Food firms active in the travel retail market will need to increase focus on providing consumers with guilt-free options produced via a hyperlocal supply chain to increase their chances of survival and growth in a rapidly evolving post-COVID-19 era.
The rapid adoption of digitalisation and robotics is making serious waves to amplify China’s status in the food and agtech sectors, claims a leading regional investment expert.
Chinese plant-based yoghurt firm Jooma has launched a new coconut yoghurt range and revamped its almond yoghurt recipe, in addition to colour-coding its various products to enhance its consumer appeal in the market.
Thai healthy snacking brand MUNCHHH has developed an award-winning range of snacks based on what it has termed the ‘middle ground’ of snacking, with a priority on balancing health and indulgence to keep consumers coming back for more.
Products with a healthier focus are the next major trend within frozen foods sector, with NPD thriving from countries with advanced cold chain systems such as Australia to those with less developed logistics such as India.
Good Good – known for its no added sugar keto bars and baking mixes – has closed a $20 million Series B round led by Iceland private equity firm SÍA IV and other investors.
Shanghai plant-based firm Haofood has exclusively revealed its ambitious expansion spans, both at home and abroad, after receiving a major funding boost from investors.
Consumers are increasingly demanding more information about ingredients and traceability in the booming East-West fusion food category, that spans everything from pandan nuts to kaya ice cream.
The scale of Singapore’s challenge to achieve 30% food self-sufficiency by 2030 has been underlined by new data released by the city state’s national food agency.
Chinese consumers have determined the traffic light labelling system as well as distinct warning labels highlighting ‘negative’ nutrients such as sugar, salt and saturated fat to be the most effective forms of front-of-pack labelling (FOPL), according...
Icelandic microalgae specialist Algalif and global vitamin manufacturer Divi’s Nutraceuticals have pooled skills to develop highly concentrated beads of sustainable, natural astaxanthin that will ramp up the health benefits of nutritional bars.
Beverage manufacturers in the Asia Pacific region wanting to follow Coca-Cola’s lead by launching red-coloured beverages need to offer products that both fulfil the visual appeal, as well as clean label demands of consumers.
The Middle East has emerged as a prime location for growth of the frozen snacks sector due to its climate and rising consumer demand, but innovation is needed to overcome longstanding cold chain challenges.
Mondelez International’s newly appointed Managing Director for Malaysia and Singapore believes that it is crucial to build in sustainability and affordability as core business components if it is to grow its snacking business in the region, even if that...
A Singapore bird’s nest pioneer is experimenting with a new format and production techniques to make the traditional Asian health product relevant to younger consumers.
Major food and beverage MNC Mondelez has revealed its strategies to tap into the India and China markets, both of which have burgeoning middle-class segments with increasing disposable incomes.
The Ferrero Group’s main hazelnut supply chain in Turkey is facing major risk of collapse due to climate changes and erratic weather conditions having badly affecting hazelnut production, which could impact well-known brands from Ferrero Rocher to Nutella.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Malaysian RTE start-up Sthrive is working with social media influencers to increase the awareness of freeze-dried meals, a relatively new market in the country.
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.
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.
The canned food sector in the APAC region is undergoing an evolution towards healthier, more innovative product options, with companies such as Ayam Brand attempting to overcome many longstanding negative perceptions plaguing the industry.
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.
Ingredients and flavours specialist IFF has stressed the importance of localising flavour profiles - even for the same food item - depending on the geographical market of focus within APAC.
Healthier noodle brand Mr Lee’s Noodles has big plans for the Asian market, but has had to redefine its packaging to take climate and humidity concerns into consideration, as well as explore a new pricing strategy to meet the needs of markets in the region.
One of the largest edible oil firms in North India BL Agro has turned its attention to growing its packaged food products portfolio from the current 70-plus SKUs to 400 within the next five years, revealing South India as a crucial target market for this...
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.
Taiwan is seeking to approve new regulations that will enforce tougher nutritional labelling regulations for all packaged foods in the country once implemented, in a bid to prevent ‘hidden’ or ‘implied’ messages from manufacturers regarding calorific...
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.
Fresh soup brand Re:Nourish has set its sights to conquering the ‘fastest-growing’ soup category in the Middle East, particularly the United Arab Emirates (UAE), by playing on the healthy and ‘grab and go’ credentials of its bottled products.
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...
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.
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.
Eighty-year-old Australian ginger firm Buderim Ginger is looking to widen its horizons into the finished product space with NPD spanning sweets, cordial, beer and more.
The Australian meat industry and state research body CSIRO believe that high pressure processing (HPP) tech is the way forward to create truly clean label processed meat products such as sausages and hams, though current high cost hurdles still prevent...
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.
Fruit product heavyweight Dole has revealed that it is focusing heavily on the use of new technologies and collaborations to overcome sugar reduction challenges for its packaged products portfolio, in hopes of reaching its 2025 zero processed sugar sustainability...
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.
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.
The increase of online ‘junk food’ marketing to children since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic poses a long term-health risk and has become a major public health concern, claim experts.
South Korean plant-based firm The PlantEat has highlighted the pursuit of weight loss, especially amongst the younger generation in the country, as a major driver behind the growth of the local plant-based sector.
