ASEAN poised as next halal growth market amid Middle East turmoil
South East Asia has all the parts in place to emerge as the key halal growth market for food amid the Middle East conflict — but will the region be able to grasp this opportunity?
“Everyone has heard about the geopolitical conflicts ongoing in the Middle East, and this actually does present an opportunity for the halal sector here in this region — all businesses looking for a stable yet halal-friendly environment to build and grow will be looking to us,” ethical advisory consultancy Dawn Horizon Founder and CEO Dewi Suratty told the floor during the recent Food and Hospitality Asia (FHA) event in Singapore.
“This means that ASEAN is now poised to emerge as the new halal growth market, and businesses will be looking to this region for leadership. We are also a collation of 11 different, unique markets which means that there are many different strengths we can offer, and many opportunities for intratrade as well.”
Carlsberg Malaysia reaffirms premiumisation as key growth lever amid uncertainty
Carlsberg Malaysia will double down on its premiumisation priorities, leveraging premium products and innovation to drive growth despite challenging market conditions
The firm’s most recent financial results revealed a portfolio-wide hit to its revenue, where mainstream Carlsberg beers saw a -4% decline in sales, premium products such as Kronenbourg 1664 and Somersby declined -7%, and alcohol-free Carlsberg 0.0 dropped -47%.
Despite this and continued subdued consumption across its key markets Malaysia and Singapore, Carlsberg Malaysia chairman Tan Sri Dato’ Chor Chee Heung has reiterated the company’s focus towards premiumisation as a key growth strategy moving forward.
Vietnam halts food safety overhaul — but reform remains on agenda
Vietnam officials have paused the country’s food safety restructuring, stressing that the reform agenda is temporarily delayed rather than abandoned
As predicted, the national reform of Vietnam’s food safety system, originally planned for an April 6 enforcement, has not come to fruition.
“At the request of the Ministers of Health, Agriculture and Environment, Industry and Trade, and Justice, the government has temporarily suspended [plans to] implement changes to guidelines in the Law on Food Safety,” then-Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long said in a formal statement.
Sweet proteins gain global momentum with latest regulatory win
Amai Proteins’ sweet protein secures regulatory approval in Singapore after recent US nod
Israeli food-tech company Amai Proteins is ramping up the global rollout of its flagship sweet protein, sweelin, after securing regulatory approval from the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) for use across a wide range of applications, including food and beverages, confectionery, chewing gum, condiments and dietary supplements.
The approval marks the next milestone for the company, coming just months after sweelin received its Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status in the US earlier this year. Both regulatory approvals position Amai to expand commercialization in Asia-Pacific.
Food for seniors: Empathy and food safety gaps hindering innovation
As populations age, companies are exploring safer and appealing dysphagia foods for the elderly, but gaps in empathy, research and awareness prove challenging
Industry experts are exploring how texture-modified and transitional foods can make elderly nutrition not only safer, but also more appealing and dignified.
This requires the focus on elderly nutrition to evolve from “keeping people alive” to “helping them live well”.
