Elevate your nutrition knowledge with our biggest ever global broadcast series
Eight free webinars, over 50 experts and one unmissable opportunity to turn nutrition insights into action. It’s FoodNavigator’s global Positive Nutrition event
Clean label
Singapore’s Re.juve touts customer loyalty, focus on meeting nutrient gap as key to survival amid cold press juice decline
Singaporean brand Re.juve’s ability to navigate cold pressed juices’ transition from being a trendy detox drink to a daily staple for meeting nutrient gaps, as well as support from loyal customers, have been crucial for its survival.
Recipe for growth: '12 building blocks' for unlocking flavour opportunities in Asia and the Middle East - Haldin
Indonesia’s Haldin is seeking to expand in Asia and the Middle East by uses '12 natural building blocks' for over 200 ingredients as leverage.
Shrimp producer Grupo Aquamar aims to strengthen brand awareness in Singapore, Hong Kong while extending presence in Asia
Nicaragua-based Grupo Aquamar is looking to strengthen brand awareness in Singapore and Hong Kong, while aiming to attract more consumers in Asia for its premium produce.
Singapore’s Siam Coconut diversifies portfolio to keep up with market trends as coconut water category hits plateau
Singapore-based manufacturer and distributor Siam Coconut is actively exploring new products and categories to add to its portfolio, as coconut-based products experience a slowdown in growth.
Singapore’s Jääde brings premium water to China, eyes Middle East market
Singapore-based Jääde is actively strengthening its presence in the local market for its packaged Finnish spring water, while working to expand across the region in the long run.
Fruitful transition: Hey! Chips’ strategic switch to domestic market yields increased sales, rising brand awareness
Singapore-based Hey! Chips says that its switch in business strategy from overseas expansion to building presence in the local market has enabled it to gain a foothold in the healthy snacking category and a spurt in brand awareness.
Singapore’s HaruPlate looks to fill gap in healthy snacks for children amid ‘pervasive’ nutrition issues
Singapore-based HaruPlate aims to fill gaps in the better-for-you snacks category, targeting children’s nutrition needs and parents’ pain points through reformulation of existing products and development of fortified treats.
OATSIDE’s rapid growth in Asia fuelled by 'comprehensive marketing strategy' and targeted flavour innovation
Singapore-headquartered OATSIDE attributes its meteoric rise in Asia to a marketing strategy encompassing targeted campaigns and strategic partnerships, and constant innovation of flavours to satisfy myriad consumer preferences.
India snack trends data: Makhanas and dry fruits top picks for 67% of consumers
India snack specialist Farmley has revealed new data showing that makhanas and dry fruits are popular across generations, with chocolate and vanilla flavours among the top favourites in its 2024 Healthy Snacking Report.
Colourful tea: Artisan teamaker targets health and wellness sector to rebrand Indonesian brews
Artisan brand Sila wants to elevate Indonesian tea by targeting health conscious consumers who will pay for indulgent blends.
'Better than popcorn': Singapore start-up taps wellness trends and markets fox nuts as next go-to snack
Singapore start-up Strictly Nuts is hoping to convince consumers that fox nuts are versatile go-to snacks for all ages, with a focus on heath and versatility to grow its reach in the market.
Tea please: ITO EN to debut flagship brand Oi Ocha in India to seize ‘massive opportunities’
Japanese tea company ITO EN is gearing up to set foot into the Indian market for the first time with its flagship ready-to-drink green tea brand Oi Ocha.
On the sauce: Austrian 'all natural' ketchup brand Curtice Brothers finding favour in Asia's rapidly-growing condiments sector
Austrian ketchup brand Curtice Brothers says a focus on natural ingredients, heritage and sustainability is helping it compete with local and international condiment giants in Asia, with the firm seeing success in China, Singapore and Japan.
Salt-free strategy: Heartful Flavours on a mission to reduce sodium levels with innovative Asian staples range
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.
Evolving with the times: Singapore’s Gold Kili ventures into new coffee product format and healthier beverages
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.
Soy connection: Singapore start-up Jiro-Meat looks to commercialise okara-based meat alternative by this year
Singapore start-up Jiro-Meat is scaling up production of its plant-based meat made from upcycled soy pulp, with the aim of commercialisation within the next six months.
Clean power: Nightwatch energy drink highlights all-natural ingredients for ‘new generation’ of plant-based consumers
Dutch brand Nightwatch is aiming to ride the plant-based wave in Asia by launching an all-natural, and caffeine-free energy drink for ethically-minded consumers.
Dubai snacks firm SMITHS eyes Asia expansion with products pandering to consumer flavour preferences and clean-eating trend
Dubai-based snacks firm SMITHS is pursuing a bigger share of the Asian market by banking on its long brand history, and introducing products that are cleaner and tapping on evolving flavour trends.
Oat milk brand YOOK banks on ‘superior’ taste and texture to propel expansion into Asia and Middle East
Estonian oat milk brand YOOK is looking to capitalise on the pureness, nutritional value and “superior” taste of its products to break into the Asian and Middle Eastern markets.
Plant-based progress? Japan’s NEXT MEATS touts cleaner labels but better texture and taste
Tokyo-based NEXT MEATS’s latest innovation claims to offer several advantages over existing plant-based products, including improved taste and texture despite minimal use of ingredients, and being ambient storage-friendly.
House of Pops touts portfolio extension, bigger market presence and contract manufacturing as key drivers for new stage of growth
Dubai-based frozen desserts brand House of Pops has identified three key drivers to propel its next stage of growth, namely expansion of product line-up, increasing market presence, and offering of private label services.
‘No longer a niche’: Hunter Foods expands product line-up to meet healthy snacking demands while eyeing threefold growth
Middle Eastern snacks firm Hunter Foods has expanded its product range and repackaged its best-sellers amid booming consumer demand, in a bid to stay ahead of rising competition in the category.
Level up: Singapore’s Gryphon Tea Company reformulates RTD teas to meet better-for-you demand, raises Nutri-grade rating
Singapore-based Gryphon Tea Company has updated its cold-brewed tea range with “no added sugar” formulations, which the firm says has helped it keep up with the better-for-you trend and reach out to a bigger pool of health-conscious consumers.
Hitting the sweet spot: India’s The Brooklyn Creamery winning over Middle East consumers with better-for-you options and novel flavours
India-based The Brooklyn Creamery is making headway in the Middle East by catering to the buying behaviours and eating habits of consumers in the region, including healthier options and innovative flavours.
Clean and clear: China’s Haofood optimistic about plant-based growth despite dwindling hype
China-based clean label brand Haofood is putting extra efforts into innovation while maintaining focus on taste and affordability to boost consumer adoption of plant-based diets.
‘Glocalisation is over’: Microlocality and domestic production chain increasingly important for APAC consumers
Food and beverage brands that are able to convey microlocal tastes and tap into consumer pride with a strong domestic production chain are best-placed for success in the APAC region, according to Kerry.
‘A natural journey’: Freshness and clean label crucial combo to nail flavours in processed foods
The crucial combination of freshness and clean label is emerging as an important flavour strategy that food and beverage brands need to hit in order to cater to APAC consumers’ increasingly exacting demands.
‘Chance to chew’: Mouthfeel and convenience major drivers for plant-based food industry
NZ-based Off-Piste Provisions has outlined how consumer demands for healthy convenience food and a ‘chewing experience’ are key drivers guiding its product development strategy amidst plans for Australia and United States expansion.
Clean and scale: Hey! Chips aims to combat dominance of ultra-processed snacks with whole ingredient innovation
Healthier snacking brand Hey! Chips is looking to overcome the dominance of ultra-processed snacks in the market by innovating with whole ingredients to make scalable clean label products.
Creating clean label plant-based products: Chinese pioneers Haofood to reveal key strategies at Growth Asia Summit 2023
The founder of a pioneering China plant-based firm will reveal how the challenges can be overcome to create clean label and additive-free products at our Growth Asia Summit 2023.
Low protein, significant nutritional differences noted in plant-based beverages – China study
Chinese researchers have said that plant protein beverages are characterised by low protein content and added sweeteners.
House of Pops aims for top spot in GCC’s healthy frozen desserts sector through franchising and distribution partnerships
Dubai-based ice cream brand House of Pops has detailed how its product development is being influenced by consumer trends in the Middle East’s snacking space, including plant-based and clean eating, functional foods, and personalisation.
Algae prodigy: Philippines’ WTH Foods eyes Europe and ASEAN with clean label plant-based seafood line
Philippines-based plant-based firm WTH Foods is in the process of expanding into both the European and South East Asian markets with its new low-sodium, clean label plant-based seafood products.
Guilt-free luxury: Consumer pursuit for healthy indulgence in the Middle East fuelling demand for clean label
Middle Eastern consumers’ rising interest in foods and beverages that are healthy and indulgent, yet still easy to recognise, have led to increased demands for brands to focus on clean label ingredient lists, according to Olam Food Ingredients (ofi).
Overcoming kids' veggie aversion: Taste and health the key combo to drive uptake of healthy snacks and improve diets
Children are the ‘toughest food critics’ meaning that healthy snack firms have to pay equal attention to taste and nutrition if they are going to attract mass appeal and help improve the diets of young people.
Plant-based and clean label: China’s Haofood targets the increasingly label-sensitive consumer with latest NPD
Chinese firm Haofood says that the convergence of right ingredients with its proprietary tech was key to creating its first clean-label plant-based product - Carefree Pulled Chickless.
From niche to mainstream: Singapore brand taps healthy snacking trend with guilt-free chips
Singapore’s Hey! Chips says it is hoping to benefit from first-mover advantage with its whole-ingredient snacks, which the firm says is an untapped category in Asia’s healthy snacking space.
Trends and Innovation Opportunities Across the Life Stages
Growth Asia Summit 2023: Danone, Nestle, H&H and Dole among first wave of keynotes as delegate sales open
Delegate tickets are now on sale at a special earlybird rate for our Growth Asia Summit 2023, as we also announce a raft of new content themes and high profile keynote speakers from Danone, Nestle, H&H and Dole.
Cracking on: NZ supermarket giants stand firm over egg strategies despite producer outcry
NZ supermarkets Foodstuffs and Countdown say reinforcing direct partnerships with egg producers is crucial to tackle widespread supply chain disruptions given the government’s ban on battery-caged hens coming into force.
Seaweed saviour? How ramping up production could be a food security and sustainability boon
Expanding seaweed farming would help address the planet’s food security and could contribute up to 10% of future diets, an ‘ambitious’ model by Australian researchers has shown.
‘Gateway to Asia’: Future Food Asia 2023 seeks to attract international food firms to accelerate regional innovation
Organisers of the Future Food Asia (FFA) Awards 2023 have revealed a whole new awards track targeting start-ups based outside APAC, hoping that this will bring more expertise and technologies into the region.
‘Huge growth potential’: India’s ProV Foods seeks to combine affordability and health benefits to gain snack market share
Indian dried fruits and snack brand ProV foods says affordability is key for better-for-you brands to take a bigger slice of the country’s rapidly developing snack market.
Safety over shelf-life: Thai consumer concerns over long expiry dates driving demand for clean label ingredients
Rising awareness amongst Thai consumers regarding the potential unhealthy connotations associated with long expiry dates is a key factor driving up the demand for clean label food ingredients in the country, according to leading industry experts.
FOOD AND BEVERAGE TRAILBLAZERS EP 37
Cleaning up snack foods: Big brand interest in cleaner and healthier options paving path for leaf protein sector
The interest in cleaner and better-for-you snacks shown by big food and beverage brands, including Mondelez, Nestle and Vitasoy, is paving the way for a new specialised area of plant-based proteins to enter the market, namely the RuBisCo leaf protein.
Accelerating with acerola: Major Vietnam brand LE FRUIT Juice on conquering retail markets in Asia
Vietnam-based fruit multinational Les Vergers du Mekong is banking on its centralised production location and fresh fruit-only guarantee to expand its presence in retail markets across Asia, on the back of a successful leap from HORECA to modern trade...
Beyond just a trend: Policy measures further pushing Asian food colouring sector towards natural
Regulatory pressure from Asian governments will drive food and beverage firms to use natural colours, with it rapidly becoming less of a trend and more of a necessity.
Resistance and reticence: Japanese reluctant to ride plant-based protein wave – CEO
Global and regional plant-based protein brands should be prepared to face a reticent crowd should they plan to enter Japan at this juncture, according to the CEO and co-founder of alternative egg firm UMAMI United, Hiroto Yamazaki.
Post-COVID-19 supply assurance: Stable natural colours crucial to guarantee consistent high-quality products
Guaranteeing the supply chain stability of natural colours to ensure manufacturers can be assured of product consistency has taken on extra importance in the post-COVID-19 era, claims GNT.
2023 healthy food trends: Clean label and positive nutrition claims crucial for consumers
Consumers in the Asia Pacific region will continue to be strongly driven by products with clean label and positive nutrition claims moving into the new year, with food and beverage brands also set to boost innovation to meet these demands.