Japan’s new Basic Plan for Food: 4 takeaways for global food brands
Discover four key insights global food firms need to know about Japan’s new Basic Plan for Food and its impact on regional food trade.
Japan has announced the revision of its Basic Plan for Food under the larger Basic Law for Food, Agriculture and Rural Areas, a change which will impact the country’s food and agriculture trade for the next two decades.
China enforces plant-based colours: What brands must know
Here’s how China’s new industry standard on food colouring can benefit consumers and influence the APAC food and beverage industry
A new industry standard, jointly developed by the China National Food Industry Association (CNFIA) and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), mandates that food colourings be made from fruits, vegetables, plants, or algae normally consumed as food.
Effective from May 1, 2025, it also requires colourings to be produced solely through physical methods – ruling out chemical solvents – and to retain the natural colour, flavour, and nutrients of their source materials.
Access inequity in Australia’s food retail impacting consumer diets
Retail access inequity in Australia is affecting consumer decisions to make healthy food choices, says new report
Many Australian consumers are unable to make healthy food choices due to the existing food environments they are in, according to the new ‘Towards a state of the food system report for Australia’ report released by Australia’s national science agency CSIRO and the University of Queensland.
In this report, the authors identified a number of troubling issues within the local food retail sector which have long been ‘overlooked’.
“Economic and geographic disparities in food access mean that not all Australians are served equally well by food retail environments,” they stated.
India’s FSSAI to tighten licensing rules for ‘high risk’ products
Firms producing infant nutrition, packaged drinking water, and other “high-risk” items must obtain either a State or Central License that involves stricter compliance requirements.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has proposed stricter licensing rules for manufacturers of high-risk food products – including infant formula, milk powders, packaged drinking water, non-carbonated water-based beverages – citing concerns over safety compliance among small-scale operators.
Under the new proposal, no new FSSAI registrations or renewals will be allowed for firms producing these categories.
Instead, manufacturers must obtain either a State or Central License, both of which involve higher compliance requirements, technical oversight, and regular inspections.
South Korea emerges as hotspot for sugar-free innovation
South Korea saw over 20% growth in sugar-free innovation last year, highlighting new opportunities for global health-focused brands
The South Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) recently published the country’s 2024 food industry production performance statistics, reporting a 5.8% year-on-year increase to KRW114tn (US$84.36bn).
This was further buffered by a 10% year-on-year increase in food exports to US$7.26bn, highlighting the positive impacts of South Korea’s continued push to grow its international trade and food exports in particular.
