Increasingly wellness-focused consumers want to make every bite (or sip) count – which means they not only are looking to cut back on unfamiliar and unhealthy ingredients, such a sugar, sodium, saturated fat or “chemicals”, they also want foods and beverages that are packed with functional benefits that support their health goals.
The challenge for food industry innovators and stakeholders across the supply chain is how consumers – as well as legislators and regulators – define healthy is a moving target, and one person’s definition often conflicts with that of another.
So how can the industry know which better-for-you trends, claims and functional benefits best resonate with consumers and are here to stay? How should they approach renovation and innovation to meet public-health goals and consumer demand without sacrificing taste or brand loyalty?
The FoodNavigator Positive Nutrition Interactive Broadcast Series will take a look at the different facets of nutrition. It will consist of eight category focused sessions happening on Wednesdays between January 22, 2025 and March 19, 2025, and will cover: Sugar Reduction, Weight Management, Functional Beverages, Plant-Based Innovation, Healthy Ageing, Mood Food, Healthy Alternatives and Healthier Snacking.
The session on plant-based innovation, hosted by Gary Scattergood, FoodNavigator-Asia Editor-in-Chief and Regional Director: APAC at publisher William Reed, takes place on February 19 at 3pm SGT.
Gary said: “While the wider economic landscape and consumer education remain challenges for the plant-based sector in Asia, there are several opportunities for the industry to make gains across the region. With plant-based diets very much steeped in the tradition of many markets, industry can capitalize by enhancing the nutritional value of plant-based products, producing “cleaner” labels, maximizing texture and crucially focusing on affordability versus other forms of protein.
“In this broadcast we’ll be hearing from the brands, industry representatives and academics at the forefront of this charge, and who are providing products that can appeal to consumers from a health, taste, sustainability and affordability standpoint, while drilling down into the trends in key markets, and looking at the possibilities for next-gen plant-based products.”
Guests include Saket Jhajharia, Vice President, ID Capital, Ryan Xue, Co-Founder and Executive Director, China Plant Based Foods Alliance (CPBFA), Dr. Shaun Sim, Senior Research Fellow, Singapore Institute of Food and Biotechnology Innovation (SIFBI) and Smith Taweelerdniti, Managing Director, Nithi Foods.
