Healthy snack brand SnackRight is seeking to withstand wider economic uncertainties by focusing on product improvement and shelf-life extension, in order to increase its sales channels.
Fonterra has launched a probiotic powdered drink in Singapore, and is looking to scale up SEA distribution to cover the ‘growing middle class’ in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand.
Suntory Beverage & Food, the company behind health supplement product Brand's Essence of Chicken, has reported a decline in its health supplement business in Asia-Pacific (APAC) as a result of inflation during Q1 this year.
Children are the ‘toughest food critics’ meaning that healthy snack firms have to pay equal attention to taste and nutrition if they are going to attract mass appeal and help improve the diets of young people.
South East Asian biscuit heavyweight Julie’s is looking to capitalise on the rising trend of indulgence as well as the longstanding demand for chocolate products in the Malaysian market with its new range Charm.
Singapore brand Kelly Snacks is aiming to bring its locally flavoured and produced tidbits to overseas markets by this year, following positive responses from international customers.
The Philippines Food and Drug Administration is implementing new strict import guidelines for food and beverage items that manufacturers want to use for R&D.
Singapore-based kombucha firm Wild Boocha is tapping its expertise in stainless steel vat brewing as well as its unique keg retail format in order to effectively capture local consumer interest.
Fruit specialist firm Dole says its new Fruit Pops range is ‘more than a snack’, highlighting multiple consumption occasions including deserts and even cocktails.
The Indonesian government has its eye on expanding meat exports to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia where it hopes its halal certifications will appeal to consumers on pilgrimages.
Nestle Malaysia believes that its strong focus on continued new product innovation will help it combat ongoing global economic challenges and food commodity cost increases.
Global food giant Kraft Heinz says investment in an upgraded facility and new sustainability pledges reaffirm its commitment to the crucial Indonesia market, while it has also revealed it is examining opportunities in the meat replacement space.
Carlsberg is to focus on its value-oriented and alcohol-free brands over the coming year with an eye on future-proofing the business, following its record financial performance in FY2022.
Singapore-based ANEW says it is tapping into parent company’s years of experience in food manufacturing to carve out a niche in the plant-based space with its ‘low-calorie, high-protein’ luncheon meat and RTE sauces.
Vietnam-based East West Brewery is tapping the traditions of craft beer to grow the category in its home nation, while also seeking to innovate with flavours to appeal to more mature export markets.
Singapore-based agritech firm Singrow is spreading the seeds of its climate-resilient strawberries into Malaysia, Thailand and China markets via franchise farming, while plotting further expansion through new investors and collaborators.
Nestle Malaysia has highlighted its ambitions to advance the domestic coffee sector by drilling down into local trends and improving crop yields via its NESCAFE Grown Respectfully sustainability strategy.
Chilli sauce producer Borneo Hot Sauce aims to raise its brand recognition in Singapore, following a promising debut which saw it sell 10,000 bottles in six months.
Thai seaweed snacking giant Taokaenoi has highlighted a combination of healthier eating, more constant snacking and the overall Korean Hallyu trend as a major driver for seaweed snack popularity in recent years.
The Indonesian food safety authority has published a set of strict standards to govern the presence of microorganisms - including probiotics – in general processed foods and beverages such as yoghurt or kombucha.
A recent study conducted by Singaporean researchers on the government’s Nutri-Grade front-of-package (FOP) beverage labelling scheme has concluded that more work needs to be done for it to make a positive impact on consumer dietary and purchasing choices.
The intake of rice with a medium glycemic index (GI) has shown to reduce the need for insulin therapy among women with gestational diabetes, according to a four-week clinical trial conducted in Thailand.
A Singaporean coffee start-up is bringing to the boil plans to distribute its cold brew concentrates and ready-to-drink products in supermarkets as well as expanding across South East Asia.
The Little Rice Company says its low-GI brown rice is gaining popularity in Myanmar, but the firm is faced with challenges in wooing consumers of its home market in Singapore.
Hitting the right balance between the sourness of lactic acid bacteria and sweetness is the crux behind the development of Yakult’s latest launch in Singapore, says the firm’s managing director.
Carlsberg Malaysia has announced a continued focus on its premium portfolio as well as some strategic new branding will be major parts of its newly launched five-year business strategy to cope and grow amid recession and inflationary pressures.
Nestle is utilising novel refillable dispensing technology for the Milo and Koko Krunch brands via vending machines in Indonesia - its latest waste reduction initiative that can withstand the humidity and heat of the local climate.
Supplementation of curcumin extract has shown to reduce body mass index (BMI), body weight, as well as the waistline more effectively than whole compounds or bioavailability-enhanced forms, according to a meta-analysis conducted by researchers from Thailand.
New Zealand dairy giant Fonterra has outlined its functional beverage ambitions across South East Asia after a spate of new ready-to-drink (RTD) product launches under the Anchor and Fernleaf brands.
Higher purchasing power and heightened awareness of conscious consumption mean there is considerable scope to grow the artisanal butter market in Singapore, says a start-up that is innovating with a range of Asian flavours.
The Singapore distributor of the iconic Chinese brand White Rabbit’s ice cream is looking for partnerships to provide a marketing boost in South East Asia, while also aiming for expansion across the region, providing its quality control objectives can...
Government and industry representatives from the palm oil and rubber sectors in Malaysia have urged the European Union (EU) to withdraw ‘highly demeaning’ clauses within its controversial deforestation regulation, punctuating this with a 500-strong protest...
Thailand-based food giant CP Foods has committed to further improve its food safety and sustainability initiatives in 2023 on the back of a successful 2022 financial year, but also plans to proceed with more caution due to ongoing challenges spanning...
Nestle Malaysia has vowed to continue its progress in environmental and business sustainability areas such as renewable energy, recyclable packaging and plant-based product innovation even amidst current global economic instability.
Prolonged whole egg supplementation has been found to positively impact adolescent growth by promoting HDL-cholesterol and health-promoting bacteria growth, according to a study on Thai rural children.
Rice noodle brands in South East Asia need to gear up product innovation efforts to create new and unusual varieties and pique consumer imagination in order to achieve further industry growth in one of the region’s most traditional markets.
The team behind a new soft robotics invention from Singapore is hoping to help ‘risk averse’ food manufacturers get to grips with the potential of new technology.
Singapore-based beverage giant Yeo Hiap Seng (Yeo’s) has finally found its way back into the black thanks to positive growth in South East Asian markets, despite its recent leadership overhaul and negative China performance.
The age-old ideas that palm oil sustainability must involve complex certification processes and premium price points needs to be scrapped in order to truly achieve sustainable goals throughout the entire value chain, according to industry experts
The facility gives Black Bag Roasters the ability to roast up to 300 tonnes of coffee beans per week and easy access to the city’s port, facilitating the export process.
ASEAN consumer confidence in regional trade relations with the European Union have plummeted on the back of the latter’s recently-passed deforestation law and its impacts on various food commodities, as major palm oil producing countries in the region...
Swiftlet believes that developing everyday sugar-reduced food products such as snacks are a key gateway to integrate sugar reduction into APAC consumers’ daily diets.
Plant-based brands in South East Asia need to step up their game by integrating unique health and localisation features to stand out in the increasingly crowded market, according to a Philippines brand blazing a trail in the sector.
Energy tea brand YATÉ believes that young music fans and night owls will be key for success with its yerba mate-based drink in Asia’s better-for-you beverage space.
Singapore-based agritech firm Singrow has launched what it claims is the world’s first climate-resilient strawberry variety developed by genomics technology, with wider applications in other crops and functional foods underway.
Singapore’s Lion Brewery Co is aiming to inspire other local breweries to put Singapore-produced craft beer on the world map, as it makes moves to take the brand to other South East Asian countries and the Middle East.
The plant-based space is nowhere near hitting the premium space yet, with affordability fundamental in driving demand amid deepening consumer economic concerns, says Thai Union.
Beer giant Asahi has highlighted the importance of utilising striking packaging to connect with consumers in the APAC region, particularly in times of festivity when many beverage brands are competing to stand out on retail shelves.
Manufacturers of plant-based seafood need to ensure they get the sensory experience right if the sector hopes to reach the scope and consumer acceptance that other plant-based meat alternatives have achieved, according to Thai Union.
