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.
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’...
Singapore plant-based meat and seafood manufacturer Growthwell Foods has launched its latest consumer brand HAPPIEE!, which will be produced at a newly established innovation, R&D and manufacturing centre.
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.
Sixty per cent of packaged non-alcoholic beverages (NABs) sold on the Singapore market contain high amounts of sugar and would be assigned under Grade C or D in the soon-to-be-implemented Nutri-Grade system.
Nestle Malaysia has expressed some concern over rising food commodity costs and the impact this could have on prices for consumers, despite seeing good year-on-year improvement in its recently financial results and launching a plethora of new product...
The Indian palm oil industry is concerned that palm oil demand in the country may dip and lose out to edible soft oils in the short term given the higher duties it is subject to after a recent levy revision by the local government.
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.
Employing the use of Codex standards is crucial to achieving consensus for food safety standards harmonisation within the South East Asian region, according to a food safety expert from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (UNFAO).
The Malaysian palm oil industry has highlighted artificial intelligence (AI) and satellite imaging as crucial technologies to be integrated into the sector to aid sustainability and secure the industry’s future.
In this episode of our Food and Beverage Trailblazers podcast we speak to Ahmad Syafik Jaafar, Co-founder of Malaysia’s NANKA, about the niche hybrid plant-meat product category and the potential of using these as a ‘transitional’ product for consumers...
Malaysian multigrain drink specialist firm Happy Grains is looking to become the nation’s top breakfast drink as it seeks to rival the big three of tea, coffee and malted chocolate with healthier alternatives.
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.
Malaysian jackfruit firm NANKA has developed a range of alternative meat patties using young jackfruit pulp as a base, and is looking to achieve significant penetration in both the hybrid and plant-based meat markets.
Alternative protein company WTH Foods is launching an R&D facility in the Philippines in Q1 2022 to develop products better catered to consumers in the country and the wider South East Asia region.
A Singapore start-up is aiming to build on the traditional heritage of jamu, a herbal drink from Indonesia, with a range of new products, including one for diabetics.
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.
Singapore healthy snack company Boxgreen is launching a beverage brand called Imperfect Drinks to upcucle food waste and provide work experience for ex-offenders.
Philippines cocoa and chocolate firm Cacao Culture is riding the rising consumer demand for healthier products to draw younger consumers to the traditional local drink tablea, also dubbed the ‘healthiest form of hot chocolate available’.
Newly established Australian firm Openway Food, which owns health food brands such as Red Tractor and Raise the Bar, is aiming for further distribution in Asia after gaining traction in China and the US.
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.
Food and beverage brands with plans to expand or export into South East Asia should not be deterred by the region's current COVID-19 woes, as the rewards to be reaped for persistence will be worth the wait, according to experts.
The Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) is focusing on the Middle Eastern region as a potential major new export market for Malaysian palm oil, and believes that its trans-fat free properties as well as cost advantages can give it an edge over other edible...
Beverage giant Coca-Cola has observed a rise in demand for beverages with zero-sugar and reduced-sugar formulations in the South East Asian region, which became even more pronounced after the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
Philippines-based coffee firm Varacco is looking to give instant coffee makers a run for their money with their patented ‘dip’ coffee products, which boasts the benefits of pure coffee with added convenience.
The Thai food industry has seen growth in both the manufacturing and export sectors so far in 2021 after overcoming last year’s pandemic slump – but the authorities are urging domestic food firms not to drop their guard yet.
Malaysian bakery company Fresco Grano has observed a rise in demand for gluten-free products among consumers who want to cut down on carbs, as well as those with special dietary needs such as gluten intolerance.
Breastmilk substitute (BMS) companies in Vietnam have been accused of circumventing the restrictions of infant formula marketing by using products for pregnant and lactating women as an “entry point” to influence the purchase of infant formulas, according...
Freight costs and marketing challenges have emerged as two of the most major trade hurdles for food firms exporting to the ASEAN market as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, with businesses advised to be extra cautious when selecting on-the-ground distribution...
Singapore-based food tech start-up AuroraFood is commercialising its glycaemic index (GI)-lowering platform, starting with the launch of a waffle premix later this year.
Singapore-based company U-Group Holdings is eyeing exports of its instant beverages and sauces in Central Asia and ASEAN, following its launch in China and Uzbekistan last year, with profits used to aid its charity endeavours at home.
Carlsberg Malaysia has posted a highly cautious outlook for the rest of 2021 despite successfully growing its net profits in the first half of the year, citing ongoing COVID-19 restrictions in Malaysia and impacts from its enforced brewery closure.
A company specialising in crocodile products is attempting to expand into the sports nutrition market for its supplement product – a capsule containing pure crocodile blood – after a recent human clinical research yielded favourable results.
Singapore-based WhatIF Foods recently launched its first Bambara groundnut (BamNut) milk into the market, and is confident that its R&D has produced products capable of standing out whether in terms of creamy mouthfeel or dairy-like functionality.
Nestle has revealed that its newly-upgraded R&D centre in Singapore will place heavy focus on areas such as food upcycling and plant-based innovation, while also announcing the launch of a new ASEAN-specific R&D Accelerator.
Researchers at the National University of Singapore have found a way to transform spent coffee grounds into alcoholic beverages rich in bioactive phytochemicals and amino acids.
Its latest report highlights the new 2020 Rainforest Alliance certification programme (which has replaced former Rainforest Alliance and UTZ programmes since July 2021), the response to the COVID-19 pandemic and how it has worked to transform the cocoa...
Seafood multinational giant Thai Union is using the principles of forensic science to prevent food fraud, leveraging on DNA technologies to provide traceability and authentication for its seafood products.
Singapore-based Future Ready Food Safety Hub, known as FRESH, will focus on novel foods, aquaculture and agriculture to support the nation’s food security goals and meet the needs of consumers.
The new executive leadership team at the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) says Asian markets, and not just western countries as has been the norm, are increasingly demanding sustainability improvements in the sector.
Researchers at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in the Philippines have started work towards breeding a new variety of rice with anti-cancer properties.
Baladana Q.P.S.C., the biggest dairy and beverage producer in Qatar, has signed a memorandum of collaboration (MoC) to produce dairy products in Malaysia.
International brands with an eye on Vietnam’s locally-dominated dairy sector can succeed in the market with a focus on the organic and premium space, as incomes rise and the middle class swells.
Golden Rice will be priced ‘very competitively’ once it hits the market in the Philippines in 2023, after the country recently granted a world-first regulatory approval for commercial propagation.