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.
Middle Eastern food and beverage giant Agthia has recovered strongly from the impacts of COVID-19 on the region, with its protein and snacking businesses both seeing over 70% growth in the past year despite ongoing economic challenges.
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.
Plant-based brands in South East Asia need to step up their game by integrating unique health and localisation features to stand out in the increasingly crowded market, according to a Philippines brand blazing a trail in the sector.
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...
Minimal processing and healthier formulation is key to achieving plant-based success in Asia, where health drivers trump sustainability concerns, according to a Thai brand that is blazing a trail in the category.
The rise of new ingredients and innovations in the better-for-you confectionery space is shifting candies and other sweet treats into a guilt-free indulgence space, and has to the potential to progress further into the functional foods realm.
Australian guilt-free confectionary firm Funday has highlighted its unique gut-friendly ingredient formulation as well as its one-bag-one-serve packaging as major success factors after entering 3,000 retail outlets in the region.
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.
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.
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.
Frozen foods, canned foods and bakery products have emerged as the most popular food categories amongst APAC consumers amidst rising inflation and food cost increases, driven by common themes of affordability, shelf-life and convenience.
Getting the taste right in sodium-reduced food products remains the biggest barrier to overcome in reformulation efforts, according to industry experts.
Plant-based beverages must be able to still provide a creamy mouthfeel in order to successfully convert consumers over to healthier, low-sugar options for the long-term in Indonesia, especially when these are priced at a higher tier than traditional dairy...
Rising awareness amongst Thai consumers regarding the potential unhealthy connotations associated with long expiry dates is a key factor driving up the demand for clean label food ingredients in the country, according to leading industry experts.
Increasingly challenging consumer demands for products that can satisfy both taste and convenience needs are accelerating format and flavour innovation within the ready-to-cook (RTC) foods sector, according to Tyson’s APAC VP.
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 ability to accurately convert consumer demands and preferences into real, technical product concepts remains a key challenge for the plant-based sector in the APAC region, according to industry experts at Roquette.
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.
The Quaker Oats, Frito-Lay and Pringles maker has launched a series of videos showcasing how it is working with farmers in Thailand, Greece, India and Brazil to help them adapt to climate change.
Indonesian food and beverage firms have been urged to accelerate their new product innovation and digital adaptation to keep up with consumer demands, especially with multiple post-COVID-19 challenges still dampening the local economy.
Consumers in the Asia Pacific region will continue to be strongly driven by products with clean label and positive nutrition claims moving into the new year, with food and beverage brands also set to boost innovation to meet these demands.
Malaysian plant-based protein firm the Ultimeat Group plans to tailor its formulation and packaging to every market it intends to enter from 2023 to 2024.
South Korea has announced new plans to utilise rice flour as a substitute for wheat flour where possible to combat rising inflation and supply chain challenges.
India’s edible oils and food giant B. L. Agro Industries is gearing up for a rapid increase in production as it seeks to cement its position in the domestic market.
Japanese food giant Ajinomoto has highlighted alternative proteins and frozen foods as two of the firm’s key growth strategies, in its first public report issued since its new leadership took over office earlier this year.
Disease outbreaks, such as swine flu affecting pork quality and the COVID-19 pandemic hitting supply chains, have raised the profile of plant-based products among lower-income consumers in Thailand, according to a brand CEO.
Major Australian supermarkets have been urged to refocus their pricing, product and e-commerce strategies to fulfil consumer demands for affordable products and convenient shopping, as inflation rockets.
Olam says it is on a mission to improve low consumer awareness of ‘natural and sustainable’ alternative nut butters in Asia in a bid to open up new product development opportunities for the entire category.
Tyson’s plant-based innovations are complementary and not competitors to its existing traditional meat products, claims its Vice President Commercial for APAC in the first part of our exclusive interview.
The Indonesian producer of handmade cheese brand Mazaraat Artisanal Cheese plans to quadruple its daily output by building a second factory and subsequently entering more Asia Pacific markets from 2023 to 2024.
Firms across the Asia Pacific spreads industry have highlighted free-from ingredient labels and flavour localisation as key growth drivers, regardless of the category of spreads they are in, from nut butter to fruit jams to cheese spreads.
The Asian plant-based protein start-up scene is geared to grow 25% by 2025 as more Asians look into flexitarian diets and firms region-wide strive to develop products better suited to their palate.
Food and beverage brands making oat-based products could stand to capitalise from the results of a new Australian study showing significant potential for oats to be included into more diets, including gluten-free.
Plant-based meat in a dry, ambient format could provide the alternative protein industry with cleaner and more convenient options that can simultaneously also offer longer shelf-life and stability.
Indian consumers are increasingly leaning toward dark chocolate due to higher awareness of its benefits, according to the founder of the country’s D2C hot chocolate beverage firm Tiggle, Anuva Kakkar.
Flavour localisation is a crucial strategy for healthy snacking brands to win over Asian consumers’ ‘sophisticated tastebuds’, according to Vietnam’s Lecka, which is rapidly expanding across the region.
Thai silk pupae firm Kokoonic is marketing its new high-protein, low-sodium savoury snack range Eri Rocket as the ‘Snack of the Generation’, believing it can draw in health-focused and sustainability-seeking consumers.
Vietnamese rice product specialist Duy Anh Foods is using fruits and vegetables as crucial ingredients in its novel product innovation drive, having developed unusual combination products including watermelon vermicelli and dragonfruit rice paper thus...
Singapore food giant OTS Holdings aims to export its plant-based brand ANEW to markets where plant-based awareness, penetration and adoption rates are already high to overcome the Asian consumer reluctance to “let go” of conventional meat.
Attaining global leadership in the tempeh or traditional fermented bean cake market requires innovative formulations and securing buy-in beyond health-conscious vegan consumers, according to the founder of Singapore’s Angie’s Tempeh.
From sustainability advances to embracing alternative production methods, major players Thai Union and CP Foods, plus alt-protein pioneers Shiok Meats and OmniFoods have shared their exclusive insights on how the industry can meet Asia’s seemingly insatiable...
Nestle Malaysia believes that the rest of 2022 will be a tumultuous time for the food and beverage giant with supply chain and commodity costs continuing to rise, even after having pulled off a stellar performance by leading the ASEAN zone growth for...
Australian dumpling specialist firm Dumpling 100 has launched a multicoloured, MSG-free children’s range, through which it aims to capture kids’ attention at mealtimes, as well as appealing to parents via its ingredients list.
Snacking giant PepsiCo has highlighted food security, healthier choices and packaging as major sustainability and business objectives in the Middle East and Asia.
Rice noodle brand Foodle Noodle has launched its first clean label instant cup noodles range in Thailand, offering local flavours with all-organic ingredients as a healthier, more convenient option to appeal to younger consumers leading a fast-paced lifestyle.
