ASEAN Focus: Carlsberg Malaysia, Polish fruit exports, Ajinomoto in Indonesia and more
Carlsberg Malaysia, Polish fruit exports interest, Ajinomoto on Indonesia sodium and more feature in this edition of ASEAN Focus.
Asian tastes
‘Kaizen’ in action: Indonesian nuts producer expands into jams and milk
Gunanusa Eramandiri, the Indonesian food company known for its Almonesia brand, is diversifying beyond its core nut offerings with the introduction of new products, including fruit jams and nut-based milk.
Asahi sales buoyed by rise in local beer demand and international Super Dry growth
Asahi Group Holdings (Asahi) has seen steady growth in the third quarter of 2024 buoyed by a rise in local Japanese demand for beer as well as international interest in its Super Dry product.
India’s nutra regulations: Inter-ministerial committee report receives mixed industry response
An inter-ministerial committee from India has put forth a list of recommendations on how nutraceuticals could be regulated, which has received mixed industry response, especially around disease risk reduction claims.
Lucky gods in a box: Tokyo confectioner eyes Asian expansion, taps on feel-good factor with iconic ‘baked dolls’
Japanese confectioner Tachibana Tenshinan hopes to meet on global demand for unique cultural foods, with its iconic ningyo-yaki as a star product that embodies good fortune, longevity, and happiness.
Japan candy company Kanro seeks to hit JPY50bn sales by 2030
The CEO of Japan’s biggest candy company, Kanro, has revealed how it hopes to drive sales to JPY50bn (US323m) by 2030.
Probiotics, botanicals dominating packaged foods
Recent research findings by Euromonitor International highlight the prominence of probiotic and botanical ingredients in packaged foods in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, which also underscores innovation opportunities for wider application and variation.
Carlsberg Malaysia banks on festive season to drive final quarter sales
Carlsberg Malaysia believes that the upcoming festive season as well as stronger economic growth will help to drive improved sales for the rest of 2024, despite a negative performance in Singapore in Q3.
Vitafoods Asia 2024
Life stages and dosage formats fuelling sleep support innovation
Supplements for sleep support are moving beyond melatonin or GABA pills designed for the general population, as companies place greater attention on insomnia and menopause, and designing non-pill products, such as meal replacement powders.
Oterra to boost Asia production, push ‘bold innovations’
Natural colours manufacturer Oterra is boosting its production capacity in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region while continuing to create “bold innovations” based on its latest survey findings.
South Korea RTE kimchi sales soar amid rising vegetable costs
Retail companies in South Korea are banking on the increasing demand for ready-to-eat (RTE) packaged kimchi that has resulted from the surge in cabbage prices and shifting consumer preferences.
Fusion focus: Italian food with a Japanese twist key for frozen food firm's SEA expansion
Japanese-based Italian food brand Amici is aiming to fuse the traditions of both cuisines as it seeks to exports frozen products to South East Asia.
Local sensibilities: CJ CheilJedang seeks to accelerate expansion in Thailand through new tempeh snack
South Korean food giant CJ CheilJedang has launched a range of tempeh chips pandering to local consumer preferences in Thailand, with the aim of spurring its growth in the market.
Traditional ties: Chinese firms tapping strong cultural heritage of lotus and beans to develop unique plant-based business focus
Chinese firms are looking beyond common plant-based ingredients such as soybeans and oats to develop their own take on the alternative proteins sector, based on much deeper traditional and cultural heritage.
Meiji expands snack range made with bitter-reducing, nutrient-retaining ‘cacao granules’
Meiji is launching a new product under its WELLCACAO range, which is made with the company’s proprietary cacao-based ingredient that claims to be less bitter and better retain nutrients such as polyphenols.
Trump’s tariff threat: China botanical extracts suppliers look to SEA to mitigate economic impact
There are plans among China botanical extracts suppliers to build operations in South East Asia in a bid to bypass potential tariffs hikes under the new Trump administration.
Fruity strategy: Polish government eyes South East Asia as next major export market for apples and aronia berries
The government of Poland has set its sights on South East Asia as the next major trade and exports market for its various food products, particularly apples and aronia berries.
Flavours and colours 2025: Personalised wellness and bold, fruity profiles set to shape food trends – ADM
ADM has identified four key trends that will influence the food and beverage industry, focusing on personalised wellness and bold, fruity flavours.
Popping peas: Origin Nutrition launches high-protein popped pea chips to target Indian healthy snacking market
India-based Origin Nutrition has launched a range of high-protein, compression-popped pea-based chips in a bid to target the slow-but-sure local healthy snacking market.
‘Quality over quantity’: Pernod Ricard prioritises ultra-prestige portfolio to satisfy growing appetite for premium and niche spirits
Alcohol major Pernod Ricard is focusing on increasing awareness and availability of its prestige brands in burgeoning markets and channels, while expanding its premium craft spirits portfolio to meet growing interest for niche products.
Thai Wah expands into retail space with focus on noodles and ready-to-cook kits
Thai Wah plans to launch its instant noodles and baking premixes in the retail space, tapping its decades-long experience in supplying starch and noodles to manufacturers.
Strategic shift: Direct-to-consumer sales yields higher profits than B2B, says Indonesian ingredients firm Nekaboga
Leveraging consumer trends and having better control of pricing mean better opportunities and profit margins in the D2C than B2B space, says Indonesian spice supplier Nekaboga.
Kimchi in a can: South Korea’s Narichan launches new RTD drink to move beyond tradition and boost exports
South Korean kimchi-focused company Narichan has launched a new ready-to-drink (RTD) kimchi drink in a bid to move beyond the traditional concepts of the product and consumption boost exports.
Eggy excellence: Eggnovo eyes Asia’s booming beauty-from-within market with low-dose, upcycled eggshell collagen
Spain-based Eggnovo has set its sights on the beauty-from within and joint health markets in Asia, believing that its collagen upcycled from eggshells can provide consumers with a versatile option that is required in much lower doses than regular collagen.
Curcumin improves insulin, blood glucose levels, and body mass – Year-long Thai trial
Taking 1,500mg of curcumin daily for 12 months has been shown to improve insulin, fasting blood glucose levels and body mass, based on a clinical study conducted in Thailand.
Advancing acceptability: Ajinomoto highlights Indonesia’s urgent sodium reduction needs
Ajinomoto believes that Indonesian consumers are in more urgent need of sodium reduction solutions due to local consumption habits as well as the heavy use of salt in local cuisine.
Dark chocolate lowers depression in menopausal women – RCT
Dark chocolate reduced depression scores among menopausal women but had no significant effect on sleep quality and anthropometric indices, according to researchers.
Fastest wins: Tate & Lyle on why innovation speed and digitalisation is key for success in Asia
Tate & Lyle has highlighted that speedy innovation and operational digitalisation are more important to the food and beverage sector in Asia than anywhere else in the world, amidst the unveiling of its new globally-connected research laboratory.
Taking a ‘dip’ dive: Kraft Heinz China highlights convenience and multi-level localisation as crucial condiment market drivers
Condiments market leader Kraft Heinz has identified convenience and localisation as particularly important drivers for the market in China, particularly when it comes to format and taste innovation.
Saudi Arabia’s Vlinder Chocolate enters South Korea amid relentless ‘Dubai chocolate’ craze
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.
Hot in here: McCormick expounds on importance of spicy flavours and salt reduction across savoury food categories in Asia
Flavours specialist McCormick has highlighted the importance of innovating with spicy flavours in tandem with sodium reduction across savoury food categories in the Asian market.
Healthier horizons: Sugar reduction and allergen aversion amongst major APAC demands in functional beverage sector
The Asia Pacific functional beverage industry is increasingly seeing consumer demands for sugar reduction, label transparency and allergen aversion becoming commonplace.
Breaking barriers: The Singleton focuses on flavours, welcomes localisation to capture booming Asian markets
Diageo-owned The Singleton has identified flavours as a key focus area to further drive growth in Asia, where the complexity of Scotch whiskey and its versatility in localisation are increasingly recognised.
Breaking tradition: YEBISU accelerating expansion of creative range to catalyse new appeal for beer
Sapporo-owned YEBISU has been actively adding new beer flavours to its “creative range” over the past year, in a bid to stimulate new appeal for the alcoholic beverage.
Not so straightforward: Singapore food industry voices concerns over cost, efficacy of extending Nutri-Grade system to sodium and fats
The Singapore food industry has voiced several concerns over government plans to extend the Nutri-Grade traffic light nutritional labelling system to sodium and fats.
FNA TRAILBLAZERS EP 53
Drink your biotics: Bright colours and visual appeal crucial to deliver healthier beverages to children – Tummy Buddies
Australia’s Tummy Buddies believes that healthier product innovation for children needs to focus on bright colours and visual appeal in order to secure that crucial first purchase.
Dubai-based Linafsi prioritises flavour innovation, sales channel expansion to stand out in competitive healthy snacking market
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.
Contradiction challenges: Indonesian food innovation must cater to dual demands for health and heavy flavours
Food manufacturers in Indonesia face a particularly salient challenge in meeting consumer demands for healthier options, while being accustomed to strong and heavy flavours.
New Australian supplements data part 1: China set to be first billion dollar export market in 2024
Australian supplements exports to China are forecast to exceed US$1bn for the first time this year, with the key Asian market set to continue to account for a staggering three-quarters of all products shipped overseas.
Snack trends unwrapped: Holistic wellness and protein focus among top innovation drivers across South East Asia
The protein and premium snack segments are seeing annual growth rates of more than 50%, and holistic wellness remains the biggest driver of innovation, according to a market intelligence report.
Vitafoods Asia 2024
‘Future alternative protein’: Microbial yeast protein must expand product formats in order to reach larger audience
Microbial alternative proteins such as those made from yeast need to expand into trending product formats in order to secure the awareness and acceptance of a larger consumer group.
Vitafoods Asia 2024
Powder power: South Korean women’s wellness and beauty specialist NGT eyes Asian expansion with Active Enzyme sticks
South Korea’s Natural Good Things (NGT) is eyeing an expansion across Asia with its Active Enzyme sticks after successfully making a name for itself in the domestic women’s beauty and wellness market.
‘Healthy snacking in transition’: ProV Foods debuts indulgence range as first step of strategic portfolio expansion
Mumbai-based ProV Foods has introduced range of premium chocolate-coated almonds, setting the stage for a bigger portfolio expansion focusing on “balanced indulgence”.
Nature’s palette: Indonesia's Sima Arome taps Asia’s shift towards plant-based extracts
Indonesian flavour extracts and essential oils firm Sima Arome is ramping up its plant-based offerings to tap into growing demand for functional products in Asia.
Seafood firm Yeam Seng steps up expansion of ready-to-cook portfolio targeting busy consumers and exports
Malaysia-based seafood company Yeam Seng Frozen Goods & Fishery is channelling more resources into expanding its ready-to-cook portfolio to capture busy consumers and facilitate entry into overseas markets.
Enhancing enjoyment: Hanamaruki looks to tap sodium reduction and affordability demands in ASEAN with new koji powder
Japan-based Hanamaruki believes that its newly launched flavour-enhancing koji powder is in a prime position to cater to product innovation in South East Asia that fulfils both sodium reduction and affordability requirements.
Sticks and snacks: Swees launches 'world-first' vegan rice-based cheese sticks to further reach within snacking sector
Plant-based cheese brand Swees has launched what it claims to be the world’s first vegan rice-based cheese stick product with support from the Thai government, believing this will help it to gain a stronger standing in the snacking category.
Milkfish producer Fisherfarms aims to beat stiff competition in Asia through convenience foods, widening market access
Filipino aquaculture firm Fisherfarms hopes to overcome strong competition for milkfish products in Asia through convenience food innovations, as well as international accreditations to improve market access.
South Korean convenience chain GS25 building on Netflix collaboration to pursue new cross-industry partnerships
South Korean convenience store chain GS25 is looking to build on the “successful cross-industry partnership model” that it claims to have established after achieving strong sales of food products launched in collaboration with Netflix.
Singapore’s JiaTaste sets sights on western markets to further promote local prawn noodle flavour
Singaporean brand JiaTaste is looking to export its ready-to-cook prawn noodle paste to more markets, particularly in the west, where it sees opportunities among consumers who enjoy Asian flavours.