Food and nutrition firms in APAC have to contend with a diverse and at times contradictory regulatory landscape across the region, with rules and laws being amended or introduced all the time. And 2016 was no exception.
British food firm Chaucer has been sold to Japanese manufacturer Nagatanien in a £102.8m (€122.8m) deal which the freeze-dried food manufacturer says will help it expand into the US and Asia.
Several superfoods are now becoming mainstream in Japan because consumers are acutely aware of the “nutrient powerhouses” and their functional benefits.
With just 100,000 Muslims among a population of 127m, its perhaps little surprise that halal products have not been the top priority for Japan’s food manufacturers.
The functional food ingredients market in Asia Pacific is being tipped to rise from $2.85bn at the end of 2016 to $5.04bn in 2026 with probiotics projected to be the fastest growing segment over the forecast period
Yonekyu Corporation, one of Japan’s leading processed meat companies, has applauded the impact of Sealpac’s thermoformers on its production lines, claiming the equipment is “extremely strong”.
Seven EU member states are eagerly awaiting approval from Japan to increase its imports of European beef, following its recent restoration of trade with Italy.
The Australian government is in talks with political counterparts in Japan after the latter imposed a trade ban on live cattle imports, following a virus outbreak.
Japanese wagyu beef is a hit in the Middle East, but producers are struggling to export to regional markets because of Halal issues, according to a Japanese food importer in the UAE.
Avantium has signed an agreement with Mitsui & Co. (Mitsui), to commercialize 100% biobased chemicals FDCA (Furan-2,5-dicarboxylic acid) and PEF (polyethylene furanoate) in Asia.
Japanese media have reported that the European Union may no longer require radiation screening for some food products imported into the bloc from the beginning of next year.
In a move to placate farmers worried about the impact of increased imports as a result of the recently agreed Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade agreement, Japan will be allowed to return its beef and pork tariffs to previous levels if imports jump.
Japanese consumers are eating more dark chocolate at the expense of milk varieties as interest grows in cocoa polyphenols, says leading domestic chocolatier Meiji.
New product launches containing collagen – the majority with a “beauty from within” positioning – have grown an eye-watering 250% in just four years, with Japan offering plenty of delivery and formulations lessons for Western companies.
Edible oil manufacturer Fuji will use its first research centre outside of Japan to focus on products formulated for the Asian market, the company said at its ceremony in Singapore.
Japanese conglomerate Nagase has revealed its predictions of country’s top food trends for 2015. Its choices are based on the anticipated changes to Japanese claims regulations, as well as consumer interest in new food experiences and ethnic flavours.
By Shane Starling at Health Ingredients-Japan in Tokyo
Japan’s innovative but restricted €25bn functional foods and food supplements sector is about to be handed a set of game-changing marketing keys by the government, industry players told us at Health Ingredients-Japan in Tokyo today.
Japan has a reputation for food innovation, and a new initiative by Nestlé will transform one of its iconic chocolate bars into currency for train travel while at the same time promoting a crisis-hit part of the country.
Granola has boomed in Japan because of its health promise and versatility and Western cereal firms could cash in further by playing up the trendy aspect, says a Datamonitor Consumer analyst.
The new Japan-Australia Partnership Agreement (JAEPA), agreed on 8 April, allows unprecedented access to Japanese markets, but it is not necessarily only the Australian meat producers who will profit.
Cargill says that chocolate manufacturers can now make the switch from soy lecithin to the “more sustainable” sunflower lecithin after Japan became the last country to approve the emulsifier.
Japan offers packaging companies an opportunity to develop more attractive products, with the importance of aesthetics built into its culture, according to market research agency Canadean.
More than 1,700 people have reported health problems in Japan after eating frozen chicken nuggets and pizza that could have been contaminated with pesticides, according to public Japanese broadcaster NHK.
In South Korea, more than 75 tonnes of US beef was passed off as coming from other countries over the first eight months of this year. It is said the illegal practice is to bypass restrictions that are meant to prevent the sale of meat containing a banned...
Prunes hold bakery promise in Japan because they are fashionable and highly regarded for digestive health properties, but there are challenges in the US given the fruit’s image problem, says Sunsweet Ingredients.
The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) lifted a ban imposed after the Fukushima disaster on food imports from seven prefectures in Japan.
