{"id":14293,"date":"2026-06-05T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-05T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/?p=14293"},"modified":"2026-06-03T10:30:12","modified_gmt":"2026-06-03T02:30:12","slug":"growing-food-for-a-better-future","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/2026\/06\/05\/growing-food-for-a-better-future\/","title":{"rendered":"Growing Food for a Better Future"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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It started small in 2020 \u2014 just trays of microgreens, grown at home between lectures and assignments when she was an NUS undergraduate.<\/p>

For Ms Yuki Ong (Arts & Social Sciences \u201923), it was never meant to be more than an experiment. \u201cWe were a group of friends trying to understand how food was grown,\u201d she says. \u201cI thought it was a small project.\u201d<\/p>

But the questions they were asking soon outgrew the project.<\/p>

Over the next two years, those home-based experiments grew into GreenLoopFarms, an urban hydroponics venture she built with four other co-founders. Today, operating out of an industrial space in Gambas Crescent, the farm produces up to 300 kg of vegetables a month, supplying local restaurants while opening its doors for educational tours and workshops.<\/p>

But scale was never the point. From the beginning, the idea was bigger than the produce itself.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Yuki sharing more about GreenLoopFarms at the College of Alice & Peter Tan in 2025.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Making Food Systems Visible<\/strong><\/p>

Long before the farm, Ms Ong had always been drawn to the natural world. An early stint as a zookeeper became a turning point.<\/p>

\u201cThat was when my respect for nature really grew,\u201d she recalls.<\/p>

That perspective shaped her decision to major in geography at NUS, where she learnt to look beyond individual issues. \u201cGeography taught me to see bigger systems in everyday processes,\u201d she says.<\/p>

GreenLoopFarms grew out of that way of seeing.<\/p>

\u201cA lot of us take the environment for granted,\u201d she notes. \u201cWe enjoy fresh air, shade \u2014 without a second thought.\u201d Over time, she adds, this creates a \u201cone-sided relationship\u201d with nature, where growth, especially in business and global systems, often comes at its expense.<\/p>

Changing that relationship has to start somewhere familiar. \u201cFood is one of the easiest ways,\u201d she says. \u201cIt\u2019s relatable. Everyone has to eat. It\u2019s been said that the world produces enough food. But it doesn\u2019t always reach the people who need it.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Yuki doing a demonstration at an outbound workshop.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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To make that imbalance visible, GreenLoopFarms was created to demonstrate how food can be produced with a lighter footprint: its hydroponic system uses less water than conventional farming and reduces fertiliser runoff. Growing locally shortens supply chains, while producing crops on demand helps keep wastage low.<\/p>

More importantly, the farm was not just about sustainable production. It serves as a platform for people to see, taste and question how food reaches their plates, and what it takes to grow and consume it more responsibly.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Growing On Their Own Terms<\/strong><\/p>

The journey, however, has been anything but straightforward. With backgrounds in engineering, communications and geography, none of the founders had formal training in agriculture or business. They had to start from scratch.<\/p>

In the first two years of experimenting with microgreens, Ms Ong took part in entrepreneurship programmes and established connections within the industry. Experienced farmers shared valuable knowledge, while suppliers and collaborators became part of the ongoing learning process. \u201cWe\u2019re still learning every day,\u201d she says.<\/p>

The team chose early on to grow on their own terms \u201cBeing new, we weren\u2019t ready to commit to the requirements of government grants,\u201d Ms Ong says. The founders bore the costs of the business, holding down jobs outside the venture and using their own funds. \u201cWe were bootstrapping all the way.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Yuki sharing her experience with undergraduates at NUS.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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That same caution shaped how the farm grew. Despite a recent expansion that increased capacity significantly, the farm continues to stay with its demand-driven model. Like-minded restaurants form their main clientele. Chefs place orders in advance; crops are grown accordingly with about 10 per cent extra for retail consumers.<\/p>

It is a deliberate trade-off. The model means turning away last-minute demand, but it also allows GreenLoopFarms to show what it takes to keep food wastage low: growing only what is needed and in harmony with nature’s own pace. A small pot of microgreens needs one to two weeks to be ready and leafy greens could take a month or longer.<\/p>

\u201cChefs are among the few who fully appreciate the time and care needed to grow quality produce. In today\u2019s society, where convenience and short delivery times are expected, many people don\u2019t always realise why food takes time to grow,\u201d Ms Ong says. \u201cBut when it comes to food, you can\u2019t rush it. You can\u2019t force it to grow faster.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Making Sustainability Tangible<\/strong><\/p>

Production is just one aspect. Creating conversations about food systems and reframing mindsets is the key mission.<\/p>

Through tours and workshops, people can go behind the scenes, ask questions and see for themselves how crops are grown. Programmes are aimed at encouraging participants to rethink their relationship with vegetables and try growing their own. \u201cWe\u2019re trying to start a revolution in food culture,\u201d she adds.<\/p>

To date, around 5,000 participants have passed through its programmes, and some have told Ms Ong that they have changed their diets to make more sustainable choices. To her, this matters as much as any business metric. \u201cThat\u2019s how we measure success.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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\"Basil
Basil Microgreens<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\"Scarlet
Scarlet Frills Mustard Microgreens<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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Taste is also part of the lesson. The farm\u2019s bestselling microgreen, scarlet frills mustard, has developed a following of its own, with customers snacking on it \u201clike wasabi potato chips\u201d. By making vegetables surprising, flavourful and hands-on, GreenLoopFarms hopes to help people see them not as an obligation, but as something to enjoy, grow and understand.<\/p>

Working so closely with fresh produce has also changed how Ms Ong thinks about food \u2014 not just in terms of sustainability, but in how it tastes and how it feels. \u201cYou start to appreciate the layers of natural flavours more,\u201d she says, adding that it has also made her more aware of the impact food has on her energy levels and overall well-being.<\/p>

Planting Seeds<\/strong><\/p>

\u201cWith every workshop, every conversation, we\u2019re planting seeds,\u201d she notes. \u201cPeople often associate sustainability with agriculture but consumer choices shape what and how producers grow. That\u2019s where change happens.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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The reality, she acknowledges, is that this kind of change takes time. The business itself spent years in the red before moving towards sustainability. Staying the course requires both conviction and compromise. \u201cIt helps that I don\u2019t have other financial obligations,\u201d she says frankly. \u201cIt allows me to commit fully.\u201d<\/p>

But beyond the practicalities, it comes down to something simpler. \u201cIt\u2019s important to find meaning in what you do,\u201d she says. \u201cThat\u2019s what carries you through in the long term.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Yuki at NUS Geography Career Day 2026.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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That endeavour has also brought her back to NUS. Today, Ms Ong returns to campus as an alumna and guest speaker, joining geography classes each semester to share her journey and speak with students about sustainability. She also remains close to the department. \u201cI really enjoy keeping in touch with my geography professors,\u201d she says. \u201cThey are very inspiring in the work that they do for the environment.\u201d<\/p>

Food takes time to grow. So do the habits, attitudes and systems that GreenLoopFarms hopes to change. For Ms Ong and her team, that is reason enough to keep planting the seeds.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What began as an experiment in microgreens has grown into a mission-driven farm and a new way of thinking about food, sustainability and success.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":14302,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"elementor_theme","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14293","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-leadership","category-startups"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14293","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14293"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14293\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14314,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14293\/revisions\/14314"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14302"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14293"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14293"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14293"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}