Born and brewed: Tiger refreshes packaging to appeal to bold consumers
Singapore beer giant Tiger says that its revamped packaging reflects progress and innovation while staying true to its roots as a local icon.
As Singapore’s first locally brewed beer introduced in 1932, Tiger launched the nation’s maiden canned beer in 1965 to mark its independence.
Today, it has not only become an iconic local brand, but its presence has also expanded worldwide, with its beer available in more than 60 markets.
Its new packaging design is inspired by the “energy and spirit of progress”, reflecting the brand’s core values since its founding.
“The refreshed look is symbolic of our dedication to innovation, serving as a reminder that after nearly a century on, there is still something fresh brewing at Tiger. Through the sleek, eye-catching cans, we aim to appeal to those who appreciate boldness, authenticity, and the courage to progress while still enjoying the same great taste of our high-quality beer,” Gerald Yeo, Marketing Director at Asia Pacific Breweries (APB) Singapore, told FoodNavigator-Asia.
Food firms must focus on packaging recyclability performance to meet sustainability requirements in APAC, EU – experts
Brands operating in the Asia Pacific (APAC) and European Union (EU) regions should aim to emphasise the reusability of their recyclable packaging in order to ensure they meet sustainability and regulatory requirements.
Several of the sustainability aspects are already being enforced as binding regulations in countries like Japan and South Korea.
Each country has varied infrastructure abilities and different binding and aspirational targets. However, they all have the common goal of improving the recyclability performance of food and beverage packaging.
Recyclability performance is a measure of how much of a product’s material can be recycled at the end of its life cycle.
Recyclability is a central focus of the APAC region’s evolving Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations, as reflected in multiple draft policies and existing frameworks.
Chinese herbal drink giant debuts new globally-focused cans and formats
China herbal tea brand WALOVI launches new cans for sparkling and sugar-free formats, gears up for global rollout with marketing and distribution partners.
WALOVI is the “English brand identity” of Guangzhou-based Wanglaoji for penetrating into international markets.
Four products were introduced at the Shanghai launch event on Aug 18: Classic (Ruby Roselle can), No-Sugar (Dawn Orange can), Plain (Golden Glaze can), and Bubble (Misty Blue can).
Each design integrates Eastern colour aesthetics with modern beverage trends such as sugar-free and sparkling formats, blending traditional herbal wisdom with contemporary appeal, said the firm.
India’s Cup-ji rides convenience trend with ‘ready-to-sip’ tea cups, eyes global expansion
India-based Cup-ji is capitalising on the convenience trend with its ready-to-sip beverage cups while eyeing global expansion on the back of UAE gains.
According to co-founder Jay Sotta, the brand is the youth wing of Aditya Trading Company, which has been in the tea business for 100 years.
“I’m the fifth generation in the business, where we are focusing on innovative hot beverages that can build a consumption habit for tomorrow,” he told FoodNavigator-Asia at Gulfood 2025.
Cup-ji’s ready-to-sip beverage cup won the Best Packaging and Design category at the trade show’s Innovation Awards this year.
These cups come in three variations, namely Karak or chai tea (original, masala, cardamom, saffron, ginger, lemongrass), coffee (cappuccino, mocha, hazelnut, vanilla), and hot beverages (hot chocolate, turmeric latte).
Tetra Pak taps APAC plant-based trends to shape drinks and packaging
Barista oat drinks, fibre-rich soy, and functional carton formats are some of the ways to support healthier, convenient, and sustainable product launches.
Recent launches show that consumers are not only exploring more dairy alternatives but increasingly want drinks that are nutritionally richer, clean-label, and environmentally responsible.
For example, the firm recently partnered Thailand’s New Concept Product to launch a ready-to-drink ginger beverage packed in Tetra Prisma aseptic cartons to enable transportation over longer distances at ambient temperatures while preserving freshness.
According to Marketing Director John Jose, Tetra Pak is the first in the Australian market to launch convenient, single-serve oat and almond barista-style drinks in these aseptic cartons, enabling cafe-quality beverages at home with minimised waste.
‘Food labels go beyond marketing’: India signals tighter rules ahead
FSSAI signalled tighter scrutiny of food labelling and advertising to meet global standards after a multi-ministerial consultation.
For domestic and international food brands, the consultation underscored India’s move toward clearer rules and stricter enforcement, especially on health claims.
According to an FSSAI press note, the consultation resulted in recommendations for strengthening consumer protection and aligning with global standards, although no new binding measures were announced at this point.
The strong messaging across ministries, however, suggests India’s food industry should expect closer scrutiny of claims and labelling practices going forward.
Pernod Ricard continues ASEAN digital label drive in Cambodia with Khmer launch
Alcohol giant Pernod Ricard has conducted its third digital label launch in South East Asia with the Khmer-language, tying in with the Cambodian government’s efforts in introducing alcohol legislation to prevent underage drinking.
The firm made its first digital label launch in the region in Singapore last year, followed by Vietnam and then Cambodia.
Crucially, the information accessed by consumers upon scanning the digital labels will all be in the Cambodian national language Khmer as well as English, which is expected to greatly increase accessibility and acceptance in the country.
“This digital label is a direct response to consumer demand for clear, accessible product information in Cambodia [focusing on] easy-to-understand content written in Khmer,” Pernod Ricard Cambodge Managing Director Daren Ong said.
China issues detailed Q&As to help food firms navigate label overhaul
Chinese regulators have published new guidance documents to guide food firms through new nutritional label regulatory updates, in hopes of boosting compliance.
China’s National Health Commission (NHC) and the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) announced earlier this year that China’s nutritional labelling standards would be undergoing major changes to be enforced by March 16, 2027.
This would be implemented via updates to the General Rules for Nutrition Labelling of Prepackaged Foods (GB 28050-2025) and National General Food Safety Standard for the Labelling of Prepackaged Foods (GB 7718-2025).
However, both regulations in question are among the most comprehensive and complicated in the country, leading to some confusion in the food industry regarding specific implementation requirements – this has prompted the government to further release two comprehensive Q&A guidance documents in order to clarify the required changes.
‘Wine is fashion business’: Staying ahead of the curve is crucial in saturated Asia market – Taylors
Australia’s Taylors is applying a forward-thinking approach in its packaging and latest launches to capture Asian market share.
One of Taylors’ innovations is the thermochromic strip on its estate label bottles, which changes colour based on temperature. This sensor helps consumers easily determine the ideal serving temperatures for their wines. For example, Shiraz should be served between 16 to 18°C.
“This feature is especially useful for addressing misconceptions,” Taylor said. “Many people think red wine should always be served at ‘room temperature,’ but that can vary widely depending on the season or region. Our labels encourage consumers to chill red wine to the recommended temperature, even if it means putting it in the fridge.”
Taylor added that the same concept applies to white wines, which are often served too cold straight out of a fridge or ice bucket. The recommendation is to warm whites slightly to 4 to 6°C for optimal flavour since the average fridge temperature is around 2°C.
Going the other way: Sports nutrition brand switches to fossil fuel plastic packaging for better sustainability
Switching from bio-based packaging material to mono-material polypropylene (PP) could improve recyclability and reduce wastage, says sports nutrition brand Lecka.
Lecka is active across the globe, including South East Asia. It specialises in nutrition for endurance sports, starting out with bio-based packaging for its energy gels and bars. It switched to PP packaging since November 2024.
This move contrasts with worldwide initiatives to move from plastics to bio-based compostable material – not an easy decision for a business to make, considering mounting pressures to meet sustainability goals widely defined by moving away from plastics.
However, opting for PP packaging was deemed viable after assessing key factors that include product quality and the waste management system in various countries. Since making the switch, the firm continues to see high volume of orders, said Lecka founder Markus Gnirck.
