The scale of Singapore’s challenge to achieve 30% food self-sufficiency by 2030 has been underlined by new data released by the city state’s national food agency.
Nestle has announced healthy growth in Asia in the first quarter of 2022 after imposing price rises across all its markets, with the F&B giant warning of further hikes to come due to the Ukraine crisis.
Chinese consumers have determined the traffic light labelling system as well as distinct warning labels highlighting ‘negative’ nutrients such as sugar, salt and saturated fat to be the most effective forms of front-of-pack labelling (FOPL), according...
The South Korean government has updated national standards for food packaging recyclability, meaning that food and beverage manufacturers will need to review their current packaging to ensure it doesn't fall into the ‘difficult to recycle’ category.
South Korea has introduced two major new import policies for food and beverage firms looking to sell in the country – a year-round express customs clearance application system and a new ‘Use By’ date labelling requirement for all food and beverage imports.
The Middle East has emerged as a prime location for growth of the frozen snacks sector due to its climate and rising consumer demand, but innovation is needed to overcome longstanding cold chain challenges.
Today we can reveal the fist wave of speakers confirmed for our Growth Asia Summit, an in-person, face-to-face conference taking place across three days in Singapore in October.
The New Zealand food and beverage sector has secured victory in a 12-year-long competition battle that looks set to finally see the government introduce a mandatory grocery code of conduct.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority India (FSSAI) has issued new, stricter standards to govern the use of recycled plastic for food packaging after facing pushback from a group of concerned scientific experts.
A recent South Korean government survey has revealed a significant boost in processed food sales over the past year, with both the number of purchases and frequency on the rise.
The Indian food regulator is being urged to include on-pack ‘warning labels’ for sugar, salt and fats as part of its upcoming health star rating system for packaged foods.
South Korea’s kimchi and premium fruits including strawberries and grapes have experienced record growth numbers in 2021 due to evolving post-COVID-19 consumer trends, according to recent government reports.
Nepalese peanut butter brand Sanchai, that was founded to provide much needed jobs for women, is seeking to bounce back from its COVID-19 slowdown by exporting to Singapore and exploring market opportunities in the United States.
Policy chiefs in the Philippines have circulated guidelines for food firms to eliminate the use of Trans-Fatty Acids (TFA) in pre-packaged processed foods by next year, including prohibiting the use of on-pack claims such as ‘TFA-free’.
The Japanese government has published a new set of ‘fair transaction’ guidelines for the food manufacturing and retail sectors as it seeks to promote proper trading practices and prevent monopolies in the supply chain.
Japan is hopeful that the United Kingdom will lift bans on food imports from Fukushima following a positive risk assessment report, citing the benefits of reduced trade barriers and lower costs for the food sector.
Japanese retailers aim to increase the number of ready-to-eat (RTE) and private label products on the shelves after identifying them as key categories to maximise profits.
South Korea has expanded its food safety and monitoring guidelines to tighten control over food and beverage products that are directly purchased by consumers from foreign countries, with implications for items bought via e-commerce.
The canned food sector in the APAC region is undergoing an evolution towards healthier, more innovative product options, with companies such as Ayam Brand attempting to overcome many longstanding negative perceptions plaguing the industry.
India’s first certified clean label brand True Elements has incorporated a traceability component for all its products down to the ingredient level to provide an added measure of assurance to consumers looking for cleaner, healthier products.
From new hemp regulations in India, to Singapore’s sugary beverage control policy, and plant-based labelling in multiple countries, we bring you five must-know policies and regulations that look set to have a significant impact on the Asia Pacific food...
New Zealand’s Foodstuffs is fighting back against what it has deemed ‘factual inaccuracies’ in the national Commerce Commission’s recent finding that there is supermarket duopoly in the country, and has also promised to make several positive reforms.
Ingredients and flavours specialist IFF has stressed the importance of localising flavour profiles - even for the same food item - depending on the geographical market of focus within APAC.
Indonesia is looking to introduce new trade controls on imported processed foods including a revised application process subject to government approval as well as stricter mandatory shelf-life requirements.
Branding experts spearheading successful Nestle and Yeo’s marketing campaigns amidst the COVID-19 pandemic have highlighted the importance for food and beverage brands to fulfil consumers’ emotional needs via digital strategies in order to ensure continued...
New technology alone is not enough to improve APAC’s food supply chain, and sustainable solutions will only be found if both micro and small businesses, as well as ‘marginalised communities’ across the region, are brought into the fold.
The Chinese government has stepped up its anti-waste agenda with firms across the supply chain being required to prevent food waste and conserve food through its so-called ‘Food Conservation Action Plan’.
Japan flavouring giant Ajinomoto believes that major growth opportunities lie ahead for the firm within the plant-based meat alternatives and ready-to-eat product sectors, where it believes MSG and other glutamate solutions can provide the required flavours...
China recently launched its new online overseas food manufacturer registration platform, which is mandatory for all firms looking to export into the country from January, as official seek to improve monitoring and surveillance to ensure food safety.
Taiwan is seeking to approve new regulations that will enforce tougher nutritional labelling regulations for all packaged foods in the country once implemented, in a bid to prevent ‘hidden’ or ‘implied’ messages from manufacturers regarding calorific...
Retailers in Australia should prioritise the sodium reformulation of private label products, which could help prevent over 500 deaths annually, according to a modelling study.
Fresh soup brand Re:Nourish has set its sights to conquering the ‘fastest-growing’ soup category in the Middle East, particularly the United Arab Emirates (UAE), by playing on the healthy and ‘grab and go’ credentials of its bottled products.
Top-ranking ministers from the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) have underlined that food supply chains and open trade in the region are crucial to boosting economic revival post-pandemic – but huge challenges persist around tariffs, protectionist...
Food and beverage brands are increasingly turning to Chinese video platform Bilibili to develop videos better catered to the country’s Gen Z audience, with many securing millions of views.
International food and beverage brands looking to gain a foothold in the ASEAN market via local distributors need to step up their game when pitching pricing and localisation strategies, as a new survey has revealed waning interest in new product launches.
Employing the use of Codex standards is crucial to achieving consensus for food safety standards harmonisation within the South East Asian region, according to a food safety expert from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (UNFAO).
South Korea has unveiled new rules for using recycled material to make food packaging in an attempt to ‘prevent harm to the public’, while simultaneously pushing towards its 2030 plastic waste reduction goals.
Japan has laid out regulations for the labelling of plant-based products, with observers suggesting they are industry-friendly and should not pose problems for brands.
Eighty-year-old Australian ginger firm Buderim Ginger is looking to widen its horizons into the finished product space with NPD spanning sweets, cordial, beer and more.
The New Zealand government is under increased pressure to fix the country’s ‘broken’ supermarket system from both the food industry and consumer associations, both of which are demanding that the current duopoly be abolished and the market opened up in...
China has issued new, stricter packaging regulations covering food and cosmetics products to prevent what has been dubbed the ‘excessive packaging’ phenomenon, citing a need to prevent unnecessary extra costs to consumers and impacts on the environment.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has highlighted that nutrition has emerged as one of the most pressing post-COVID-19 challenges to overcome for member nations to hit the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
South Korea has announced new, tighter standards for food firms looking to label their products as being reduced or lower in sodium or sugar, starting with the nation’s most-consumed food product, ramen.
Japanese F&B giants Ajinomoto and Meiji have called for more harmonised food regulations planned in collaboration with the food industry address local malnutrition problems as well as ‘big gaps’ with international standards.
Nestle Oceania’s first flexitarian product range, a series of recipe bases launched under the MAGGI brand, is tapping into family favourite dishes to appeal to consumers looking to reduce meat intake.
The New Zealand food and grocery industry has called for more restrictions to be placed on supermarkets’ private label products given the highly concentrated grocery retail market in the country, citing a potential ‘conflict of interest’ which could result...
Food and beverage brands with plans to expand or export into South East Asia should not be deterred by the region's current COVID-19 woes, as the rewards to be reaped for persistence will be worth the wait, according to experts.
The Chinese government has published formal food safety and consumption guidelines for products nearing their expiry dates, after a recently-implemented anti-food waste law increased sales.
The Thai food industry has seen growth in both the manufacturing and export sectors so far in 2021 after overcoming last year’s pandemic slump – but the authorities are urging domestic food firms not to drop their guard yet.