Plant-based diet, mental health interventions may help improve older adult sleep
There may be a positive correlation between nutrient-rich plant-based diets and improved sleep health among older adults, according to a study by researchers in China.
Fortification
Concurrent barley and natto consumption shows obesity prevention promise – study
A study in Japan shows that simultaneous consumption of barley and natto could be a promising nutritional approach for obesity prevention through enhanced conversion of dietary fibre into energy.
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
Growth Asia Summit 2025: Early bird delegate rate extended to December 24!
The early bird delegate sale, with a 25% discount, for our Growth Asia Summit has been extended to December 24.
Hidden hunger horrors: Indonesia needs more mandatory food fortification to address triple malnutrition threat – expert insights
Indonesia will need to implement more mandatory food fortification in staple foods if the country hopes to address the serious triple malnutrition threat that it currently faces, according to local food industry experts.
'Identifying interventions': Calcium intake “inadequate” in Asia, says new Lancet study
There is 'inadequate' intake of calcium in Asia, especially in South Asia and East Asia, based on a new study published in The Lancet that looks at global nutrient intake estimates.
Japan’s functional food trends: Surge in products and new opportunities focused on women
Exclusive data on Japan's functional foods sector has highlighted a growing demand for 'femcare', signalling growth potential in areas such as premenstrual dysphoric disorder and vaginal health.
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.
Supplementation of freeze-dried pea more effective than kale for glycaemic control – Saudi study
The intake of freeze-dried kale and pea powders both led to improved metabolic profile among Saudi adults with obesity, but the latter was found to be superior for blood glucose control in a cross-over study.
Growth Asia Summit 2024
Sleep, mental health underlined as top-of-mind concerns among APAC consumers amid cost-of-living crisis
Sleep and mental health have been identified as the top consumer concerns in Asia-Pacific (APAC) amid the cost-of-living crisis, which consequently spell opportunities for innovation and category growth, says a consumer intelligence firm.
Cereal obsession: Vietnam’s Duy Anh looks to reposition beans as healthy staple ingredient with new vermicelli range
Vietnam-based Duy Anh believes its new vermicelli range utilising beans as the key ingredient can help to elevate these to become ingrained as a healthy staple food item.
Iron and vitamin D deficiencies among preschool children remain key nutrition challenges in Jordan – study
A new study underscores the ongoing nutrition challenges among Jordanian preschoolers, including persistent issues of vitamin D and iron deficiencies.
‘Celebrate competition’: Oatly optimistic about plant-based milk category growth, strides forward in global expansion
Oat drink major Oatly expects continuing demand for plant-based milks as its current generation of consumers mature, and believes that more players entering the market will help boost category growth.
Brain booster: Singapore’s Flojo eyes opportunities in cognition and concentration with sparkling functional beverages
Singapore start-up Flojo has debuted its sparkling drinks formulated with botanical ingredients aimed at supporting cognitive function, strengthening immune system, and improving mood and mental clarity.
Malaysian yoghurt leader Sunglo sets sights on neighbouring markets in SEA for its first overseas expansion
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.
Raising the bar: The Brooklyn Creamery adds protein ice cream bars to portfolio amid rising demand for fortified options
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.
In soy we trust: Yeo’s, NutriSoy look to boost Singapore soya milk popularity with fortification innovations
Singapore beverage giants Yeo’s and F&N’s NutriSoy have both launched new fortified soya milk innovations in a bid to tap on surging consumer health 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.
Fortified beverages in the Middle East: Germany’s Haus Rabenhorst identifies market opportunities for juice range
German firm Haus Rabenhorst is looking to capitalise on the functional beverages trend with its range of nutrient-enriched juices, amid growing interest among consumers in Asia and Middle East.
Morinaga introduces new multifunctional FFCs targeting bone and gut health, fatigue-relief amid growing demand
Morinaga Milk is slated to roll out several new Foods with Function Claims (FFCs) that target the major health concerns of Japanese consumers and to meet the increasing demand for multifunctional products.
Portfolio revision: Kao transfers functional beverage brand to Kirin to focus on ‘core businesses’
Kao Corporation has entered into an agreement with Kirin Beverage Company Limited for the transfer of Healthya, a functional tea-catechin beverage brand, to focus its resources on other business areas to achieve its targets for FY2027.
Australia’s Savvy Beverage calls for greater honesty and transparency about ingredients content among functional beverage firms
Aussie brand Savvy Beverage has called out what it believes is the prevalence of highly priced functional beverages that contain inadequate beneficial ingredients, imploring greater honesty and transparency among companies to advance the emerging category.
FOOD AND BEVERAGE TRAILBLAZERS EP 47
Quality over quantity: Why APAC tea sector needs to focus on functional innovation to drive growth
The APAC tea sector need to focus on functionality and format innovation and not just increasing blend varieties if it is to enjoy sustained growth, according to Sri Lanka and Europe-based tea specialist English Tea Shop.
Sense and solubility: Mouthfeel and taste key for fortified beverages to appeal to older APAC consumer base
Better-for-you beverages fortified with minerals such as calcium need to ensure a smooth mouthfeel and taste to meet rising demand from older consumers in APAC.
Hidden hunger: Biofortification outperforms other strategies in mitigating micronutrient deficiencies
Biofortification stands out among traditional fortification methods as a cost-effective and sustainable approach for combatting micronutrient deficiencies (MND), especially in countries with persistent undernutrition and food shortages, say researchers.
Growth Asia Summit 2024: Our flagship summit returns to Singapore in July – delegate registration now open!
After a hugely successful second event in 2023, our Growth Asia Summit returns for 2024 with a new July date and an agenda packed with the latest food, beverage and nutrition growth opportunities.
What are consumer attitudes to fortification? Consumers often care about taste over health, study reveals
Fortification has the potential to provide abundant health benefits, endowing products with a higher level of important nutrients than they otherwise would have possessed. However, taste and texture can be affected by it, which can in turn affect...
Kickstarting kale: Chinese trend for ‘punk nutrition’ lifestyle opens major functional food innovation opportunities
Chinese consumers’ increasing demands for functional and fortified foods and beverages to support a lifestyle based on ‘punk nutrition’ has opened up massive innovation opportunities for brands across various product categories.
Demand for high-protein products on the rise amid booming active nutrition and healthy ageing categories in Middle East
Consumers in the Middle East are increasingly looking for protein-rich products to fulfil various needs, with claims ranging from sports performance to age-related muscle support.
Facilitating fortification: Industry-led coalition Millers for Nutrition to battle nutrition crisis by scaling up food fortification
A new cross-sector partnership aims to help millers produce adequately fortified staple foods in eight countries across Asia and Africa to tackle high rates of micronutrient deficiencies and malnutrition among these populations.
Innovation challenge: How can firms meet reformulation and fortification demands while remaining cost competitive?
Food firms need to be increasingly savvy when it comes to meeting growing consumer demands for fortified and reformulated products, in order to remain cost competitive in the current economic environment.
‘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.
Improving outcomes: Vitamin, probiotic supplementation pre-conception has major potential to boost long-term infant health
Nutritional supplementation taken at the stage of pre-conception by a mother has major potential to improve the long-term health of children, according to results from cross-country research.
FIT-ter KIDS: Fortified products key to addressing APAC micronutrient gaps – Nestle at Growth Asia Summit
New Nestle data has revealed the major micronutrient gaps faced by many toddlers and school-age children in the Asia Pacific region, as well as the important role that fortified foods and beverages can play in addressing these needs.
Nestlé’s patented technology can enable ‘source of fiber’ claims for milk products
The food industry giant has developed an enzymatic solution that converts lactose into microbiome-supporting dietary fibers while reducing total sugars at the same time.
Healthy Beverage Innovation broadcast: Join Dole, Asahi, Remedy and more at our FREE interactive digital event
There are just three weeks to go until our FREE Healthy Beverage Innovation interactive broadcast - featuring expert insights from Dole, Asahi, Remedy and much more!
Fortification for the future: Government role crucial to ensure widespread affordable nutrition via staple foods
The role of governments is crucial to introduce affordable proper nutrition to mass consumers via the fortification of staple foods, particularly in countries with large populations such as India and China.
Magnesium and cognition: Higher dietary intake linked to better brain health during ageing - Australian study
Higher magnesium intake in daily diet leads to better brain health as people age, according to new research from the Neuroimaging and Brain Lab at The Australian National University (ANU).
Convenience is king: Auric eyes Middle East market with easy-to-consume functional products
Indian functional foods and beverage firm Auric is eyeing expansion in the Middle East with its easy-to-consume products, riding on increasing demand for health products in convenient formats in the region.
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.
Fortified future? China set for mass fortification of staple foods to combat deficiencies – consultation open
China is considering mandating mass nutritional fortification for various staple foods in order to boost public health and combat nutrient deficiencies.
FOOD AND BEVERAGE TRAILBLAZERS PODCAST EP 38
Innocent innovation: How better-for-you confectionery is shifting candies out of the ‘guilty’ indulgence space
The rise of new ingredients and innovations in the better-for-you confectionery space is shifting candies and other sweet treats into a guilt-free indulgence space, and has to the potential to progress further into the functional foods realm.
Functional food innovation: Amorepacific to expand healthy ageing portfolio with threonine-rich products
South Korean beauty and skincare conglomerate Amorepacific has revealed its ambitions in expanding its healthy ageing supplement portfolio, and is developing threonine-rich new products, following positive findings on the amino acid.
Cementing success: New plant will see Indian oil giant B. L. Agro Industries vastly boost output
India’s edible oils and food giant B. L. Agro Industries is gearing up for a rapid increase in production as it seeks to cement its position in the domestic market.
Intake of Bifidobacterium-fortified infant formula shown to reduce URTI – Fonterra 12-week RCT
Chinese infants consuming milk formulas containing Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis HN019 reported a lower rate of upper respiratory tract infections compared to those who drank formulas containing another probiotic strain, or no probiotics at all,...
Protecting food supply: Plant-based protein exposure boosted in Thailand due to disease outbreaks – CEO
Disease outbreaks, such as swine flu affecting pork quality and the COVID-19 pandemic hitting supply chains, have raised the profile of plant-based products among lower-income consumers in Thailand, according to a brand CEO.
Conscious costing: How Aussie supermarkets can tweak pricing, products and e-commerce strategies to tackle inflation
Major Australian supermarkets have been urged to refocus their pricing, product and e-commerce strategies to fulfil consumer demands for affordable products and convenient shopping, as inflation rockets.
Stepping up safety: CP Foods reveals three new business sustainability strategies
Food and beverage major CP Foods has identified the strengthening of its water management, food safety standards and healthy product innovation as key strategies to help the company with its business sustainability ambitions.
Tapping potential: Indian nutra firm Diabliss to develop 10 new herbal water products
Chennai-based nutraceutical and food firm Diabliss Consumer Products is developing another 10 herbal water supplements – on top of its five existing products – to tap the lucrative potential of the general wellness market in the country.
Sports nutrition sales steady despite price hike, yogurt sales still down – Meiji
Sales of sports nutrition products under the brand SAVAS have remained steady despite price rises and a reduction in product volumes, Meiji has reported in its FY22 Q1 results.