News & Analysis on Food & Beverage Development & Technology
See our top 10 most-read India food and beverage industry stories from 2024, featuring animal antibiotic concerns, plant-based brands avoiding dairy terms, Unilever India’s eye on premiumisation and more.
India is set to become one of the world’s largest food commodity consumption markets in 2025, particularly for edible oils such as palm oil and soybean oil.
An inter-ministerial committee from India has put forth a list of recommendations on how nutraceuticals could be regulated, which has received mixed industry response, especially around disease risk reduction claims.
Pristine Pearl Pharma and Dutch Medical Food B.V. have formed a strategic collaboration to bring personalised medical nutrition products to India, targeting the issue of disease-related malnutrition.
UMAMI Bioworks says it will tap into South Korea’s lead in novel foods in its latest collaboration with biotechnology firm KCell Biosciences and bioprocess solutions provider WSG.
ADM has identified four key trends that will influence the food and beverage industry, focusing on personalised wellness and bold, fruity flavours.
India-based Origin Nutrition has launched a range of high-protein, compression-popped pea-based chips in a bid to target the slow-but-sure local healthy snacking market.
Hindustan Unilever India (HUL) has announced plans to implement ‘calibrated price increases’ in light of inflationary pressures leading to significant cost hikes in palm oil and tea.
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.
The supplementation of fermented soybean has been shown to reduce symptoms of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), including heartburn, as well as lowering inflammatory markers, based on findings from a 12-week RCT.
Mumbai-based ProV Foods has introduced range of premium chocolate-coated almonds, setting the stage for a bigger portfolio expansion focusing on “balanced indulgence”.
Food manufacturers in India have been mandated to increase the boldness and font size of product nutritional information such as total sugar, salt and saturated fat on product labels.
Key influencers of consumer behaviour among Asia’s ageing population include affordability and familiar flavours, with electrolyte and prebiotic products proving popular, says market intelligence firm GlobalData.
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.
Hindustan Unilever India (HUL) has highlighted the strong potential of its premium coffee and tea businesses to lead growth in the shorter term, amidst a flat performance by its Health Food Drinks (HFD) portfolio in the last quarter.
Indian brand Swizzle, which was founded in Bengaluru as a mocktail kit delivery firm in 2019 and is now available in 1,500 stores nationwide, is aiming to launch across APAC with its ready-to-drink (RTD) mocktails.
India snack specialist Farmley has revealed new data showing that makhanas and dry fruits are popular across generations, with chocolate and vanilla flavours among the top favourites in its 2024 Healthy Snacking Report.
AI-powered food fingerprint platform ProfilePrint has emphasised its complementary role to humans in ensuring quality and safety as it expands its portfolio to include wet ingredients including oils and alcohol.
Coca-Cola India has launched a programme to back sustainable mango cultivation in India to increase yields and maximise sustainability, in alignment with the government’s vision of self-reliance for the country.
Vietnamese brand Lúave is aiming to launch its instant boba milk tea across Asia, starting with low fat, low sugar options in Singapore.
Singapore start-up Strictly Nuts is hoping to convince consumers that fox nuts are versatile go-to snacks for all ages, with a focus on heath and versatility to grow its reach in the market.
Japanese tea company ITO EN is gearing up to set foot into the Indian market for the first time with its flagship ready-to-drink green tea brand Oi Ocha.
Singapore-based Everiday Foods has identified a gap in the market for clean eating, but the vegan start-up sees educating consumers and justifying the higher prices of wholesome foods as its main challenges.
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.
Chinese low calorie and high fibre konjac rice and noodle manufacturers Ketoslim Mo says emphasising an enjoyable eating experience is just as important to health needs to drive consumer acceptance.
Nordic Gin House believes that timeless favourites will continue to resonate with consumers in Asia as its regional expansion plans benefit from the premiumisation trend.
Fast&Up is adding new variations of its electrolytes products, including ready-to-drink and powder stick packs, as it seeks to capture greater market share in the hydration sector.
India's Ochre Spirits is tapping into the global cocktail trend with its premium, lower calorie spirits that promise a superior drinking experience.
Premiumization trends across the three countries will help drive value growth.
Younger millennial consumers from China and India are still set to be the biggest drivers of luxury food and beverage purchasing, despite the generally slower economic conditions in the region and globally.
Nestle India is banking on the rapid rise of in-home coffee consumption in the country to launch premium coffee brand Nespresso, aiming to reach supermarket shelves in the South Asian market by the end of this year.
Hindustan Unilever India (HUL) hopes that recent deflation in milk prices as well as investments to make its nutrition brands such as Horlicks and Boost more accessible will aid its financial performance.
How can India's spice sector bounce back from two high profile contamination scandals? We ask experts in the country to weigh in with their recommendations.
A food safety system trialled in north-east India in response to child deaths linked to food and waterborne diseases found that 3-4% of all samples tested contained enteric pathogens, with researchers now hopeful the scheme has the potential to be...
Nestle India is forming a joint venture with Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories to boost the reach of its nutraceutical products, such as Nature’s Bounty and Optifast, across India.
Indian plant-based nutra brand OZiva’s has launched a Bioactive Gluta fizzy drink to target common skin concerns in the country and to tap into growing demand for glutathione.
Women who took Asparagus racemosus, a shatavari root extract, experienced a reduction in a range of menopausal symptoms, according to a study in the Cureus Journal of Medical Sciences.
New evidence suggests that brands and government need to scrap altruistic messaging about climate change and focus on health and culture to promote sustainable eating in Asia.
New analysis of India’s regulatory framework for advertising foods that are high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) need to be overhauled to better protect children, academics have argued.
Educating consumers and healthcare professionals that being lactase non-persistent is not the same as lactose intolerance could play in key role in tackling two of Asia’s biggest public health challenges – namely diabetes and the wellbeing of an ageing...
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has ordered all manufacturing firms of fortified rice to integrate a new national traceability application into their operations in order to prevent adulteration of the final product.
India-based banana chips brand Beyond Snack has observed significant evolution of the branded snacks category in the local market, marked by a “discernible shift” towards health-consciousness, authenticity, and premiumisation.
Singapore-based firm Prefer believes that its bean-free coffee alternative is ready for entry into the wider Asian market this year, banking on affordability, sustainability and customisation benefits to drive growth
Indian dairy brand Epigamia believes that its new single-serve, ready-to-eat (RTE) desserts range will tap on rising local consumer demand for choice and individual preferences when it comes to sweet treats.
Plant-based dairy brands in India are continuing to steer away from using conventional dairy terms on their product labels until regulators issue greater clarity on what is permitted.
Hindustan Unilever India (HUL) has highlighted a continued focus on its premium strategy in order to sustain continued growth in the country, citing products such as Horlicks Plus as a major example.
Indian startup Salud Beverages is expanding its range of ready-to-drink alcoholic drinks, while also branching out into a fashion line, music playlists, and a collection of NFTs, as it seeks to appeal to consumers new to the market.
FNA InnovATE: Hemp Innovation
India’s Hemp Horizons believes that a innovation approach combining the nutrition of hemp seeds with the wellness benefits of Ayurveda could hold the key to the sector appealing to a larger consumer base.
Mumbai-headquartered ProV Foods is doubling down on healthy on-the-go snacks and flavour innovations, amid rising demand for snacks with functional benefits in the country.
The misuse of antibiotics in food animal production in Asia poses a serious danger to public health in the region, according to researchers in India.