Australian-based start-up Heartful Flavours is on a mission to educate consumers that their taste buds can get used to less salt, as it ramps up promotion of its salt-free Asian staples.
Chocolate giant Ferrero believes that freshness and flavour variety are key factors for chocolate brands to ensure lasting power in the China market, with product innovations needing to be both diverse and unique.
Consumers in Thailand have been found to be among the most inclined in the ASEAN region to seek out affordable products but still focus on value, driving a strong demand for ‘stacked benefits’ innovation and spelling major opportunities for local private...
Chinese low calorie and high fibre konjac rice and noodle manufacturers Ketoslim Mo says emphasising an enjoyable eating experience is just as important to health needs to drive consumer acceptance.
Kirin has released a spoon that uses electricity to intensify the umami taste of food to address the issue of excessive salt intake among the Japanese population.
Malaysia-based yoghurt brand Sunglo is looking to expand overseas after leading the category in its domestic market for the past 40 years, with South East Asian countries being its main target markets.
Fruit-based product innovation and consumption formats in APAC are evolving far beyond conventional use, with innovation spanning bakery products to alternative seafood, according to industry experts.
Carlsberg Malaysia has expanded its 1664 premium beer portfolio with a new lager offering, hoping to appeal to a wider consumer segment with its ASEAN-first launch into this new category.
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.
Confectionery heavyweight Loacker has highlighted the multi-pack, single serve format as a key driver for sales of its famous wafer products in the APAC region, banking on a growing demand for options catering to sharing and portion control.
An increasing number of consumers in Asia-Pacific desire an all-round experience when it comes to chocolate and confectionery, including rich flavours like caramel, visually appealing products, and “healthy indulgent” formats, says Cargill.
New Zealand nut butter specialist Forty Thieves believes that its flexibility in providing smaller packaging options as well as a dedicated keto range is driving growth across the region.
Biscuits heavyweight Lotte believes that it needs to increase its focus on markets out of its comfort zone in order to accelerate growth, particularly in Asia where the market for baked products is becoming increasingly saturated.
Plant-based industry experts APAc are divided on the future direction of the sector, with some believing that it is likely to be integrated into local culture and others still hoping for a more radical takeover.
Younger millennial consumers from China and India are still set to be the biggest drivers of luxury food and beverage purchasing, despite the generally slower economic conditions in the region and globally.
The South Korean government is expanding its successful ‘healthy food corner’ project from major metropolitan areas to convenience stores nationwide in order to reach more young consumers.
Indonesia-based Mamame says that its tempeh chips are made without soybean and seed oils to overcome allergy concerns and taste issues of the traditional snack, in the hope of catering to consumers worldwide.
Nestle China has launched an upcycled cascara beverage line that offers consumers a dual ‘coffee meets tea’ drinking experience, tapping on the strong local demand for teas and rapid new product innovation.
A new study shows that a probiotic strain isolated from Korean kimchi has beneficial effects on immune regulation, particularly in people with a weak immune system, highlighting its potential as a functional health food ingredient.
Singapore-based IRVINS is looking to diversify its product flavours and formats beyond its best-known salted egg snacks, to further market expansion and business growth.
Thai energy drink heavyweight Carabao is looking to move beyond its comfort zone and stake claim on a piece of the local beer market, banking on a bold multi-variant launch strategy to draw in consumers.
The Thai government has published draft regulations on governance over the alternative proteins industry starting with the plant-based sector, and has suggested banning certain animal-related terms but allowing others.
Confectionery heavyweight Perfetti van Melle believes that it is crucial to tap on impulse-buying tendencies and packaging functionality as major components of its marketing in order to maximise consumer reach.
China’s large population and enormous protein requirements has given the local plant-based dairy sector room to continue to grow in a ‘very different’ way from plant-based meat, according to local industry leader Yeyo.
Chinese coconut yoghurt brand Yeyo has set its sights on consumers in markets beyond its Tier 1 strongholds with a new nationwide launch in Ole, the largest premium supermarket chain in the country.
Asia Pacific Breweries Singapore (APBS) says that it is actively addressing the complex needs of the new generation of beer consumers through strategic investments and portfolio diversification.
Singapore-based Gold Kili has launched a new product format for its coffee range and expanded into the thriving healthier beverage category, as part of the firm’s growth strategy.
The ASEAN Secretariat’s newly-launched food marketing standards to ‘protect’ children have put mandatory marketing policies and the establishment of a classification system at the core of its strategy, calling on the 10 member states to put these into...
Nestle India is banking on the rapid rise of in-home coffee consumption in the country to launch premium coffee brand Nespresso, aiming to reach supermarket shelves in the South Asian market by the end of this year.
Protein specialist Tyson is confident that Asia Pacific consumers will continue to show strong demand for both animal and plant protein-based products, with health and affordability emerging as more important drivers than ever.
The South Korean food authorities have highlighted that public health and potential food safety concerns will be its top priorities when developing the upcoming regulations to govern cultivated meat in the country.
Hindustan Unilever India (HUL) hopes that recent deflation in milk prices as well as investments to make its nutrition brands such as Horlicks and Boost more accessible will aid its financial performance.
Snacking giant Mondelez International believes that baked snacks are set to play a major role in propelling the APAC market , underscoring this belief with the launch of its new US$5mn bakery-focused facility in Singapore.
Start-ups need to be helped to act faster to drive returns, while MNC's need assistance to overcome the challenges of carrying out disruptive innovation in-house, says the CEO of Nurasa, which recently launched a new food innovation facility in Singapore...
China State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) has announced new, stricter excessive packaging regulations governing the tea industry, one of the country’s largest and most traditional commodities.
New Zealand hard seltzers brand Everyday Weekend believes that APAC consumer demands for affordable, convenience and novelty are driving the growth of RTD products in the region.
Anlene Indonesia has launched a new adult milk powder infused with habbatussauda, a black seed claiming to have multiple health benefits, which has long been revered by the Muslim community.
World Food Prize winner Dr Shakunthala Thilsted believes that all-inclusive food system transformation will require a greater focus on combining big data and traditional knowledge as well as better recognition of aquatic food potential and consumer diversity.
The South Korean government’s national food export strategy will see experiential marketing and support for food firms to export to second-line cities worldwide become major areas of focus, amid its bid to hit an 80% overseas favourability rating by 2027.
China herbal tea brand Wanglaoji says Indonesia is one of its fastest growing markets in South East Asia (SEA) and could potentially become its biggest market in the region in the next couple of years.
Nestle believes that a growing demand in the Asia Pacific for customisation, convenience and colder coffee options make this region the optimal launchpad for its new espresso concentrates.
Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) has launched a new public-private collaborative project focusing on food exports, aiming to boost progress towards the national JPY5tn (US$31.7bn) by 2030 target.
Snacking industry heavyweights from Mondelez to Hunter Foods have highlighted portioned packaging and the more thoughtful use of ingredients as crucial factors that can help firms stand out and gain mass appeal in the increasingly crowded APAC snacking...
Join us today at 3pm SGT for our free exclusive Healthy Ageing APAC webinar where we drill down the latest developments, research and innovations in this crucial category.
The South Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) is implementing stricter food safety requirements when importing animal-based products into the country.
The Japanese government has clarified that the final responsibility to ensure the safety and quality of food packaging lies with food manufacturer producing the end-product that will reach consumers.
The supplementation of the spore-forming probiotic Bacillus coagulans could reduce fatty liver content in patients suffering from non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), an eight-week RCT from Taiwan has shown.
Industry leaders in China’s baijiu and dairy sectors have urged lawmakers to prioritise policies that encourage modernisation and productivity to help drive exports.
