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Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment
Speeches

Yindii Eco-Brand Awards 2026 - Ms Goh Hanyan

13 October 2026

Keynote Address by Ms Goh Hanyan, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and the Environment, at the Yindii Eco-Brand Awards 2026

  1. It’s really nice to see everyone here today, and I loved the rousing speech just now. I think everyone feels pumped about saving food waste now.

  1. I am really pleased to be joining you here at the Yindii Eco-Brand Awards 2026. Many of us would be familiar with the sight of good food left unsold at the end of the day. In Singapore, we call it “very sayang”. You see perfectly good food and it’s just thrown away. This year’s theme, “From Waste to Worth: Celebrating Action Against Food Waste”, reminds us that food left unsold can continue to create value.

Why Reducing Food Waste Matters

  1. Food waste is a waste management issue, and we all know that. But more importantly, to Singapore, it is closely tied to our food resilience.

  2. A food system that wastes a large share of the food it secures can’t be as resilient as it possibly could.

  3. In 2025, Singapore generated close to 800,000 tonnes of food waste, which amounts to approximately 11 per cent of the country’s total waste generated.

  4. Now, every kilogram of food that we waste also represents resources in growing, processing, and delivering the food right to our doorsteps. And more resources, thereafter, is being used to then dispose and incinerate the food waste. So, from start to end, that’s a lot of energy and resources simply being wasted away.  As a country that imports most of our food, we must then make sure that we make most out of the food we have worked so hard to secure. Reducing food waste therefore is an important part of strengthening Singapore’s food resilience, and that was exactly what we spoke about in Parliament last month.

  5. Food waste therefore has been, and continues to be, a priority waste stream under Singapore’s Zero Waste Masterplan.

  6. Currently, we are reviewing the Zero Waste Masterplan, and food waste becomes a very important topic for us to look into how we can chart our next steps towards greater circularity, and abiding by the one principle that we hold dear. Recycling gives materials a new lease of life, but it is much better to prevent waste from being generated in the first place.

  7. And this starts with everyday choices by you and I.

  8. The National Environment Agency (NEA) provides practical guidance to help households and businesses reduce food waste. We can plan meals, buy or order only what we can finish, and store food properly to prevent spoilage. NEA also champions mindful consumption through its annual Say YES to Waste Less campaign.

  9. In 2025, the campaign reached almost four million consumers with the support from over 260 partners. Whether we order just enough, plan meals in advance or give blemished food a second chance, everyday choices can add up to meaningful change.

Keeping Edible Surplus Food Within the Food System

  1. However, even with careful planning, businesses may sometimes find themselves with simply more food than they had originally thought they needed.

  2. Where food remains safe and suitable for consumption, we should seek to keep it within the food system rather than simply discarding it.

  3. This is where food rescue initiatives such as Yindii play an extremely critical role. Yindii connects consumers with surplus food from participating F&B outlets like those who are present here today, at discounted prices. This helps businesses recover value from food that might have otherwise gone to waste.

  4. And I think that’s just a special part of Yindii’s business model, because for sustainability to work, it can’t just be about doing good. It has to make business sense around the table, and that is exactly what this business model has helped to do. It helps businesses with operating costs, and consumers with costs of living. So, I think it has magically checked most of the boxes, and that is why it has worked so well.

  5. And as a campaign partner to us since 2025, Yindii has also supported our national efforts by offering users discounts on last-hour deals, helping to prevent good food from going to waste. I congratulate Yindii on the wonderful achievements that was presented earlier, since launching in Singapore in 2024, and on its contribution to sustainability, and I look forward to more.

Recognising the Role of the F&B Industry

  1. Now today, we recognise the F&B businesses and changemakers that have made food rescue part of their operations. The six Eco-Brand Award categories celebrate businesses that have expanded their participation, made rescued food more affordable, maintained strong food quality, built consumer trust and created a positive customer experience. Now, let me share two examples here.

  2. Cedele, for example, has created significant impact at scale. Over the past 1.5 years, it has rescued more than 57,000 meals and avoided more than 140 tonnes of CO₂ emissions associated with food waste through its partnership with Yindii. That’s a huge impact.

  3. Keong Saik Bakery has likewise avoided around 96 per cent of its food waste, and that is tremendous. This translates to approximately 8,000 meals rescued and close to 20 tonnes of CO₂ emissions prevented.

  4. And that’s just two examples. Imagine what more we can do. It really shows what happens when food rescue becomes part of everyday business operations. The impact is just magnified.

  5. I congratulate all award recipients here today for your commitment and achievements. I hope your efforts will really inspire more businesses to come along this journey. No matter how big and small, businesses can also figure out how they can contribute to reducing food waste in Singapore.

Collective Effort

  1. All in all, these efforts reflect a very simple approach that we have: prevent waste where we can, rescue edible surplus, and recycle what cannot be avoided.

  2. The Government will commit to continue working with industry and community partners across all three dimensions of this approach.

  3. Businesses can adopt practices that minimise waste and put surplus food to good use.

  4. Consumers, like ourselves, can support these initiatives by buying what they need and embracing food rescue activities.

  5. Every meal saved is a step towards a more resource-efficient and resilient food system.

Conclusion

  1. Once again, I thank Yindii for bringing businesses and partners together through your initiatives, and for your continued support of our Say YES to Waste Less movement.

  2. Let us continue to turn waste into worth. By planning carefully and finding a home for edible surplus, we can make better use of our resources and strengthen Singapore’s food resilience together.

  3. Thank you.