Singapore’s Antrique Holdings has launched an Nvidia-powered AI food innovation initiative in Brunei, beginning with a planned 14-hectare coffee plantation in Tungku as the first testing ground for technology that could later be applied across wider food production.
Planting is expected to begin shortly, with the first commercial harvest projected within three to five years for domestic consumption and exports.
Antrique aims to generate datasets from local production to progressively develop AI models that can improve productivity across food production, with the longer-term goal of commercialising these technologies internationally.
A groundbreaking ceremony for Antrique’s AI-Powered Food Innovation Initiative and its AI Innovation Campus was held at their Tungku site on August 5, officiated by Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies and Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Abdul Manaf Haji Metussin.
Backed by the Brunei Investment Agency, Antrique Holdings is an international investment platform focused on advancing AI, technology and strategic investments.
Through its Brunei subsidiaries, Antrique Sdn Bhd leads the development of the group’s AI infrastructure and capabilities, with the coffee plantation serving as its inaugural AI application.
Envolv Sdn Bhd complements these efforts by developing the supporting data centre infrastructure and managing the plantation. This facilitates data collection, AI model development and the deployment of AI applications in real-world operating environments.
Antrique Director Alvina Lau said Arabica coffee would initially be planted, while research is also underway into hybrid varieties suited to Brunei’s climate.
“The plantation will serve as the platform’s first practical AI application, providing a real-world environment for collecting data and developing and deploying AI models,” Lau said.
Solar panels will provide shade and help reduce temperatures around the coffee plants while generating renewable energy to power sensors, digital tools and AI infrastructure.
Paired with battery energy storage systems (BESS), the setup will allow the project’s power needs to be met on-site, strengthening energy resilience while reducing reliance on the national grid.
Antrique also plans to expand the plantation when all 14 hectares are fully utilised.
“Coffee is a very unique crop which we believe has the potential to be developed much further in Brunei,” Lau said. “But we also see a lot of potential across Brunei’s food sector, which is why we want our AI system to be able to support growth across other crops and even aquaculture.”
Antrique also plans to develop a token factory to support the creation and commercialisation of AI-ready datasets, specialised models and applications developed in Brunei, and is exploring opportunities to collaborate with leading universities and research institutions including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Lau said Brunei’s food sector offers foreign investors opportunities to pioneer and scale food production, especially for export, with the government supportive in providing land and facilitation for setup.
Brunei’s food exports surged 52.4% to $13 million in 2025, driven primarily by animal feed, eggs and fisheries.
Antrique also collaborated with NVIDIA to host the AI4BRUNEI workshop, bringing together government stakeholders and strategic partners for discussions that included the development of a national open AI model.
US Embassy Chargé d’Affaires in Brunei Laura Brown, who opened the workshop, said the US was keen to support Brunei’s innovation ecosystem.
“As the world leader in innovation and emerging technologies, we support the development of Brunei’s innovation ecosystem through American technology, knowledge exchange and capability development,” Brown said.
“Collaboration with US companies, including NVIDIA, creates benefits for the people of Brunei and strengthens ties between Brunei and the United States.”
