British food firm Chaucer has been sold to Japanese manufacturer Nagatanien in a £102.8m (€122.8m) deal which the freeze-dried food manufacturer says will help it expand into the US and Asia.
Japan’s billion dollar nori industry, which produces 350,000 tonnes of edible and nutraceutical seaweed lauded for a multitude of beneficial health effects, could have a new competitor…Norway.
A severe shortage of wagyu calves in Japan is putting pressure on producers of this special native beef livestock, as calf prices soar and breeders risk a fall in turnover.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has taken the reins in the safety evaluation of Mitsubishi’s novel antioxidant salt ingredient following member state toxicity concerns.
Several superfoods are now becoming mainstream in Japan because consumers are acutely aware of the “nutrient powerhouses” and their functional benefits.
The Japanese economy may be sluggish, but the country’s health food, nutrition and functional foods sectors are holding steady, with 10 key trends affecting the market.
The sports nutrition potential of New Zealand blackcurrants, the superfood status of Canadian maple syrup and the functional benefits of Canadian barley – these were three of the high-profile pitches at the HI Japan tradeshow from international organisations seeking...
More than 400 foods have been approved under Japan’s 2015 Foods with Function Claims (FFC) regulation, with the market already estimated to be worth US$70bn.
Japan’s Asahi Group Holdings is set to bid $4.87bn for SABMiller’s Eastern European beer operations in the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Romania, according to reports.
Japan’s Toyo Rice Corporation has secured a world record for high-priced rice after a limited quantity of its super-premium grains were made available earlier this year through its web site.
Asian markets outside of China, notably South Korea and Japan, were the biggest buyers of US beef in July, according to trade data from the US Meat Export Federation.
Brazil has seen exports of grape juice drinks soar in Japan, but wine exports are struggling to get a foothold abroad, according to IBRAVIN Brazilian wine institute.
Quinoa is what’s up in WutsupBaby’s line of infant and toddler cereals. It has won over East Asian consumers, reflected by its 10% revenue increase in the past 10 months. Now, the California-based company is ready to sell stateside.
Yonekyu Corporation, one of Japan’s leading processed meat companies, has applauded the impact of Sealpac’s thermoformers on its production lines, claiming the equipment is “extremely strong”.
US beef exporters continue to gain market share as they battle with Australia for dominance in Japan, despite the favourable tariffs enjoyed by Australia’s producers, according to trade data.
Food manufacturers in Japan have made good progress in reducing and recycling food waste, but further efforts are urgently needed across all other stages of the supply chain, especially at the consumer level.
A fermented soybean extract that claims to help prevent blood clots is safe for use in food supplements, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has concluded following a novel food application from a Japanese company that sparked member state concerns.
Russia is looking to export sausages and processed meat products to Japan, South Korea and China, according to the Meat Processors Association of the Far East.
Euromonitor International has pinpointed several promising chocolate markets that may help manufacturers offset slowdowns in traditional emerging markets such as China and Brazil.
Japan’s Marubeni Corporation, Showa Denko K.K. and Chiyoda Corporation will jointly develop an overseas artificially-lit vegetable factory business with a base in the UAE that promises to harvest crops throughout the year.
The recent craze of the Pokémon GO app has users not only getting outside their homes but also into local businesses where they might discover their next Pokémon catch.
Seven EU member states are eagerly awaiting approval from Japan to increase its imports of European beef, following its recent restoration of trade with Italy.
The Australian government is in talks with political counterparts in Japan after the latter imposed a trade ban on live cattle imports, following a virus outbreak.
Probiotics manufacturers are increasingly witnessing the rising importance of Asia-Pacific as growing awareness of the health benefits of “good” bacteria continue to drive global growth.
Chocolatier, Susumu Koyama, owner and chef of Patissier Es Koyama, (formerly Chocomania) Japan, has picked up a hat trick of awards in gold, silver and bronze for its packaging, at The Academy of Chocolate 2016 Awards.
Wine drinkers in Japan are becoming more adventurous and showing an increased interested in wine, according to Wine Intelligence. And, in fact, the country is rated as one of the most attractive wine markets in the world.
Consuming capsules with heat-killed Lactobacillus plantarum L-137 may help reduce probing depth in people with periodontal disease, says a new study from Japan.
CoQ10 leader Kaneka has re-worked its Ubiquinol branded CoQ10 heart, immunity, skin and energy nutrient in response to it “increasingly being imitated by fake products of inferior quality.”
Fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kombucha, kimchi and yogurts containing ‘live and active cultures’ are healthy and tasty, but they are not necessarily packed with probiotics, says Ganeden Inc, the Ohio-based firm behind one of the best-known probiotic...
A probiotic given to Japanese medical students during the run-up to nationwide medical school examinations reduced stress among the students, according to a study in Applied and Environmental Microbiology, a journal of the American Society for Microbiology.
Food and drink product launches with seaweed flavours, including kombu, nori, and wakame, grew by 147% in Europe between 2011 and 2015, according to latest figures.
Japanese wagyu beef is a hit in the Middle East, but producers are struggling to export to regional markets because of Halal issues, according to a Japanese food importer in the UAE.
Healthier alternatives, brand story, visual eating and changing lifestyles describe the four key food and drink trends in Asia-Pacific, according to market intelligence agency Mintel.
Coffee culture in Asia has been brewing a storm and growing in popularity in recent years, with most major cities now being awash with coffee shops not just in city centres but also gaining momentum in outlining areas.
Japanese researchers have devised a method to make one of the sweetest natural sweeteners even sweeter in a development that will be seen as a breakthrough at a time when consumers are moving away from sugar.
A standardized root water extract of Eurycoma longifolia (Tongkat Ali) may support immune health for middle-aged people, says a new randomized controlled trial.
We’re just scratching the surface when it comes to unlocking the potential of fermented foods in the US market, says the new CEO of Farmhouse Culture, a Portland-based firm specializing in fresh organic sauerkraut and novel savory fermented beverages.
