ANZ Focus: Plant-based 3D-printed wagyu, sheep whey spirits, New Zealand biocide study and more feature in our round-up

Plant-based 3D printing: China and Australia identified as key markets for new Wagyu launch​

Hong Kong 3D food printing firm Alt Farm is eyeing China and Australia as its first key target markets, revealing it hopes to launch a prototype plant-based A5 Wagyu Beef product in the next 12 to 18 months.

Alt Farm is a spin-off from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), and has developed a patented 3D food printing technology with a nozzle that enables it to print foods with specified textures, a considerable difference from conventional 3D printed foods that are usually gelatinous before any additional processing.

“Most of the 3D food printing technology currently available is focused on applications for the elderly to produce soft foods that can be swallowed easily, or to be used with chocolate to personalize shapes – our technology is nothing like that, the target for us is to make regular food using 3D printing,”​ Alt Farm Managing Director Kenny Fung told FoodNavigator-Asia​.

Where there’s a will, there’s a whey: Australia’s Hartshorn eyes international opportunities with sheep whey spirits​

Australia-based Hartshorn Distillery has big plans for international market expansion with its award-winning sheep whey-based spirits and out-of-the-ordinary product innovations.

Hartshorn Distillery is run by sheep milk product specialists Ewenique Enterprises, which also operates sheep cheese firm Grandvewe and personal care firm ewe care.

“The whole spirits operation actually came about in the spirit of sustainability, as we were making cheese from the milk and realising that a lot of the whey was being wasted – so we looked into how we could utilise this and found a really valuable product market opportunity in spirits and craft distillation,”​ Ewenique Enterprises Executive Director Nicole Gilliver told FoodNavigator-Asia​.

Consumers more accepting of biocides in ‘environmentally friendly’ dairy drinks: China-NZ study​

Consumers tend to be more accepting of biocide labelling on dairy beverages if the term ‘environmentally friendly’ is also used on the packaging, according to researchers in China and New Zealand.

The joint study was conducted to provide industry guidance in view of several countries having implemented mandatory biocide labelling regulations, with New Zealand expected to follow suit in future.

Prebiotic immunity: New Zealand to recruit 300 babies for study on gut microbiota diversity​

A trial involving 300 babies in Auckland will find out if a prebiotic food could alter their gut microbiota diversity for better immune health.

The prebiotic used in the trial is from 1) kūmara (sweet potato) powder – which is rich in dietary fibre and resistant starch and 2) resistant starch from green bananas.

The trial is funded by New Zealand’s High-Value Nutrition National Science Challenge (NZHVN).

‘Corporate daigou boom’: Formula firm Bubs boosted by formal platforms for sellers​

Infant formula maker Bubs reported a record high gross revenue coming from corporate daigou companies, which help individual sellers navigate hurdles such as procurement and deliveries.

Gross revenue from the corporate daigou channel hit a record high, reporting a 276 per cent increase as compared to the prior corresponding period (pcp). This follows the strong growth momentum seen in FY2022 Q2, where the company said that gross revenue from its corporate daigou channel was up 196 per cent, with demand for infant formulas exceeding pre-COVID-19 levels.

“Corporate daigou channels are digital marketing and consultancy companies that incorporate large numbers of ​retail daigou agents into their business operations through formal channels or platforms.​

“Corporate daigou platforms help them manage the process of product procurement, delivery, and other logistics and administrative issues,”​ according to Haiqing Yu, associate professor at the School of Media and Communication, RMIT University.