Oatside targets stress and sleep health with matcha oat latte
Oatside has launched a matcha oat latte designed to boost mental wellness – with flavour to match
he firm believes matcha’s deep cultural roots and mental wellness benefits will appeal to increasingly health-aware Asian consumers.
With Asia ranking among the most stressed regions globally, functional wellness products are gaining traction. According to Statista, revenue in Asia’s broader mental health market – encompassing products and services – is projected to reach US$10.24bn by 2025.
This inspired Oatside to create a beverage that promotes “calm and clarity”, said Oatside CEO Benedict Lim.
Next level functional snacks: Is COA on the money with high protein chocolates?
High-protein chocolates look set to lead the next wave of innovation in the functional snacks category
The increasing popularity of functional snacks in markets all over the world has been no secret – but while chocolate-flavoured protein products have been common, the idea of a chocolate snack that is high in protein has been less so.
This may be about to change with Singapore-based COA & Co (COA) Chocolates, which burst onto the scene recently with its high-protein chocolate snacks enriched with fermented soy.
“The mention of protein and chocolate tends to immediately be linked to chocolate protein bars, but we are not doing that – we have designed our product to be a real, premium chocolate that is high in protein,” COA Founder and CEO Eduardo Burg told us.
Stratified nutrition: Asia’s scalable path to healthier, personalised diets
Stratified nutrition is Asia’s next step towards scalable, personalised diet solutions that bridge innovation, accessibility, and public health
The topic of next-generation nutrition is often linked to a future where diet and nutrition is personalised to each consumer, bringing individualisation to the next level.
However, experts believe that personalised nutrition is still a long way down the road in terms of feasibility, especially in a price-sensitive region such as Asia.
“A lot of the technology for personalisation does exist to some degree already, but the issue is that most of this comes at a high price point and cannot be depended on as solutions for the masses yet,” Singapore’s A*STAR Singapore Institute of Food and Biotechnology Innovation (A*STAR SIFBI) senior scientist Dr Germaine Yong said.
Simplot’s winning formula: Affordable, healthy, and unique
McDonald’s fry supplier Simplot shares how it drives growth with creativity, cost-effective measures, and healthier snacking options
Simplot is betting on unique product formats, global sourcing agility, and the wellness trend to sustain growth across the competitive APAC food landscape.
Offering creative, proprietary products is Simplot’s way of addressing shrinkflation while maintaining profit margins.
“A lot of customers are focused on value for money, especially with shrinkflation happening everywhere,” said Darren Sau, Simplot’s Sales Director for South East Asia.
“To stay profitable, you need to stand out with something unique.”
Purpose-driven innovation fuels new product launches in Asia’s F&B market
Innovation in Asia’s food space is no longer just about novelty – it also needs to be purposeful, with a strong tilt towards health and sustainability
It is no secret that novelty is an important purchasing driver for Asian consumers when it comes to making food and grocery decisions, driven by curiosity and a fondness of exploration.
This has been at the heart of rapid new product innovation efforts in the region, but novelty alone is no longer sufficient to attract interest, according to industry experts.
“The Asian consumer landscape has evolved to prioritise not just new experiences, but new experiences with a purpose,” Koelnmesse general manager for food exhibitions Wendy Lim told us at the firm’s recent ThaiFex-Anuga Asia 2025 show in Bangkok, Thailand.
