Dairy

Making the most of it: How Ukrainian firm VTC has enjoyed Middle East success amid ongoing war

20-Mar-2023 By Pearly Neo

Placing focus on staple food trade with regions such as the Middle East and Africa, as well as diversifying its ingredient supply, have been crucial steps for Ukrainian firm Vtc Trade to enjoy business success since the Russia-Ukraine war broke out.

Sustainability amid volatility: Nestle Malaysia pushes energy, packaging and plant-based progress despite economic uncertainty

20-Mar-2023 By Pearly Neo

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.

‘Collective effort needed’: Cultural and behavioural challenges major hurdles for UAE national project

15-Mar-2023 By Pearly Neo

The National Food Loss and Waste Initiative (Ne’ma) backed by the United Arab Emirates government still faces immense challenges in the form of cultural practices and consumer behaviour as it seeks to halve food loss and waste.

High-tech inspections: South Korea deploys AI in national food imports plan to boost safety

14-Mar-2023 By Pearly Neo

The South Korean government has announced a new food imports plan to be enforced in 2023 which will involve the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to improve its monitoring and inspections processes.

‘Always a place for animal protein’: Conversion and demand for alternative sources unlikely to be the same in every region – expert panel

13-Mar-2023 By Pearly Neo

Consumer demand for alternate proteins is unlikely to end up growing at a uniform rate due to local dietary differences, much of which will still prioritise animal protein in the long run, according to an expert panel.

Functional fixation: Tetra Pak Oceania highlights value-added dairy and sustainability as major drivers for business growth

06-Mar-2023 By Pearly Neo

Food and beverage packaging giant Tetra Pak has highlighted the areas of value-added dairy and sustainable innovation as major drivers for its business growth in Oceania in the coming year.

Standing strong: Nestle’s affordable products strategy boosts emerging market growth

21-Feb-2023 By Pearly Neo

Nestle’s strategy to focus on product affordability and accessibility appears to have paid off in 2022, with the firm seeing more significant growth from its business in emerging markets even amid inflationary and economic turbulence.

Natural powerhouse: Australia’s Northern Rivers region to become country’s Natural Products Hub

21-Feb-2023 By Tingmin Koe

The Northern Rivers region is set to become Australia’s Natural Products Hub, following an AUD$1.072 million (US$740k) investment by the government.

Beyond the ‘obsession’: Are alternative proteins truly the best path to a sustainable food supply?

20-Feb-2023 By Pearly Neo

Creating a sustainable food supply to meet population demands will require more than just a focus on growing the alternative proteins sector despite its current hype, according to industry experts.

Boost-ing optimism: Unilever India confident in beverage nutrition potential despite setbacks

15-Feb-2023 By Pearly Neo

Hindustani Unilever Limited (HUL), the Indian arm of international FMCG giant Unilever, has stressed that its beverage-based nutrition or health food drinks (HFD) portfolio will remain a major area of focus for the business despite current setbacks caused...

‘No place in food’: Egypt food safety authority vows to hit WHO trans fats guidelines within 12 months

14-Feb-2023 By Pearly Neo

The Egyptian food safety authority has committed that the local food supply will hit World Health Organisation (WHO) trans fats guidelines within 12 months, claiming its recent policy changes will finally take it off the global high-consumption list.

‘Gateway to Asia’: Future Food Asia 2023 seeks to attract international food firms to accelerate regional innovation

13-Feb-2023 By Pearly Neo

Organisers of the Future Food Asia (FFA) Awards 2023 have revealed a whole new awards track targeting start-ups based outside APAC, hoping that this will bring more expertise and technologies into the region.

Safe for second use: South Korea approves recycled PET as material for new food and beverage containers

08-Feb-2023 By Pearly Neo

South Korea has given the nod for recycled PET plastic to be used as a material to make new food and beverage containers as part of its national sustainability strategy, citing work by international brands such as Coca-Cola and PepsiCo as an inspiration.

Food in the Metaverse: Why APAC F&B brands need to keep up with Web 3.0 to accelerate growth

07-Feb-2023 By Pearly Neo

Food and beverage brands in the Asia Pacific region would do well to stay up-to-date with worldwide Web 3.0 transformations to accelerate business growth, especially when it comes to capturing younger consumers in the Metaverse.

Aussie plant-based brand MILKLAB steps up marketing efforts to bolster growing presence in South-East Asia

31-Jan-2023 By Hui Ling Dang

Australian alternative-milk brand MILKLAB is pressing ahead with plans to expand across Asia with a twin strategy of e-commerce retail and partnerships with cafes.

‘Sold deceptively’: Indian regulator warns against plant-based ghee, butter products carrying 'dairy terms'

26-Jan-2023 By Teodora Lyubomirova

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has told food bosses to check if they sell ‘vegan ghee’ or ‘vegan butter’ products, calling branding that contains dairy terminology ‘misleading’.

Nutritional navigation: UAE eyes ‘virtual elimination’ of trans fats and sets ambitious salt reduction targets

26-Jan-2023 By Pearly Neo

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) government has announced implementation guidelines for its National Nutrition Strategy 2022 – 2030, eyeing the ‘virtual elimination’ of trans fats in the local food supply as well as a 30% reduction in consumers’ average...

Fit for purpose? Australia launches grocery code review amid effectiveness concerns

24-Jan-2023 By Pearly Neo

Australia recently launched a public consultation as a first step towards reviewing its Food and Grocery Code of Conduct following increasing concerns over its effectiveness and ability to resolve disputes between suppliers and retailers.

Precision fermentation adds value to food supply chain, not competition – Perfect Day

24-Jan-2023 By Hui Ling Dang

Perfect Day is teaming up with big players like Nestle and Unilever to broaden the applications of its whey protein, while leading new innovations through precision fermentation.

Driving domestic dairy: China’s ‘Excellent Milk’ project pledges further quality and safety advances

18-Jan-2023 By Pearly Neo

China’s national ‘Excellent Milk’ project says it is on track to implement further quality and safety advances to locally-produced dairy as it seeks to slash reliance on imports.

Danone to cut methane by 30% by 2030 through regenerative farming, feed innovation

17-Jan-2023 By Teodora Lyubomirova

The French dairy giant has become the world’s first food company to make a methane-specific climate pledge - but questions remain around how this ambition could be realized.

Food development focus: UAE government highlights strengthening of local food security as key 2023 goal

11-Jan-2023 By Pearly Neo

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) government has highlighted efforts to boost local food security as a key goal for the country to transform its food supply system in 2023, alongside the introduction of new taxation strategies to fund further innovation...

ASEAN food sector outlook 2023: Post-COVID-19 growth in Indonesia, Vietnam dampened by food security and inflation woes

11-Jan-2023 By Pearly Neo

Many South East Asian countries remain cautious and concerned over food insecurity and rising inflationary costs despite having seen stellar post-COVID-19 growth in multiple food categories.

Returning to normality? China ramps up relaxation of COVID-19 food testing and tariffs

10-Jan-2023 By Pearly Neo

China is ramping up its efforts to move past the immense impacts COVID-19 has had on the country over the past three years, including removing all requirements for nucleic acid testing on frozen food imports and reducing tariffs.

Expiration experimentation: South Korea embarks on nationwide project to set ‘use-by’ dates for food and beverage products

03-Jan-2023 By Pearly Neo

The South Korean government is implementing a nationwide project to set ‘use-by’ dates for some 2,000 food and beverage items, in its latest move in an attempt to cut national food waste.

Thailand’s Halal 4.0 journey: Tech and blockchain to play crucial role in ensuring product integrity

20-Dec-2022 By Pearly Neo

The halal food and beverage sector in Thailand is ramping up its use of technology as a crucial tool to achieve ‘Halal Integrity’, and hopes to establish a halal blockchain platform within the next few years.

‘No more wasteful gimmicks’: China issues strict constraints for fruit, meat, egg and seafood packaging

14-Dec-2022 By Pearly Neo

The Chinese government has launched strict draft standards to govern excessive food packaging in the country covering fruit, meat, egg and seafood products, allowing public comments on these until January 2023.

Retort regulations: Australia tightens rules for imports containing meat, dairy and eggs

12-Dec-2022 By Pearly Neo

Australia has implemented more stringent regulations to govern imported retorted foods and beverages that contain meat, dairy or egg content, requiring an additional manufacturer’s declaration to be displayed prior to entry.

RSPO RT2022

‘Ownership still lacking’: FMCG brands need to step up public support of sustainable palm oil – RSPO leadership

12-Dec-2022 By Pearly Neo

FMCG food and beverage brands making popular consumer products need to step up and publicly support sustainable palm oil in order to make a real impact in the sector, according to leaders of the RSPO.

Beneficial ‘side effect’: Long regulatory road for cultivated products will boost consumer confidence – Upside Foods

07-Dec-2022 By Pearly Neo

The cultivated products sector still has a long road ahead in many markets in terms of regulatory processes, but this thorough vetting will lay a strong foundation of food safety and quality that will eventually yield benefits in terms of consumer trust...

Functional future: Premium milk brand Koita eyes NPD spurt to maintain Asia momentum

07-Dec-2022 By Hui Ling Dang

UAE premium milk brand Koita is doubling up on efforts to introduce new product lines, including functional beverages, as it seeks to maintain its growth in Asia.

Pride and palm oil: PepsiCo calls for big brand sustainability involvement to attract smallholder producers

05-Dec-2022 By Pearly Neo

Food giant PepsiCo believes that the involvement of major food and beverage brands in palm oil sustainability initiatives is crucial to attract smallholder producers and make a bigger impact.

Perfect Day doubles production capacity via SBL acquisition, gets green light for animal-free dairy in India, teases new partnership

01-Dec-2022 By Elaine Watson

Precision fermentation specialist Perfect Day has completed its acquisition of Indian firm Sterling Biotech Limited (SBL) – which will double its production capability in the near-term - and secured the green light from the Food Safety and Standards Authority...

‘Making it happen’: NZ industry says new grocery competition bill is ‘concrete step’ towards fairness

01-Dec-2022 By Pearly Neo

The New Zealand food and grocery sector has voiced wholehearted support for the government’s announcement of a new legislative bill addressing unfair competition in the local grocery sector, which was previously dominated by a duopoly of major retailers.

Personalised protein: Meiji and DeNA Life Science develop algorithm to deliver intake and source advice

01-Dec-2022 By Tingmin Koe

Meiji and DeNA Life Science have created an algorithm that recommends the optimal protein source and intake at a personalised level.

Sleep quality, cognitive, immune health are top wellbeing concerns – Fonterra survey

29-Nov-2022 By Tingmin Koe

Consumers are most concerned about sleep quality, cognitive and immune health when it comes to taking care of their wellbeing, a new survey from Fonterra’s health and wellbeing brand Nutiani has found.

Shareholding: Fonterra reveals when new capital structure will commence

28-Nov-2022 By Teodora Lyubomirova

The New Zealand co-op has confirmed the timeline for implementing its Flexible Shareholding capital structure, designed to ‘level the playing field’ among farmer owners.

Dairy self-sufficiency in Asia: Baladna eyes more South East Asian markets after Malaysia success

23-Nov-2022 By Pearly Neo

Qatari dairy giant Baladna is looking at more markets in South East Asia to bring its sustainable dairy self-sufficiency model to, after successfully securing and setting up its joint venture in Malaysia.

Mitigating ‘business risk’: Nestle expands APAC sustainability initiatives with regenerative projects in Australia

22-Nov-2022 By Pearly Neo

Nestle has highlighted its Australian business as the next major market to implement its sustainability plans in the APAC region, with a focus on regeneration and carbon footprint reduction.

‘Not a shiny new toy’: How ofi’s new Singapore site will lead to ‘holy grail’ localised innovation

22-Nov-2022 By Pearly Neo

Localisation strategies are crucial in order to achieve the ‘holy grail’ of food innovation in the Asia Pacific region, by combining health, taste and convenience, according to Olam outfit ofi.

Organic observance: Japan tightens regulations for food imports and certification label sizing

15-Nov-2022 By Pearly Neo

The Japanese government has implemented tighter regulations for organic food imports, with firms required to appoint specific personnel and use standard organic certification labels to avoid being rejected.

Nutrition: Plant-based drinks ‘not real alternatives’ to dairy milk – study

14-Nov-2022 By Teodora Lyubomirova

Nutrient quality in plant-based beverages should be considered on a par with sustainability credentials, researchers say as they assessed the quality as well as quantity of micronutrients in common plant-based drinks.

Trans-fat fight: Philippines to ban all prepackaged processed foods with high trans-fat levels by 2023

14-Nov-2022 By Pearly Neo

The Philippines government has announced a ban on all prepackaged processed foods containing high trans-fats levels as part of its objective to completely eliminate their presence by 2023.

The rise and rise of oatmilk: 'We're growing significantly faster than the rest of the brands in the category,' says SunOpta CEO

11-Nov-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Plant-based foods and beverages co-manufacturer SunOpta continues to see strong growth across its plant-based milks portfolio especially in oatmilk, which is growing at more than twice the rate of the broader oatmilk segment.

COP27 climate smart food initiative accused of greenwashing as partners pledge increased investment in innovation

11-Nov-2022 By Katy Askew

The Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate (AIM for Climate) partners have pledged to ramp up their investment in climate smart food systems ahead of Agriculture Day at COP27. But for critics the US$8bn on the table doesn't go nearly far enough...

Paradoxical pressures: APAC consumers demanding both food indulgence and cost-savings

03-Nov-2022 By Pearly Neo

Both indulgence and affordability are emerging as major APAC consumer demands for food and beverages today, leaving a manufacturers with a paradoxical challenge that can only be solved using innovation.

Limited access: Indonesia drafts new risk-based rules for imported processed foods

02-Nov-2022 By Pearly Neo

Indonesia has decided to push ahead with plans to tighten regulations governing imported processed foods by introducing a risk-based assessment system.

Growth Asia Summit 2022

Proof and pride: Science-backed ingredients and sensitive marketing key for healthy ageing success in Asia

02-Nov-2022 By Pearly Neo

The scientific validation of ingredients and sensitive marketing strategies are key for brands to drive repeat purchases in Asia’s thriving healthy ageing category, according to an expert panel at our Growth Asia Summit 2022.

Growth Asia Summit 2022

East meets West: Yili on how dairy is improving public health in China – exclusive Growth Asia Summit insights

01-Nov-2022 By Pearly Neo

Chinese dairy giant Yili has highlighted the vital, science-backed role that dairy is playing in improving consumer nutrition and public health in the country, by combining both Eastern and Western technologies.

FNA INNOVATE: CHILDREN’S SNACKS

Keeping kids keen: Growth in India’s children’s snacking market driven by convenience, health and safety

01-Nov-2022 By Pearly Neo

Convenience for parents and guaranteed food safety for children are the primary drivers of growth for the kids’ snacking market in India today, with the category evolving to become an increasingly important dietary occasion in the country.