With the Chinese New Year fast approaching Hong Kong is in the midst of formula frenzy, leading authorities to devise new means to safeguard the supply of baby powder to local parents.
China will be a key indicator of the state of the global pork market in 2013 after the world, according to Rabobank. Nevertheless, China’s pork producers will still face a challenging year in 2013.
Lawyers in the United States are queuing up to bring on board investors in KFC’s parent, Yum! Brands, for a class action lawsuit. The move follows nearly two months of questions concerning meat standards at the fast food chain’s Chinese operation.
New Zealand’s government has started a PR offensive to limit the impact of last week’s revelations that low levels of chemical residue were discovered in dairy products from the country, and Chinese consumers find themselves high on its charm list.
Recognising the newfound importance of the Chinese wine market, New Zealand’s vintners are pulling out the stops to make sure their exports have a place in Far East cellars.
SAB Miller is blaming ‘exceptionally cold and wet winter weather’ for a third quarter volume decline in China, which meant lager volumes declined in its Asia Pacific business by 1% overall.
Mengniu saw its brand value plummet by more than 30% in 2012, as Chinese public concern over the safety of domestically-manufactured dairy products continued to turn consumers towards ‘safer’ international brands.
Chinese dairy Mengniu has further extinguished rumours that it is in talks to acquire milk supplier China Modern Dairy in a clarifying statement filed with the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong.
Arla Foods has no plans to acquire, merge or partner with any other Chinese dairy industry players under its recently-unveiled five-year strategy, a spokesperson for the Denmark-based co-operative has revealed.
Food policymakers in China have had a busy few days with party leadership outlining the need for agricultural modernisation, the government demanding improvements in logistics and the food watchdog offering rewards for whistleblowers.
Having foods and ingredients approved by Jewish rabbis may not seem a matter that would of great importance to non-Jewish food and supplement manufacturers – not so.
Chinese dairy processor Yashili has announced plans to establish infant formula manufacturing operations in New Zealand – becoming the latest in a growing line of Chinese dairy processors to make the move south.
NESTLE POISED FOR CONTINUED CHINESE COFFEE DOMINANCE: ANALYST
Nestlé’s ‘smart investment’ in Chinese whole bean coffee is likely to consolidate its market-leading position within the category there, as it stands poised to release a local product, according to a top beverage analyst.
India’s newfound position as the world’s leading rice exporter has not escaped the attention of China, which may look to its western neighbour for increasingly greater rice supplies over the coming years.
Wine Intelligence has warned wine exporters to China against 'seeing only dollar signs' in the world's fifth-largest wine market, and said it was important to understand Chinese consumers, not just parachute in western brands.
The Coca-Cola Company has confirmed that it has filed a police report in China targeting recent internet hoax rumors that its orange juice contains an illegal fungicide, and will pursue legal redress.
INDUSTRY VOICES: HEAD OF AKTIEFOKUS CHINA, JACOB DE LICHTENBERG
Chinese beer giant Tsingtao Brewery is set to further consolidate its leading market position in Shaanxi by significantly expanding capacity with two new breweries, while AB InBev is also rumoured to be keen on penetrating the central Chinese province.
As the Chinese government boosts agriculture productivity in its drive to ensure national food security, a new report has suggested that government subsidies will continue to grow.
Stores in Australia are fighting to replenish stocks of infant formula following an unprecedented surge in demand from Chinese customers wary of the safety of products at home.
The Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) has sought to assure the market that almost all of its shipments of palm cooking oil to China have met the destination’s quality control specifications.
The Beijing municipal government will soon introduce a strict law, as well as an accountability system, to ensure food safety in the city. The move follows measures recently taken by Shanghai to blacklist firms that ignore health regulations.
A joint report by China and Australia has predicted that bilateral co-operation between the nations in agricultural investment and technology will flourish.
After a decade of rising profits on the back of Chinese demand for coal and iron ore, Japan's two biggest biggest trading companies are shifting focus to food as bulk commodity prices and demand continue to wane.
“Human guinea pigs”, “gambling with health” and “shadowy research project”—the terms came thick and fast in Greenpeace’s revelation about Golden Rice earlier this year.
With rumors swirling that Japanese giant Suntory is considering a $6bn IPO next year, one analyst reasons that any desire to enter the UK market could see it target Barr Britvic Soft Drinks.
Multinational Suntory Holdings plans to sell shares in its non-alcoholic drinks business to fund a mergers and acquisitions (M&A) drive, according to unnamed sources cited by Bloomberg.
Cambodia has inaugurated a food industry laboratory, built with Chinese aid, that sets out to assist food quality improvement, research and technology development.
INDUSTRY VOICES: HEAD OF AKTIEFOKUS CHINA, JACOB DE LICHTENBERG
For Chinese beer market followers, one of the most interesting developments over the last fortnight was Danish brewer Carlsberg’s announced strategy shift and expressed desire to acquire one of the nation's top three domestic brewers.
It seems like the sale of Dole's worldwide packaged foods and Asia fresh business to Itochu is almost complete, following an announcement that the American fruit major's president will be joining Itochu to run the company's new acquisitions.
The Chinese have given a vote of confidence to their government's public services, while at the same time voicing criticism about the quality of what they eat.
Yakult Honsha’s love affair with Yonghe is set to continue with the announcement of a second plant to be built in the economic zone in Guangzhou Province, China. The factory, which will produce the Yakult fermented milk drink, is slated to open in spring...
The “Golden Rice” scandal that has panicked parents and called into question research methods at an American university has seen a new development with the sacking of three officials in China.
Wine Intelligence analysts provide the lowdown on the five key developments the research group expects to see within the world’s fastest growing wine market China in 2013.
China’s potato chip consumption is low with consumers choosing biscuits, candy and chocolate instead, but the US and France top the global consumption charts, new research shows.
The key to winning over Chinese consumers is mastering distribution strategies, according to a new report by Rabobank, which also suggests that the country should be on the radar of European and American processed food companies that are facing flat growth...
Sunwin Stevia International hopes to penetrate the Chinese bakery sector further by targeting the private label segment with a range of stevia formulations.
Changing trends in traditional key export markets are presenting both hurdles and opportunities for Australia's boxed-beef exporters, according to a recently released industry report.
Wrigley has opened a factory in Guangzhou with an investment of over RMB1m (US$173.4m). The company claims that the 138,000sq-m site, in the Yonghe Economic Zone, is the largest, most technologically advanced manufacturing facility in its global supply...
Japanese dairy giant Meiji Holdings has set aside 11.5bn yen ($140m, €110m) to build and equip a new processing plant under plans to increase its yogurt and milk product processing capabilities.
A US-based investment firm insists that PepsiCo needs to focus on its most profitable brands and emerging markets such as China to bolster margins and regain ground on Coke.
