General Mills eyes home-cooked meals with Parampara buy

14-May-2012 - US-based food giant General Mills has agreed to acquire the food brands of Pune-based ready-to-cook spices and sauces maker Parampara Food Products, the company announced at the end of last week.

Validated, gut-tailored probiotics needed in Asia: Frost & Sullivan

10-May-2012 - Developing demographic-specific formulations and validating health claims must be a focus for probiotic manufacturers targeting Asian markets, according to an industry analyst.

Chinese agricultural firm carves new FMCG product line

30-Apr-2012 - Shanxi-based Deyu Agriculture has developed a new line of MSG-free, easy-cook noodles that will enable it to delve into an unknown yet lucrative fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector in China.

Instant value with healthy, non-MSG noodles in China

23-Apr-2012 - Developing non-MSG, better-for-you instant noodles will surge market value in China’s commoditised market sector, according to Mintel research director.

Natural colours suit Asia’s dietary heritage: CEO of Chr Hansen

19-Apr-2012 - Chr Hansen recorded an 11% surge in sales across Asia Pacific in its H1 results, with natural colours proving strong for business; underpinned by a cultural dietary heritage favouring healthy food choice, according to CEO of the company.

McCain wants to stay local, grow local in India

16-Apr-2012 - Aiming to garner a higher share of the Indian ready-to-eat (RTE), frozen foods markets, McCain Foods is further strengthening its product range to cater to Indian tastes and sensibilities.

Givaudan: flavoursome in China and Japan

12-Apr-2012 - Givaudan’s sturdy presence in China and Japan has helped secure strong Q1 results for its flavour division; with a 9.4% sales increase in Asia Pacific markets.

Indian state drives first nail in Gutkha’s coffin

06-Apr-2012 - The central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh has become the first to ban the sale and manufacture of Gutkha products, the traditional and increasingly controversial form of edible tobacco.

Coca-Cola Japan to ‘cultivate new product category’ with Latino tea product

19-Mar-2012 - Coca-Cola has been driving growth across Japan in 2011 with NPDs and expanded distribution channels; its latest tea product is set to carve an entirely new product category in the local market, the company said.

News in brief

Amazon bans sales of shark, whale and dolphin meat

13-Mar-2012 - Amazon has prohibited the sale of shark, whale and dolphin food products from its Japanese site and placed an explicit warning on its main site,  in response to ongoing pressure from environmental groups.

Japan's Takasago focused on Asia's fastest-growing flavour market, India

08-Mar-2012 - Following a US$32m investment in Singapore, Japanese flavour giant Takasago International has turned its attention to India and has invested a further US$10m to build a flavour and fragrance manufacturing and R&D facility in the South of the country.

Gutkha ban imminent in India

27-Feb-2012 - Indian’s health ministry is all set to ban gutkha, pan masala, and other edible forms of tobacco on the basis of a ruling last year by the country’s Supreme Court.

Market opportunities as Indians trend away from milk

27-Feb-2012 - Indians are slowly weaning themselves away from milk, which has long been the favoured drink of both urban and rural customers, a new survey has revealed.

India to reduce trans fats in vanaspati oils

19-Jan-2012 - In an attempt to combat the sharp rise in obesity-related ailments in India, the national government is planning to reduce trans fatty acid (TFA) content in vanaspati oil over the next couple of years.

Thailand jumps on Halal bandwagon

12-Jan-2012 - Thai trade authorities are working closely with local food manufacturers to set up a halal food industrial estate in the south of the country, a region with a large Muslim population.

Swiss flavour house builds Southeast Asian presence

09-Jan-2012 - Swiss flavour and fragrance giant, Firmenich, will be able to better serve Southeast Asia’s market as it will be closer to clients and consumers with its new flavour production facility in Indonesia, according to the company.

Nestlé and Coke ice Indian tea JV

09-Jan-2012 - After being put on the backburner in October last year, it appears that the joint venture between Nestlé and Coca-Cola for the ready-to-drink (RTD) tea segment in India has been put permanently on ice.

French flavour house gains local hold in China with Shanghai JV

05-Jan-2012 - French flavour manufacturer, Aromatech, has formed a joint venture with a large Chinese flavour and fragrance company in a bid to better access China’s domestic food and beverages sector.

Chinese green snacks to triple to US$570 million by 2014

03-Jan-2012 - The Chinese green snacks market will triple in value from 1.2 billion yuan (US$190 million) in 2010 to 3.6bn Chinese yuan (US$570 million) by 2014, according to research from the University of Science & Technology in Beijing.

Chinese consumers concerned about protein intake, says Fonterra

21-Dec-2011 - Chinese consumers are aware of the need to increase protein intake to reduce the risk of developing conditions like sarcopenia, according to Fonterra Dairy Company.

Moutai to invest US$70m in Chinese rice wine

21-Dec-2011 - Kweichou Moutai, the leader in rice wine in China has disclosed plans to invest 437 million yuan ($US69m) in 2012, to produce an additional 2800 tonnes of wine.

Taiwanese Sea Party invests in breeding halal seafood

20-Dec-2011 - Taiwanese marine specialist, Sea Party Technology, is adding to a MYR2bn investment ($600m), in Malaysia to breed fish and prawns for the halal community – with government backing.

Indian state brings the ‘death penalty’ hammer down on illicit liquor

20-Dec-2011 - The western state of Gujarat has passed one of the most stringent laws in India against illicit liquor, as the death toll from consumption of the toxic ‘hooch’ in the eastern state of West Bengal reaches 170.

Growth opportunity in Japan’s alcohol-free beverage sector

13-Dec-2011 - Japan’s alcoholic beverage market is shrinking and sluggish according to a Datamonitor report, but analysts have noted opportunity in the growing alcohol-free sector due to consumer focus on drink driving laws.