Where innovation grows: Behind the science of GAR’s sustainable palm oil

People often associate innovation with futuristic tech or gleaming labs. But at GAR, that's not always the case.

Sometimes, it's a scientist kneeling in the soil, checking plant health, a biotechnologist working with palm tissue culture to create better planting materials, or a food technologist working in a test kitchen, crafting trans-fat-free cream fillings or a vegan margarine.

At GAR, innovation is the way we tackle real-world challenges, every day. It's in the fields, the labs, and the mills, shaping how we make oil palm more productive, more resilient, and more useful in people's lives.

Across GAR's three science hubs - SMART Research Institute (SMARTRI), SMART Biotechnology Centre, and Marunda R&D Centre - hundreds of researchers, scientists, and technologists form the backbone of this innovation journey. Together, they're turning science into real-world solutions that improve yields, protect ecosystems, and deliver safer, healthier products to customers worldwide.

Science with a purpose: Why innovation matters in palm oil

Oil palm is the most productive oil-bearing crop, capable of producing more vegetable oil per hectare than any other vegetable oil crop. But with that productivity comes responsibility.

Oil palm is the most productive oil-bearing crop, capable of producing more vegetable oil per hectare than any other vegetable oil crop. But with that productivity comes responsibility.

Oil palm today faces mounting pressures - from climate change that threatens crop stability and water resources, to tightening global regulations around traceability, emissions, and deforestation. At the same time, consumers are demanding healthier, more sustainable, and ethically sourced products, pushing industries to adapt and innovate.

GAR's approach to these challenges is clear: science must lead the way.

By investing in R&D, GAR focuses on four interconnected goals:

SMART Research Institute: Field-driven, farmer-focused

When you walk through an oil palm plantation, you might just see trees - but for Jean Pierre Caliman, our Head of SMART Research Institute (SMARTRI) Division, it's a living, breathing research space. "Plantations are both farms and laboratories," he explains. "Every field gives us the opportunity to learn, improve, and innovate."

Located in Libo, Riau, SMARTRI has been at the forefront of GAR's agronomic research since 1996. With over 100 researchers, SMARTRI has delivered some of GAR's most important agronomic breakthroughs, helping boost productivity, improve sustainability, and strengthen smallholder support.

Among its key milestones:

For Jean Pierre, the mission is clear: "Our research is not about generating knowledge for its own sake. We translate science into practical solutions - solutions that help farmers improve productivity, safeguard ecosystems, and advance the long-term resilience of the oil palm sector."

SMART Biotechnology Centre: Breeding tomorrow's crops

While SMARTRI focuses on improving farming techniques in the field, SMART Biotechnology Centre in Sentul, Bogor, focuses on the genetic heart of the crop itself. Here, scientists are working at the cellular and molecular level to breed oil palms that are stronger, more productive, and better adapted to challenges of modern agriculture.

"Our work starts before the seed even goes into the ground," says Condro Utomo, Head of GAR's Biotechnology Department. "We explore what's inside the plant - its genes, its traits - so we can deliver planting materials that perform better, right from the start."

The centre has been steadily building its reputation as a regional biotech pioneer:

"What sets biotech apart is that we work with the building blocks of the plant itself. We're not just improving what's already there, we're also unlocking entirely new possibilities for the future of oil palm," says Condro.

He adds, "For me, the most rewarding part is seeing how advanced molecular tools, such as genetic markers, genome mapping, and tissue culture, can transform breeding from trial-and-error into a precise, targeted science. It means we can deliver stronger, more adaptable planting materials to the field, faster and with more confidence."

Marunda R&D Centre: Innovation from lab to shelf

In the bustling labs of GAR's Marunda R&D Centre in Jakarta, Isti Christianti and her team are solving challenges most consumers never think about:

How do you create a trans-fat-free cream filling that still delivers the same rich, indulgent mouthfeel?

How do you balance shelf life and stability without adding unnecessary additives?

And how do you develop plant-based fat alternatives that meet both performance and clean-label demands?

"There's a lot goes into even the simplest product," says Isti, R&D Category Sub Division Head. "We're balancing health, taste, texture, stability, and sustainability - all the same time. And that's what makes the work exciting."

At Marunda, innovation bridges upstream expertise with downstream solutions. It's where GAR's responsibly sourced palm oil is transformed into products that meet the evolving demands of customers worldwide. Whether it's specialty fats for bakeries, dairy alternatives, or clean-label formulations, the centre's role is to ensure that what GAR produces is high performance, traceable, and can meet the needs of today's markets.

Marunda R&D Centre has grown into a leading hub for food innovation, delivering breakthroughs that shape products from lab to shelf:

"At Marunda, innovation is about making science practical. It's not enough for something to work in the lab - it has to work for real people, in real products," says Isti.

For Isti, that's the true reward: "Every improvement we make brings better, healthier choices to the table. That's what keep us going."

These are just some of the ways GAR drives innovation to create smarter, more responsible palm-based solutions, all supporting our journey of growing with purpose. Learn more here.