China Focus: +PW’s China ambitions, Grape King Bio’s healthy ageing and women’s health focus, EastRoc Beverages’ SEA expansion and more
Collagen boost: +PW sets sights on ‘huge’ China market with single serve RTD beverages
Functional beverage firm +PW has set its sights on the ‘huge’ China market for its collagen-enriched RTD drinks, planning to bank on its convenient consumption format and unique flavour formulation to overcome market challenges.
In western markets, +PW is best known for its Protein Water products targeting consumers looking to replenish protein post-workout. In Asia though, the firm has opted for a major push of its Collagen Booster drink, as it believes that there is even greater promise for this.
Grape King Bio to focus on growing healthy ageing and women’s health markets in China
Taiwan-based Grape King Bio will focus on its healthy ageing and women’s health nutrition portfolios in China, which it believes are two sectors poised for growth in the country.
The company develops its raw ingredients and finished products in its home market.
In mainland China, however, it is solely providing OEM/ODM services, where it formulates health foods in formats such as liquid sachet, powder sachet, tablet, coffee capsule, and more recently, jellies and gummies.
Energetic expansion: China’s EastRoc Beverages sets sights on South East Asia as new key export market for best-selling energy drinks
EastRoc Beverages is eyeing South East Asia as a key export destination, with plans to retain its original best-selling recipe for its initial entry.
Although EastRoc is one of the largest energy drink brands in China, it has largely remained a domestic brand over its 35 years of operations.
Plans for aggressive export expansion several years back were forcibly halted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but now that borders have reopened, the firm believes the time is right for it to put these into action.
Beyond sensory properties: China plant-based dairy sector needs to rapidly build up functional attributes to continue domestic growth
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.
This was the conclusion of an expert panel that convened at the recent Food and Beverage Innovation Forum (FBIF) in Shenzhen, China.
With oat milk emerging as one of the most popular categories in China, panellist David Zhang, OATLY President Asia, said that “Gen2.0 of production and growth” will require much more in-depth focus on providing balanced nutrition with plant-based dairy products.
‘New avenue of justice’: How much can new China IP protection policies aid Zespri’s quest against unlicensed kiwifruits?
New IP protection policies in China could help New Zealand kiwifruit powerhouse Zespri pursue its fight against individuals growing and selling its golden kiwifruit.
The golden kiwifruit is viewed as a much more premium variant than regular green kiwifruit. New Zealand farmers pay significant amounts — up to NZ$800,000 per hectare — to Zespri for a growing licence.
Zespri first lost control of its SunGold variant in 2016, and has been struggling to regain control over it since. The firm recently revealed that it was bringing another lawsuit to China’s Intellectual Property Court in Nanjing against two individuals who are allegedly cultivating, selling and marketing its SunGold Gold3 kiwifruit illegally.
