Rice opportunity: India’s LT Foods targets Saudi convenience market
India-headquartered LT Foods says there is a huge opportunity for growth in Saudi Arabia’s convenience and ready-to-eat market.
Middle East
‘Perfect playground’: Kerry to ramp up presence in ME amid start-up boom, evolving consumer demands
Kerry is looking to boost its R&D and production capabilities in the Middle East amid a boom in new businesses and evolving consumer demands.
Potato power: Americana Foods and Farm Frites to ramp up MENA expansion with new US$100m plant
Americana Foods and Farm Frites have built a new manufacturing plant in Saudi Arabia, as part of strategic growth plans in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
House of Pops eyes bigger B2B opportunities on the back of partnership with Emirates Bustanica
Dubai-based frozen desserts brand House of Pops has partnered with Emirates Bustanica to launch two new product ranges, a move that it believes would bring forth greater B2B opportunities.
Middle East Focus: Gautam, Vlinder Chocolate, Haldin, Linafsi
This round-up features companies that are making inroads into the Middle East market, including Gautam rice, Thailand’s 3 Seasons Holding and Indonesia’s Haldin, as well as brands from the region that are rapidly expanding.
High dietary intake of magnesium and fibre mitigates risk of metabolic syndrome among Kuwaiti women – study
A study has found that increased dietary intake of magnesium and fibre is associated with reduced likelihood of developing metabolic syndrome (MetS) among Kuwaiti women, underscoring the need to encourage diets rich in these nutrients.
Oterra to boost Asia production, push ‘bold innovations’
Natural colours manufacturer Oterra is boosting its production capacity in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region while continuing to create “bold innovations” based on its latest survey findings.
Meet the 14 AgTech start-ups set to take centre stage at World Agri-Tech MEASA
Fourteen start-ups offering disruptive, scalable solutions and technologies for the climate-stressed agricultural regions of the Middle East, Africa and South Asia will take centre stage at the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit in Dubai on December 9-10.
Freeze-dried superfoods: Thai manufacturer eyes Dubai as launchpad for Middle East expansion
Thailand-based 3 Seasons Holding is gearing up to expand its operations into the Middle East, with plans to enter the region through Dubai within the next two years.
Saudi Arabia’s Vlinder Chocolate enters South Korea amid relentless ‘Dubai chocolate’ craze
Saudi Arabia’s Vlinder Chocolate recently debuted its “Dubai chocolate-style” products in South Korea, on the back of the viral food trend that has taken the market by storm over the past year.
Gautam eyes top rice importer spot in Middle East, anticipates Saudi to be biggest growth driver
Gautam General Trading (GGT) aims to build on its success in the UAE and Oman to expand in Saudi Arabia, which it believes will be a key market to drive growth and help it claim top spot among rice importers in the region.
Saudi coffee trends: Local products faring well, caffeine intake levels within recommended limit despite rising popularity
A study on coffee consumption patterns in Saudi Arabia has found that Saudi coffee is more widely consumed than Turkish coffee among the local population, and that caffeine intake levels remain within the daily recommended limit despite the category’s boom.
New synbiotic yoghurt offers novel solution for metabolic syndrome management – study
A synbiotic yoghurt could help reduce oxidative stress in adults with metabolic syndrome, according to a new RCT.
Dubai-based Linafsi prioritises flavour innovation, sales channel expansion to stand out in competitive healthy snacking market
Dubai-based healthy snack brand Linafsi is adopting several strategies to overcome stiff competition, including flavour innovation and localisation, exploring new product formats, and expanding sales channels.
Little Moons sets sights on premium ice cream consumers, Middle East markets on the back of TikTok success
London-headquartered ice cream brand Little Moons hopes to woo premium consumers after successfully winning over youngsters and gaining market presence in the Middle East.
First-world 'game-changer'? Kraft Heinz seeks to resolve gamers’ pain point with hands-free snack dipper
Kraft Heinz recently introduced a hands-free “snack dipper” device, which the food major says would solve the so-called problem of not being able to eat while gaming.
Peranakan delights: Health, heritage, and convenience sell – O’nya
Health, heritage, and convenience are increasingly important to consumers, says Singapore’s food start-up O’nya as it plans strategic expansion with authentic peranakan pastes.
IFF’s innovation centre in Turkey to accelerate speed-to-market developments on the back of accreditation
IFF wants to accelerate speed to market for food manufacturers in the Middle East and Africa, after its Creation and Design Center in Turkey was officially recognised as a key innovation centre by the country’s Ministry of Industry and Technology (MoIT).
Halal horizons: Japan eyes Middle East as next major emerging export market with new UAE platform
Japan has earmarked the Middle East as its next major emerging market for exports with the establishment of a specialised export platform in the UAE, banking on the rising interest in Japanese food in the region.
'Asia is a very big opportunity': Orthomol aims to replicate South Korea success in Vietnam and beyond
German food supplement company Orthomol is aiming to replicate its South Korea success in other markets, especially in Asia and the Middle East.
Volume-led growth: Agthia doubles down on product innovation and protein production investments
Middle East food and beverage giant Agthia has reaped the rewards of solid investments into new product innovation with significant volume-led growth in the first half of 2024, and hopes to further boost this with its newly opened protein facility.
Record profits: Baladna to double down on new product innovation and international projects after 137% growth
Qatari dairy firm Baladna has announced plans to double down on its new product innovation and international market expansion strategy, particularly in Algeria, after seeing a record growth in net profits over the first six months of 2024.
Ageing, women and health concerns are key drivers for Mediterranean diet adherence among Lebanese – study
A study has identified ageing, female demographic, and pre-existing health conditions as some of the key factors that influence the Lebanese population’s uptake of the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet).
Singapore’s Jääde brings premium water to China, eyes Middle East market
Singapore-based Jääde is actively strengthening its presence in the local market for its packaged Finnish spring water, while working to expand across the region in the long run.
Global sensation: Viral ‘Dubai chocolate fever’ underscores impact of social media, exclusivity and regional flavours
The meteoric rise of FIX Dessert Chocolatier’s chunky chocolate bars can be attributed to the growing influence of social media on purchasing decisions, exclusivity, and unique regional flavours, says an analyst.
Halal food market poised for growth driven by international partnerships, localised production and regulatory standards
Increasing international business partnerships, growing production in the Middle East, and developments in traceability and regulations are set to propel the growth of the halal foods sector, according to a new report.
Snack strategy: Mondelez highlights affordability, portion control and variety as key drivers for AMEA market - WATCH
Snacking giant Mondelez says affordability, portion control and portfolio variety as important growth drivers for the AMEA snacking industry in an era when consumers have become increasingly fastidious about their spending.
Supplementation of freeze-dried pea more effective than kale for glycaemic control – Saudi study
The intake of freeze-dried kale and pea powders both led to improved metabolic profile among Saudi adults with obesity, but the latter was found to be superior for blood glucose control in a cross-over study.
Iron and vitamin D deficiencies among preschool children remain key nutrition challenges in Jordan – study
A new study underscores the ongoing nutrition challenges among Jordanian preschoolers, including persistent issues of vitamin D and iron deficiencies.
MENA+ strategy: Agthia looks to shift focus from UAE-centric to developing more international key markets by 2025
Middle East F&B firm Agthia will shift its strategy beyond a focus on the United Arab Emirates to firmly establish itself as a leader in markets in the wider MENA region and beyond by 2025.
Dubai’s Freakin’ Healthy ramps up consumer-driven NPD to beat growing competition after Agthia acquisition
Dubai-based healthy snack brand Freakin’ Healthy is leveraging Agthia Group’s resources and doubling down on consumer-driven product innovation to stand out in an increasingly crowded category.
Personalisation potential: Caffeine's benefits greater in athletes with specific genetic profiles – study
A study suggests that individuals who are carriers of a specific genetic variant may reap better exercise performance from caffeine supplementation, underscoring a potential approach for developing personalised sports nutrition products.
Instant gratification: Lúave’s Vietnamese boba milk tea to launch in Singapore with healthier ready-to-drink options
Vietnamese brand Lúave is aiming to launch its instant boba milk tea across Asia, starting with low fat, low sugar options in Singapore.
China’s GanoHerb looks to capture white spaces for ganoderma products in Middle East
Chinese firm GanoHerb has identified untapped opportunities in the Middle Eastern market, where awareness and availability of ganoderma products are relatively scant.
Historic vodka to enter Asian markets: Heritage and authenticity key to long-term growth – Origen X
Swiss-based Origen X, which acquired the world’s oldest vodka brand, hopes a focus on heritage and authenticity will lead to success in key Asian markets.
SAMBAZON eyes growth opportunities for açaí products in Middle East
US-based SAMBAZON is looking to expand uptake of açaí products in the Middle East, where the firm says awareness about the superfruit still has much room for growth.
Raising the bar: The Brooklyn Creamery adds protein ice cream bars to portfolio amid rising demand for fortified options
The Brooklyn Creamery has launched a range of protein ice cream bars in its domestic market and the UAE, where it is leveraging its partnership with a quick-commerce platform to meet growing consumer demand for protein-rich desserts.
High nutrient content and antioxidant effect of dates underscore application potential in functional snack bars – Saudi study
The bioactive compounds, high nutritional content and antioxidant capabilities of dates make the fruit an effective base ingredient for functional snack bars, says Saudi researchers.
Digital evolution: Agthia accelerates food safety and AI developments after strong Q1 financial performance
Middle Eastern food and beverage heavyweight Agthia has accelerated the development of its food safety and AI initiatives as part of the company’s digital roadmap, after strong financial performance in the first quarter.
Stopping single-use: Abu Dhabi to ban specific Styrofoam products from June 1
Abu Dhabi is implementing a ban on various “avoidable” single-use Styrofoam consumer products, which will take effect from June 1, 2024.
Ramen rise: South Korea’s Nongshim makes big strides in boosting expansion in Middle East, Europe and US
South Korean food and beverage major Nongshim is intensifying global expansion activities, including raising visibility through event sponsorship in Dubai, entry into prominent supermarkets in France, and increasing production capacity for its US plant.
Selenium supplementation shows positive effect on oxidative stress and migraine symptoms – RCT
Selenium supplementation for 12 weeks had beneficial effects on several oxidative stress biomarkers and migraine symptoms, suggesting its potential as a complementary therapy, according to a new trial.
Childhood obesity linked to high soda and milk consumption but not juice – Kuwait study
A Kuwait study found that children who consumed a lot of soda and milk had higher obesity risk than those who consumed high amounts of juice.
Health, wellness and environmental responsibility remain key purchase drivers for UAE consumers amid cost-of-living challenges
Brands should adapt their offerings and messaging to better address the demands of UAE consumers, as health, wellness and ESG practices remain key purchase drivers despite rising cost of living, new data reports.
The next dairy 'superfood' could be... fortified buffalo yogurt
A nutritional powerhouse that packs more protein and less cholesterol than cow's milk yogurt, buffalo yogurt is ripe for functional innovation, a study suggests.
Growth Asia Summit 2024: See the active lifestyle nutrition thought-leaders taking to the stage in Singapore
Day two of our Growth Asia Summit 2024 will feature expert insights on active lifestyle nutrition from PepsiCo, Amway, IC Beverage, NielsenIQ and Monash University.
NutraIngredients-Asia Awards 2024: Six weeks left to submit your entries and be crowned region’s brightest and best!
There six weeks left to submit your entries for the 16 categories spanning finished products, ingredients, initiatives and people at this year’s NutraIngredients-Asia Awards.
Middle East Focus: GMG’s Farm Fresh chicken chips, Haus Rabenhorst fortified juices, Aiya matcha, Hunter Foods line-up expansion, House of Pops growth drivers
This round-up features the growth strategies of Middle Eastern companies like GMG, Hunter Foods, and House of Pops, as well as how companies including Germany’s Haus Rabenhorst and Japan’s Aiya are eyeing market opportunities in the region.
Dubai snacks firm SMITHS eyes Asia expansion with products pandering to consumer flavour preferences and clean-eating trend
Dubai-based snacks firm SMITHS is pursuing a bigger share of the Asian market by banking on its long brand history, and introducing products that are cleaner and tapping on evolving flavour trends.
Oat milk brand YOOK banks on ‘superior’ taste and texture to propel expansion into Asia and Middle East
Estonian oat milk brand YOOK is looking to capitalise on the pureness, nutritional value and “superior” taste of its products to break into the Asian and Middle Eastern markets.