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By Dr Woo Tai Kwan
From gluten-free bread to ang koo and other local kuih, Primera rice can be used to create a whole new range of healthy food. Dr Janet Woo speaks to Ryan Liew, 41, who proved that Primera is more than just rice.
“My journey with Primera Rice started in 2017, when I was appointed the marketing consultant for ecoBrown. They were looking into expanding market base in Singapore because PM Lee Hsien Loong had advised Singaporeans to include at least 25% of wholegrain products in their diet to curb obesity rate among Singaporeans. Primera Rice is packed with wholegrain goodness for health-conscious consumers.
Thanks to ecoBrown, I got actively involved in R&D to develop healthy food in Singapore. I found Primera Rice quite ideal for making gluten-free bread because of its intermediate level amylose content. When you add Primera Rice to flour, the texture does not become gummy. The result – a fluffy bread that is similar to wheat bread. The response to our kuih made with Primera rice is also very good – the ang koo, especially, was a big hit with Singaporeans.
Then, the pandemic struck and before we knew it, we were locked down. The MCO had a dampening effect on the food industry as whole. We had no choice but to cut down production in Singapore and focus on the Malaysian market instead.
However, like they say, every cloud has a silver lining. We found ours when we channelled our efforts into R&D on innovative ways to use Primera Rice to come up with a whole new range of food products, including red rice bread, png kuih (Teochew kuih), gluten-free bread etc.
Today, our food products, marketed under Wholesome Penang, has made its way to the shelves of many big stores and major retail outlets in the KLCC area. Patrons can even enjoy our latest offerings in Petronas cafes. And we are making good headway in Singapore again through our distributor Pastry Mart. Recently we even embarked on a new initiative – Gut Feeling – that aims to provide gut friendly products for children and adults.
All this is made possible, thanks to Primera Rice. Imagine being able to enjoy healthy bread and kuih without having to worry about sugar overload. The low GI of Primera Rice has made this possible. I am so glad that with Primera Rice, I can now create food for my friends and customers to enjoy and eat happily every day, without guilt.”
