Trend Tracker: Health vs flavour, tea in China, veganism, free-from and more feature in this edition of our trends round-up

By Pearly Neo

- Last updated on GMT

Health concerns are overtaking flavour preferences in China where dishes are traditionally prepared with substantial amounts of seasonings and spices. ©Getty Images
Health concerns are overtaking flavour preferences in China where dishes are traditionally prepared with substantial amounts of seasonings and spices. ©Getty Images
Health vs flavour, tea in China, veganism, free-from and more feature in this edition of Trend Tracker.

Health overtaking flavour: Food companies ride on rising salt reduction and clean label trends in China

Health concerns are overtaking flavour preferences in China​ — where dishes are traditionally prepared with substantial amounts of seasonings and spices — and food companies are increasingly using this trend to their advantage.

According to market intelligence agency Mintel, over the last six months 94% of urban Chinese consumers have opted to reduce their salt intake, a significant departure from traditional Chinese cooking styles.

Tea in China: Non-dairy milk could revive growth of a slowing market, say analysts

The tea market in China appeared to have hit peak growth in 2017-2018, but analysts at Mintel say that using non-traditional complements like non-dairy milks could spell broader opportunities​.

According to the market intelligence agency, the tea market in China grew by 14% from 2017 to 2018 to reach CNY48.5bn, and appeared to have reached the pinnacle of its growth. Volumes also surged 4% in this period to reach some 1.3bn litres.

Oceania tops vegan list: Australia, New Zealand seize top spots for veganism popularity in 2018

A new international listing shows that Australia and New Zealand have clinched the first and third spots respectively in terms of veganism popularity globally​.

According to Chef’s Pencil​, which compiled the list based on Google Trends data, Australians showed the highest levels of interest in veganism worldwide based on their internet searches.

Where regulatory and consumer demands converge: Why free-from is expanding in APAC - DuPont

Regulatory and consumer demands are converging to drive free-from demand in APAC​, with government action around sugar taxes and regional preferences for meat-free and dairy-free products spurring innovation.

In the last two years, there has been about 20% increase in free-from products related queries from manufacturers, DuPont Nutrition & Health's Innovation Group Manager, ASEAN, Xue Si-Ying revealed.

Vegan ice cream: Unilever to launch first dairy-free Magnum in New Zealand

Unilever‘s Magnum has launched its first ever vegan ice cream made available in New Zealand this month​, marketed as the Magnum Dairy Free.

The ice cream is made from pea proteins, hence is considered to be a plant-based product. Magnum boasts the highest quality plant-based ingredients​’ in the official press release, and emphasised that it has received certification from the New Zealand Vegan Association.

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