N&E Innovations nets US$1.7M to turn cashew husk waste into fresh produce protection
In Southeast Asia’s heat and humidity, keeping fruit, vegetables and ready-to-eat food fresh is not just a logistics problem but an economic one, too. Produce can lose value at every stage of the chain, from farm to wholesaler to supermarket shelf, while restaurants and households often throw away food long before it should have spoiled. […] The post N&E Innovations nets US$1.7M to turn cashew…
Singapore-based deeptech firm N&E Innovations secured roughly US$1.7 million in Series A funding to develop a novel solution for extending the shelf life of fresh produce. The investment round, led by Australian agrifood investor Tundra Capital, was joined by SGInnovate, The Radical Fund, Archipelago VC, SG7 Group, and existing backers Cercano, SEEDS Capital, Elev8 Capital, and Qian Hu Corporation.
Led by biomedical scientist Didi Gan, N&E has created ViKANG99, an edible antimicrobial ingredient derived from upcycled agricultural by-products, such as cashew nut husks. This ingredient can reportedly help fresh produce stay fresh up to four times longer by inhibiting bacterial and mould growth.
One of N&E's initial products, The Orange Wrap, is the world's first antibacterial cling wrap that incorporates ViKANG99 into the material. The same core ingredient is also being used in KeepWell, N&E's plant-based cleaning and hygiene line, and in post-harvest agriculture products that suppress mould and microbial growth in storage, transport, and retail settings.
N&E already has customers such as Singapore Airlines and supermarket chain Sheng Siong, and its KeepWell hand sanitiser was featured in the 2026 Singapore National Day Parade fun pack. The new funding will be used to expand ViKANG99 across active antimicrobial food packaging, plant-based cleaning, and post-harvest agriculture, as well as support regulatory programs, international market entry, and team expansion. The company plans to tap Australia as a key growth market for its products.
Written by urgent.news from e27's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
