See our top 10 most read supplier stories in APAC’s food and beverage industry this year, featuring uncertainty in the palm oil supply chain, 3D-technology to print foods, and innovative packaging.
We spoke with industry experts from Nestle, Morinaga, Max Biocare and Shiseido to find out their 2022 predictions for health and nutrition trends, spanning insights across healthy ageing, infant nutrition, kids’, women’s, and men’s health.
From new hemp regulations in India, to Singapore’s sugary beverage control policy, and plant-based labelling in multiple countries, we bring you five must-know policies and regulations that look set to have a significant impact on the Asia Pacific food...
Seafood giant Thai Union has unveiled a raft of new sustainability initiatives, spanning employee rights, climate change and food loss, as it pledges to build on the high scores it received in the international Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI).
Ingredients and flavours specialist IFF has stressed the importance of localising flavour profiles - even for the same food item - depending on the geographical market of focus within APAC.
Plant-based alternatives to egg whites can fall short – literally – when it comes to creating towering meringues, pavlovas and mousses, but the Israeli food-tech frontrunner InnovoPro’s new chickpea-based egg white replacement system, CP-Foam 1001, promises...
Branding experts spearheading successful Nestle and Yeo’s marketing campaigns amidst the COVID-19 pandemic have highlighted the importance for food and beverage brands to fulfil consumers’ emotional needs via digital strategies in order to ensure continued...
An ingredient commonly isolated from soybeans, peanuts, and egg yolks, has been shown in a recent review to act in similar pathways as cannabidiol (CBD), with researchers highlighting that it was a safer and legally recognised alternative.
The palm oil sector needs to prioritise growth in South East Asian countries alongside its efforts to diversify export destinations, with one industry expert predicting that regional demand will boom in the near future.
Retail pharmacy chain Watson’s has conducted a beta-testing of an online probiotics database among in-house pharmacists in Singapore, which it hopes will boost awareness among healthcare professionals.
A Hong Kong start-up is seeking to create eco-friendly alternative to the ‘flat top’ plastic bags used in supermarkets for fresh products and baked goods, claiming they are one of the biggest contributors to plastic waste.
Healthier noodle brand Mr Lee’s Noodles has big plans for the Asian market, but has had to redefine its packaging to take climate and humidity concerns into consideration, as well as explore a new pricing strategy to meet the needs of markets in the region.
New technology alone is not enough to improve APAC’s food supply chain, and sustainable solutions will only be found if both micro and small businesses, as well as ‘marginalised communities’ across the region, are brought into the fold.
Dole is aiming to launch high-value products from food waste in the second half of next year across its recently-formed speciality ingredients business, in addition to expanding its upcycling efforts to more markets in the region.
McCormick is hoping to apply the trends it has discovered from global and foodservice markets into innovating new flavour products for retail in Australia, on the back of its new local HQ being launched next year.
Food ingredients giant Cargill has stressed the rising importance of sustainability claims, especially around palm oil, as it detailed how its latest investment in Malaysia can help manufacturers meet the latest consumer demands.
Kirin said sales of its proprietary functional ingredient Lactococcus lactis strain Plasma and functional foods containing the ingredient has doubled as it detailed plans for its use in both protein bars and powders.
New research has found that vegan and vegetarians with a taste for processed foods are more susceptible to depression than those with diets high in fresh produce.
The Indonesian palm oil sector has urged the European Union to ensure that its final regulatory approach to imported commodities does not discriminate against palm oil, warning that efforts to replace it as an ingredient could lead to even ‘bigger problems’...
An expert panel convened at the Asia Pacific Economic Council (APEC) has highlighted the need to help all firms, both large and small, to embrace digitalisation to ensure survival, and also called upon nations to ‘unwind’ on trade restrictions as soon...
People with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) who see the biggest benefits of adhering to a low FODMAP diet, which restricts intake of fermentable carbs, have a distinct gut bacterial profile, new research has revealed.
Australia’s largest organic children’s snacking brand Whole Kids is expanding its presence in its strongholds of ANZ with plans to enter local Aldi stores, as well as launch products into South Korea via a partnership with Baby Shark creator Pinkfong.
A meta-analysis of 13 clinical trials on more than 500,000 COVID-19 patients revealed no significant association between vitamin D supplementation and improved clinical outcomes based on current evidence.
Fresh soup brand Re:Nourish has set its sights to conquering the ‘fastest-growing’ soup category in the Middle East, particularly the United Arab Emirates (UAE), by playing on the healthy and ‘grab and go’ credentials of its bottled products.
Top-ranking ministers from the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) have underlined that food supply chains and open trade in the region are crucial to boosting economic revival post-pandemic – but huge challenges persist around tariffs, protectionist...
Singapore start-up Zenko Superfoods has unveiled plans to distribute its healthy snacks into Australia and South East Asia, including its flagship water lily pops.
International food and beverage brands looking to gain a foothold in the ASEAN market via local distributors need to step up their game when pitching pricing and localisation strategies, as a new survey has revealed waning interest in new product launches.
Canned food specialist Ayam Brand believes that plant-based meats in canned, ambient format are could be the next big thing to meet consumer demands for greater convenience and affordability.
A new Australian study is challenging the notion that the gut microbiome drives autism, suggesting that it is behaviour and dietary preferences that affect the microbiome, rather than the other way around.
A trial funded by Nestle has found that infant formula enriched with milk-derived oligosaccharides (MOS), a prebiotic, has helped to improve gut microbiota in babies, such as increasing the abundance of Bifidobacterium.
Drinking a milk-based supplement could significantly and more quickly improve the weight and BMI of kids at risk of malnutrition, when compared to those who drank a lactose-free version of the same product, according to a study conducted by Abbott on...
Probiotic products that have strong scientific backing for health claims, innovative delivery formats and added functionalities via vitamins or botanicals have a strong basis to anticipate successful commercialisation in the post-pandemic era, according...
A combination of data from human clinical trials, microbiome analysis, and biomarkers are needed to better understand needs of consumers and formulate suitable probiotic and similar products for them.
Eighty-year-old Australian ginger firm Buderim Ginger is looking to widen its horizons into the finished product space with NPD spanning sweets, cordial, beer and more.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has highlighted that nutrition has emerged as one of the most pressing post-COVID-19 challenges to overcome for member nations to hit the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Global food MNC Thai Union has revealed that it is eyeing several major business opportunities to be found in the hemp and CBD sector, from alternative proteins to supplements.
The Australian meat industry and state research body CSIRO believe that high pressure processing (HPP) tech is the way forward to create truly clean label processed meat products such as sausages and hams, though current high cost hurdles still prevent...
Indonesia’s representative palm oil body GAPKI is concerned that it may not be able to produce enough of the commodity this year, given that added demand is expected as economies recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
China has topped the charts for the levels of salt (sodium) in processed meat and fish products in a five-country study, followed by the USA, South Africa, Australia and the UK.
The search for the Beyond Meat or Impossible Foods is on and could very likely be coming from Asia, according to an ex-Beyond and Impossible VC fund manager.
Industry experts have expressed support for Marcus Blackmore’s recent criticism of the brand founded by his father, agreeing with him that the firm has not been showing sufficient industry leadership through product innovation.
Fruit product heavyweight Dole has revealed that it is focusing heavily on the use of new technologies and collaborations to overcome sugar reduction challenges for its packaged products portfolio, in hopes of reaching its 2025 zero processed sugar sustainability...
Leading academics, senior brand execs and a host of market and regulatory specialists will be taking centre stage at our Probiota Asia digital summit next week - and you can register to attend for FREE.
What will be trending in 2022? According to Whole Foods' annual food trends report, consumers are seeking products that contribute to their personal definition of wellbeing, whether it be less-boozy beverages, leafy greens grown locally, or ice cream...
China leads the world with the highest number of research publications on traditional, complementary, and integrative medicines (TCIMs) in relation to COVID-19 clinical trials, followed by India, US, and Iran.
Global snack giant Mondelez International has revealed that it is taking a new approach dubbed ‘humaning’ in its marketing and product innovation post-COVID, arguing ‘empathy and localisation’ are needed to win over consumers.
