Brand New: Mondelez, Coca-Cola, Asahi and more feature in our round-up
Purely paper: Mondelez trials its ‘world-first’ plastic-free packaging in Australia
Mondelez Australia has trialled its first 100% sustainable and 100% recyclable paper packaging on chocolates produced for overseas delivery to test the wrapper’s operational durability in transit.
According to the firm, the material used for this packaging was a ‘fully-sealed paper material’, and did not contain ‘laminates, foils or plastics’.
“Many existing paper-based food wraps have a thin plastic film to protect the product, however the paper used in the trial acts as the barrier to protect food and ensure freshness,” said Mondelez.
The firm’s Director of Marketing for Cadbury, Paul Chatfield, added that: “We are committed to making 100% of our packaging recyclable by 2025. [Given] this is a world-first for us and the material is at the leading edge of packaging innovation, we’re committed to finding innovative solutions to the sustainability challenges facing the planet.
Five year goal: Coca-Cola New Zealand wants to reduce sugar in its beverages by 20%
Coca-Cola New Zealand have announced a goal to reduce the amount of sugar in its beverages by 20% by 2025, including Sprite, Fanta, Powerade, Kiwi Blue water, Pump, Keri Juice as well as its Coca-Cola range.
In total, the ambition applies to more than 20 non-alcoholic beverage brands in the country.
Richard Schlasberg, general manager at Coca-Cola Oceania told FoodNavigator-Asia: “We are making bold moves to continue reducing sugar across our entire portfolio.”
“We’re doing this because not only is it the right thing to do, it’s also what Kiwis are telling us they want. Kiwis’ wants and needs are continually evolving so it’s critically important the business keeps innovating to stay relevant to those looking for a range of drinks to fit their lifestyles.”
Morinaga to distribute HI-CHEW candy in Australia following success in New Zealand and US
Japan’s Morinaga & Co has launched its Hi-Chew soft candy in Australia, with Grocery Corporation of Sydney and Nippon Food Supplies as the distributors.
The product is famed for its long-lasting chewy texture and its wide variety of fruit flavours.
The brand has a strong following especially in the US and New Zealand and the company hopes to expand the brand by tapping on its international success.
Terry Kawabe, managing director of Morinaga Asia Pacific Co. said Hi-Chew sales had more than tripled in the US for over five years, and the company hopes to replicate the success in Australia.
‘Change mindsets’: Asahi ramps up beer promotion and stops disclosing sales volume data
Japan’s Asahi Breweries is focusing on its beer business this year, as it seeks to replicate its sales of JPY 666 billion (US$6 billion) in 2019, despite a forecast of 2% decrease in Japan’s overall beer market.
According to Kristin Chiu, manager of public relations at Asahi Group Holdings, beer consumption in Japan has declined consistently over the past 15 years, and set to drop further.
Beer sales have dropped due to the country’s shrinking population and the growing popularity of cheaper chūhai spirits-based products.
“Since the beer market in Japan keeps shrinking, we try to change our mindset of selling and promoting our products,” Chiu told FoodNavigator-Asia.
In doing so, Asahi Breweries will stop disclosing total sales volume of all beer it produces from January 2020 onwards, instead choosing to only release total sales values.
Shrink the drink: Coca-Cola launches smaller packaging to cope with demographic changes in Japan
Beverage giant Coca-Cola Japan has launched two new PET packaging sizes, 350mL and 700mL for its iconic drink.
The new PET packaging will only apply to Coca-Cola sold in supermarkets, drug stores, discount stores in the Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba and Saitama prefectures.
According to the firm’s Japan PR department, the existing core packaging sizes for Coca-Cola are 500mL PET and 1.5L PET. Besides PET, there are also a variety of glass (190mL), aluminum bottle (280mL) and can (350mL, 500mL) packaging.
The company said the two newly launched packaging were meant to meet changing consumer trends.
