Entries are open for the NutraIngredients-Asia Awards 2021, and here are some key insights on what our expert judging panel will be looking for as they assess your submissions.
Monitoring tests of Japan’s food products after the 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident showed that drinking water, milk and infant food were within the radioactivity concentration limits after five years, but some samples from the wild animal meat and agricultural...
Japan will need to place more focus on processed value-added foods and supply chain development beyond agricultural products if it wishes to hit its food exports target of JPY5tn (US$45.9bn) by 2030.
Kirin has developed a thin film deposition technology for use in PET bottles, which claims to be lighter, more eco-friendly and prevents gas permeation.
Nestle Japan has launched two ‘plant-based coffee’ ranges as it seeks to maximise the appeal of one of the nation’s most-consumed beverages while tapping into one of the hottest consumer trends.
Japanese brewery giants Asahi and Kirin are reacting cautiously to the government’s push to include alcoholic content by gramme on product labels, though both will be implementing changes which experts believe will be emulated by the rest of the industry...
Japanese supermarkets need to rapidly embrace contactless transactions and other measures to limit physical contact and maximise COVID-19 prevention, with consumers increasingly factoring in such services when choosing where to shop, say industry insiders...
East Japan Railway Company (JR East), the parent company of KINOKUNIYA supermarket chain in Japan, is exploring overseas expansion in the wake of slow domestic sales due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kirin Group is set to roll out four functional foods and dietary supplements containing its proprietary ingredient beta-lactolin (β-lactolin) to support memory health.
About 65% of Japanese snacks and 76% of South Korean snacks have hard textures, according to a study assessing new snack food ideas from existing products.
Japan’s supermarkets need to offer a better range of fresh foods and embrace business sustainability in their operations in order to avoid becoming obsolete in the face of challenges posed by COVID-19 and e-commerce, insist experts at the National Supermarket...
Japan Consumer Affairs Agency (CCA) is warning general food and health food manufacturers against labelling their products as being effective in preventing or treating COVID-19, to avoid consumer misunderstanding and harming public health.
Japanese consumers are feeling the pressure of rising food prices in the country, with trends shifting towards bulk buying and a renewed focus on affordable brands.
Italian frozen fruit snack company Frutteto will start manufacturing part of its products in Japan, its largest market, and is on-track to launch in China this year.
Entries open today for the NutraIngredients-Asia Awards 2021, held to honour the best supplements and functional foods products, ingredients, research and companies operating across Asia Pacific.
Robots developed by researchers at Hokkaido University are being trialled at a Japanese vineyard, Hokkaido Wine, for pesticide spraying and weed control.
Asahi Breweries is to launch a new carbonated low alcoholic drink called Beery as part of its drive to see sales of products at 3.5% ABV or lower increase from 6% to 20% by 2025.
Only 15 countries worldwide are still implementing import restrictions on food items from Japanese districts that were stricken by the Fukushima nuclear power plant meltdown disaster in 2011 – but progress with those that remain may be hard to achieve...
APAC’s cannabidiol (CBD) and hemp sector is expected to progress rapidly over the coming years, especially in India, China and Australia where they are approved for food use, although many other nations are still wary of granting the regulatory go-ahead.
Homegrown Japanese alcohol firm Vinvie believes that there is major untapped potential to be found in the ‘niche’ local cider market as consumers are increasingly on the lookout for lighter, lower-alcohol options.
Kirin Beverage will focus on no-to-low sugar, low-calorie and products with health benefits across its non-alcohol range after seeing soft drink sales slip by 9% in 2020.
The Japanese government has found no sign of genetically modified (GM) soybean and rapeseed crops having any impact on surrounding biodiversity over 15 years of natural growth, further strengthening its argument for further GM-related approvals in the...
Kirin Brewery is focusing on its core beer brands and canned craft beer business, amid a not-so-positive outlook for the low-malt happoshu sector and new categories following COVID-19 and a recent liquor tax revision.
Japan has updated its nutrition labelling rules to both reflect the quality as well as the quantity of carbohydrates present in processed foods, and also better reflect the calculation of calories being consumed per serving.
The Japanese government has approved a bill to increase the intellectual property (IP) protection over local high-value produce in a bid to prevent these from being illegally exported and planted overseas, losing control over further cultivation, sales...
Japanese instant noodle manufacturer Nissin Food Products has extended its hugely popular mystery meat cup noodle series with a new kimchi flavour hitting the shelves this month.
Japan’s plan to reduce the gap in taxes levied on the three main beer categories in the country is expected to first stimulate rapid new product innovation across the board, then also deliver a boost to the traditional beer segment in the long run, according...
Leading Japanese firms Asahi, Ajinomoto, Kirin, Hotei Foods, Nippn and Nissin have underlined how their manufacturing, R&D and employee safety are being maintained as certain prefectures come under another state of emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic.