All grown-up: Adult sodas see strong retailer backing in APAC but pricing pinch points persist
Adult sodas are receiving strong retailer backing and shelf space in the APAC region on the back of the rising alcohol moderation trend, but the sector still needs to navigate serious challenges in the form of rigid consumer habits and pricing pinch points.
The concept of alcohol consumption moderation in APAC has been on the rise in recent years driven strongly by a boom in consumer health awareness post-COVID-19, and this has in turn led to the accelerated innovation of many types of no-to-low alcoholic (NOLO) beverages across the region.
APAC stevia trends: Dairy, traditional snacks providing growth alongside beverages
Reformulation and new production development of dairy products, dried foods, bakery and snacks, along with beverages, are driving stevia growth in China and the wider Asia Pacific region, claims global ingredient firm Tate & Lyle.
According to Abigail Storms, the firm’s Global Head of Sweeteners, beverage reformulation remains buoyant.
Germinating growth: China alt protein scene increasingly competitive, but localisation key to success
China’s plant-based and cultured meat market is getting increasingly competitive, but industry collaboration and product localisation are going to be crucial if it is to become more ‘relevant’ to consumers.
One size no longer fits all, added Executive Director of the China Plant-Based Food Alliance (CPBFA) and AgFood Future Foundation (AGF) Ryan Xue.
Fruit without frills: No added sugar trend and affordability push driving Middle East juice growth
The juice industry in the Middle East is being driven by demands for no added sugar products in the wake of rising health consciousness and government ‘sin taxes’, along with major brand efforts to make them affordable to the mass market.
Studies including over 700,000 participants across the Middle East have found obesity rates to be stubbornly high in the region at 23% or more over the two decades from 2000 to 2020.
This is in spite of initiatives to combat this situation such as Saudi Arabia’s Healthy Food Strategy in 2019 and ‘sin taxes’ on multiple food and beverage items including soft drinks and energy drinks in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Oman.
Functional food opportunity: Aussie researchers embark on hemp nutritional quality project to boost market
Australian researchers have been awarded $530,543 to develop hemp varieties of high nutritional value that are best-suited to local conditions, in order to boost opportunities across functional foods and nutraceuticals.
Southern Cross University has received the funding for its ‘New crop on the block: Genetic control of hempseed nutritional quality’ from the Australian Research Council.