Singapore-based OATSIDE has recently expanded its product line-up to include a range of ice creams as part of its growth strategy, on the back of burgeoning popularity of its oat milk products across Asia.
Food and beverage products with tea bases and botanical-infused flavours or aromas are seeing a surge in popularity amongst consumers in APAC, with more and more people seeking out ‘refreshing’ sensations.
Singapore-based plant-based brand Thoughtful Food has launched a range of cleaner label, ready-to-eat (RTE) meals in anticipation of its ambitions to start exports across the region and globally.
The food and beverage sector will need to focus on making more ‘immediate’ changes beyond just creating a novel protein supply in order to address sustainability and overall supply chain challenges, according to industry experts.
‘Imported’ flavours that are traditionally more western in origin have been rapidly gaining popularity in the APAC chocolate sector because consumers associate these with indulgence and adventure.
Diageo and circular economy tech company ecoSPIRITS are taking their reusable spirits packaging partnership global: turning to the ‘lower carbon, lower waste’ tech for Gordan’s, Captain Morgan and Smirnoff.
There is a widespread, unmet demand for products to support gut health among athletes and active lifestyle consumers, with almost nine out of 10 sports people suffering from gut problems.
New Zealand kiwifruit industry leader Zespri believes that continued focus on health and wellness in the APAC region and beyond will propel the sector to even further heights, bolstered by the innovations it hopes to find via the launch of its new US$2mn...
Functional beverage is becoming a cheaper alternative to health supplement as consumers tighten their budget amid the current microeconomic environment, according to the observations of functional ingredients distributor Brenntag.
Advancements in precision nutrition have elevated the reputation of salads made with hydroponic vegetables from poor to optimal, which in turn opens up many new doors in terms of personalised eating and food security, according to industry experts.
Nestle’s star coffee brand Nescafe believes that its keystone soluble coffee products continue to play a crucial role in recruiting and converting consumers in the Asia Pacific region to enter the wider category.
Infants who were fed on a novel milk formula containing large milk phospholipids coated droplets in the first four months of life were found to have a body mass index (BMI) and blood pressure that were similar to breastfed infants, according to a five-year...
Insights from Tokyo Toyosu Wholesale Market have helped form a comprehensive study on how COVID-19 affected seafood prices in Japan, providing implications for future policies during a pandemic.
Singapore-based plant-based products firm Thoughtful Food believes that the sector needs to look more closely at dry and ambient innovation as a key driver, particularly for brands seeking to solve ultra-processing challenges or go more clean label.
Experts from the New Zealand food and beverage industry and academia have expressed mixed reactions to Fonterra’s recently-announced Climate Roadmap, simultaneously urging for farmer-level collaboration to be prioritised over novel tech.
Middle Eastern giant Baladna is refocusing investments into projects targeting food security in more overseas markets as well as its new cheese production operation, marking a strategic shift despite positive financial results for FY2023 to date.
Artificial intelligence has been cited as a crucial component of efforts to transform APAC’s agrifood sector, but experts believe that this does not spell trouble for jobs in the long run.
As COP28 kicks off, we look at Danone’s partnership with the Global Methane Hub and how effective technical solutions to methane mitigations really are.
Beverage heavyweight Kirin Holdings has outlined plans to implement ‘aggressive measures’ across beer and sugar-free innovation, to recover from the negative impact of cost increases.
Climate conditions in Asian countries are a key driver behind lower production costs and ‘ready-made’ opportunities for the region to emerge as a major insect farming market, providing a more affordable alternative source to the global protein supply.
Chinese consumers’ increasing demands for functional and fortified foods and beverages to support a lifestyle based on ‘punk nutrition’ has opened up massive innovation opportunities for brands across various product categories.
The better-for-you snacks sector in Asia Pacific will need to step up its focus on product functionality and freshness if it is to build on the boom it has enjoyed in recent years.
Italy’s government has announced the passing of a bill banning the production and marketing of cultivated meat. The measures, which also restrict labelling for plant-based products, aim to protect Italy’s traditional food culture.
Cargill-owned Aalst Chocolate is putting “substantial investment” into insights-driven R&D, customised products, and strengthening of its bean-to-bar supply chain to push growth in Asia and beyond.
The use of MSG as a flavouring agent should be reduced, according to researchers who have also emphasised the need for further research into the long-term biochemical effects of human consumption.
Kirin says that revenue from LC-Plasma, its flagship immune health ingredient, has grown significantly even during spring and summer this year, although these are seasons when consumers tend to take fewer precautions against infectious diseases.
Snacking giant Mondelez has highlighted continued strong demand for its snack brands such as Oreo and Cadbury in emerging markets as key to its Q3 profitability, playing down threats from cheaper supermarket private label products.
Kirin Holdings’ health science-focused arm Kyowa Hakko says the versatility and stability of its postbiotic ingredient has enabled it to continue to enjoy commercial success beyond the surge of COVID-19.
Affordability and accessibility are just as important as product innovation if food firms are going to help meets Asia’s nutritional needs, in a region that is still beset by childhood stunting and rising rates of obesity and diabetes.
Precision fermentation firms in the Asia Pacific region need to move beyond a technology focus to prioritise scaling up and commercialisation or risk facing major ‘bottleneck’ challenges when demand increases.
PepsiCo has highlighted collaborations with entrepreneurs as a ‘vital’ part of its strategy to achieve sustainable operations in the APAC region, amid the crowning of its regional Greenhouse Accelerator champion.
New data from Singapore has shown that the public’s perception on ‘healthy ageing’ as a term has become overly skewed to focus on intrinsic elements such as healthy diets, at the expense of extrinsic issues such as elder neglect and ageism.
Governments across the Middle East are ploughing in resources to increase food security and strengthen self-sufficiency, but where are the best opportunities for success, and how can considerable obstacles be overcome?
The supplementation of the amino acid glycine before bedtime has shown to improve sleep quality, alertness and reduce fatigue in healthy populations, according to findings of a recent review conducted by researchers from Singapore.
There is currently significant debate taking place over the timing for athletes to consume caffeine and reap the most benefits, a leading sports science researcher has pointed out.
Why do people buy meat alternatives? A new study reveals that values focused on one’s relationship to a group, such as ‘self-transcendence’, are far more likely to influence their decision to buy meat alternatives than ‘self-focused’ values such as a...
Auckland-based nut butter producer Forty Thieves is investing in social media content creation and influencer marketing to target online consumers, whom it says have increasingly shorter attention spans.
China dairy giant Yili has secured ‘record high’ financial results in the first nine months of its financial year driven by liquid milk and ice cream category growth.
The nutritional value of plant-based meats is limited by lack of key micronutrients, although they contain significantly less saturated fat, indicates an assessment of products on the Hong Kong market.
The nut butter industry in Asia Pacific is targeting pricing strategies and novel applications as it seeks to achieve mainstream success beyond being ‘just a spread’, according to industry experts.
Although efforts show progress on plastic pollution is possible, the world is ‘not on course’ to eliminating plastic waste and pollution, stresses the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.
Food firms need to be increasingly savvy when it comes to meeting growing consumer demands for fortified and reformulated products, in order to remain cost competitive in the current economic environment.
Asia Pacific consumers are increasingly demanding a combination of affordability, health and tastiness when making their food and beverage purchasing decisions, driving the rise of what is known as the ‘and’ consumer.
Japan’s decision to release treated wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear disaster could have far-reaching impacts for the APAC seafood sector, especially in terms of negative consumer perception and overall confusion.
Personalised nutrition innovators need to better consider the entire ecosystem spanning health data collection and analysis, alongside new products, says an industry expert from Nestle.
China-based clean label brand Haofood is putting extra efforts into innovation while maintaining focus on taste and affordability to boost consumer adoption of plant-based diets.
China dairy giant Junlebao believes that the concentration of a specific variant of DHA molecules – the sn-2 DHA – plays a crucial role in the absorption and efficacy of infant formulas, and has called for industry collaboration to increase understanding...
Chinese 3D food printing firm MOODLES believes that this technology needs to be efficiently incorporated into the production of personalised nutrient-rich staple foods that consumers will eat on a daily basis if the sector wants to grow locally.
Thailand-based Hippo Energy Drink believes that its combination of health, natural ingredients and low sugar offerings can help it build on its initial success in South East Asia and take on major brand competitors in the category.
