The absence of a set of unified guidelines to provide nutrient composition and labelling requirements for all categories of commercially produced complementary foods (CPCF) in Southeast Asia risks confusing consumers, say researchers.
Plant-based beverages may be considered suitable alternatives to their dairy counterparts but must overcome challenges related to flavour, consumer health, stability and nutrient dissolution, say researchers in Singapore, the UK and China.
Nestle Vietnam is banking on the rising demand for convenient beverage options in the country to drive the growth of its newest Nescafe format innovation, a ready-to-serve liquid concentrate.
Thai natural fruit juice specialist Manee Manao is banking on the ongoing watermelon smoothie craze dubbed ‘tangmo-pun’ in South Korea to boost the success of its new frozen watermelon puree export business.
The general public and experts in Singapore have raised several concerns over the consumption of cultivated meat, while also acknowledging it can play a crucial role in the City State’s food security efforts.
New Zealand-founded hard seltzer brand Everyday Weekend is aiming to seize growth opportunities in the ready-to-drink (RTD) alcoholic beverages category across Asia through affordable pricing and community marketing strategies.
Australian infant and adult milk formula firm Nutura Organic will be making its debut in Thailand through a distribution deal with major Thai food producer CP Foods.
Singapore-based OATSIDE has recently expanded its product line-up to include a range of ice creams as part of its growth strategy, on the back of burgeoning popularity of its oat milk products across Asia.
Singapore-based plant-based brand Thoughtful Food has launched a range of cleaner label, ready-to-eat (RTE) meals in anticipation of its ambitions to start exports across the region and globally.
Japan has set up a physical anti-counterfeit consultation desk in Thailand to fight against a rising number of food and agriculture products claiming to be of Japanese origin.
New liquid sweetener brand Zerup believes its products will open new avenues for more beverages in Singapore to go zero-sugar with no compromise on taste, helping firms to comply with the local Nutri-Grade requirements more easily.
There is an urgent need for real-time global monitoring of food fraud in order to protect public health and the global economy, say experts in Thailand.
Tofu and beverage brand Vitasoy hopes the performance of its soy milk and tea businesses in Asian will help it bounce back from manufacturing and logistical challenges faced in Oceania over the past six months.
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.
Morinaga Milk says its postbiotic, marketed under the brand LAC-Shield, has been added into Thailand’s positive list of ingredients that could be used in general foods and beverages, opening new opportunities for functional foods development in the South...
Cargill-owned Aalst Chocolate is putting “substantial investment” into insights-driven R&D, customised products, and strengthening of its bean-to-bar supply chain to push growth in Asia and beyond.
Singapore-based start-up Noce Nuts says that consumers are willing to pay a premium for nut butters that are customised to their preferred taste and texture, including reduced sugar and salt options.
New data from Thailand claims almost all ultra-processed food (UPF) products exceed the recommended daily amount of sodium and lack essential nutrients and minerals.
World-first liquid shio koji brand Hanamaruki has big plans to ride on the growing umami and wellness trends in South East Asia, after seeing success in western and East Asian markets.
Beer heavyweight Carlsberg Malaysia has decided to persist with its portfolio premiumisation strategy and a new Sapporo partnership despite concerns over ‘weak’ consumer sentiment and diminished profitability in the third quarter of 2023.
Grocery e-commerce platform giant RedMart is seeing health and sustainability trends increasingly driving the purchasing decisions of consumers in Singapore, inspiring the firm to focus its own in-house product innovations on these factors.
Auckland-based nut butter producer Forty Thieves is investing in social media content creation and influencer marketing to target online consumers, whom it says have increasingly shorter attention spans.
Sunsweet’s ingredients arm is optimistic that stable recovery is incoming for prunes and prune-derived products in Thailand on the back of rising demand after a standstill during the pandemic period.
A new study reveals the key differences in nutrient intake when an animal-based diet is replaced with plant-based alternatives, with calls for greater in-depth research and consideration of such factors manufacturers when developing new products.
Further research is needed to translate nutrient-based breakfast guidelines into more user-friendly, food-based recommendations that consumers can easily understand and implement in their daily lives, says a study conducted in Indonesia.
The sugar tax as implemented in the Philippines will lead to health and economic improvements, but to a lesser extent that if it had been enacted in its original form, new data suggests.
Japanese firm CHOYA has added two new products to its Sarari line-up, both of which contain lower alcohol content and are “priced affordably”, to appeal to a younger demographic.
Data from the large-scale Singapore Chinese Health Study has shown that all consumers can reduce their risk of later cognitive impairment by switching to a healthier diet at any age, as revealed by the study’s principal investigator at the recent Growth...
The Netherlands-based food tech company Meatable says it has managed to reduce costs and raise production efficiency of its cultivated meat products, which are on course to be launched in Singapore by next year.
Japanese plant-based meat firm Tastable hopes its experience in texture modification will help it successfully commercialise and grow its new Nikuvege brand.
The Philippines Food and Drug Authority (FDA) has announced new changes to sodium content limits and how caloric values are to be displayed on the packaging of pre-packaged processed food products in the country.
Singapore’s Sustenir has expanded its business portfolio to include functional food products, such as ready-to-drink smoothies, to support what it believes is a long-term growth opportunity.
Singapore-based companies Brewerkz and Baker & Cook envision upcycled foods to be a major trend in the next few years, with collaboration between F&B manufacturers playing a crucial role in raising awareness and uptake of such products.
Singapore-headquartered TurtleTree is targeting sports nutrition success with its lactoferrin ingredient, with commercialisation in the US and Singapore expected this year and next year respectively.
Nicaraguan brand Flor de Caña says that Asia-Pacific markets are key contributors to the rapid growth of the premium rum category, with more consumers taking interest in rum-based cocktails.
Thailand-based Bangkok Cookies is planning to expand its presence into more export markets as well as eyeing plans for local supermarket retail after having achieved resounding success as a souvenir product in the travel retail scene.
Singapore start-up Altimate Nutrition has developed a range of cricket-based products that are ready for mass manufacturing and distribution, except that it continues to be hindered by regulatory approval delays.
Singapore-based plant-based brand noomoo says it wants to be the ‘first’ Asia brand with an ‘all-encompassing’ range of products across plant types and categories, while focusing on B2B and online sales before expanding into physical retail channels.
Carlsberg Malaysia believes the end of its exclusive distribution partnership with Asahi is risk-free, and will use the opportunity to double down on its premiumisation strategy.
Thailand could be set to revamp its rules around expiration dates and allergen warnings after regulator Thai Food and Drug Association (FDA) issued draft proposals for prepackaged foods
Carlsberg has pledged to continue with its premiumisation drive in Malaysia and Singapore despite seeing its higher end beers suffer a significant slump as consumers tighten their belts.
Malaysian newcomer postbiotic firm My Myracle has commercialised a series of postbiotics using solely bacteria from plants instead of other common sources, such as faeces of healthy individuals or animals. It says that using plant-derived bacteria is...
Singapore-based REVIT is eyeing a bigger market share in the anti-hangover category with its gummy product, on the back of sales numbers that have been tripling month-on-month since its launch in January this year.
Singapore start-up Hegg has launched its eggless Japanese mayonnaise in the domestic market and is looking to capitalise on growth opportunities across Asia with ‘localised flavours.’
Energy drink giant EastRoc Beverages has set its sights on South East Asia as a key export destination after having established itself as one of the largest brands in China, planning to retain its original best-selling recipe for its initial entry.
Thailand-based snacks firm Food Onwards believes it has a strong shot at revitalising the fish skin snack category via a localised take on its product manufacturing process and flavour selection.
Thailand’s Eatvolution has developed a chickpea rice alternative that is richer in nutrients and lower in carbohydrates as it seeks to entice increasingly health-conscious consumers as well as diabetic patients.
Singapore-based tech firm Ai Palette has developed a new tool called FoodGPT, which harnesses the power of generative AI and natural language processing to elevate data-backed innovations and increase the success rate of product launches.
After more than a year of development and 13 versions of the prototype, Singapore’s Moom Health has completed the formulation of a new supplement that is specifically targeted at relieving premenstrual symptoms (PMS) and painful period cramps.
Thailand’s Boonprasert Confectionery is evolving its innovation strategy to focus on the development of novel formats and functional offerings to meet changing consumer needs in and out of its home market.