Towards a Green Singapore: From Pharmacy Lab to Combating Food Waste

When I first heard about Kong Qi Herng – a Faculty of Sciences (FOS) graduate, he seemed like a typical high achiever: an NUS Merit Scholar, a resident assistant at Ridge View Residential College (RVRC), an NUS Overseas Colleges (NOC) alumnus, and an aspiring entrepreneur.

However, after meeting Qi Herng, what impressed me more than his accomplishments, was his passion and determination to help create a sustainable Singapore.

Kong Qi Herng – FOS Class of 2022, Department of Pharmacy

The Moonbeam Co. – a journey from pharmacy lab to combating food wastage

Qi Herng had extensive experiences with food wastage: from an upcycling project at RVRC to his 6-year interactions with dining halls and kitchens. “From my observations, so much food is wasted daily. So I started thinking about repurposing food wastages into edible products” – described Qi Herng.

But his idea would only come to life when he met Lim Jia Wei (College of Design and Engineering, Class of 2022) and Varden Toh (FOS, Class of 2023) during his 2021 NOC. The three bonded over their shared ideation of upcycling unserved cooked rice, and started experimenting and researching ways to actualize this idea.

The founders of The Moonbeam Co. (from left to right): Qi Herng, Jia Wei, and Varden (source: Kong Qi Herng)

Yet, few innovations start smoothly. With Qi Herng’s team, the challenge was that their original plan was not entirely sustainable. “After some experiences, we realized that the upcycling process is generating a new waste: spent brewery grain” – described Qi Herng.

But the trio used this realization to push themselves further and be more creative. After many trials, Jia Wei successfully made granolas out of the brewery waste. This product was hugely welcomed amongst their NOC classmates and partners, and the trio decided to focus entirely on turning grain wastes into granolas.

This would become the foundation for the three to found their sustainable start-up: The Moonbeam Co.

A future in sustainability

The Moonbeam Co. has one goal: solving food wastage and helping ensure Singapore’s food security. Their best-seller granola products – Brewers’ Grains – are highly sustainable. “Right now, we are experimenting with new flavors to encourage more consumption of these grains” – said Qi Herng. He also expressed his hope to expand his start-up to solve more food wastage issues in the future.

The Moonbeam Co. is conducting experiences to explore new flavours for their granola products. In the picture, Jia Wei (co-founder) added unserved cooked rice during experiments. (source: Kong Qi Herng)

However, Qi Herng admitted not being sure how his business will turn out. “I do not have any long-term plans now, because with start-ups, there is no possible long-term planning” – laughed Qi Herng, when enquired about his career plans after graduation.

Despite this uncertainty, there was one thing that Qi Herng was sure of: his dedication to the sustainability industry. “I can say that the green industry will remain the center of my career, as this is where my passion lies and there are vast opportunities to succeed in this fast-growing field” – said Qi Herng.

To support and be supported

Besides discussing his journey with sustainability and entrepreneur, Qi Herng also talked about his willingness to help other NUS students when possible. He said it was “reasonable and natural” for him to support other NUS peers, and to “contribute back to FOS for all the help he had received.”

“I understand how heart-warming you feel when receiving some support during challenging times. Therefore, I am more than happy to help any NUS student if needed, if it is within my experiences and capability” – said Qi Herng.

Moreover, Qi Herng mentioned some teaching staff of the Department of Pharmacy that he felt the most gratitude. “Among those who extended their help, I would like to thank especially Prof. Ho Han Kiat, Prof. Koh Hwee Ling, and Dr. Yau Wai Ping, for their valuable mental support and advice during my time at FOS” – commented Qi Herng.

Looking back at his journey, Qi Herng concluded: “Don’t be afraid to seek help. You will be surprised by how many people are willing to assist you with valuable resources and meaningful networks.”