.

With the launch of Healthier SG and the government's emphasis on health and prevention, the demand for healthier meals is expected to keep growing.
Increasing sales of lower-sugar drinks
Retail Volume Market Share of Lower-sugar Drinks
Increasing sales of wholegrain rice
Retail Volume Market Share of Wholegrain Rice
Increasing sales of wholegrain bread
Retail Volume Market Share of Wholegrain Bread
Singapore residents are increasingly more
health-conscious
79%
Singapore residents actively making dietary choices to help prevent
health conditions1
74%
Singapore residents willing to pay more for foods that promote
health benefits1
Singapore residents want food companies to
reformulate dishes to be healthier
65%
Singapore residents look out for healthier options when
dining out2
77%
Singapore residents happier about food products and recipes being
made healthier3
Upon approval of your HIDS application, you are entitled to:
  • Have your approved products endorsed with HPB’s Healthier Choice Symbol.
  • Have your downstream F&B outlets endorsed with HPB’s decals so that consumers can identify food outlets that use healthier ingredients.
There are 2 sub-schemes you can apply to for grant support:
HEALTHIER CHOICE SYMBOL DEVELOPMENT SCHEME (HDS)*
Worth up to $200,000/project of grant support to support the R&D of products to obtain the Healthier Choice Symbol (HCS) certification.

*HDS is offered for products that are not yet HCS certified.
GO-TO-MARKET SCHEME (GTMS)*
Worth up to $300,000/year of grant support to support the commercialisation and marketing of Healthier Choice Symbol (HCS) products.

*GTMS is offered for products that are already HCS certified.
As a HIDS partner, you are eligible to receive support worth up to $200,000/project from HPB for the development of healthier ingredient(s), as well as up to $300,000/year for the commercialisation, marketing and promotion efforts of qualifying healthier ingredients.

Marketing, product development and certification grant support
Potential to reach more food and beverage (F&B) businesses
As an HIDS participant, you will get listed on HPB's website and other publicity platforms as a supplier contact1. Coupled with the nationwide public education campaigns that HPB will be running to promote the availability of healthier food options, this could potentially widen your reach to new F&B businesses looking for suitable suppliers for their healthier offerings.
Hear what our partners have to say
Feature Interview of HIDS Partner (Sim Soon Heng) on Channel 8 Frontline
"HIDS allowed us to focus on R&D efforts to develop a range of low-sugar, wholemeal and multigrain products to supplement low GI and high fibre products, which benefited our extensive range of customers. The grants enabled us to better iterate our products through supporting trials, lab tests and packaging design.”

Mr Joshua, Senior Assistant Director, Commonwealth Culinary Creations Pte. Ltd.
"Joining HIDS allowed our company to push our healthier choice Kaya products into the B2B market. We were able to introduce and promote the benefits and potential use of our healthier choice products to existing and potential B2B clients, as well as create new market opportunities.”

Mr Goh Tee We, Executive Manager, Fong Yit Kaya Pte Ltd
"The Grant helped us push out healthier choice items more effectively and efficiently. The Scheme has also assisted us to reach out to the right target markets through multi-level marketing."

Mr Andrew Chin, Director, Glory Food Products Pte Ltd
"HIDS assisted us in accelerating our innovation process. It enabled us to engage third-party experts, and helped facilitate product development which was important in helping us adapt and thrive amidst changing consumer preferences."

Mr Ang Khim Wee, Head of Business Development, Lim Kee Food Manufacturing Pte Ltd
"HIDS presented great business opportunities for companies to tap into new markets, through promoting their healthier ingredients to business partners and consumers.”

Ms Ariel Pek, Business Management Assistant Manager, Tai Hua Food Industries Pte Ltd
  • Get listed on HPB’s website and other publicity platforms as a supplier contact.
    • (Getting listed can potentially increase your reach to new businesses looking for suitable suppliers. However, if you do not wish to have your company’s and your distributors’ contact details published on our web portal, please inform us upon receipt of notice of your successful application.)
  • Have the opportunity to participate in HPB’s other marketing campaigns.