Major Japanese supplement brand Shinya Koso believes that the market for active enzymes products is immeasurable, driven by consumers’ concern with digestive health and weight management.
Maintaining price parity and maximising taste are two key priorities when formulating healthy and plant-based products, according to exclusive insights revealed by Nestle’s Malaysia and Singapore CEO Juan Aranols.
The Japanese government and food firms such as Suntory and Keishindo are joining forces to combat food waste by exploring tech and upcycling opportunities, as well as focusing on seasonal-over production problems.
Experts say that plant-based chocolate needs to overcome taste challenges and offer localised products if it is to achieve significant growth in APAC, especially with potential labelling and regulatory hurdles looming on the horizon.
A probiotic beer developed by researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) has finally hit the market, launched by start-up Probicient in collaboration with bar and restaurant chain Brewerkz.
India’s first ice popsicle brand Skippi has revamped the traditional local category with the use of healthier ingredients and national exposure via the popular reality show Shark Tank, vowing to achieve nationwide penetration within the next six months.
India, China and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have been tipped as foodtech and ag-tech investment hotspots by regional experts, while Vietnam and the Philippines are said to be among the next wave of opportunities available.
China’s largest vitamin and dietary supplement (VDS) firm BYHEALTH is reaping the benefits of an expanding domestic market, as it reported yet another record year of profit and revenue growth.
Consumers tend to be more accepting of biocide labelling on dairy beverages if the term ‘environmentally friendly’ is also used on the packaging, according to researchers in China and New Zealand.
A recent South Korean government survey has revealed a significant boost in processed food sales over the past year, with both the number of purchases and frequency on the rise.
Cricket consumption has numerous nutritional and health benefits but those with shellfish allergies should proceed with caution, say researchers from Thailand’s Mahidol University.
Hong Kong 3D food printing firm Alt Farm is eyeing China and Australia as its first key target markets, revealing it hopes to launch a prototype plant-based A5 Wagyu Beef product in the next 12 to 18 months.
The alcohol industry in Japan is concerned over the impacts of the country’s latest rounds of COVID-19 restrictions on the sector’s growth, with many businesses in a stake of flux and uncertainty and even major traditional breweries looking to expand...
A novel infant formula which is not yet commercialised has shown to promote growth comparable to standard products, according to a clinical trial funded by Danone.
The Indian food regulator is being urged to include on-pack ‘warning labels’ for sugar, salt and fats as part of its upcoming health star rating system for packaged foods.
Krill oil supplementation is gaining traction amongst Japan’s beauty seekers, claims supplier Aker BioMarine, which recently set up an office in Tokyo.
Singapore upcycling products firm CRUST has revealed a new collaborative upcycling business model of working with big food and beverage brands to develop new co-branded products from their existing food waste.
A new APAC-focused investment fund says it can create a ‘massive impact’ by supporting firms targeting large-scale animal-based industries, including plant-based, cell-cultured and fermentation outfits.
Infant formula maker Bubs reported a record high gross revenue coming from corporate daigou companies, which help individual sellers navigate hurdles such as procurement and deliveries.
Japan has announced stricter labelling regulations for soybean milk and other soy-related beverages with the aim of preventing fraudulent or exaggerated claims and ensure fair competition between brands in the very competitive local market.
Vietnam, the Philippines, along with Middle Eastern and North African nations have been identified as key growth opportunities for the Malaysian palm oil sector, as it seeks to open up new export channels.
Beer heavyweight Heineken has highlighted increased experimentation and what it calls ‘easy-drinking beers’ as fast-growing category trends within the alcoholic beverages sector in Asia, and expects these to expand even further in the coming year.
Blackmores has seen strong growth in Indonesia by prioritising its vitamin D3 and zinc supplement business in the country, according to the Australian brand’s CEO.
China’s first coconut yoghurt brand Yeyo has plans to bolster its product portfolio with more innovations targeting its core audience of ‘fashion-forward’ female consumers, banking on its successful nationwide retail expansion and recent US$1.2mn funding...
FoodNavigator-Asia and NutraIngredients-Asia are thrilled to announce that the pioneering food and nutrition summit, Growth Asia, is returning in the form of a live, face-to-face conference in Singapore this October.
Carlsberg Malaysia has predicted that the year ahead will continue to be a challenging one for the beer industry in view of rising costs and the COVID-19 Omicron variant, despite having seen a significant rise in profits and premium product sales in the...
Hybrid meat products comprising ‘real’ meat and plant-based meat have been hailed as one of the steadiest strategies available for the alternative protein industry to convert consumers, gain acceptance and maximise its reach in Asian markets.
Hybrid products containing both animal and plant proteins are offering manufacturers the chance to overcome taste and texture challenges, while simultaneously tapping into the large number of consumers who are eager to learn about alternative proteins.
South Korea has chosen to focus on national staple food ramen as the first target for the enforcement of its new reduced sodium labelling rules, doubling down on the category by announcing the specific sodium values for manufacturers to adhere to.
Meiji’s sales of functional yogurt in Japan have been declining due to the levelling of demand and an intensifying market competition, but sports nutrition is on the up, the firm has revealed.
Singapore firm Inmarch Holdings is launching its first kimchi brand for supermarkets, called Go Young, after initially finding success with its JIN Kimchi range for foodservice and ecommerce outlets.
Almost nine-out-of-10 people surveyed online in Japan have not heard of Health Support Pharmacies (HSPs), a new category of pharmacies that provide consultations on diet, nutrition, health foods and nursing care, alongside prescription medication.
China’s first hard seltzer company, ZEYA, has turned the attention to supermarkets and on-trade channels, after pivoting from e-commerce which accounted for the majority of sales over the last few pandemic-stricken years.
China’s corporate daigou channel is witnessing high growth momentum and demand for infant formulas is exceeding pre-COVID-19 levels, according to Australian infant formula maker Bubs.
Korea Ginseng Corp (KGC) continues to top the country’s health functional foods sales chart, while Korea Yakult has been pushed out of the top five, according to new data.
Both the South Korean and Japanese governments have moved to reinforce the robustness of their food authenticity systems against Geographical Indication (GI) and country-of-origin adulteration via initiatives including a new operational council and strict...
Chinese dairy giant Yili has revealed its growth strategy for the South East Asian dairy market, claiming that products need to have a richer and sweeter taste profile to entice consumers.
Flavettes, a brand by Malaysia-headquartered Duopharma Biotech, is moving a step further into the health and beauty segment by incorporating well-known beauty ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, ceramide, and collagen peptide into effervescent tablets.
The Ministry of Health in Japan has urged local food manufacturers to provide scientific evidence and proof of their products’ food safety credentials if they want to take advantage of new licensing exemptions for 17 food categories.
The South Korean government’s grand plans to overhaul local dairy policies and pricing systems have been met with major pushback from industry groups and confusion from farmers, with the ministry in charge calling on detractors to ‘clarify their misconceptions’...
Taiwan-based Kavalan Distillery has predicted that the whiskey sector in Asia is set to be driven by premium and ready-to-drink (RTD) products in 2022, while also revealing its secret to winning over 100 international awards last year.
The recently adopted CODEX framework for stevia looks set to propel the sweetener into new APAC markets, with industry insiders hailing the prospect of more standardised regulations.
The Japanese government has published a new set of ‘fair transaction’ guidelines for the food manufacturing and retail sectors as it seeks to promote proper trading practices and prevent monopolies in the supply chain.
The alcohol sector in the Asia Pacific region was amongst the most heavily-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic due to the closure of many hospitality outlets, but insiders say the outlook is positive thanks to retail modernisation, product innovation and sustainability...
Singaporean food tech firm KosmodeHealth has successfully demonstrated the low-GI - or rather, 'zero-GI' - benefits of its W0W Noodles with evidence from a new research study.
Beer giant AB InBev has set its sights on conquering the energy drink market in India with its world-first Budweiser Beats product, setting an ambitious target of capturing 10% of total market share within two years despite it being a completely new sector.
Nearly two in three pregnant women in Vietnam have consumed special milk formulas as they believe that doing so would benefit their unborn children, according to a new study, which questioned ‘aggressive marketing tactics’.
Singapore basmati brand Sameza is looking to place its premium low-GI basmati rice into more supermarkets in the country, as well as enter North America where they believe there is a lack of innovation in the category.
