Manufacturers must refocus efforts on Tier III and IV cities in China and delve into e-commerce to re-ignite consumer spending in the fast moving consumer goods (FMCGs) sector amid a slow, according to analysts.
The unique flavours of Filipino foods should captivate the global market and underpin a surge in exports, according to the Philippines’ Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
Research has identified the key gene that determines the glycemic index (GI) of rice, opening up opportunities to develop low-GI rice and rice-based products to reduce the risk of type-2 diabetes, according to the researchers.
India is embarking on ambitious plans to increase its spice exports, further increasing its domination of the world’s spice trade, experts from the sector said.
Food major Future Group has announced that it has inked a deal with rice processor LT Foods that includes the setting up of the latter’s new facility at the group’s new food park.
A local Chinese company has developed a curcurmin ingredient for the global market but a sales representative told FoodNavigator-Asia at Vitafoods Europe that India is a strong competitor and Europe is a difficult market to penetrate.
A mature palm oil market and scarce land for expansion in Malaysia means Indonesia is set to underpin increased production due to its considerably younger profile, a Rabobank report suggests.
Channels for UK food industry funding for environmental projects could be improved, according to Andrew Kuyk, director of the Food and Drink Federation’s (FDF’s) sustainability and competitiveness division.
In a first, a Thai food major is taking its operations across the Indian Ocean to Africa, hoping to capitalise both on available resources and rising consumption in the region.
Demand for bread and ramen noodle products made with domestic wheat varieties is growing in Japan but the country needs to invest in its weak local production of the grain, government institute says.
Genetic modification is an on-going problem in Asia’s basmati rice network and it is a problem that importers need to be vigilant in curbing, according to an industry expert.
Shanxi-based Deyu Agriculture has developed a new line of MSG-free, easy-cook noodles that will enable it to delve into an unknown yet lucrative fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector in China.
Developing non-MSG, better-for-you instant noodles will surge market value in China’s commoditised market sector, according to Mintel research director.
Chr Hansen recorded an 11% surge in sales across Asia Pacific in its H1 results, with natural colours proving strong for business; underpinned by a cultural dietary heritage favouring healthy food choice, according to CEO of the company.
Aiming to garner a higher share of the Indian ready-to-eat (RTE), frozen foods markets, McCain Foods is further strengthening its product range to cater to Indian tastes and sensibilities.
The central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh has become the first to ban the sale and manufacture of Gutkha products, the traditional and increasingly controversial form of edible tobacco.
A vast, gang-led network of illegal cooking oil producers has been cracked by Chinese authorities following a five month investigation, with more than 3,200 tonnes of rotten-animal waste oil seized.
Indian food giant Hindustan Unilever (HUL) is driving wider industry take-up and certification of certified sustainable palm oil (CSPO) via Green Palm certification.
India may soon see a final policy move that would lead to the government stepping back and removing its controls on the exports of wheat products, a move that until now has been a utopian dream for local farmers and millers.
Nestlé will invest S$5.5m in its Singapore R&D centre to expand activities in development of products such as coffee mixes and malted beverages for both the Asian and global markets.
BASF Crop Protection said it is aiming to solve the supply-demand imbalance as well as boost quality of Asian agriculture by driving use of fungicides, educating farmers and joining forces with food producers in the region.
Malaysia’s efforts to get its lucrative business of edible bird’s nests exports to China back on track has hit a roadblock as very few of the manufacturers registering under the new norms.
Malaysia and Indonesia are renowned as strong production players in the certified sustainable palm oil (CSPO) market but Thailand is emerging as the new frontier in Asia Pacific, according to the secretary general of RSPO.
UK-based ABF Ingredients is manufacturing yeast extracts in China and targeting the enzyme market, as it has superior growth rates in these two specialities, according to the CEO of the company.
Amazon has prohibited the sale of shark, whale and dolphin food products from its Japanese site and placed an explicit warning on its main site, in response to ongoing pressure from environmental groups.
A top court in India has come down hard on the country’s food safety regulator over its claims that there is a robust system to monitor the presence of pesticides in food products.
China and India, the two largest consumer markets for palm oil, will be targeted by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) to take-up certified sustainable palm oil (CSPO) in a bid to close the stark gap between the supply and demand of this global...
Indian’s health ministry is all set to ban gutkha, pan masala, and other edible forms of tobacco on the basis of a ruling last year by the country’s Supreme Court.
The World Food Programme (WFP) operates on many fronts, with many initiatives, but it’s core remains the same – to better the nutritional inputs of the world’s neediest people. Significant advances in fortified rice technology are set to see those goals...
Thai sugar company, Mitr Phol, has secured a majority stake of 57.69% in Australian sugar mill MSF for A$300m, racking up the total foreign investment in Australia’s sugar production to over 60%.
Food and beverage manufacturers will have a key role to play in water management and food security across India as the projected impacts of climate change take hold across agricultural land, finds a new study.
A method for marker-assisted breeding, conceived in 2009 through a collaborative research project between the UK and Japan, is now focused on developing rice breeds tolerant to salt-sodden Japanese soils following the Tsunami last year.
In an attempt to combat the sharp rise in obesity-related ailments in India, the national government is planning to reduce trans fatty acid (TFA) content in vanaspati oil over the next couple of years.
Almost half a year after China banned the import of edible bird’s nests from Malaysia due to nitrite contamination, Malaysian exporters will finally get back to work under new regulations.
Unregulated insecticide marketing in Asia is driving overuse and misuse by farmers leading to widespread pest infestations and damaging millions of tonnes of rice each year, according to industry experts.
The recent deluge of rain in Thailand will not hamper overall rice production in 2011 as farmers will be aided by the National Science and Technlology Development Agency (NSTDA) to increase rice production with better quality seeds.
An international system has been launched that will establish environmental standards for sustainable rice production in a bid to increase rice yields.
The trans-Tasman food standards watchdog has called for submissions on an application to change the Food Standards Code to allow food derived from a genetically modified (GM) corn line to be sold in the region.
Distribution of rice cultivated in the Fukushima prefecture has been restricted following the detection of unsafe levels of radioactive contamination found in samples harvested this season.
A Rabobank report released last week claims Indonesia will lead Southeast Asian growth over the next decade, based on global demand for key commodities and stable domestic needs.
A fast changing Indian market, which is being boosted by rising income levels, has opened up the ready-to-eat, frozen foods segment in the country for players like McCain Foods India.
