Start-up Spotlight: Vietnam's Sokfarm, South Korea's SUUL SUUP, Singapore's Hey! Chips and more feature in our round-up

Coconut creations: Sokfarm taps rising sodium reduction trends and production advantages for new soy sauce alternative​

Vietnam-based Sokfarm believes that the rising demand for reduced sodium consumption as well as its natural coconut nectar production advantages have laid a strong foundation for the sales of its new aminos soy sauce alternative.

Sokfarm specialises in using coconut blossom sap to make a variety of unique products from coconut flower juice to coconut nectar, sweeteners and vinegar, but its latest endeavour has been the development of a new alternative to soy sauce dubbed aminos.

“We have a good footing in the beverage and sweetener markets, but realised that there is also a very big market to tap in the savoury space where soy sauce is one of the most-used condiments,”​ Sokfarm CEO Dinh Ngai Pham told FoodNavigator-Asia​ at Thaifex-Anuga Asia 2024.\\

Aloe appreciation: South Korea’s SUUL SUUP taps Jeju Island repute to make premium soju launch​

South Korean distilled soju brand SUUL SUUP has launched what it claims to be the first premium aloe vera soju, tapping on its use of ingredients from the renowned Jeju Island.

Jeju Island is one of South Korea’s most iconic destinations due to its scenery and traditional charms, and is most well-known for its famous mountain-shaped hallabong tangerines.

But whilst SUUL SUUP does use Jeju tangerines as an ingredient, the brand has instead chosen to highlight another less-known Jeju specialty which is aloe vera.

“SUUL SUUP is the first soju in Korea and anywhere in the world to use aloe vera as a core ingredient,”​ SUUL SUUP parent company SO1NE Managing Director Chris So told FoodNavigator-Asia.\\​

Fruitful transition: Hey! Chips’ strategic switch to domestic market yields increased sales, rising brand awareness​

Singapore-based Hey! Chips says that its switch in business strategy from overseas expansion to building presence in the local market has enabled it to gain a foothold in the healthy snacking category and a spurt in brand awareness.

Despite a “general growth in revenue”, Hey! Chips has undergone pivotal changes in business strategy since FoodNavigator-Asia​ first spoke to the brand​ last year.

Specifically, it has scaled back on overseas expansion and channelled its resources to grooming the brand in the domestic market, which has met with significant success, according to founder Emily Chu.

In focus: Can Asia’s AI-powered productivity drink find a niche in the market?​

Singapore-based Flojo believes that it has found a sweet spot in Asia's beverage market with an AI-powered ‘productivity drink’ targeting consumers who regularly use a lot of brain power.

Flojo’s functional beverage features reishi mushroom - more commonly known as lingzhi – as its star ingredient, combined with a variety of other botanicals such as ginseng, calendula, echinacea, schisandra and more to create what the firm’s Co-Founder Cherie Lui describes as the ‘most synergistic combination’ for focus and productivity.

“The formula is science-backed and we've worked with a neuro lab in Canada that studies hundreds of different plants to better understand how their natural ingredients and compounds impact cognitive pathways that have to do with focus, concentration, alertness and stress,” ​Lui told FoodNavigator-Asia​ in the latest episode of our Food and Beverage Trailblazers podcast.

Singapore’s Jääde brings premium water to China, eyes Middle East market​

Singapore-based Jääde is actively strengthening its presence in the local market for its packaged Finnish spring water, while working to expand across the region in the long run.

Founded in 2023, Jääde is currently focused on increasing brand awareness and building consumer trust in the local Singapore market, with a long-term goal of becoming a leading brand in the premium water sector.

According to Allan Poh, founder of Jääde and director of Aqua Matters Pte Ltd, the brand has begun online sales in China, and looks to expand into other South East Asian markets and the Middle East.