Healthier Choices: Healthy popsicles, low-GI breads, world-first probiotic beer and more feature in our round-up

Ice cold nostalgia: India’s Skippi revamps popsicle category with healthy ingredients​

India’s first ice popsicle brand Skippi has revamped the traditional local category with the use of healthier ingredients and national exposure via the popular reality show Shark Tank, vowing to achieve nationwide penetration within the next six months.

Ice popsicles have been available in India for several decades, but the traditional form of the frosty snack is generally not branded and made from artificial colourings, flavours and ingredients, in addition to water that is not usually up to safety and quality standards.

“We realised that there was essentially nothing happening within the ice pops sector in India, no brands being established and certainly no better options being developed, especially for kids,” ​Skippi Co-Founder Ravi Kabra told Foodnavigator-Asia.​

Love for loaf: Malaysian firm fulfils four-year mission to launch low-GI bread range​

A four year-long research and development (R&D) project has led to launch of a new low-GI bread range in Malaysia – one of several South East nations battling surges in obesity and diabetes.

The Healthy Joy​ range, launched by Nova, has a slow-carb system and a low glycaemic index (GI) of 35. It also contains Omega-9 oils.

Chief Business Officer of Nova Nicholas Cheong Peck Hiang said: “Food in Malaysia usually has a high GI and trans-fat content.​

‘Grown up Yakult’: Probiotic beer debuts in Singapore with clinical trial suggests positive microbiota results​

A probiotic beer developed by researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) has finally hit the market, launched by start-up Probicient in collaboration with bar and restaurant chain Brewerkz.

Containing one billion of Lactobacillus paracasei​ L26 per serving, the beer, which contains 4.5 per cent alcohol by volume (ABV), is available in all Brewerkz outlets on tap since March 1.

It is sold as ‘Red Billion Probiotic Raspberry Sour Beer’ in the outlets.  

Clean energy snacking: I Am Grounded expands upcycled energy-boosting snacks to further supermarket goals​

Australian upcycled products firm I Am Grounded is expanding its portfolio of upcycled energy-boosting snacks into different formats with an eye on getting itself ready to enter major supermarket retail.

At present, the firm’s portfolio largely comprises clean energy bars, which use upcycled coffee fruit and are based on energy provision for different times of the day when consumers need it most, i.e. the 9am (Lemon Coconut and Coffee Fruit), the 3pm (Cocoa Almond Butter and Coffee Fruit) and the Pick-Me-Up (Espresso Tahini and Coffee Fruit).

Swift expansion: ASEAN sugar alternative firm developing RTE options and eyeing Europe entry​

Philippines, Vietnam and Singapore-based sugar alternative firm Swiftlet is widening its portfolio with the development of new ready-to-eat (RTE) and lower-cost options of its sugar replacement product, whilst also planning for entry into the European market come the second quarter of this year.

Swiftlet is moving on to the second phase of its growth strategy with market expansion within South East Asia into Singapore and Vietnam, and is targeting its first European entry later this year.

“The first European markets of interest for us are Portugal and Spain, which will be phase three for us which will commence in the second quarter of 2022,”​ Swiftlet Co-Founder and Head of R&D Minh Le told FoodNavigator-Asia​.