Convenience foods and snacks

Fast food franchise wars in China

14-Jul-2017 By Mark Godfrey

Hua Ke Duo's black sesame sprinkled buns and chilli pepper flavourings are Chinese, but the hamburgers are bigger than those at McDonald’s. 

Saudi exempts food packaging from plastics ban

12-Jul-2017 By RJ Whitehead

Food packaging will be exempt from a new Saudi Arabian ban on the entry of non-biodegradable plastics into the country.

South Asia radius

Draft organic regulations sent for public consultation

11-Jul-2017 By RJ Whitehead

Food regulator FSSAI has come out with a draft regulation to ensure that products advertised as organic actually conform to organic standards.

China direct

Time for Chinese convenience stores to form distinct identities

10-Jul-2017 By RJ Whitehead

Chinese convenience store chains need to look at ways to differentiate their stores from those of their competitors in a market that has witnessed double-digit growth over the last five years.

Australia

Study: Over half of kid’s foods feature cartoons to market to children

29-Jun-2017 By RJ Whitehead

Research by healthy foods campaigners has found that over half of supermarket products marketed to children contain high levels of saturated fat, sugars, sodium.

This week Down Under

David Jones to go ‘foodie’ across Australia

29-Jun-2017 By RJ Whitehead

Australia’s oldest department store chain will invest A$100m (US$76m) into gourmet foods over three years in a bid to attract foodie shoppers.

Dateline Southeast Asia

Del Monte buries the hatchet ahead of retail and NPD joint-venture

28-Jun-2017 By RJ Whitehead

Philippines-based Del Monte Pacific has entered into a joint-venture with Arab-owned Fresh Del Monte Produce to expand its refrigerated fruit-based lines. 

Full durum: The South Australian science of spaghetti

26-Jun-2017 By RJ Whitehead

A pasta industry more than 15,000km from Italy is thriving thanks to a unique collaboration between farmers, durum wheat researchers and a major food manufacturer. 

Calbee resumes potato chip sales in Japan

23-Jun-2017 By Gill Hyslop

Japan’s largest potato chip producer Calbee (with a 73% market hold) has restarted sales of the country’s most popular snack it suspended in April due to a severe potato shortage.

Dateline Southeast Asia

Quality trumps price for time-poor urban Thai consumers

22-Jun-2017 By RJ Whitehead

The quality of a product is more important to Thai consumers than its price, according to Mintel research.

Philippines

Salt tax proposal draws anger from lawmakers and consumer groups

22-Jun-2017 By RJ Whitehead

A bill to impose a tax on the salt content of processed foods has been criticised by Filipino politicians and consumer groups, who accuse it of being a stealthy means to raise revenues.

KFC Australia’s ‘logical next step’ is home delivery

21-Jun-2017 By Aaron McDonald

Kentucky Fried Chicken’s Australian arm is branching into home delivery. 

Australia

Study calls for health star ratings to be shown in fast-food chains

20-Jun-2017 By RJ Whitehead

Health star ratings (HSR) should be extended to cover fast food restaurants across Australia, according to a new report by the George Institute for Global Health. 

Far East spotlight

Eight in 10 Korean food firms raise prices—as manufacturing costs drop

19-Jun-2017 By RJ Whitehead

Eighty per cent of food and beverage companies have increased their consumer prices in the last six months, even though production costs for manufacturers have dropped over the same period.

China direct

US union blasts ‘mistreatment’ of McDonald’s China franchisees

12-Jun-2017 By RJ Whitehead

A powerful American union has launched a service to help McDonald’s franchisees in China protect themselves from the financial risks posed by the company’s proposed sale of its 20-year franchise rights, valued at more than $2 billion. 

NH Foods JV makes progress on Malaysia halal hub

07-Jun-2017 By RJ Whitehead

Japan’s biggest food manufacturer has chosen Malaysia to be its hub for halal exports, in partnership with a Malaysian chicken major.

Bangladesh to get 10% fast food levy

07-Jun-2017 By RJ Whitehead

Bangladesh’s finance minister announced to parliament that he was committed to imposing new taxes on fast food as a health measure.

ASIA'S FOOD LEADERS VIDEO SERIES

VIDEO: Singapore to boost status as a food and nutrition powerhouse

06-Jun-2017 By Gary Scattergood

Increasing high-tech jobs, boosting exports and helping home-grown brands soar are among the priorities for Singapore as it seeks to cement its status as South East Asia's premier food industry hub.

Thailand expects cap on sugar content by 2018

01-Jun-2017 By RJ Whitehead

Thailand is expected to introduce a sugar cap by next year, according to the national food regulator. 

China direct

Noodle major Nissin to enter Chinese potato chip market

22-May-2017 By RJ Whitehead

Nissin is preparing to enter China’s “shining” potato chips market in a bid to open up a new revenue stream beyond its traditional instant noodles empire.

Nestlé’s Gulf business looking up as Dubai’s third plant opens

17-May-2017 By RJ Whitehead

Business in the Gulf will bounce back after years of poor performance in the wake of collapsed oil prices, the world’s biggest food group’s regional chief has predicted while opened a third plant in Dubai.

Bakery China 2017

China to familiarize Western market with ‘pinyin’ baked treats

12-May-2017 By Gill Hyslop

China’s diverse bakery industry – encompassing bakers of traditional ‘pinyin’ (literally translated as ‘Chinese style cakes and snacks’) and producers of modern items like croissants and waffles – is growing at a rate that far exceeds most other segments.

Editor’s blog

How snack tastes have been changing in traditional Japan

11-May-2017 By RJ Whitehead

Tastes are changing fast in Japan, where younger consumers are adopting more Western foods, traditional dishes are fusing with Spanish ingredients and snacking is on the rise.

China direct - Soapbox

Unwrapping China: How to address the ‘new normal’

08-May-2017 By Paul O'Brien

China is a country of epochs and eras, phases and cycles, periods and plans. It has witnessed agricultural revolutions followed by massive industrialisation, open-market reforms and WTO accession—and now technological innovation and a digitised supply-chains. 

Kaida chooses Tomra equipment for potato processing plant

03-May-2017 By Joseph James Whitworth

Kaida has invested in two agricultural product processing plants which will feature Tomra’s steam peeling and optical sorting machines.

Food Vision Asia 2017

Social science: The world's big 'metatrends' define global tastes

01-May-2017 By RJ Whitehead

Nutritional biochemist and food marketeer Rachel Cheatham looks at five of the biggest global food trends based on her analysis of social media reporting.

Emerging markets continue to drive growth for Nestlé and Unilever

20-Apr-2017 By Louis Gore-Langton

Industry giants Nestlé and Unilever report steady sales growth driven by emerging markets for first quarter of 2017 and predict continued growth throughout the year.

Entrepreneurs

Fizzing with ideas: Indian start-up mirrors changing face of retail

18-Apr-2017 By RJ Whitehead

Five years ago, three university friends decided to take a break from their blue-chip jobs and do something very different in the food industry. What they have achieved since then says as much about about the changing face of Indian retail and food consumerism...

Dateline Southeast Asia: Halal

Mindanao eyes US Islamic trade, though it must first tailor standards

13-Apr-2017 By RJ Whitehead

The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao’s advance on the global halal market continues as it prepares to sign an agreement with Islamic authorities in America.

Calbee, Koike-ya halt snack production amid Japan's potato shortage

12-Apr-2017 By Gill Hyslop

Inclement weather has led to Japan’s smallest harvest of potatoes since 1983, prompting the country’s snack giants to stop production of several potato snacks.

Innovative Apac: Packaged foods that stand out from the crowd

12-Apr-2017 By Avanthi Ravindran, senior trend and innovation consultant, Mintel

From nuts made with clean formulations to snacks that shine a spotlight on ancient grains, the pursuit of healthier lifestyles among today's consumers has resulted in a rise in food and drink innovations that seek to fulfil the different aspects...

Autumn set for ‘world's first’ low-GI bread, sugar, noodle launches

12-Apr-2017 By RJ Whitehead

Low-GI bread, sugar and noodles, and salt with a 40% lower sodium content, are each poised to break onto the market this year after years of development by a Malaysian-Australian company that specialises in “groundbreaking” ingredients.

Three trends making an impact on packaging innovation: Tetra Pak

12-Apr-2017 By Millette Burgos

Three stand-out trends are driving innovations in food and beverage packaging, according Tetra Pak.

China direct

More and more Chinese going nuts in backing healthy snacking

10-Apr-2017 By RJ Whitehead

Snacks are increasingly being seen by Chinese consumers as a healthy pitstop between meals, and losing their reputation as indulgent alternatives to traditional meal times.

Indians are now willing to pay more for healthier snacks

04-Apr-2017 By RJ Whitehead

Indians are becoming obsessed with the pursuit of a healthier lifestyle, according to market intelligence that suggests some food companies have already been taking measures to appeal to this change in demand.

Dateline Southeast Asia

World’s fourth-biggest noodle market buckling under competition

30-Mar-2017 By RJ Whitehead

Vietnam’s generations-long love affair with a paper-wrapped instant noodle brand appears to be in terminal decline after it reported plunging sales for last year.

Aussie Yum! operator ramps up investment in Northern Europe

28-Mar-2017 By RJ Whitehead

An major Australian restaurant franchise operator will expand heavily into Europe after Yum! Brands agreed to sell it 16 outlets in the Netherlands.

Vietnam is the fastest-growing convenience market

27-Mar-2017 By Gwen Ridler

Asia’s fastest growing convenience market is Vietnam – which is set to achieve annual growth of 37.4% over the next four years – according to grocery think-tank IGD.

Rob Scoines appointed GM of Sanitarium NZ

27-Mar-2017 By RJ Whitehead

Sanitarium Health & Wellbeing operation has named Rob Scoines as its general manager in New Zealand.

UAE prepares double-pronged assault on nutrition in schools

22-Mar-2017 By RJ Whitehead

Dubai’s municipal authorities will soon begin to apply updated nutrition guidelines in school canteens to encourage healthier choices, while Abu Dhabi is engaging a task force to wage war on over-nutrition.

South Asia radius

Drinks companies unite to counter India’s looming health policies

21-Mar-2017 By RJ Whitehead

Executives from some of India’s biggest food and beverage companies have begun discussing ways to join forces and lobby the government to abandon plans to squeeze the industry.

India

Traditional tastes can help food processing boom beyond snacks

09-Mar-2017 By By Kaushik Shankar, Giract

The theme of “processed Indian traditional foods” was based on the idea that India’s food processing industry could only sustain growth by making products that Indians were well-accustomed to consuming in large and regular quantities. 

Africa and Middle East love sweet bakes, but want sugar reduction: DuPont

09-Mar-2017 By Gill Hyslop

South African, Egyptian and Saudi Arabian women see the appeal of healthier snacking options, but sweet baked snacks remain more popular.

Six measures to slash obesity among immigrant children in Australia: Academics call for action

02-Mar-2017 By Gary Scattergood

A number public policy, health and community measures have been identified by researchers in Australia to help reduce rising obesity rates among child immigrants.

SPOTLIGHT JAPAN

Japan’s household food spending the highest for 20 years as ready-to-eat sales rocket

23-Feb-2017 By Gary Scattergood

Japan’s households are spending less the across the board each month, but the amount forked out on food products has hit a 20-year high.

Online grocery market to more than triple in Singapore by 2020: IGD forecast

23-Feb-2017 By Gary Scattergood

Singapore’s online grocery market is set to triple in growth over the next three years, from SG$130m (US$91m) to SG$0.5bn (US$0.35bn) by 2020, according to forecasts unveiled today by international grocery research organisation IGD. 

Indian snack maker Haldiram’s posts positive 2016 growth

22-Feb-2017 By Gill Hyslop

Haldiram’s has announced a 13% revenue growth to reach Rs 4,000 crore (over $600m) in financial year 2016.

Hedonists more likely to believe food industry nutrition and marketing claims: APAC study

22-Feb-2017 By Gary Scattergood

People in Asia-Pacific with ‘hedonistic values’ are more likely to place their trust in food industry sources of nutrition information and make greater use of fast food and convenience outlets.

This week Down Under

Junk tax and healthy subsidies would cost nothing and save billions

15-Feb-2017 By RJ Whitehead

The Australian treasury could save billions of dollars each year if fruits and vegetables were subsidised and a package of taxes on sugar, salt and saturated fact were introduced.

Public health intervention needed to address 'poor' quality Australian diets

10-Feb-2017 By Gary Scattergood

The overall diet quality of the Australian population is poor and targeted interventions for young-adults, males, the obese and those with lower socio-economic status are sorely needed.