Convenience foods & snacks

Nestlé India launches new 'healthy' breakfast cereals in face of growing competition

10-Jul-2018 By Lester Wan

Nestlé India has launched a new range of breakfast cereals – NESPLUS – which the firm says has been tailored to local tastes, and adds another product to the increasingly competitive category.

Australia / NZ regulator seeks to overhaul charging structure for amendments to food standards code

09-Jul-2018 By Lester Wan

Food companies seeking to secure amendments to Food Standards Australia New Zealand’s (FSANZ) code of standards could face a revised set of costs, under plans put forward for consultation.

Healthy Ageing APAC Summit 2018

Healthy ageing product innovation does not follow the typical F&B business model: Nestlé China's research deputy

09-Jul-2018 By Tingmin Koe

Product innovation for the ageing population should not follow the usual food and beverage business model, according to the deputy manager of the Nestlé research centre in Beijing.

Move away from trans fats and focus on clean label spurs AAK's APAC expansion drive

09-Jul-2018 By Lester Wan

Ingredients firm AAK has been rapidly growing its footprint in Asia-Pacific across a number of categories, backed by plans for a new plant in the Philippines and a customer innovation centre in Japan.

CP Foods strikes deal for Thailand's biggest solar rooftop project in sustainable energy drive

05-Jul-2018 By Gary Scattergood

Charoen Pokphand Foods (CP Foods) has signed a deal with Gunkul Engineering to install Thailand's biggest solar rooftop project.

Australia's Country of Origin Labelling rules come into force with spot checks for 10,000 items

04-Jul-2018 By Lester Wan

Australia’s new Country of Origin Labelling (CoOL) rules are now fully in force, with regulators set to embark on 10,000 spot checks to ensure adherence.

Luxury US confectionery company Sugarfina unveils Asia expansion drive

03-Jul-2018 By Lester Wan

Beverly Hills luxury confectionery manufacturer and retail brand Sugarfina will open its first store in Asia this July and already has further expansion plans for other Asian markets.

Is Australia ready for a nationwide single-use plastics ban?

03-Jul-2018 By Lester Wan

An Australian senate inquiry has recommended a nationwide ban on all single-use plastics, which will include plastic bags, takeaway containers, plastic-lined coffee cups and chip packets, by 2023.

Ferrero reveals mass market expansion plans in India

02-Jul-2018 By Lester Wan

Ferrero India has revealed its plans to build a new product portfolio for the mass market in India, with the firm assessing opportunities for some of the 20 confectionery brands it acquired from the US unit of Nestle at the start of the year.

Five key features that will shape the online retail store of the future

02-Jul-2018 By Lester Wan

Online grocery sales in China will grow 286% by 2022 — accounting for 11.1% of the country’s total market — as the retail market continues to undergo unprecedented change.

Nestlé suspended by RSPO for ‘failing to submit’ palm oil sustainability reports

28-Jun-2018 By Tingmin Koe

Nestlé risks no longer being able to claim the use of certified sustainable palm oil following suspension of its Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) membership.

'New retail' convergence of offline and e-commerce sales transforming Asia's business landscape

28-Jun-2018 By Lester Wan

The merger of offline and online retail being pioneered by the likes the Alibaba — dubbed ‘new retail’ — will provide the foundation on which emerging economies will be built, a new report claims.

Healthy Ageing APAC Summit 2018

WATCH: Why Asian nations have the potential to be the global leaders for reformulation

27-Jun-2018 By Gary Scattergood

Far from following in the footsteps of Europe and the US, the Asia-Pacific region has the potential to be the global leader for food reformulation, in order to create healthier projects for its growing, and rapidly ageing, populations.

Strategies for success: How food and nutrition firms can reap the rewards of China's $125bn cross-border e-commerce market

27-Jun-2018 By Lester Wan

China's cross-border e-commerce or haitao purchases are set to reach US$125bn, but it appears food and nutrition firms need to develop more comprehensive strategies in order to overcome inherent market challenges.

Japan giant Nissin dragged into row over the future of Premier Foods CEO

26-Jun-2018 By Lester Wan

Japan’s Nissin Foods has been dragged into a high-profile dispute over the future of the CEO of Premier Foods — a major British manufacturer.

Fi Vietnam 2018

Consumer food trends in Vietnam: Rising incomes offering big opportunities for manufacturers

26-Jun-2018 By Lester Wan

The Vietnamese food and beverage industry is seeing strong growth along with rising incomes, and its unique characteristics and preferences bring opportunities that food firms need to know how to seize.

Fi Vietnam 2018

10 global food and beverage trends transforming the Thai market

25-Jun-2018 By Lester Wan

10 food and beverage trends around the world have already trickled into the Thai market in 2018, and are starting to shape the 'next generation' of consumer demands.

Australia’s changing grocery landscape is good for consumers but is it bad for business?

21-Jun-2018 By Lester Wan

Falling food prices in Australia are benefitting consumers, but the knock-on impact for industry appears to be far less positive.

Fi Vietnam 2018

Four factors to succeed in health-focused product innovations: Ex-Unilever VP of R&D

21-Jun-2018 By Lester Wan

If major food manufacturers are not striving to make genuinely healthier products then they are shaping up for failure, according to a former senior research and development executive at Unilever and Masan Consumer.

Salt shake-up: New grants available for reformulation solutions in Australia

20-Jun-2018 By Gary Scattergood

Food Innovation Australia Limited (FIAL) is urging food SMEs to reformulate products to provide lower salt levels, with grants totalling $300,000 available.

India’s draft ‘red light’ food labelling regulations in need of "massive strengthening"

20-Jun-2018 By Lester Wan

India’s proposed new Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations been dubbed a ‘good start’ but in urgent need of amendments to be truly effective in tackling obesity and diabetes.

Rising consumer awareness of impact of food waste recorded in the Middle East

20-Jun-2018 By Tingmin Koe

Middle Easter consumers are increasingly aware of the environmental impact of food waste, but the volume of goods being wasted remains stubbornly high.

Alibaba deploying cutting-edge technology to China's 400 RT-Mart stores under 'new retail' model

19-Jun-2018 By Lester Wan

Alibaba says it has already completed transforming a quarter of RT-Mart’s 400 China stores, equipping them with ‘new retail’ technology designed to bridge the gap between e-commerce and traditional bricks-and-mortar operations.

News not in briefs

Woolies in the nuddy: Retailer backs down over naked photo shoot

18-Jun-2018 By Gary Scattergood

Aussie retail giant Woolworths has caved into public pressure and given the green light for one of its rooftop car parks to be used for a naked photoshoot.

Healthy Ageing APAC Summit 2018

Food reformulation: Industries warned against searching for all-in-one ‘miracle food’

14-Jun-2018 By Tingmin Koe

Reformulation experts have warned food and beverage manufacturers against seeking to create ‘wonder foods’ in an attempt to solve Asia Pacific’s growing health challenges.

Healthy Ageing APAC Summit 2018

Healthy Ageing innovation: Five key consumer trends driving market growth in APAC

13-Jun-2018 By Lester Wan

From fortification to free-from, there are five key trends shaping demand for new products suitable for Asia’s rapidly ageing population, our first Healthy Ageing APAC Summit in Singapore has heard.

First death linked to Australian frozen pomegranate recall

12-Jun-2018 By Lester Wan

The death of a 64-year-old woman in Australia from hepatitis A has been linked to a nationwide recall of frozen pomegranates.

Japanese chain Daiso shuts down store and online shopping platform in Taiwan

11-Jun-2018 By Tingmin Koe

Japanese chain Daiso will close its Taiwan retail branch in Penghu and end its online shopping operation in the country by mid-June following a two-year import ban.

Edible insects insights Pt 3: Growth potential should pique interest of investors

07-Jun-2018 By Gary Scattergood

Bangkok-based expert of edible insects, Massimo Reverberi, has penned a three-part overview into the history, opportunities and challenges of expanding the market for alternative sources of protein. In this final article, he unveils the industry's...

Malaysian store specialising in local products booming in Saudi Arabia

06-Jun-2018 By Tingmin Koe

A store specialising in selling local Malaysian products to customers in Saudi Arabia has moved to vastly bigger premises on the back of rising consumer demand.

Edible insects insights Pt 2: Why flour power will continue to be strongest in Asia

06-Jun-2018 By Massimo Reverberi

Bangkok-based expert of edible insects, Massimo Reverberi, has penned a three-part overview into the history, opportunities and challenges of expanding the market for alternative sources of protein. In part two, he assesses the global farming landscape,...

ASIA'S FOOD FUTURE VIDEO SERIES

WATCH: Reformulation in focus — can industry fight the region's health battles head-on?

05-Jun-2018 By Lester Wan & Gary Scattergood

APAC's well-documented battle with obesity and diabetes is putting ever-greater pressure on manufacturers to reformulate to improve health outcomes, but what more can be done to encourage consumers, industry and policymakers to make changes for the...

New Vietnam food centre seeks to improve traceability, safety and standards in wake of recent concerns

04-Jun-2018 By Lester Wan

Blockchain technology is set to feature strongly at a new Vietnam Food Integrity Centre (FIC), which aims to improve standards in a nation that has been rocked by safety and hygiene issues in the recent past.

Next-gen nutrition: How new Korean 3-D food printer can meet individual dietary needs

04-Jun-2018 By Lester Wan

A new 3-D food printer that can create food items to meet an individual's nutritional needs at the push of a button has been unveiled in South Korea.

Mumbai-based organic food firm targeting international expansion as domestic consumer awareness increases

30-May-2018 By Lester Wan

Rapidly growing Mumbai-based organic food start-up Truefarm Foods is planning to expand into international markets starting from this June.

China’s JD Supermarket urges manufacturers to help drive food safety and traceability

30-May-2018 By Tingmin Koe

China retailer JD Supermarket has launched the JD Healthy Food Initiative in a bid to improve food safety, traceability and consumer access to healthier foods.

Why gluten-free packaged foods may be the safer option for coeliacs in Australia

29-May-2018 By Gary Scattergood

One out of 11 samples of ‘gluten-free’ foods tested in foodservice outlets in Melbourne, Australia, have been found to be contaminated with gluten at levels which could prove harmful to those with coeliac disease.

ASEAN’s growing middle class a top target for Aussie food and beverage businesses

28-May-2018 By Lester Wan

South East Asia’s growing middle class and the ASEAN nations’ developing markets are attracting more Australian food and beverage businesses seeking commercial or investment opportunities.

India’s FSSAI to finalise on-pack traffic-light labelling regulations

28-May-2018 By Lester Wan

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) plans to finalise its food labelling and display regulations for packaged food products — including proposed traffic light labelling for high fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) foods — within the next two...

Four major food trends driving growth in China: Fonterra

24-May-2018 By Lester Wan

Dairy giant Fonterra says four major trends are driving growth in China — and all of them are stemming from the nation's rapidly-growing middle class.

Fi Vietnam 2018

Food and beverage in Cambodia: Soaring demand offering huge potential for overseas brands

23-May-2018 By Lester Wan

Cambodia’s food and beverage market has been rapidly developing in recent years, which makes it ripe for investment from regional and international brands, according to Professor Samnang Nguon of the Cambodian Association of Food Science and Technology...

Australia’s packaging crisis: Nestlé backs 2025 100% recyclable or reusable target

22-May-2018 By Lester Wan

The Australian federal and state governments have recently set a target for all packaging in the country to be reusable, compostable or recyclable by 2025, but the question from various parties is, how exactly is that going to be realised?

Halal packaged food sales tipped for strong global growth thanks to APAC and Middle East markets

22-May-2018 By Lester Wan

Indonesia and the UAE will drive growth in the global US$55bn halal packaged food and drinks market over the next five years, with China also performing strongly despite its minority Muslim population.

Personalisation, online expansion and unmanned outlets: The future of food retail in Asia?

21-May-2018 By Lester Wan

More personalised formats, a growing number of unmanned outlets, and soaring online sales are set to be key features of Asia’s food retail landscape, according to a regional expert.

Winning Australia's mounting food waste battle will provide $20bn economic benefit

17-May-2018 By Lester Wan

A new Fight Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) will be launched in July to bring together industry, academics and the community to tackle the country's mounting food waste problem.

Heinz Wattie’s to cut jobs soon after Cerebos Gregg's acquisition in NZ

16-May-2018 By Lester Wan

Heinz Wattie’s is set to cut more than 40 jobs in the Hawke’s Bay region of North Island, New Zealand.

Fighting food waste in Singapore: ‘No brainer’ tracking tech and first standard unveiled

16-May-2018 By Lester Wan

Singapore has launched its first standard for manufacturers and processors to manage food waste, along with new software to track and trace production inefficiencies, as part of its fight to reduce the 800,000 tonnes of food that is discarded each year.

7-Eleven to compete against Japanese e-commerce giants Rakuten and Amazon with new delivery service

16-May-2018 By Lester Wan

Japan’s largest convenience store chain, 7-Eleven, has launched a 24-hour delivery service, Net Konbini, to compete with e-commerce players such as Rakuten and Amazon.

Nestlé India competes for bigger slice of breakfast market share with new cereal launches

15-May-2018 By Tingmin Koe

Nestlé Breakfast Cereals from Cereal Partners Worldwide (a joint venture between Nestlé S.A and General Mills) will be sold in India this year, Nestlé India said.

Yoghurt and cheese see consistent growth in China, although overall dairy consumption remains low

15-May-2018 By Lester Wan

Yoghurt and cheese are winning in China's dairy market, with Chinese consumers willing to pay a premium for dairy products with health-related attributes.