Innovating at both ends of the price spectrum can fuel Asia’s booming plant-based sector for the long term, say regional experts, who believe that the sector is now at the tipping point of achieving sustained mainstream success.
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.
A four year-long research and development (R&D) project has led to launch of a new low-GI bread range in Malaysia – one of several South East nations battling surges in obesity and diabetes.
Australian upcycled products firm I Am Grounded is expanding its portfolio of upcycled energy-boosting snacks into different formats with an eye on getting itself ready to enter major supermarket retail.
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.
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.
Kellogg’s ASEAN CMO has revealed in the first of a two-part exclusive interview that ‘snackification’ and the rise of naturally functional products are tipped to be two trending areas for the firm in the post-COVID era
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.
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.
Nestle Australia has highlighted its switch to 100% renewable energy for all operations as well as its rapidly broadening plant-based product portfolio as key initiatives that will help the firm to reach its 2050 net zero emissions goal.
India’s hemp industry is predicting a wave of product innovation, from protein bars to flavoured powders and snacks, in the wake of recent regulatory advances that will see hemp seed, oil and flour products classed as food for the first time.
India’s first certified clean label brand True Elements has incorporated a traceability component for all its products down to the ingredient level to provide an added measure of assurance to consumers looking for cleaner, healthier products.
We are speak to experts from major brands to assess the five top trends that look set to shape the Asia Pacific food and beverage industry in 2022, including top post-COVID-19 developments, pricing and taste importance in the plant-based sector, the rise...
The world’s first plant-based alternative wagyu brand Waygu has detailed how it plans to expand across South East Asia, after close to a year of research to ensure compatibility with local taste buds.
Plant-based alternatives to egg whites can fall short – literally – when it comes to creating towering meringues, pavlovas and mousses, but the Israeli food-tech frontrunner InnovoPro’s new chickpea-based egg white replacement system, CP-Foam 1001, promises...
McCormick is hoping to apply the trends it has discovered from global and foodservice markets into innovating new flavour products for retail in Australia, on the back of its new local HQ being launched next year.
Fifty-year-old Australian firm Continental Taralli is modernising its marketing and product development approach to stay up-to-date with current food trends such as gluten-free and healthy snacking, as it seeks to solidify its appeal amongst younger consumers.
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.
Japanese confectionery company Ezaki Glico recently launched its Almond Koka brand in China and in just two months has become the top selling almond milk product on Tmall.
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.
China-based HEROTEIN is hoping to become the first company in the country to commercialise hybrid plant-cultivated meat products, believing that this alternative is a solution for the system to overcome current affordability and taste challenges.
A sustainable and plant-based diet is key to mitigate climate change, enhance food security and improve peoples’ health in the GCC, but guidelines need to be grounded in realism, a new report claims.
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...
Chinese plant-based yoghurt Jooma has detailed plans to expand to more tier one and two cities in the county, as well co-branding opportunities and a product range extension to grow the business.
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.
Australia-based Asian-style dumpling specialist firm Dumpling 100 has incorporated premiumisation and localisation trends into its decades-old traditional recipe to increase its appeal to consumers in the frozen food sector.
China dairy giant Yili has revealed that it is ramping up its focus on cheese and plant-based products in addition to its conventional dairy items in response to growing consumer demand.
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...
Japan has laid out regulations for the labelling of plant-based products, with observers suggesting they are industry-friendly and should not pose problems for brands.
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.
Australia’s Ulu Hye has taken the dairy-free milk concept a step further with its world-first jars of concentrated Mylk Bases made from nuts and seeds, making for products with longer shelf life, lower prices per litre, and increased sustainability credentials.
The search for the Beyond Meat or Impossible Foods is on and could very likely be coming from Asia, according to an ex-Beyond and Impossible VC fund manager.
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’.
Indian plant-based dairy firms have taken to the courts to prevent their products from being delisted over the use of dairy terms, and are warning the battle will be long despite achieving an initial legal reprieve.
Nestle Oceania’s first flexitarian product range, a series of recipe bases launched under the MAGGI brand, is tapping into family favourite dishes to appeal to consumers looking to reduce meat intake.
Australian children's nutrition company Sprout Organic has launched its latest product, a junior plant protein shake, which has sold close to 2,000 units in the first four days of pre-sales.
Chinese plant-based start-up All Plants is intending to expand its SKUs from 8 to 11 this year, with the latest products involving fresh oat milk, and oat milk with functional benefits to target younger consumers.
New Zealand’s first locally mass-produced oat milk brand Boring Oat Milk has its eye on the discerning APAC-wide coffee crowd after a successful domestic supermarket launch, and is confident that its ‘whisper, not shout’ strategy will stand out on shelves.
India’s Health Horizons has launched what it claims are the country’s first second-generation hemp-based products - a protein bar and a chocolate powder, with the firm remaining optimistic about growth despite slow-moving regulatory progress.
US-based alternative protein firm Nature’s Fynd has its eye on both the alternative meat and alternative dairy markets in Asia, and is confident it can tackle both of these simultaneously with its highly versatile fungi protein.
The hot drinks sector in the Asia Pacific region has highlighted a rise in consumer demand for more premium, better-for-you products as well as a shift towards more sustainable options, both of which are driving new product innovation.
The CEO of Eat Just has revealed how the firm is gearing up to expand its plant-based egg and cultivated meat business in the Middle East, in an exclusive interview following its recent announcement to establish a hub in Qatar.
Researchers in Australia are developing new methods for brands to incorporate high-protein ingredients from lupins to aid in the fight against obesity and diabetes, while also complying with strict domestic labelling regulations.
The plant-based industry in India is set for a further blow after it was confirmed the Food Safety and Standards Authority India’s (FSSAI) recent order for online platforms to delist all plant-based products using dairy terms will apply to products being...
Food tech company ENOUGH broke ground on what it says will be the ‘world’s largest’ fermented protein facility today (16 September). When fully operational the site will have the capacity to produce 50,000 tonnes of mycoprotein ingredient ABUNDA per annum.