Japanese trading company Moacal Co., Ltd has introduced a new beverage brand that focuses on decaffeinated coffee products, with plans to dip into other drink categories as well as functional beverages.
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.
Singapore mint specialist firm Haldy recently hit the market with its turmeric-based, Ayurvedic-inspired mints, which it believes has the potential to appeal to both younger and older consumers alike.
China-based cultivated meat firm Jimi Biotech foresees that it will take a few more years before the alternative protein obtains regulatory approval in the country, although it is optimistic about investor interest and consumer acceptance.
Coconut specialist Thai Coconut is expanding its horizons beyond its traditional milk and coconut water strongholds to enter the alternative protein sector, including with plant-based calamari.
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 China plant-based sector has lost ‘some of its hype’ and is far from a ‘quick win’, claims one of the category’s pioneers in the country, which has recently announced a significant new distribution deal.
Delhi-based Rage Coffee has embarked on a ‘keep it simple’ strategy for its first RTD coffee launch as it seeks to tempt Indian consumers to the category and away from tea.
Singapore beer giant Tiger’s latest product innovation is driven by Korean culture, and aims to appeal to young consumers seeking progressive flavours and easy-to-drink options.
3D printed cultivated meat firm Steakholder Foods is targeting cost parity with conventional products by 2028, while also exploring new partnerships to boost its 3D printing capabilities, which it hopes to fully commercialise next year.
Joint research by Kirin Holdings and Nagasaki University has found that Lactococcus lactis strain Plasma (LC-Plasma) could hasten recovery of smell and taste dysfunction caused by COVID-19, which will further drive R&D in the postbiotic’s use in pharmaceutical...
Singapore-based Confetti Snacks’ fruitful venture in the US has given the firm a better understanding of differing consumer demands in the East and West, as well as a boost for its APAC expansion ambitions.
Healthy snack brand SnackRight is seeking to withstand wider economic uncertainties by focusing on product improvement and shelf-life extension, in order to increase its sales channels.
Sapporo Breweries and IBM Japan have jointly established an artificial intelligence (AI) system that significantly reduces the time and cost of new product development, and which is poised to play a key role in the alcohol firm’s future innovations.
Bali-based Stark Craft Beer has revealed how it is differentiating its marketing strategy between regions, while cautioning that the fledgling Indonesia market is not yet ready for excessive flavour innovation.
Korean start-up TissenBioFarm highlighted greater enthusiasm among local governments to push for regulations and support for the cultivated meat industry, and has set a ‘realistic expectation’ to bring cultivated meat to Korean market by 2025.
Amino acid specialist Ajinomoto has predicted that more cost increases are likely in FY2023 due to continuous inflationary pressures, even though the company reported record-breaking sales and profits last year.
Fonterra has launched a probiotic powdered drink in Singapore, and is looking to scale up SEA distribution to cover the ‘growing middle class’ in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand.
Suntory Beverage & Food, the company behind health supplement product Brand's Essence of Chicken, has reported a decline in its health supplement business in Asia-Pacific (APAC) as a result of inflation during Q1 this year.
Dutch-based plant-based meat and seafood firm PLNT believes that its sodium-balanced, high-digestibility alternative protein products are well-placed to gain it entry into APAC and Middle Eastern markets.
Middle Eastern food and beverage giant Agthia has seen its snacking business grow leaps and bounds to secure company profitability in the first quarter of 2023, despite ongoing challenges from the Egyptian currency crisis and its protein business.
Children are the ‘toughest food critics’ meaning that healthy snack firms have to pay equal attention to taste and nutrition if they are going to attract mass appeal and help improve the diets of young people.
South East Asian biscuit heavyweight Julie’s is looking to capitalise on the rising trend of indulgence as well as the longstanding demand for chocolate products in the Malaysian market with its new range Charm.
South Korean food tech company Armored Fresh is launching its plant-based cheese direct-to-consumer on Amazon and via its own site in the US after notching-up over 150 sales accounts in the country since launching just six months ago.
Food and beverage giant Unilever India has tweaked several of its products and stepped up innovation in order to combat cost hikes for commodities such as milk, although it now believes situation is stabilising
Japanese firm Shinryo Healthcare has overcome application challenges posed by hydrogen molecules to develop a jelly supplement that claims to improve sleep quality.
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.
ASX-listed Fiji Kava says that it is preparing for ‘more firepower’ in the China market as it also explores increasing its product range across the beverage category.
Jerôsse , a supplement and skincare brand from Taiwan firm Biotech Lab Inc, has embarked on an expansion mission in Singapore and Malaysia which heavily relies on social media platforms operated by individual distributor to retail its products.
Singapore brand Kelly Snacks is aiming to bring its locally flavoured and produced tidbits to overseas markets by this year, following positive responses from international customers.
Cell-based meat? Cultivated meat? Differing views have been put forward by the FAO, WHO and industry players in APAC in defining the product, even though everyone seems to acknowledge that a common language is key for consumer education.
Singapore-based kombucha firm Wild Boocha is tapping its expertise in stainless steel vat brewing as well as its unique keg retail format in order to effectively capture local consumer interest.
Singapore-based Vitality Foods has developed a range of plant-based stocks to address current flavour-related challenges in the alternative meat industry.
Fruit specialist firm Dole says its new Fruit Pops range is ‘more than a snack’, highlighting multiple consumption occasions including deserts and even cocktails.
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.
Korea Ginseng Corp has opened a new R&D centre in a major push to establish itself as the world’s biggest herbal health company, while strategies such as diversification of product categories and formats are in motion to fuel its bold ambitions.
Nestle Malaysia believes that its strong focus on continued new product innovation will help it combat ongoing global economic challenges and food commodity cost increases.
Australian agribusiness giant GrainCorp is targeting Asia growth for its Pin and Peel baking products, with the firm hoping that it can ride on manufacturer demands for both healthier and cleaner ingredients.
Global food giant Kraft Heinz says investment in an upgraded facility and new sustainability pledges reaffirm its commitment to the crucial Indonesia market, while it has also revealed it is examining opportunities in the meat replacement space.
Carlsberg is to focus on its value-oriented and alcohol-free brands over the coming year with an eye on future-proofing the business, following its record financial performance in FY2022.
Singapore-based ANEW says it is tapping into parent company’s years of experience in food manufacturing to carve out a niche in the plant-based space with its ‘low-calorie, high-protein’ luncheon meat and RTE sauces.
Jaipur-based alt-protein start-up Gladful is working with mothers to hone its product development strategy, while also targeting partnerships for brand awareness and expansion in the country’s Tier 2 and 3 cities.
Vietnam-based East West Brewery is tapping the traditions of craft beer to grow the category in its home nation, while also seeking to innovate with flavours to appeal to more mature export markets.
Chinese firm Haofood says that the convergence of right ingredients with its proprietary tech was key to creating its first clean-label plant-based product - Carefree Pulled Chickless.
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.
UAE major conglomerate Gulf Marketing Group (GMG) has returned to its food manufacturing roots with the rebranding of its Farm Fresh meat and launch of its new Saporo spice brands, hoping to tap on the growing local cooking convenience market.