Functional foods and drinks

Indian nutraceutical market booming: Report

18-Jun-2012 By Ankush Chibber

India’s nutraceutical market is booming, but food manufacturers will have to pay heed to growing trends of fortification and customisation to truly unlock the value, a white paper has said.

Stem cell nutrition deal establishes Marinova as undisputed world leader in Fucoidan

14-Jun-2012 By Elaine Watson

A deal to supply Stemtech International - the leading player in stem cell nutrition supplements - with one of its proprietary marine plant extracts will establish Marinova as the undisputed world leader in Fucoidan, claims the Australian biotech firm.

Folic acid fortification is a folie: NZ report

12-Jun-2012 By Ankush Chibber

The question of whether to go ahead with folic acid fortification of bread in New Zealand continues to be a contentious one, with another report moving against it.

Dispatches from Vitafoods Europe 2012

China face-to-face with Europe’s lucrative nutrition market

11-Jun-2012 By Kacey Culliney from Geneva

Vitafoods Europe 2012 is a good place to come face to face with business in Europe’s lucrative health and nutrition market, according to Chinese firms exhibiting in the China Pavilion.

Dispatches from Vitafoods Europe 2012

All eyes on what Asia does best: Basic nutrition, says Mintel

07-Jun-2012 By Kacey Culliney from Geneva

European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) rulings on health claims has caused a ‘softer’ market approach from EU manufacturers and Europe can learn a lot form Asia on what it does best – basic nutritional ingredients like vitamins and minerals, says Mintel.

Vitafoods Europe records 12% growth, plots Asian show expansion

07-Jun-2012

Vitafoods Europe saw 12% more attendees (11,594 ) pass through its doors in Geneva this year with show producer Informa casting its eyes forward to the second edition of Vitafoods Asia in Hong Kong in September. 

Dispatches from Vitafoods Europe 2012

Regional partnerships are key to tackling Asia, says Vésale Pharma president

28-May-2012 By Kacey Culliney from Geneva

Asia’s functional food market is still a new target area for pharmaceutical firm Vésale Pharma and working with regional agents will prove essential in gaining traction in the market, according to president.

Dispatches from Vitafoods Europe 2012

EU market is 'difficult to penetrate' for Chinese ingredient firm

28-May-2012 By Kacey Culliney from Geneva

A local Chinese company has developed a curcurmin ingredient for the global market but a sales representative told FoodNavigator-Asia at Vitafoods Europe that India is a strong competitor and Europe is a difficult market to penetrate.

Validated, gut-tailored probiotics needed in Asia: Frost & Sullivan

10-May-2012 By Kacey Culliney

Developing demographic-specific formulations and validating health claims must be a focus for probiotic manufacturers targeting Asian markets, according to an industry analyst.

Australia embraces healthy drinks and snacks: Report

09-May-2012 By Ankush Chibber

The consumption of soft drinks and confectionery is estimated to be falling due to health concerns in Australia, while healthy offerings are seeing growing demand.

US algae firm will upscale and enter Southeast Asia with Indonesian investment

07-May-2012 By Kacey Culliney

A US$15m strategic investment from Indonesian agribusiness group, Salim, will increase research and production capabilities and open new market doors for US algae technology firm Heliae.

BioGaia secures distribution in Taiwan’s developed probiotic market

24-Apr-2012 By Kacey Culliney

Probiotic supplier BioGaia has secured an exclusive distribution agreement for its ProTectis infant tablet and drop line in Taiwan as it ‘fills the gaps’ in its market presence across Asia.

Clean label starch patent secured in Japan amid surging 'free-from' demand

23-Apr-2012 By Kacey Culliney

National Starch has received a patent for its clean label starch technology in Japan, amid a surging demand for such ingredients across the country.

Australian ‘toxic’ traditional Chinese medicine curbed with DNA testing, say researchers

19-Apr-2012 By Kacey Culliney

DNA sequencing on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) imported into Australia could prove invaluable in ensuring safe and legal product entry, suggests new research.

Indian state charges Red Bull over caffeine content; court battle looms

02-Apr-2012 By Ankush Chibber

Austrian energy drink leader Red Bull Gmbh has run into rough weather in India with a state level food regulator, which claims to have confiscated 1.6 million cans of the drink over caffeine content.

Fortitech underpins China's fortified food demand with Shanghai office

29-Mar-2012 By Kacey Culliney

Nutrient specialist, Fortitech, has opened a sales and support office in Shanghai in response to a surging market for fortified food and beverages spurred by a newly health-focused consumer group in China.

Enzymotec Shanghai office to support China growth

22-Mar-2012 By Kacey Culliney

Lipid ingredients manufacturer, Enzymotec, has opened a commercial operations office in Shanghai to support its growing infant nutrition and bioactive ingredients business in the Chinese market.

Nestlé invests S$5.5m to drive product development in Singapore

20-Mar-2012 By Kacey Culliney

Nestlé will invest S$5.5m in its Singapore R&D centre to expand activities in development of products such as coffee mixes and malted beverages for both the Asian and global markets.

Australians prefer local foods: Report

05-Mar-2012 By Ankush Chibber

A preference for local food among Australian consumers could offer Australian food processors a way to rejuvenation after a turbulent period where they have been pounded by cheap food imports.

Adding thought to China’s health market

23-Feb-2012 By Kacey Culliney

Two US companies have joined the board of the US-China Health Products Association (USCHPA) pushing its total membership up to 13, adding industry knowledge and voice to the voting sector of the association.

Bans melt in Taiwanese plasticiser scandal

20-Feb-2012 By Ankush Chibber

Taiwanese food exports are finally free of all border controls in major target markets, with Malaysia being the latest to allow the former’s food products without plasticiser-free certification.

Industry Insight

Japan: Acting in earnest to internationalise its functional food market

09-Feb-2012 By Kacey Culliney

Japan’s functional food manufacturers have recently shifted activities towards the global market amid a shrinking population and declining domestic demand, claims an industry expert.

Asian investment enables Blue Pacific Flavors to expand research capabilities

07-Feb-2012 By Kacey Culliney

An undisclosed investment from Asia’s largest agribusiness Wilmar International will enable US flavour giant Blue Pacific Flavors to focus on expanding its research capacities.

NZ natural products market bursts through billion dollar mark

30-Jan-2012 By Kacey Culliney

New Zealand’s natural products industry has exceeded revenues of NZ$1billion (US$823.2m) which highlights the significance of this sector and its growth potential, especially in exports, according to an industry expert.

Indians altering dietary habits, says Nielsen

26-Jan-2012 By Ankush Chibber

A new survey by global research firm Nielsen reveals India’s urban citizens are altering their dietary habits as lifestyle changes send obesity rates rocketing.

Singapore: Innovative exports to drive growth

24-Jan-2012 By Jennifer Phang & Kacey Culliney

The focus for manufacturers in Singapore needs to be on the export market, and in particular functional and health foods, according to industry official.

China standardises nutrition labelling guidelines

10-Jan-2012 By Jennifer Phang

In a bid to create unified standards and transparency across packaged products in China, the Ministry of Health has issued nutritional labelling standards, set to commence in January, 2013.

Functional food opportunities in Asia amid global volatility

03-Jan-2012 By Kacey Culliney

Asia holds growth promise amid a volatile global economy for multinational food companies, especially in the functional food sector, according to industry report.

NBTY nutraceutical brands target India’s young and rich

22-Dec-2011 By Ankush Chibber

Rising incomes among an increasingly aware ‘youth’ segment in India is what My Nutrition Supplements (MNS) is banking on for sales of its newly launched bars and ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages.

Neptune tapping into China’s supplements market

22-Nov-2011 By Kacey Culliney

Canadian krill oil supplier, Neptune, has teamed up with a local fishing company in a bid to tap into China’s fast growing and emerging omega-3 supplements market.

LycoRed’s premix plant in China set to leverage functional food growth

17-Nov-2011 By Nilpa Shah

Global supplier LycoRed has opened a new facility in China to meet the growing demand for nutritional pre-mixes in China and South East Asia.

China tightens up on fortified foods regulation

07-Nov-2011 By Ankush Chibber

China has announced new regulations and a renewed focus on the quality and safety of functional foods being sold in the country, as part of a series of crackdowns meant to reinforce food safety in the country.

Frost & Sullivan: Exposure and research to boost functional foods in Asia Pacific

07-Nov-2011 By Kacey Culliney

Continued research and development combined with exposure will drive and strengthen the functional foods market in Asia Pacific, according to analysis.

Australian watchdog puts Coles and Woolworths on notice

14-Oct-2011 By Ankush Chibber

Australia’s top competition regulator has said that it would keep an eye on the country’s two top supermarket chains over long-standing concerns that they were wielding too much power in the country’s food sector.

Majority of Australian consumers prioritise price over source

10-Oct-2011 By Kacey Culliney

A new poll has revealed that 8 in 10 Australian grocery buyers consider price equally or more important than the country of origin.

Dispatches from FI India

Beneo still has a hurdle with oligofructose in India

06-Oct-2011 By Ankush Chibber

Beneo is still waiting for an approval from the Indian authorities for the use of its prebiotic fibre, oligofructose, in infant milk powder products in the country.

Dispatches from FI India

Taking stock of the latest trends in India

06-Oct-2011 By Caroline Scott-Thomas and Ankush Chibber

Innovative new products, a strong focus on health and wellness, and regional dairy tastes were all on the agenda at FI India in Mumbai this week - and FoodNavigator-Asia's journalists were there, taking stock of what the latest trends mean for the...

Aussie online grocery site: An opportunistic platform for brand owners

03-Oct-2011 By Kacey Culliney

A new online grocery site offers a competitive advantage for large-volume brand owners, amid pressure from the growing private label trend in Australia.

Galactofructose supplier forms Indian partnership

29-Sep-2011 By Shane Starling

Galactofructose specialist Solvay has inked a deal with 20-year-old Indian company, Lactose India, to take the Belgian firm’s digestive health ingredient into the Indian market for the first time.

Ingredient suppliers grasping opportunity inside Asia’s many markets

29-Sep-2011 By Shane Starling

Intra-regional finesse is a necessity not a luxury when it comes to doing business in the many markets of the Asia-Pacific, as leading suppliers Chr Hansen and Danisco relayed at the recent Vitafoods Asia trade show in Hong Kong.

Chr Hansen inks Japanese probiotic-plant extract deal

27-Sep-2011 By Shane Starling

Danish probiotics giant Chr Hansen says its just-announced alliance with a Japanese botanical supplement maker will yield plant-probiotic combination food supplement products on European and global markets kicking off in Q1 2012.

News focus: Asian hunger grows for healthy foods and supplements

22-Sep-2011

NutraIngredients and our brand new sister site, FoodNavigator-Asia.com, recently attended the first Vitafoods Asia trade show in Hong Kong, where we found 100s of thriving healthy foods, food supplements and ingredients companies eyeing and displaying...

As costs increase, manufacturers may be forced to re-assess working with China: Report

22-Sep-2011 By Kacey Culliney

Food and beverage companies may be forced to seek other Asian countries to source, produce and manufacture products from as China’s low-cost advantage diminishes, a new report suggests.

Chinese seeking premium and healthier products, says CFC CEO

21-Sep-2011 By Ankush Chibber

The Chinese population’s growing affluence is offering opportunities for premium and healthier products, says the CEO of the China Food Company (CFC) Plc, as the company posts better than expected revenues.

Lonza to expand vitamin B3 production in China

13-Sep-2011 By Shane Starling

Swiss supplier Lonza will open a new vitamin B3 manufacturing facility in China in 2012 that will significantly lower production costs for the vitamin and boost output by 40%.

Dispatches from Vitafoods Asia 2011

Vitamin D deficiency is an Asian problem too (despite the sun)

13-Sep-2011 By Shane Starling

Campaigns against vitamin D deficiency have gained prominence in the western world but the dietary issue is just as relevant in Asia, according to supplier DSM, even if sunlight hours are greater than most regions.

Chinese company targets non-GM markets

12-Sep-2011 By Ankush Chibber

A Chinese food company is betting on a new processing method for non-GM soybeans, to break into new markets in Asia and Europe.

Look to the East for natural functional ingredients

01-Sep-2011 By Nathan Gray

Industry should be looking to plants used in traditional Chinese medicine for the next wave of functional ingredients, according to Professor Monique Simmonds of Kew Gardens.

Omega-3 market set to boom on demand from food sector

31-Aug-2011 By Ankush Chibber

Demand from the food industry will see the market for Omega-3 ingredients rise substantially over the next few years, a report from the market research and consulting firm MarketsandMarkets said.

TSI to distribute Hofseth Biocare’s human nutrition portfolio

24-Aug-2011

Norway’s Hofseth Biocare has appointed TSI Health Sciences as its exclusive distributor in North America and Asia-Pacific for the human nutrition market.