‘Two parts truth, one part lie’: Familiarity drives acceptance of novel foods
Highlighting familiar aspects of novel foods while downplaying their formulation could be key to encouraging consumers to embrace alternative proteins.
All Asia-Pacific
Big news 2024: FoodNavigator-Asia’s Top 10 most-read stories this year
We bring to you our top 10 most viewed stories from the APAC food and beverage sector in 2024, featuring household names like Nestle’s coffee ambitions, India’s spice industry scandal, various regulatory updates throughout the region and more.
2024 Top Trends: This year’s top 10 APAC food and beverage industry trends stories
From alternative protein developments, increased sustainability-focused initiatives, sugar reduction mandates and more, we bring you the top 10 most-read trends stories from the food and beverage industry throughout 2024.
Value-for-money is key priority for tourists of all income levels visiting ASEAN
Value-for-money propositions have emerged as the key priority and attraction factor for the majority of tourist consumers visiting the South East Asian region regardless of their income brackets, according to data from a new Oxford Economics report.
Asia Pacific AgriTech Innovation Summit
Asia can still lead protein transition - product improvement, government support needed
Asia is still set to be the region leading global protein transition away from traditional animal meat production and consumption, but much more work on existing products is still needed in order to see this realised.
This year in alt proteins: The Top 10 APAC alternative protein stories in 2024
We bring you the top 10 most-read alternative protein stories from the APAC food and beverage industry in 2024, featuring cultivated meat challenges, plant-based dairy terms, protein made ‘out of thin air’ and more.
Dairy opportunities in Asia abundant for foreseeable future – expert insights
There is a wealth of opportunities for the dairy sector in Asia to grow and innovate particularly China and South East Asia, say experts.
Regulatory review: Our 2024 Top 10 most-read APAC F&B regulation and policy stories
We reveal the top 10 most viewed regulation and policy stories from the food and beverage industry in 2024, featuring the EU Deforestation Regulation, Malaysia milk regulations, South Korea recycled PET approval and more.
APAC must overcome policy, behaviour gaps to meet nutrition goals – expert panel
The Asia Pacific region still needs to overcome major gaps in policy implementation and consumer behaviour management in order to meet ideal nutritional goals, according to an expert panel.
Brands in business: Our 2024 Top 10 most-read APAC food and beverage brands news
We reveal the top 10 most viewed brands stories from the APAC food and beverage sector in 2024, featuring well-known names like Nestle, Mondelez, PepsiCo and more.
Aesthetic appeal: Social media culture driving increasing demand for ‘better-looking’ food and beverage products
The importance of social media and online food photography have rapidly increased consumer demand for ‘better-looking’ food and beverage products in the Asia Pacific region, with a focus on elements such as clarity and colour.
Better-for-you updates: The Top 10 most-read healthier innovation stories in 2024
See our top 10 most-read healthier innovation stories from 2024, featuring Nestle’s healthy ageing plans, Philippines' added sugar ban plans, protein made from air and more.
FNA TRAILBLAZERS EP 54
HaruPlate to tap gaming and cultural triggers to get young children eating healthy
Singapore-based children’s food firm HaruPlate is looking to tap on mediums of gameplaying as well as cultural influences to get kids in the APAC region to first eat at all, then eat healthier.
On-pack updates: Our Top 10 most-read food and beverage packaging stories in 2024
Read our top 10 most-viewed food and beverage packaging stories throughout 2024, featuring various packaging and labelling regulatory updates, Perfetti Van Melle’s packaging strategy, Yili’s unique new twist-top tea bottle and more.
Asia Pacific Agri-Tech Innovation Summit
Precision fermentation sector needs to be ‘realistic’ in light of fading funds
The precision fermentation sector in Asia Pacific needs to take a more ‘realistic’ approach to operational and infrastructural management with a shift towards collaborative attitudes, in light of funding becoming increasingly scarce.
Our Top 10 APAC food and beverage industry food safety and security stories in 2024
We reveal the top 10 most-read food safety and security stories from the APAC food and beverage industry from 2024, featuring chemical leaching and antibiotic fears, package labelling to ensure safety, import regulations and more.
Trend Tracker: Reformulated RTD drinks, Pernod Ricard ultra-prestige launch and more
Reformulated RTD drinks, Pernod Ricard’s ultra-prestige launch, kimchi beverage in a can and more feature in this edition of Trend Tracker.
Traditional Japanese shoyu maker expands soy sauce seasoning range for exports
Long-standing Japanese brand Nihonichi Shoyu has added a yuzu soy sauce and cheese flavoured seasoning powder to its product range for its initial batch of exports into the APAC market.
Elevate your nutrition knowledge with our biggest ever global broadcast series
Eight free webinars, over 50 experts and one unmissable opportunity to turn nutrition insights into action. It’s FoodNavigator’s global Positive Nutrition event
FNA DEEP DIVE: CULTIVATED MEAT
Luxury or complement? What does the future hold for APAC cultivated meat?
The cultivated meat and seafood sector in APAC has gone through various ups and downs in recent years – but now that the dust has settled, what does the industry truly see as the path forward?
A sharper Asian focus: Five studies to explore HMOs, postbiotics in APAC populations
Five Asia-focused projects will examine the effects of human oligosaccharides (HMOs) and postbiotics – independently or with probiotics – on immunity, metabolism, ageing, and mental health.
Indonesia WTO submission warns food firms against high sugar, salt or fat content
The Indonesian government’s latest notification to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) has included a stern warning to both domestic and foreign food firms against introducing products with high sugar, salt or fat content.
Elle & Vire push AI as tool for ‘inspiration but not for use as-is’ in dairy
Dairy brand Elle & Vire has highlighted artificial intelligence (AI) as an efficient tool for inspiration and time-saving, but urged that this cannot yet ‘be used as-is’ to replace human creativity or innovation.
Cultivated meat must be in sync with religious, cultural beliefs for commercial success
The cultivated meat sector needs to be aligned with not only food safety regulations but also local religious and cultural beliefs in Asia if commercial success is to be achieved in the region.
Coffee with lactoferrin: MAD Foods, TurtleTree to launch new range in mid-2025
MAD Foods, a Singapore-headquartered company specialising in plant-based ready-to-drink beverages, is partnering TurtleTree in developing a new line of functional oat milk coffee containing lactoferrin that will be launched in mid-2025.
Hidden hunger: How dairy can help tackle the triple burden of malnutrition among South East Asian children
South East Asian children are facing the triple burden of malnutrition – undernutrition, overnutrition, and micronutrient deficiencies, with the latter, known as ‘hidden hunger’, emerging as an alarming trend.
Growth Asia Summit 2025: Early bird delegate rate extended to December 24!
The early bird delegate sale, with a 25% discount, for our Growth Asia Summit has been extended to December 24.
Asahi sales buoyed by rise in local beer demand and international Super Dry growth
Asahi Group Holdings (Asahi) has seen steady growth in the third quarter of 2024 buoyed by a rise in local Japanese demand for beer as well as international interest in its Super Dry product.
We’ve upgraded FoodNavigator-Asia to give you more of what you love
Our site has moved to a new platform to improve your reading experience. Here’s what to look out for!
Probiotics, botanicals dominating packaged foods
Recent research findings by Euromonitor International highlight the prominence of probiotic and botanical ingredients in packaged foods in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, which also underscores innovation opportunities for wider application and variation.
Tariffs and capital drought: A threat to APAC climate adaptation efforts?
Everyone knows we need to produce more food, with fewer resources. But how is Asia’s agri-food sector turning words into action, and what more urgently needs to be done?
Vitafoods Asia 2024
Life stages and dosage formats fuelling sleep support innovation
Supplements for sleep support are moving beyond melatonin or GABA pills designed for the general population, as companies place greater attention on insomnia and menopause, and designing non-pill products, such as meal replacement powders.
Oterra to boost Asia production, push ‘bold innovations’
Natural colours manufacturer Oterra is boosting its production capacity in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region while continuing to create “bold innovations” based on its latest survey findings.
Australia, Japan take home top awards in 2024 World Steak Challenge
Australia and Japan have successfully claimed the titles of World’s Best Steak and Asia’s Best Steak respectively in this year’s World Steak Challenge.
Fusion focus: Italian food with a Japanese twist key for frozen food firm's SEA expansion
Japanese-based Italian food brand Amici is aiming to fuse the traditions of both cuisines as it seeks to exports frozen products to South East Asia.
Asian dairy drive: Lactose-free milk innovation could be key for Nordic firms to gain foothold in region – Valio
Finnish dairy co-operative Valio believes a focus on lactose-free milk innovation with an identical taste profile to regular dairy is the way to gain more prominent recognition within the Asian dairy market.
Bowmore seeks to stand out in burgeoning travel retail market in Asia with differentiated whiskey ages, packaging design
Suntory-owned Bowmore’s new travel retail range aims to beat competition through differentiated whiskey ages and a revamped packaging design, which it says depicts its storied history and forward-looking efforts.
Packaging with starch: Thai firm offers tapioca-based thermoplastic material as sustainable option for food industry
Thai Wah is aiming to use its tapioca-based thermoplastic starch (TPS) for its consumer food packaging to create a closed-loop solution starting with cassava cultivation and ending with eco-friendly waste that enriches the soil.
Plug and play: UMAMI Bioworks targets stability, safety, and customisation to drive cultivated seafood growth in South Korea
UMAMI Bioworks says it will tap into South Korea’s lead in novel foods in its latest collaboration with biotechnology firm KCell Biosciences and bioprocess solutions provider WSG.
Flavours and colours 2025: Personalised wellness and bold, fruity profiles set to shape food trends – ADM
ADM has identified four key trends that will influence the food and beverage industry, focusing on personalised wellness and bold, fruity flavours.
‘Quality over quantity’: Pernod Ricard prioritises ultra-prestige portfolio to satisfy growing appetite for premium and niche spirits
Alcohol major Pernod Ricard is focusing on increasing awareness and availability of its prestige brands in burgeoning markets and channels, while expanding its premium craft spirits portfolio to meet growing interest for niche products.
Inflation issues: Unilever India announces ‘calibrated price increases’ after being hit with major palm oil and tea cost hikes
Hindustan Unilever India (HUL) has announced plans to implement ‘calibrated price increases’ in light of inflationary pressures leading to significant cost hikes in palm oil and tea.
Kimchi in a can: South Korea’s Narichan launches new RTD drink to move beyond tradition and boost exports
South Korean kimchi-focused company Narichan has launched a new ready-to-drink (RTD) kimchi drink in a bid to move beyond the traditional concepts of the product and consumption boost exports.
Slash the silos: Greater food industry collaboration needed in SEA to mitigate climate and supply threats
Greater cross-border collaboration across food chains is urgently needed in South East Asia to meet the rising threats of climate change, supply risks and geopolitical uncertainity.
Eggy excellence: Eggnovo eyes Asia’s booming beauty-from-within market with low-dose, upcycled eggshell collagen
Spain-based Eggnovo has set its sights on the beauty-from within and joint health markets in Asia, believing that its collagen upcycled from eggshells can provide consumers with a versatile option that is required in much lower doses than regular collagen.
FNA DEEP DIVE: FOOD SAFETY & TRACEABILITY
Digital defence: Why APAC food firms are prioritising tech investments for food safety and traceability
Investments into food safety and traceability tech are becoming major priorities for many food and beverage firms across the Asia Pacific region, with regional experts telling us this is inn response to rapidly-evolving local needs.
Join us for Microbiome Innovations APAC webinar on Tues, Nov 5
Our Microbiome Innovations APAC editorial webinar will take place on Tuesday (November 5), 3pm Singapore time, and registration is FREE.
Dark chocolate lowers depression in menopausal women – RCT
Dark chocolate reduced depression scores among menopausal women but had no significant effect on sleep quality and anthropometric indices, according to researchers.
Garbage in, garbage out: Artificial intelligence could become ‘crucial’ nutraceutical industry tool if 'care is taken'
The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the nutraceuticals industry could become a ‘crucial’ component of innovation and regulatory compliance processes, but care must be taken regarding the information that is fed into the technology.
Fastest wins: Tate & Lyle on why innovation speed and digitalisation is key for success in Asia
Tate & Lyle has highlighted that speedy innovation and operational digitalisation are more important to the food and beverage sector in Asia than anywhere else in the world, amidst the unveiling of its new globally-connected research laboratory.