The KH Roberts Journey

1937

Pioneering Specialty Food Ingredients

The earliest origin of KH Roberts started in 1930s in Singapore when founder Mr. Ong Boon Seng, a seasoned trader in the food industry, first started a trading company that specialised in the distribution of imported food ingredients, including flavours and colours. A rarity at that time, the company was considered one of the early pioneers in specialty food ingredients.

1968

Founded in Singapore

The business quickly took on a specialised focus in aromas and tastes. In 1968, KH Roberts was founded under the name Keith Harris & Co. (Far East) Pte Ltd by Mr. Ong Boon Seng in association with Mr. Ernest Keith Harris, a pioneer Australian flavours industrialist.

In the same year, the very first dedicated food flavours production factory was built in Singapore and it was widely recognised as one of the first purpose-built food flavours manufacturing facility in Southeast Asia with production capabilities in liquid and powder flavours.

1970

Expansion in Asia

KH Roberts invests in Southeast Asia and beyond, establishes presence in key growth markets including Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Philippines.

1998

Expansion of Singapore Facility

Backed by strong demand and growth, KH Roberts invests and expands on its original 1968 flavours factory in Singapore. The production capacity was tripled with the commissioning of new flavour production equipment.

2000

Aroma Encapsulation - First in Southeast Asia

Driven by our thirst for innovation, KH Roberts became the first regional flavour house to set up commercial spray-dried flavour encapsulation and R&D facilities in Singapore and Southeast Asia. Building on our own proprietary aroma encapsulation techniques, today KH Roberts’s Caproma^® Encapsulated Flavours is well acclaimed in the markets for its high impact, stable performance and ease of applications in a variety of products.

2001

KH Roberts Malaysia

KH Roberts opens Malaysia facility integrating commercial centre and distribution warehouse to serve our customers in whole of Malaysia.

2002

KH Roberts Indonesia

KH Roberts sets up Indonesia facility housing a purpose-built flavours manufacturing and creation centre, bringing our flavour expertise to customers in Indonesia.

2003

Natural Extracts and Purification (Menthol)

KH Roberts acquires menthol refining technologies and production capabilities, leading KH Roberts’ foray into purified menthol and associated products. KH Roberts started supplying triple-refined natural menthol crystals in high purity form.

2004

KH Roberts Thailand

KH Roberts opens Thailand facility integrating flavours production, commercial centre and distribution warehouse, supplying our products to Thailand and the Indochina market.

2010

Delivering Pure Aroma in Every Drop

After more than 40 years of flavour creation, KH Roberts rebrands with its unique “pure” positioning – bringing to customers and consumers safe, high quality, unadulterated and innovative aromas and tastes.

2018

50 Years and Beyond

KH Roberts celebrates 50 years of founding and beyond.

Relocates to a new purpose-built 100,000 sq ft flavours manufacturing facility in Singapore integrated with flavour research, innovation, creation, analytical and production capabilities in liquid, powder and encapsulated flavours. The facility adopts advanced automation and digitisation, and brings together wet and dry pilot trial capabilities – a first amongst flavour companies regionally.

This brings the total dedicated flavours manufacturing space in the region to more than 200,000 sq ft.

2018

KH Roberts welcomes Mitsui & Co., Ltd. as strategic investor and partner to join us in our growth and expansion.