There can be no doubt that the evolution of food-focused technologies worldwide has been taking place at a far more accelerated pace over the past year than ever before, from the integration of AI into work operations to the growth of novel innovations such as cultured meat and other products.
That said, a common bottleneck faced by many food-tech pioneers has been funding and a lack of cohesive government support, which has in turn led to many forms of promising technologies having to either proceed painfully slowly or halt entirely.
Some governments have been very progressive and supportive of this sector, with a well-known example being Singapore, and this has led to a very well-developed food-tech ecosystem in the country.
Even so, Singapore does not actually have a strategy dedicated solely to food technologies: Support for food-tech and food-focused start-ups have primarily fallen under the national ’30 by 30’ food security goal to produce 30% of local nutrition by 2030 (a strategy that has since been dropped), and the Research, Innovation and Enterprise (RIE) 2025 plan.
Perhaps surprisingly, dedicated all-out governmental support for the food-tech industry is taking shape in another part of the Asian continent: The Far East, where South Korea and Japan are pouring in millions and billions to develop this sector, in addition to establishing concrete laws and policies to support growth.
South Korea’s world-first food-tech master plan
Last year, the South Korean government published the world’s first standalone law dedicated to fostering the food-tech industry, the Food Tech Industry Promotion Act last year; and this July saw the launch of its first statutory master plan under this law.
“We are entering an era of profound global transformation in which technology, recipes, content, culture, and consumer experiences converge on a single platform and spread across the world,” Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MAFRA) Song Miryung said via a formal statement.
“Food-tech is the driving force behind this transformation and a future growth strategy that will maximize the value of K-Food through convergence with advanced technologies and further enhance the K-Brand.”
The ‘master plan’, as MAFRA calls it, will focus on the building of regionally specialised innovation clusters to bring together industry, academia, and research institutions in order to foster a self-sustaining, private sector-led innovation ecosystem.
This will be implemented across four key strategic pillars: Local, Empowerment, Advancement and Pioneer/Platform, abbreviated as the L.E.A.P framework.
South Korea’s L.E.A.P framework
- Local: Building region-led industry ecosystems
- Empowerment: Developing key personnel and stimulating investment
- Advancement: Expanding the global reach of Korea’s food-tech
- Pioneer/Platform: Securing future-leading technologies and advancing regulatory innovation
MAFRA will establish specialised agri-food innovation clusters centred on regional anchor companies in connection with special economic areas like its Mega Special Economic Zones, which are dedicated growth hubs focused on growing strategic industries.
Key features of these zones include the implementation of ‘negative regulation’ when it comes to innovation here, in order to cut down on regulatory ‘red tape’; as well as benefit from integrated government support packages such as a KRW1tn (US$678.7m) mega-fund across all the key sectors from agri-food to renewable energy.
Other forms of MAFRA support include the Future Innovation Growth Fund (KRW30bn / US$20.4m) in 2026) and the Secondary Fund (KRW35bn / US$23.8m in 2026) which support early and growth-stage start-ups.
“The true competitiveness of food-tech depends on how quickly innovative technologies move from the laboratory to real-world application [so] we will spare no effort in providing proactive, comprehensive support,” Song added.
“This includes a one-stop regulatory improvement system and innovation funds to ensure that Korean food-tech companies are not held back by regulations and can lead global markets.”
According to government data, cumulative government policy funds to support the food-tech ecosystem will increase from KRW51bn (US$34.6m) in 2024 to KRW81bn (US$55m) in 2026, and will reach KRW100bn (US$67.9m) by 2027.
Japan’s hefty US$60bn food-tech investment
The Japanese government recently also released its own national investment roadmap with initiatives and strategies to be implemented until 2040, covering 17 strategic sectors and 62 ‘major products and technologies’ across the board from aerospace to disaster prevention.
Food technology has been designated as one of the 17 strategic sectors, under which are investment plans for four products and technologies: Plant factories, Land-based aquaculture, Food machinery and Novel foods.
The investment roadmap is a public-private national strategy, and from now until 2040 the government is projecting cumulative financing for all 17 sectors to reach JPY370tn (US$2.29tn), of which JPY9.7tn (US$59.6bn) will be accounted for by the food technology sector.
Projected food-tech investments under Japan’s national roadmap:
- Plant factories: JPY4.6tn (US$28.3bn)
- Land-based aquaculture: JPY2.9tn (US$17.8bn)
- Food processing machinery: JPY1.2tn (US$7.38bn)
- Novel foods: JPY1tn (US$6.15bn)
Plant factories here refer to commercial cultivation systems for agricultural products, where the government hopes to increase production and ensure stronger food security.
“At present, commercially cultivated items are mostly limited to leafy vegetables, so many of these projects are looking at fruits and other vegetables, which are in the research and development phase,” the local Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan (MAFF) said via formal documentation.
“By 2030, we plan to expand our range of commercially cultivated products to meet market needs and expand our overseas market presence. We will package and deploy a plant factory system that combines Japanese-quality agricultural products and plant factory plants with operational know-how, aiming for a 30% market share both domestically and internationally by 2040.”
Beyond this, land-based aquaculture has become a major focus area for Japan due to growing global demand for Japanese seafood, especially salmon.
“There is limited availability of suitable aquaculture sites, and the risks of climate change are hindering the expansion of marine aquaculture production. Competition for the use of marine resources with countries bordering the same sea areas is also becoming more apparent, [so land-based aquaculture is going to play an important role,” said the ministry.
“This is why by 2030, we will develop land-based aquaculture in Japan [with a focus on a] diverse range of fish species tailored to various uses, working to advance domestic expansion as well as develop modularized systems to help create new overseas markets for unique Japanese fish species. The aim is to reach 30% share of the global market by 2040.”
Japan’s food industry also faces a serious issue with labour shortage due to a combination of factors, but mostly due to its ageing population. This has prompted the government to push for the development of food processing machinery prioritising efficiency and minimising wastage.
“We need to build and improve systems that enable labour savings while ensuring a stable and waste-free supply of food. Japanese food processing machinery has [several advantages, such as] high durability of several decades, strong after-sales support, and well-developed technology,” it added.
“Based on these strengths, by 2030 we will expand our food processing machinery market share in domestic and international markets, providing comprehensive services [and] continuously develop new food processing machinery. The aim is to reach JPY3tn yen in sales globally by 2040.”
Although it makes up the smallest proportion out of the four food-tech areas, the novel foods sector has received the most public attention due to the government’s commitment to develop this category locally.
“Japan has a rich food culture and against this backdrop, various new foods are being developed and commercialised by utilising longstanding expertise in fermentation technology such as koji, seasoning technology to balance deliciousness and nutrition, and distinctive products such as gluten-free rice flour innovations,” said MAFF.
“The steady demand for novel foods such as non-animal proteins and functional foods domestically and internationally hence presents a favourable opportunity for our country, and we look to grow not only in Japan but also to Europe and the US where there is a high level of interest in health issues or where sustainability is a priority.”
The government has high hopes for the novel foods sector, projecting that the economic return of investment from its initial JPY1tn will bring in JPY18.8 (US$115.6bn) by 2040, providing a strong boost for the local economy.
All in all, Japan is using its wallet to express its belief that food technology has a crucial role to play in the country’s future.
“To make Japan ‘strong and prosperous’, it is necessary to increase our growth which has been stagnant for a long time. [Domestic] investment towards this area has been lacking for many years despite the presence of world-leading technologies here, and we will break this cycle,” Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told the floor when summarising the investment roadmap.
“This strategy will stimulate public and private investment, [and help to] fully support those who possess these technologies in their efforts to both implement them in society as well as to reach and acquire new markets.”
