The Gen Y Pack Leader

In a dog eat dog business world, John Cheng goes against the norm to demonstrate the power of “we” in his many leadership roles.

- Koh Yuen Lin

John Cheng isn’t content to just mind his own business. His responsibilities as director of Cheng Yew Heng Candy Factory – his family’s 72-year-old establishment and Singapore’s largest and oldest rock sugar supplier and manufacturer that trades internationally and enjoys an annual turnover of $100 million – already has him working round the clock, but that hasn’t stopped him from helping others with their ventures.

Last year, he launched Innovate 360, Singapore’s first incubator focused on start-ups in the food manufacturing sector. The 90,000 sq ft facility offers 360-degree support for all aspiring food innovators, from linking start-ups to mentors in the private or public sector, to sharing manufacturing facilities, laboratories, and even distribution channels.

This platform, in which the company has invested $15 million for infrastructure development, is aimed at connecting and creating a collaborative community that will propel innovation within the food manufacturing industry. To date, it has seeded several start-ups, ranging from aquaculture and agritech, to deep tech such as cell-grown shrimp.