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Pioneering Freeze-Dried Technology in Vietnam: Nature Foods Company Introduces Convenient and Healthy Eating Solutions

HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam, Aug. 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Amid rapid urbanization and an increasingly fast-paced lifestyle, Vietnam’s ready-to-eat (RTE) food market is witnessing remarkable growth. In 2024, the market value reached approximately USD 430 million and is projected to nearly triple to USD 1.28 billion by 2031, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.8% (BlueWeave Consulting). This surge underscores a clear consumer trend: the demand for quick meal solutions that still meet high standards of nutrition, quality, and safety.

Yet, convenience alone is not enough. Flavor, nutrition, and product quality remain top priorities for today’s consumers. Rising to meet this demand, Nature Foods Company (NFC) has firmly established itself as a pioneer in Vietnam in applying freeze-dried technology—delivering convenient products without compromising taste, color, or nutritional value.

Recognized on HTV9 – Reinforcing Credibility and Value

Recently, NFC was featured on An Lanh Song Chat” (Eat Well, Live Well), a reputable television program aired on HTV9 that provides audiences with knowledge about smart eating solutions and raises awareness on food safety. During the program, NFC representatives shared in-depth insights into the freeze-dried process, the company’s rigorous quality control system, and its guiding philosophy: “Eat Well – Live Well.”

Freeze-dried - The “Golden” Technology for Safe and Convenient Eating Solutions
Freeze-dried – The “Golden” Technology for Safe and Convenient Eating Solutions

This appearance not only reinforced NFC’s pioneering role in the high-tech food sector but also underscored its commitment to spreading the message of scientific, safe, and sustainable eating.

Freeze-dried Technology – Preserving Flavor, Nutrition, and Quality

Unlike traditional drying methods, freeze-dried removes water from ingredients while they are frozen, turning ice directly into vapor without passing through the liquid stage. This process preserves the natural flavor, vibrant color, and nutritional content of the food—eliminating the need for artificial preservatives.

With extremely low moisture levels, products enjoy extended shelf life while remaining safe, convenient, and capable of delivering a “freshly prepared” taste experience—perfectly aligning with the needs of modern consumers.

Nature Foods Company – Pioneering Excellence

Founded in 2002, NFC has made substantial investments in a fully integrated production line that adheres to rigorous international standards including HACCP, ISO 22000, BRCGS, FDA, and HALAL. Every stage—from ingredient selection and preparation to freeze-dried and packaging—is tightly controlled. Each product undergoes sensory, microbiological, and physicochemical testing before reaching consumers.

A modern traceability system further ensures transparency across the entire production process, reinforcing consumer trust.

Convenience Without Compromise

NFC products are ideal for various occasions: a quick office breakfast, outdoor trips, or as a reliable home pantry staple. Most importantly, this convenience does not come at the expense of safety, quality, or flavor.

Mr. Phan Hoang An, CEO of Nature Foods, emphasized:

“We do not view technology merely as a production tool, but as a commitment to community responsibility. Every NFC product is a combination of convenience, nutrition, and safety—so consumers can feel confident choosing it for their families.”

A Sustainable Vision

By pioneering the use of freeze-dried technology, NFC is not only creating high-quality products but also helping to elevate the standards of Vietnam’s food industry. Looking ahead, the company is committed to expanding its range of convenient, nutritious, and safe products—offering modern dining experiences that retain the authentic essence of their ingredients.

XTransfer Attends Brazil’s Largest E-Commerce Summit

Focusing on the Development of the Brazilian and Latin American Markets


SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL – Media OutReach Newswire – 13 August 2025 – XTransfer, the World’s Leading & China’s No.1 B2B Cross-Border Trade Payment Platform, recently participated in Fórum E-Commerce Brasil 2025, the largest and most influential e-commerce summit in Brazil. The event brought together leading Latin American e-commerce platforms, including Mercado Libre, Amazon, and TikTok, among others. During the event, XTransfer announced its commitment to deepening its presence in Brazil and the Latin American market, partnering with local banks and financial institutions to provide secure, convenient, and compliant cross-border payment solutions for SMEs in Brazil and across Latin America.

XTransfer’s Leader in Brazil Office at the Forum.
XTransfer’s Leader in Brazil Office at the Forum.

Currently, Brazil is the largest e-commerce market in Latin America. According to data from Latin American analytics platform PCMI, Brazil’s total e-commerce transaction volume exceeded USD 346 billion in 2024. The platform also forecasts that by 2027, over two-thirds of Brazilians will be online shoppers, and e-commerce transaction volume will reach USD 586 billion. The number of online shoppers in Brazil has surpassed 100 million, with cross-border shopping demand continuously growing, and more SMEs actively participating in international trade. The overall e-commerce market in Latin America is also experiencing rapid development, showing enormous potential.

XTransfer’s Leader in Brazil Office stated at the forum, “The e-commerce development in Brazil and Latin America is booming, and consumers’ demand for cross-border payments and local collection is increasing. XTransfer is working closely with local banks and financial institutions in Brazil to provide SMEs with safe, compliant, and low-cost local payment and collection services, helping companies reduce international payment costs, improve operational efficiency, and seize global opportunities.”

Through XTransfer accounts, global foreign trade enterprises can directly receive payments from Brazilian buyers in Brazilian Real (BRL). Buyers in Brazil and across Latin America can use PIX (Brazil’s instant payment method) to pay suppliers in China and worldwide in BRL, eliminating the need for complex foreign exchange procedures and reducing intermediaries and exchange losses. In the future, XTransfer will continue to expand its cooperation network in the Latin American market, promote global trade facilitation, and empower more enterprises to go international.

Hashtag: #XTransfer #Crossborder #Payment #SMEs #EmergingMarkets #Brasil





The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About XTransfer

XTransfer, the world-leading and China’s No.1 B2B Cross-Border Trade Payment Platform, is dedicated to providing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with secure, compliant, fast, convenient and low-cost foreign trade payment and fund collection solutions, significantly reducing the cost of global expansion and enhancing global competitiveness. Founded in 2017, the company is headquartered in Shanghai and has branches in Hong Kong SAR, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, the United States, Canada, Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, the UAE, and Nigeria. XTransfer has obtained local payment licences in Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR, Singapore, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, the United States, Canada, and Australia. To date, XTransfer serves over 700,000 enterprise clients worldwide.

Founded in 2017, the company is headquartered in Shanghai and has branches in Hong Kong SAR, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, the United States, Canada, Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, the UAE, and Nigeria. XTransfer has obtained local payment licences in Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR, Singapore, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, the United States, Canada, and Australia.

By cooperating with well-known multinational banks and financial institutions, XTransfer has built a unified global multi-currency clearing network and a data-based, automated, internet-based and intelligent anti-money laundering risk control infrastructure centred on SMEs. XTransfer uses technology as a bridge to link large financial institutions and SMEs around the world, allowing SMEs to enjoy the same level of cross-border financial services as large multinational corporations.

XTransfer completed its Series D financing in September 2021 and achieved unicorn status. The company has a diverse composition of international investors, including D1 Capital Partners LP, Telstra Ventures, China Merchants Venture, eWTP Capital, Yunqi Capital, Gaorong Capital, 01VC, MindWorks and Lavender Hill Capital Partners.

For more information, please visit:

Skywork UniPic 2.0 Goes Open-Source: A Leap Forward in Unified Multimodal AI

SINGAPORE, Aug. 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The SkyWork AI Technology Release Week officially kicked off on August 11. From August 11 to August 15, SkyWork releases one new model each day for five consecutive days, covering cutting-edge models for core multimodal AI scenarios. Skywork has already launched the SkyReels-A3, Matrix-Game 2.0, and Matrix-3D models.

On August 13, the Skywork UniPic 2.0 model was officially open-sourced. It is an efficient training and inference framework for unified multimodal modeling, designed with lightweight generation and editing modules while integrating multimodal understanding models for joint training. This equips it with unified core capabilities—understanding, image generation, and editing—with the goal of achieving an “efficient, high-quality, and unified” multimodal generative model.

Skywork UniPic 2.0 and its model series are now fully open-source, releasing model weights, inference code, and optimization strategies. They will enable developers and researchers to rapidly deploy and develop multimodal applications.

Project homepage:

https://unipic-v2.github.io/

Technical report:

https://github.com/SkyworkAI/UniPic/blob/main/UniPic-2/assets/pdf/UNIPIC2.pdf

GitHub:

https://github.com/SkyworkAI/UniPic/tree/main/UniPic-2

HuggingFace Gradio:

https://huggingface.co/spaces/Skywork/UniPic2-Metaquery

HuggingFace Model:

https://huggingface.co/Skywork/UniPic2-SD3.5M-Kontext-2B; https://huggingface.co/Skywork/UniPic2-Metaquery-9B

Skywork UniPic 2.0 consists of three core modules:

Image generation & editing: Based on the SD3.5-Medium architecture, the originally text-only model has been upgraded to process both text and image inputs simultaneously. Through training on high-quality image generation and editing datasets, its functionality has evolved from standalone image generation to integrated generation and editing capabilities.

Unified model capability : By freezing the image generation/editing module and leveraging a multimodal model (Qwen2.5-VL-7B) with a pre-trained connector, we have established integrated understanding/generation/editing capabilities. Through joint fine-tuning of both the connector and the image generation/editing module, a unified model capable of seamless understanding, generation, and editing has been achieved.

Post-training for image generation & editing: To boost overall performance, we have developed a Flow-GRPO-based progressive dual-task reinforcement strategy. This approach achieves collaborative optimization of generation and editing tasks without cross-interference, yielding performance gains beyond standard pre-training.

Diagram: Core modules of Skywork UniPic 2.0
Diagram: Core modules of Skywork UniPic 2.0

The upgraded Skywork UniPic 2.0 delivers the following key advantages:

Lightweight yet high-performance generation module:

Built on the 2B-parameter SD3.5-Medium architecture, our generation module surpasses competitors in both image generation and editing benchmarks – including models like Bagel (7B params), OmniGen2 (4B params), UniWorld-V1 (12B params), and Flux-kontext.

Enhanced reinforcement learning capability:

Our groundbreaking Flow-GRPO-based progressive dual-task reinforcement strategy significantly enhances the model’s ability to interpret complex instructions, and maintain consistency across image generation and editing tasks. All while enabling collaborative optimization without cross-task interference.

Unified architecture with scalable adaptation

The system features seamless end-to-end integration of the Kontext image generation/editing model with multimodal architectures. Through lightweight connector fine-tuning, users can rapidly deploy unified understanding-generation-editing models while further improving both generation and editing performance.

The UniPic2-SD3.5M-Kontext model achieves remarkable performance despite its compact 2B parameter size. In comprehensive benchmarks, it surpasses both Flux.dev (12B parameters) in image generation metrics and Flux-Kontext (12B parameters) in editing performance. Furthermore, it outperforms nearly all existing unified models – including UniWorld-V1 (19B parameters) and Bagel (14B parameters) – across both generation and editing tasks.

When extended into the unified UniPic2-Metaquery architecture, the model demonstrates additional performance gains, showcasing exceptional scalability beyond its already impressive baseline capabilities.

Skywork UniPic 2.0’s exceptional understanding, generation, and editing capabilities are powered by the Skywork team’s groundbreaking optimizations across all training stages – from pre-training and co-training to post-training refinement.

Pre-Training (image generation/editing model)

SD3.5-Medium was initially trained to synthesize images from both textual instructions and reference images while preserving its original architecture. The system processes text inputs (encoded into instruction representations via the text encoder) and reference images (compressed into latent variables by the VAE and projected as context tokens). These components are then concatenated with the target image’s noise tokens into a unified sequence, where the model’s inherent positional encoding maintains clear differentiation between reference and target tokens. This methodology retains SD3.5M’s native structure while simultaneously enabling both text-to-image (T2I) generation and text-conditioned image editing (I2I).

Joint-Training

Starting from our pre-trained image generation/editing model, we implement the Metaquery framework to achieve cross-modal alignment between Qwen2.5-VL (multimodal) and the image synthesis model, thereby creating a unified architecture. This integration is achieved through two key processes:

Connector pre-training

We substituted SD3.5M’s original T5 text encoder with Qwen2.5-VL and a Connector, maintaining frozen weights in both Qwen2.5-VL and SD3.5M’s DiT backbone. The Connector underwent pre-training on 100M+ curated image-generation samples to establish precise feature-space alignment between Qwen2.5-VL’s transformed outputs (via the Connector) and SD3.5M’s DiT input expectations.

Joint SFT training

Following connector pre-training, we replaced SD3.5M with the pre-trained UniPic2-SD3.5M-Kontext model (specialized in image generation/editing), then unfreezed both the connector and UniPic2-SD3.5M-Kontext parameters. Using high-quality generation and editing datasets, we jointly trained the connector and Kontext model to achieve optimal unified performance. The resulting UniPic2-Metaquery model not only preserves the base multimodal model’s comprehension capabilities but also exhibits superior generation and editing performance compared to the standalone Kontext model.

Post-training: Multi-task reinforcement learning for concurrent generation/editing enhancement

Traditional multi-task RL often faces performance trade-offs, where optimizing one task compromises another. To overcome this limitation, we pioneered a progressive Flow-GRPO-based dual-task reinforcement strategy that achieves breakthrough concurrent optimization of text-to-image generation and image editing within a unified architecture. This represents the first demonstrated instance of interference-free, synergistic task improvement in multimodal model development.

As a pioneer in AI technology, Skywork continues to redefine the frontiers of artificial intelligence. In recent months, we have open-sourced multiple state-of-the-art foundation models that established new industry standards, including SkyReels-V1: the first video generation model specialized for AI-driven short film production; SkyReels-V2: the world’s first unlimited-duration cinematic generation model employing a diffusion-forcing framework; and SkyReels-A3: an audio-driven portrait video generation model.

In multimodal AI development, Skywork has introduced two groundbreaking advancements: (1) the Skywork-R1V series—a 38B-parameter multimodal reasoning model that effectively bridges textual and visual reasoning while matching the performance of significantly larger proprietary models, and (2) pioneering spatial intelligence systems including the Matrix-Game 2.0 interactive world model and Matrix-3D generative world model.

Explore more open-source models in the Skywork family:

https://huggingface.co/Skywork

 

Video of Thai Student Assaulting Math Teacher Goes Viral

Video of Thai Student Assaulting Math Teacher Goes Viral
This image is used only for representational purpose (photo credit: smolaw11)

A Grade 11 student in Uthai Thani, Thailand, physically assaulted his female math teacher after receiving an 18 out of 20 on a midterm exam. 

The Good Rice Alliance Awarded ‘Ae’, a top quartile ex ante rating, by BeZero Carbon

  • TGRA has partnered with smallholder farmers in India to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and generate high integrity carbon credits

NEW DELHI, Aug. 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Good Rice Alliance (TGRA), which focuses on advancing sustainable rice farming in India, has received an ‘Ae’ (pronounced ‘single A’, ‘e’) ex ante rating from BeZero Carbon, a leading independent carbon ratings agency. Through TGRA, Bayer, a global enterprise with core competencies in the life science fields of agriculture and healthcare, in collaboration with GenZero, a Temasek-owned investment platform dedicated to accelerating decarbonization globally, Shell Energy India Private Limited, a subsidiary of Shell Plc and investor in nature-based solutions, are committed to reducing Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions through sustainable agricultural practices.

Scientific measurement of GHG emissions in a rice field by The Good Rice Alliance
Scientific measurement of GHG emissions in a rice field by The Good Rice Alliance

The ‘Ae’ rating reflects the project’s high standalone carbon rating (‘a’) combined with a very high likelihood of successful project execution (‘aa’).

A standalone Carbon ex ante of ‘a’ is comparable to the highest rated ex post Soil Carbon & Agriculture credits. Receiving an ‘Ae’, a top-quartile rating confirms a high likelihood that each TGRA credit will deliver one ton of CO2e avoidance.  

Speaking on the rating achieved, Suhas Joshi, India Carbon Initiative Lead at Bayer said, “We are incredibly proud of this milestone. The Ae rating is not only a validation of TGRA’s scientific and operational rigor, but also a testament to the collective commitment of our alliance. We are committed to establishing a nature-based carbon market quality benchmark, by implementing Total Quality Management principles in the agricultural space. Through TGRA, we leverage high-quality management practices and robust measurement tools to help generate high-integrity carbon credits by helping farmers reduce emissions, conserve water, and unlock new income streams while reinforcing a future-ready farming ecosystem. For carbon credit offtakers worldwide, this represents a rare opportunity to support decarbonization at scale while uplifting smallholder communities.”

BeZero is an independent carbon ratings agency boasting a 180+ strong team made up of climate scientists, geospatial experts, data scientists, financial analysts and policy specialists. BeZero’s ratings are based on a rigorous analysis of various factors, including additionality, carbon accounting, and permanence risks, providing transparency and building trust in carbon markets. Higher BeZero ratings are correlated with higher prices and increased demand for carbon credits.

BeZero Carbon’s ex ante assessment evaluates TGRA’s exceptional credibility across five key categories: additionality, carbon accounting, permanence, project execution, and safeguards. The ‘Ae’ certification offers assurance of delivery of impact-driven, high-integrity credits that meet the highest transparency and quality standards.

Since May 2023, TGRA has partnered with smallholder farmers across thirteen Indian states to implement Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) and Direct Seeded Rice (DSR). As of October 2024, TGRA has enrolled more than 12,000 farmers in the program, covering 35,000 hectares of farmland, reducing methane emissions equivalent to nearly 1,20,000 tonnes of carbon emissions per year. Underpinned by best-in-class on ground and digital Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) and secured land and carbon rights, TGRA is well equipped to play a pivotal role in GHG reductions in agriculture.

Currently, TGRA covers major rice-producing states in the country, like Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Karnataka, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Assam, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, and Maharashtra. On average, it takes over 1 million litres of water to produce one ton of rice. TGRA, through the implementation of climate-smart practices such as Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) and Direct Seeded Rice (DSR), can reduce water consumption by up to 30% without impacting yields. This equates to over 12,50,000 million litres of water savings across 35,000 hectares per season in total, the equivalent of 330 billion US gallons. TGRA is also armed with a stringent Quality Management System, farmer training, support and hand holding mechanism and a Monitoring, Report and Verification (MRV) mechanism which are in place to help maintain program integrity.

Paddy rice cultivation is responsible for approximately 10% of global methane emissions, a potent greenhouse gas with a global warming potential over 27 times that of carbon dioxide. Rice farms occupy 15% of the global farm area, equivalent to more than 150 million hectares worldwide. With a keen focus on sustainability, the alliance is closely aligned with UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and plans to work together with smallholder farmers from the grassroots to drive maximum co-benefits and mitigate climate change.

Photo: https://laotiantimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/bezero_tgra_bayer.jpg

Joyday Ice Cream Won World Dairy International Award and Demonstrated Global Competitiveness with Peak-season Marketing Success in Indonesia

JAKARTA, Indonesia, Aug. 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Joyday, an ice cream brand owned by Yili Group, enjoyed a successful summer in 2025. The brand not only won prestigious international awards but also achieved outstanding results with its peak-season marketing campaign in Indonesia. These accomplishments highlight its innovation and operational strength in global markets.

Garnering Global Awards for Product Innovation

Joyday earned international acclaim at the 2025 World Dairy Innovation Awards. Its Crunchy Choco Lava Ice Cream was awarded as the winner of “Ice Cream/Frozen Yogurt” category. Joyday Crunchy Choco Lava Ice Cream seamlessly blends the distinct textures of five different types of chocolate, featuring a rich, molten chocolate lava core that delivers a delightfully surprising sensory experience. It successfully redefined the chocolate stick ice cream category in the Indonesian market with its breakthrough innovation of product structure. The other two Joyday products, Crunchy Vanilla Cookies and Vanilla Berry Sandwich, were also named finalists in the ice-cream category. Recognized as one of the most prestigious awards in the global dairy industry, the evaluation of World Dairy Innovation Awards was based on core criteria such as product innovation, market relevance, and quality consistency. Its recognition of Joyday underscores the brand’s commitment to innovation and its deep understanding of consumer preferences worldwide.


Boosting Popularity in Indonesia with Peak-season Marketing Campaign

As a brand deeply committed to the Indonesian market, Joyday is dedicated to creating joyful moments for local consumers. These years, the brand launched exciting football-themed campaigns in partnership with Manchester City Football Club, Portugal National Football Team, Argentina National Football Team. The marketing campaign of this year was bundling consumer engagement with the ice-cream stick promotion. The consumers can participate the buy-win campaign by purchasing limited-edition football-packaged Joyday ice creams. The prizes ranged from an iPhone 15 to the grand prize of UK trip, including a visit to Manchester City F.C.’s home stadium. By tapping into Indonesians’ passion for football and prize draws, the campaign has successfully delivered a memorable and interactive experience for consumers.


Expanding Global Influence through Strategic Brand Building

As a key part of Yili Group’s international expansion strategy, Joyday has demonstrated a long-standing commitment to the global market. The brand has steadily increased its influence through a variety of marketing initiatives. Through collaborations with sports teams, partnerships with brand ambassadors, and on-campus events, Joyday has successfully fostered deep connections with local consumers and built strong brand recognition.

Joyday has established extensive coverage across Indonesia’s major retail channels. Consumers can easily find its products in a wide range of locations, including traditional stores, supermarkets, convenience stores, and restaurants. Having successfully solidified its market share in Southeast Asia, the brand is now accelerating its expansion into the Middle East. Joyday has already built a network of over 3,000 points of sale in Saudi Arabia, which enables the brand to sell more than 500,000 ice cream bars monthly in the local market.

Looking ahead, fueled by Yili group’s global network, Joyday is committed to more international markets by bring innovative products and joyful brand experience to the local consumers.

As a leading Chinese dairy company and one of the top five players in the global dairy market, Yili Group is driven by innovation and committed to expanding its international presence. It offers a diverse portfolio of products, including liquid milk, milk powder, yogurt, and ice cream. Now operating in over 60 countries and regions, the company is dedicated to providing high-quality, healthy food and services to consumers worldwide. The international success of its Joyday brand, which has achieved significant overseas market penetration, vividly demonstrates Yili’s vision of “World Integrally Sharing Health” and highlights the Chinese dairy industry’s commitment to delivering health value through superior products across the global supply chain.

The Westin Surabaya Introduces Wellness Oasis: A Journey of Mindful Discoveries

SURABAYA, Indonesia, Aug. 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — On Saturday, 9 August 2025 The Westin Surabaya proudly unveils its latest guest experience: Wellness Oasis, a mindfulness-based wellness program thoughtfully designed to support mental health, inner balance, and rejuvenation. In response to today’s growing healthcare constraints and the universal longing for calm, this initiative embraces the rise of wellness tourism by offering guests space for mindful learning and inner renewal. Through grounding rituals such as mindfulness meditation, nature connection, and creative expression, guests are gently guided in how to practice mindfulness. In line with the Indonesian Government’s initiative to position health and wellness tourism as a national travel trend, The Westin Surabaya continues to expand its facilities that support guests’ mental well-being and physical fitness.

Wellness Oasis - Meditation Corner
Wellness Oasis – Meditation Corner

According to a study by the Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Indonesia, wellness tourism in the country encompasses eight key dimensions: fitness, healthy eating, healthcare, spa & beauty, mind-body balance, spirituality & connection, self-development, and eco-tourism & adventure. Rooted in Westin’s pillars of Move Well, Feel Well, and Play Well, this experience nurtures emotional well-being while offering a serene path to presence, clarity, and holistic healing.

Guests are invited to embark on a self-guided journey through six thoughtfully designed wellness zones, each crafted to nurture both body and mind:

  1. Sensory Walk – Experience the grounding power of nature. Guests are encouraged to remove their footwear and walk barefoot along a dedicated path featuring materials like sand, river stones, and grass. This mindful stroll invites guests to slow down, awaken their senses, and reconnect with the present moment.
  2. Meditation Corner – A serene nook offering quiet solitude. Guests are encouraged to disconnect from distractions and reconnect with their inner selves. Whether through reflection on the past, mindfulness in the present, or envisioning the future.
  3. Postcard Painting – A creative and therapeutic space where guests can express gratitude or emotion through art. Doodle over existing sketches or create a design from scratch, then take the postcard home and share it with special someone.
  4. Detox Box – An invitation to unplug and connect meaningfully. Take time and set aside from any digital devices and join in favor of playful human connection through selections of classic board games.
  5. Mindful Photography – Discover joy in the little things. Explore the scenic corners of The Westin Surabaya and capture moments that spark happiness. Whether it’s a picturesque and playful shadow art, a sparkling reflection, or a whimsical cloud shape.
  6. Gratitude Nest – A peaceful reflection space where guests can write down moments of thankfulness, contributing to a collective spirit of positivity and presence.

In today’s fast-paced world, true luxury lies in the ability to pause, breathe, and be present,” said Denny Ristyanto, Multi-Property General Manager of The Westin Surabaya and Four Points by Sheraton Surabaya, Pakuwon Indah. “The Wellness Oasis reflects our commitment to helping guests not just stay well—but thrive in every aspect of their journey.”

Whether seeking quiet introspection or joyful discovery, the Wellness Oasis encourages every guest to explore, express, and embrace personal well-being in meaningful and lasting ways.

For more information and room reservation visit www.westinsurabaya.com or call at +62-31-29710000. Follow @westinsurabaya on social media for more updates and upcoming promotion.

About Westin® Hotels & Resorts

Westin Hotels & Resorts, hospitality’s global leader in wellness for more than a decade, empowers guests to transcend the rigors of travel while on the road through the brand’s pillars of well-being: Sleep Well, Eat Well, and Move Well. At more than 240 hotels and resorts in over 40 countries and territories, guests can benefit from distinct wellness experiences including the brand’s iconic and award-winning Heavenly® Bed, signature WestinWORKOUT® offerings such as its 24/7 Fitness Studios, WestinWORKOUT Routes, and its versatile Gear Lending program, delicious and nutritious menu offerings on their Eat Well menu, and more. For more information, please visit www.westin.com and stay connected on X, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. Westin is proud to participate in Marriott Bonvoy®, the global travel program from Marriott International. The program offers members an extraordinary portfolio of global brands, exclusive experiences on Marriott Bonvoy Moments and unparalleled benefits including free nights and Elite status recognition. To enroll for free or for more information about the program, visit marriottbonvoy.com.

About Marriott Bonvoy®

Marriott Bonvoy, Marriott International’s award-winning travel platform, connects travelers to the people, places, and passions they love through an extraordinary collection of hotels and experiences worldwide. The platform features over 30 hotel brands and 10,000 destinations, including the largest collection of luxury offerings, distinctive boutique properties, premium home rentals, and more, providing renowned hospitality across the globe. With unrivaled access to the best in entertainment, culinary, sports, outdoor adventure, arts, culture, and more, Marriott Bonvoy offers transformative travel experiences that leave a lasting impression.

Marriott Bonvoy membership is free and unlocks unique benefits including the ability to earn points through travel and everyday activities, like purchases with co-branded credit cards. Members can redeem their points for free stays, experiences and more. Visit marriottbonvoy.com for more information and download the Marriott Bonvoy app here. Travelers can connect with Marriott Bonvoy on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook.

Wellness Oasis - Gratitude Nest
Wellness Oasis – Gratitude Nest

Wellness Oasis - Sensory Walk
Wellness Oasis – Sensory Walk

Agridence Transitions to Founder-Led Governance, Secures Global Investment to Accelerate Multi-Commodity Compliance Platform

Additional funding allows Agridence to better deliver its traceability modules and ESG solutions across agri-commodity sectors globally.


SINGAPORE Media OutReach Newswire – 13 August 2025 – Agridence Pte. Ltd. (“Agridence”), a Singapore-based technology leader in digital agri-commodity supply chains, today announced a funding round led by Cercano Management and supported by returning strategic investors EXEO Innovation Fund and Provident. This will empower Agridence to rapidly scale its multi-commodity compliance platform to help its customers by tackling industry-wide challenges such as supply chain opacity, sustainability risks, and fragmented smallholder networks.

CEO Gerald Tan, who led Agridence’s development since its inception in 2018, has invested additional capital to solidify his position as founder and the single largest individual shareholder of the company. This transition from a corporate venture-built startup to a founder owned and led enterprise underscores Tan’s commitment to delivering value to Agridence’s customers.

“This funding marks a pivotal new chapter for Agridence. We are immensely grateful for the foundational support from our early corporate shareholders; their backing was instrumental during our startup phase and crucial in building the robust platform we have today. Now, as we mature, embracing a founder-led model is key to unlocking greater agility and neutrality. That’s why this shift isn’t just about capital; it’s fundamentally about ownership alignment and direct accountability,” said Gerald Tan, CEO and Founder of Agridence. “The modular traceability infrastructure we built for natural rubber is now powering compliance for palm oil, cocoa, and beyond, proving these challenges are universal across agri-commodities, and we are now better positioned than ever to solve them.”

Why This Matters: Neutrality Meets Regulatory Urgency

The shift to an independent, founder-led model provides better alignment and allows Agridence to address a critical industry need for a truly neutral technology platform that serves all stakeholders without corporate bias.

Southeast Asia is a key source and integral region in the global agri-commodities supply chain. A platform like Agridence that applies technology while working with local stakeholders for a more transparent, sustainable, and responsible sourcing is imperative for the industry. With this additional capital and new model, we see immense potential in Agridence, especially so being independently led by a local founder who has an operating track record within the rubber sector and has a team with deep sector know-how and local knowledge,” said Yu Minjie, Managing Director at Cercano Management.

From Niche to Multi-Commodity Expansion

Agridence has evolved from its roots in digitizing physical natural rubber trades to delivering a comprehensive, multi-commodity platform for global MNCs and industry associations. Recent milestones include:

  • Natural Rubber: The Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber (GPSNR), whose members represent about 50% of the global market, uses Agridence’s reporting platform for annual sustainability data submissions.
  • Palm Oil: Agridence powers the RSPO Certification, Trade and Traceability System (prisma), supporting RSPO Certified Palm Oil trades and Sustainable Palm Oil Credits. This initiative went live in February 2025, with nearly 20,000 users expected on the system.
  • Coconut: As the technology partner for the Sustainable Coconut Partnership’s SCP Links platform, Agridence is simplifying sustainability reporting, digitizing audits, and increasing transparency.
  • Cocoa: The company is driving smallholder inclusion through mapping programs across Africa.

Interest is also growing in coffee, cashew, sugarcane, and other sectors. The new funding will accelerate Agridence’s go-to-market strategy, supporting entry into new commodity verticals and geographic markets through strategic partnerships and acquisitions.

“Our biggest differentiator is our team’s deep and diverse agri-commodity background,” Gerald Tan added. “Trust is everything in this business. By leveraging our relationships, domain expertise, and technology innovations, we deliver proven regulatory and risk frameworks that solve our customers’ real pain points. We know the challenges because we’ve lived them and our partners trust us to solve them.”

“Agridence has proven its capability to scale across multiple commodities and has earned the trust of global corporates, MNCs and industry associations. With momentum building in new commodities and geographies, the company is poised for exciting growth. We are proud to back the Agridence team as they enter this next chapter and deliver measurable impact across global supply chains,” said Lim Swee Yong, CEO of EXEO Innovation Fund Management.

Hashtag: #investment #impact #globalagrisupplychains #multicommoditysolution #traceability #governance


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About Agridence

Agridence is a Singapore headquartered agri-tech platform that digitises global agri-commodity supply chains to deliver end-to-end traceability, ESG compliance, and sustainability reporting. Our cloud-native, API-ready software combines AI analytics, geospatial mapping and mobile application data capture to monitor natural rubber, palm oil, cocoa, coconut and other crops end-to-end.

Multinational companies, traders, processors and smallholders rely on Agridence to be compliant with the European Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), RSPO, GPSNR and other certification and assurance models. By embedding technology, trust and transparency at scale, we help the agri-commodity sector reduce deforestation risk and build resilient, low-carbon, socially responsible supply chains.

The Agridence ecosystem unlocks:

  • Real time supply chain transparency and chain-of-custody tracking
  • Automated environmental, social and governance (ESG) risk analysis
  • Smallholder onboarding and digital payment workflows
  • API integrations with ERP, trading and certification systems

By turning complex compliance into competitive advantage, Agridence helps enterprises de-risk sourcing, protect forests, and build a more resilient, sustainable agriculture ecosystem.

Discover our agri-commodity compliance platform at , email info@agridence.com, or follow us on LinkedIn at.

About Cercano Management

Cercano Management is a multi-family office that provides investment advisory and other services to select business owners and their families, foundations, charitable organizations, and related entities. Headquartered in Bellevue, Washington, Cercano manages over US$10BN in global assets as of December 2024 across venture capital, private equity, private credit and public equity strategies. Cercano’s Asia headquarters in Singapore focuses on early-stage and private investments and has invested in 30 companies in the region since its inception in July 2019.