Plant-based, better-for-you alternatives, and functional snacks dominate the latest accelerator cohort in Australia led by a Woolworths-backed accelerator.
The burgeoning plant-based dairy sector in China will need to quickly shift from its first generation focus on emotions and sensory properties to more functional innovation in order to ensure continued growth in the local market.
Thailand’s Eatvolution has developed a chickpea rice alternative that is richer in nutrients and lower in carbohydrates as it seeks to entice increasingly health-conscious consumers as well as diabetic patients.
Food and beverage business leaders in Asia need to issue clear and committed directives for supply chain resilience and secure alternative sourcing regimes to mitigate future disruption risks.
China’s Tidetron Bioworks believes that synthetic bio-manufacturing is growing to be a crucial component of the food and beverage industry based rising demand for sustainable raw materials both in the Asia Pacific region and beyond.
Nestle has voiced support for the continued use of palm oil in the food and beverage sector amid intense debate surrounding the recently-enacted EU Deforestation Regulation, while also striving to guarantee its supply chain sustainability using advance...
Chinese food and beverage heavyweight Jinmailang has highlighted five key factors that it believes should lay the foundation for innovation food firms’ innovations strategies to ensure that new products are practical, realistic and sustainable.
Tetra Pak believes that food and beverage brands today need to meet consumers’ increasing emotional needs in terms of feeling ‘empowered’ when making purchasing choices, such as offering them innovative product options that are healthier or more sustainable.
The palm oil industry in Malaysia is calling for the European Union (EU) to provide more clarity over how it will define ‘high-risk’ countries under its recently-approved Deforestation Regulation, stressing that current scientific data has already demonstrated...
Healthier snacking brand Hey! Chips is looking to overcome the dominance of ultra-processed snacks in the market by innovating with whole ingredients to make scalable clean label products.
Global packaging heavyweight Tetra Pak has revealed the importance of considering cultural contexts and integrating localisation strategies into packaging innovation in APAC.
Experts have highlighted the need to balance functionality and taste to move healthy beverages into the mainstream in APAC, with some consensus that personalised nutrition, gut health, and mental wellness are set to become emerging growth areas.
Amino acid specialist firm Ajinomoto has lauded the findings of a new Japanese study which highlighted the potential of umami ingredients, such as the various glutamate-based substances, to reduce consumer salt intake and improve public health.
Singapore upcycled beer brand CRUST Group has seen a CAGR of over 70% since its first year of business, which has catalysed its overseas expansion plans and diversification into categories beyond beverages.
Indonesia has recently launched the latest version of its master regulation governing food categories in the country with an increased focus on fermented beverages and the wider supply chain.
New Zealand oat milk pioneers Otis Oat Milk believes that its first production plant in the country will boost growth and provide ‘huge’ cost reductions.
PepsiCo has launched the first edition of its Greenhouse Accelerator programme in the Asia Pacific region, seeking inventive solutions focused on sustainable packaging and climate change reduction.
Singapore start-up Jungle Kitchen is targeting growing interest in sustainable eating and indigenous ingredients, with ambitions to bring its vegan ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook products beyond Asia.
Sydney-based precision fermentation firm All G Foods is doubling down on R&D and consumer insights research to complete its first finished product, as it sets sights on the APAC, Middle East and US markets.
New Zealand researchers are hoping that results from a new, large-scale dietary intervention study will underpin domestic nutrition policies and boost export opportunities.
Indian spice supplier Mane Kancor says it new facility in Byadgi will help meet growing global demand for chili extracts, as well as doubling down on its sustainability agenda.
Innovators in the South East Asia ag-tech space need to devote as much time and resources into building trust among smallholder farmers as they do on developing their products, if climate-smart practices are to be more widely adopted.
The next stage of evolution for the plant-based seafood sector in APAC is likely to come from the sea itself, in the form of proteins from marine-based plants such as seaweed and kelp, according to seafood giant Thai Union.
Major food firms need to step up to the plate and ‘take a close look’ at their business models in order to help improve food supply diversity and nutritional value, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Chief Scientist has told us...
Middle Eastern consumers’ rising interest in foods and beverages that are healthy and indulgent, yet still easy to recognise, have led to increased demands for brands to focus on clean label ingredient lists, according to Olam Food Ingredients (ofi).
The new China Agri-Food Biomanufacturing Alliance says that bridging the gap between early-stage innovators and agri-food giants is key to driving industry growth.
Global food giant Kraft Heinz has revealed salt and sugar reduction projects for major markets such as China and Indonesia, with the firm stating its nutritional strategy is a key part of its regional sustainability commitments.
The commitment to and achievement of net zero goals must make real business sense for food and beverage companies in the region in order to ensure these remain a key part of business operations as opposed to just fulfilling a trend.
South Korean food giant CJ CheilJedang is ramping up efforts in developing “earth-friendly” food products, as its upcycled chips made from manufacturing by-products gain popularity among local consumers.
Singapore-based agritech firm Singrow is spreading the seeds of its climate-resilient strawberries into Malaysia, Thailand and China markets via franchise farming, while plotting further expansion through new investors and collaborators.
Nestle Malaysia has highlighted its ambitions to advance the domestic coffee sector by drilling down into local trends and improving crop yields via its NESCAFE Grown Respectfully sustainability strategy.
An expert panel with food industry heavyweights Nestle and Fresh Del Monte have highlighted the impact that nutritional education and product affordability have on encouraging ‘informed’ consumer purchasing decisions.
A Singaporean coffee start-up is bringing to the boil plans to distribute its cold brew concentrates and ready-to-drink products in supermarkets as well as expanding across South East Asia.
Middle Eastern food industry giant Americana believes that its status as a household name and trusted brand in the region will help propel its plant-based range Nabati, despite the alternative protein segment having yet to reach its full potential in...
Greek-US producer Laconiko is weighing up expansion plans in Asia, believing there is an opportunity to incorporate regional flavours into its premium olive oil and balsamic products.
Nestle is utilising novel refillable dispensing technology for the Milo and Koko Krunch brands via vending machines in Indonesia - its latest waste reduction initiative that can withstand the humidity and heat of the local climate.
South Korean healthy foods firm PhytoCo has tweaked its marketing strategy to focus on both rising health and sustainability demands from consumers with marked results, having recently secured recognition from the national government as a provider of...
Higher purchasing power and heightened awareness of conscious consumption mean there is considerable scope to grow the artisanal butter market in Singapore, says a start-up that is innovating with a range of Asian flavours.
Brewery giant Asahi Japan recently released a new round of green bonds valued in the billions in local currency, tapping on burgeoning local sustainability trends to diversify its financing methods and achieve its environmental commitments
Coffee consumers in the Asia Pacific region are increasingly making purchasing decisions that are driven by by localisation and ready-to-drink format innovation, according to industry heavyweights such as Nestle, Suntory and Movenpick.
Government and industry representatives from the palm oil and rubber sectors in Malaysia have urged the European Union (EU) to withdraw ‘highly demeaning’ clauses within its controversial deforestation regulation, punctuating this with a 500-strong protest...
Thailand-based food giant CP Foods has committed to further improve its food safety and sustainability initiatives in 2023 on the back of a successful 2022 financial year, but also plans to proceed with more caution due to ongoing challenges spanning...
Nestle Malaysia has vowed to continue its progress in environmental and business sustainability areas such as renewable energy, recyclable packaging and plant-based product innovation even amidst current global economic instability.
Brands in APAC should take into account the rising demand for product packaging that is convenient, responsible, and good for the environment to capture consumers’ attention, says a global packaging firm that has ramped up investment in China.
The National Food Loss and Waste Initiative (Ne’ma) backed by the United Arab Emirates government still faces immense challenges in the form of cultural practices and consumer behaviour as it seeks to halve food loss and waste.
Taiwan’s largest plant-based food manufacturers claim consumers are increasingly adopting vegetarian diets for sustainability and health reasons, as opposed to religious factors, and say that recent government policies are helping propel further growth.
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.
Japanese beverage giant Asahi has updates its corporate sustainability strategy as is seeks to improve its chances of hitting its 2050 carbon zero commitments.
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.
The age-old ideas that palm oil sustainability must involve complex certification processes and premium price points needs to be scrapped in order to truly achieve sustainable goals throughout the entire value chain, according to industry experts
