News & Analysis on Food & Beverage Development & Technology
We bring to you our top 10 most viewed stories from the APAC food and beverage sector in 2024, featuring household names like Nestle’s coffee ambitions, India’s spice industry scandal, various regulatory updates throughout the region and more.
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.
The growing interest in plant-based meat and dairy alternatives in the Middle East, attributed to increasing health awareness and product options, is expected to propel growth of the alternative protein sector over the next few years.
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.
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.
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.
The Asia Pacific functional beverage industry is increasingly seeing consumer demands for sugar reduction, label transparency and allergen aversion becoming commonplace.
Vitafoods Asia 2024
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.
The supplementation of fermented soybean has been shown to reduce symptoms of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), including heartburn, as well as lowering inflammatory markers, based on findings from a 12-week RCT.
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.
The plant-based trend has slowed in recent months, but new research could be set to restore its fortunes.
London-headquartered ice cream brand Little Moons hopes to woo premium consumers after successfully winning over youngsters and gaining market presence in the Middle East.
Plant-based product manufacturers still targeting the Asian market need to identify the right product formats that can strengthen the category’s correlation with health benefits, or risk further industry slowdown, experts claim.
Global gummies specialist firm Haribo believes that a combined focus on sour flavours and variety packs will be its route to attracting more teenage and young adult consumers to the brand in the APAC region.
Middle East food and beverage giant Agthia has reaped the rewards of solid investments into new product innovation with significant volume-led growth in the first half of 2024, and hopes to further boost this with its newly opened protein facility.
South Korean food giant Nongshim remains optimistic for the prospects of its plant-based meat alternative brand Veggie Garden, believing that the sector still has a bright future in the South East Asian region and especially Thailand.
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.
A study has identified ageing, female demographic, and pre-existing health conditions as some of the key factors that influence the Lebanese population’s uptake of the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet).
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.
Informing consumers of the benefits of plant-based diets is ‘not enough’ to convince them to reduce meat intake, but rather need to be supported by factors like lifestyle habits and nutritional concerns, according to a recent report.
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.
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.
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.
FOOD AND BEVERAGE TRAILBLAZERS EP 51
Tempeh chips brand Mamame has highlighted the multiple nutritional benefits of black-eyed beans as a key factor behind its success in the APAC healthy snacking sector, fuelling its upcoming growth into the UK and US markets as well.
Amway is focusing its resources on several key categories, including gut health and anti-ageing, based on major trends that it has observed and believes possess immense potential for growth.
Singapore-based Everiday Foods has identified a gap in the market for clean eating, but the vegan start-up sees educating consumers and justifying the higher prices of wholesome foods as its main challenges.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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...
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.
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...
A 'game-changing phenomenon' needs to take place before plant-based could become a strong trend in Japan, according to an industry expert pioneering meat alternatives in the country.
Thailand-based plant-based specialist firm Buono believes that the success of its business can be credited to its portfolio variety which focuses on more unique products as opposed to meat replacements.
A nutritional audit of more than 700 plant-based foods in Australian supermarkets has found high levels of salt and saturated fat, with researchers also calling for a more up-to-date food database to be used in the country.
Plant-based meat alternatives don’t appear to lower cardiovascular risks for Asians, prompting the need to relook at the nutrition profile during product formulation, say researchers.
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.
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.
Consumer-facing food and beverage brands play a ‘critical role’ in moving the Asia Pacific agrifood system towards digitalisation, organisation and long-term sustainability by influencing consumer purchasing decisions, say experts.
The APAC cheese sector is being driven by a generational shift in consumer demand for nutrition, affordability and convenience, all of which need to be met if the category is to fulfil its potential.
New Zealand infant nutrition firm Haven is expanding into the plant-based space with the launch of an oat-milk based drink for toddlers aged one and above.
Future Food Asia 2024
Developing markets in Asia and Africa risk being sidelined in the efforts to create a more sustainable food system, unless inclusion and affordability are placed front and centre to improve nutrition.
Australia’s plant-based pioneer v2food is aiming to strengthen its position in the category through the acquisition of ready meals brand Soulara, with portfolio expansion and broadening sales channels as growth drivers.
Nestle Malaysia believes that the strength of its core brands such as KitKat and Maggi, as well as the advantages of its large local production operations, will serve it well in overcoming current ‘subdued’ consumer sentiment in the country.
FNA InnovATE: Cleaner snacking
Increasing demand for heathier products coupled with manufacturing advances is giving pre-packaged avocado firm Freshcourt optimism to expand across Asia and the Middle East.