Philippines-based Universal Robina will spend P5.6 billion (€87m)
this year to expand its branded foods range and increase its
presence in other Asian markets, URC president Lance Gokongwei told
reporters last week.
A UK lobby group is targeting the Malaysian and Indonesian palm oil
industries, claiming that intense farming of plantations is
threatening the orang-utan with extinction.
Vietnam has announced that seafood exports have risen during the
first four months of the year, despite ongoing trading difficulties
with the US, Tom Armitage reports.
EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson has backed calls for a joint
feasibility study, which will look at ways of achieving the
European Commission's desire for closer trading links with the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations...
The Philippines may have to import more rice than it has for seven
years if a prevailing drought cuts rice production as feared,
suggested a senior agricultural official.
Indonesia's largest noodle producer Indofood Sukses Makmur has
joined forces with the world's biggest food company Nestlé to
create a new joint venture which will expand production and
marketing of the two firms' various...
The Vietnam Food Association says that in 2005 turnover in rice
exports is expected to reach $1 billion, but with no plans to
increase crop growing areas, the target may well prove difficult to
reach.
The tsunami waves have had a devastating impact on the fisheries
sector in many countries of the Indian Ocean, the FAO says,
inflicting major upheaval on the seafood processing category.
Although new EU regulations could bring increasing opportunities
for Asian food companies, many European businesses see it as a
threat. But whilst Hungarian food canning companies say their
future existence could be threatened, manufacturers...
The EU, Vietnam's largest trading partner, is the first major
partner to conclude its bilateral deal with Vietnam, giving a boost
to Vietnam's accession to the WTO.
European Commission president Romano Prodi and commissioner Pascal
Lamy are attending this week's ASEM 5 Summit in Vietnam, which
represents a landmark in Asia-Europe relations.
Southeast Asia's largest food and beverage firm San Miguel is
considering a bid for 40 per cent of Philippines' Del Monte
Pacific, currently held by insolvent Italian food group Cirio.
Vietnam plans to earn at least $2 billion in revenue from agro-food
exports to the European Union by 2010. The pledge comes in the face
of tough trade, health and safety regulations imposed by the EU
authorities, which should make...
Asian bird flu is back in the headlines again this week, after a
woman in Thailand died from the infection H5N1. Medical experts
believe that the death was caused by human contact, a fact that
could force a re-think over regulations...
Thailand's tropical climate is said to have fuelled the country's
thirst for soft drinks, with consumption growing steadily in recent
years. The latest report from Canadean points to the fact that rapid
consumption of bottled...
Analysts believe that the ban on Vietnamese rice exports is likely
to give Thailand an added edge, helping to increase demand and
prices, while extending its leading position on the world export
market.
The Philippines-based San Miguel Corporation has broken ground on a
non-alcoholic beverage facility in South Vietnam. The move comes as
part of the company's plans to increase its operations outside the
domestic market - aims...
Loders Croklaan, part of the Malaysian IOI Group and a world leader
in the production of palm oil based products for food use, has
confirmed the intended purchase of Malaysian palm oil specialties
company Soctek in an attempt to extend...
The Thai government has announced a series of planned investments
by Chinese companies, one of which includes a THB 500 million
(€10m) aimed at a leading Thai cooking oil business.
In Indonesia Nestlé and Coca Cola have announced the creation of a 50:50 joint venture, Water Partners Bottling (WPB). The new business is being used as a platform to acquire a 65 per cent share of PT AdeS Alfindo Putrasetia (AAPS), the number two player...
Nutrition House, part of the consumer goods group Pan Group, has
expanded its frozen ready-to-eat meals line with the launch of a
line of vegetarian meals, claimed to be the first product of its
type on the market in Thailand. The...
The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations has
denied reports that it has granted the first patent for processing
coconut water to the Philippines. Patenting of the technology has
been eagerly awaited as it is likely...
The Thai department of agriculture says its is rapidly moving
towards the development of its tropical fruit production in the
country in an effort to gain a leading edge in an increasingly
liberalised pan-Asia Pacific market.
The managers of Singapore-listed People's Food have moved to quash
speculation over a profit warning, following rumours that the
company was about to be downgraded by analysts.
PT Indofood Sukses Makmur, the Indonesian wheat flour producer and
food company, has said it is expecting up to 5 per cent growth in
sales for 2004 in the same week that it launches a further bond
offering on the Surabaya Stock Exchange...
Swiss food giant Nestle has said that its Thai division is about to
introduce another major drive in its aims to consolidate the still
fragmented ice cream market in Thailand.
South Korea's largest liquor maker, Jinro, has moved one step
closer to a sale after a number of investment banks acknowledged
that they were prepared to advise on the matter.
The latest launches from Mintel's GNPD database reveal an emphasis
on snacks and dairy products this week, with a varied selection of
new ranges from Vietnam, Singapore and the Philippines that focus
on healthy properties.
The Asian poultry industry continues to send out contradictory
messages in the wake of the bird flu outbreak. Whilst Thailand
looks set to restock its poultry flocks - a move which some
industry observers believe could be premature...
Regular alcohol intake, thought to reduce the risk of
cardiovascular disease, is associated with lower prevalence of
metabolic syndrome, reported Greek researchers at the European
Society of Cardiology meeting earlier this week.
