News & Analysis on Food & Beverage Development & Technology
Australian premium yoghurt brand The Yoghurt Shop will soon enter North America as the next step of its global expansion, on the back of encouraging responses for its recent Middle East debut.
Saudi Arabian F&B major Almarai is partnering with Google Cloud to accelerate its digital transformation initiatives to enhance operational efficiency, drive innovation and growth, and elevate customer experience in an increasingly competitive market.
The growing interest in plant-based meat and dairy alternatives in the Middle East, attributed to increasing health awareness and product options, is expected to propel growth of the alternative protein sector over the next few years.
This round-up features companies that are making inroads into the Middle East market, including Gautam rice, Thailand’s 3 Seasons Holding and Indonesia’s Haldin, as well as brands from the region that are rapidly expanding.
A study has found that increased dietary intake of magnesium and fibre is associated with reduced likelihood of developing metabolic syndrome (MetS) among Kuwaiti women, underscoring the need to encourage diets rich in these nutrients.
Thailand-based 3 Seasons Holding is gearing up to expand its operations into the Middle East, with plans to enter the region through Dubai within the next two years.
Saudi Arabia’s Vlinder Chocolate recently debuted its “Dubai chocolate-style” products in South Korea, on the back of the viral food trend that has taken the market by storm over the past year.
Gautam General Trading (GGT) aims to build on its success in the UAE and Oman to expand in Saudi Arabia, which it believes will be a key market to drive growth and help it claim top spot among rice importers in the region.
A study on coffee consumption patterns in Saudi Arabia has found that Saudi coffee is more widely consumed than Turkish coffee among the local population, and that caffeine intake levels remain within the daily recommended limit despite the category’s boom.
A synbiotic yoghurt could help reduce oxidative stress in adults with metabolic syndrome, according to a new RCT.
Dubai-based healthy snack brand Linafsi is adopting several strategies to overcome stiff competition, including flavour innovation and localisation, exploring new product formats, and expanding sales channels.
London-headquartered ice cream brand Little Moons hopes to woo premium consumers after successfully winning over youngsters and gaining market presence in the Middle East.
Kraft Heinz recently introduced a hands-free “snack dipper” device, which the food major says would solve the so-called problem of not being able to eat while gaming.
Health, heritage, and convenience are increasingly important to consumers, says Singapore’s food start-up O’nya as it plans strategic expansion with authentic peranakan pastes.
IFF wants to accelerate speed to market for food manufacturers in the Middle East and Africa, after its Creation and Design Center in Turkey was officially recognised as a key innovation centre by the country’s Ministry of Industry and Technology (MoIT).
Japan has earmarked the Middle East as its next major emerging market for exports with the establishment of a specialised export platform in the UAE, banking on the rising interest in Japanese food in the region.
German food supplement company Orthomol is aiming to replicate its South Korea success in other markets, especially in Asia and the Middle East.
Middle East food and beverage giant Agthia has reaped the rewards of solid investments into new product innovation with significant volume-led growth in the first half of 2024, and hopes to further boost this with its newly opened protein facility.
Qatari dairy firm Baladna has announced plans to double down on its new product innovation and international market expansion strategy, particularly in Algeria, after seeing a record growth in net profits over the first six months of 2024.
A study has identified ageing, female demographic, and pre-existing health conditions as some of the key factors that influence the Lebanese population’s uptake of the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet).
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.
The meteoric rise of FIX Dessert Chocolatier’s chunky chocolate bars can be attributed to the growing influence of social media on purchasing decisions, exclusivity, and unique regional flavours, says an analyst.
Thai seafood giant Thai Union has highlighted its ambient product business as the main sales growth booster for the company in the first half of 2024, further supplemented by rising tuna prices and its rapidly-growing value-added product category.
Increasing international business partnerships, growing production in the Middle East, and developments in traceability and regulations are set to propel the growth of the halal foods sector, according to a new report.
Snacking giant Mondelez says affordability, portion control and portfolio variety as important growth drivers for the AMEA snacking industry in an era when consumers have become increasingly fastidious about their spending.
The intake of freeze-dried kale and pea powders both led to improved metabolic profile among Saudi adults with obesity, but the latter was found to be superior for blood glucose control in a cross-over study.
India snack specialist Farmley has revealed new data showing that makhanas and dry fruits are popular across generations, with chocolate and vanilla flavours among the top favourites in its 2024 Healthy Snacking Report.
A new study underscores the ongoing nutrition challenges among Jordanian preschoolers, including persistent issues of vitamin D and iron deficiencies.
Middle East F&B firm Agthia will shift its strategy beyond a focus on the United Arab Emirates to firmly establish itself as a leader in markets in the wider MENA region and beyond by 2025.
Dubai-based healthy snack brand Freakin’ Healthy is leveraging Agthia Group’s resources and doubling down on consumer-driven product innovation to stand out in an increasingly crowded category.
A study suggests that individuals who are carriers of a specific genetic variant may reap better exercise performance from caffeine supplementation, underscoring a potential approach for developing personalised sports nutrition products.
Vietnamese brand Lúave is aiming to launch its instant boba milk tea across Asia, starting with low fat, low sugar options in Singapore.
Chinese firm GanoHerb has identified untapped opportunities in the Middle Eastern market, where awareness and availability of ganoderma products are relatively scant.
Singapore start-up Strictly Nuts is hoping to convince consumers that fox nuts are versatile go-to snacks for all ages, with a focus on heath and versatility to grow its reach in the market.
Swiss-based Origen X, which acquired the world’s oldest vodka brand, hopes a focus on heritage and authenticity will lead to success in key Asian markets.
US-based SAMBAZON is looking to expand uptake of açaí products in the Middle East, where the firm says awareness about the superfruit still has much room for growth.
The Brooklyn Creamery has launched a range of protein ice cream bars in its domestic market and the UAE, where it is leveraging its partnership with a quick-commerce platform to meet growing consumer demand for protein-rich desserts.
The bioactive compounds, high nutritional content and antioxidant capabilities of dates make the fruit an effective base ingredient for functional snack bars, says Saudi researchers.
India's Ochre Spirits is tapping into the global cocktail trend with its premium, lower calorie spirits that promise a superior drinking experience.
Middle Eastern food and beverage heavyweight Agthia has accelerated the development of its food safety and AI initiatives as part of the company’s digital roadmap, after strong financial performance in the first quarter.
Abu Dhabi is implementing a ban on various “avoidable” single-use Styrofoam consumer products, which will take effect from June 1, 2024.
South Korean food and beverage major Nongshim is intensifying global expansion activities, including raising visibility through event sponsorship in Dubai, entry into prominent supermarkets in France, and increasing production capacity for its US plant.
Selenium supplementation for 12 weeks had beneficial effects on several oxidative stress biomarkers and migraine symptoms, suggesting its potential as a complementary therapy, according to a new trial.
A Kuwait study found that children who consumed a lot of soda and milk had higher obesity risk than those who consumed high amounts of juice.
Brands should adapt their offerings and messaging to better address the demands of UAE consumers, as health, wellness and ESG practices remain key purchase drivers despite rising cost of living, new data reports.
A nutritional powerhouse that packs more protein and less cholesterol than cow's milk yogurt, buffalo yogurt is ripe for functional innovation, a study suggests.
Plant-based meat alternatives don’t appear to lower cardiovascular risks for Asians, prompting the need to relook at the nutrition profile during product formulation, say researchers.
This round-up features the growth strategies of Middle Eastern companies like GMG, Hunter Foods, and House of Pops, as well as how companies including Germany’s Haus Rabenhorst and Japan’s Aiya are eyeing market opportunities in the region.
Dubai-based snacks firm SMITHS is pursuing a bigger share of the Asian market by banking on its long brand history, and introducing products that are cleaner and tapping on evolving flavour trends.
Estonian oat milk brand YOOK is looking to capitalise on the pureness, nutritional value and “superior” taste of its products to break into the Asian and Middle Eastern markets.