Healthier Choices: Better energy drinks, hemp-based active nutrition, cauliflower snacks and more feature in our round-up

Bull fighters: How Thailand’s Hippo Energy Drink is taking on the big-name competition​

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.

For many years now, the energy drink market regionally and globally has been mostly dominated by big brand names such as Red Bull and Monster.

In recent years though the growth of the health and wellness trend within the food and beverage industry has motivated market players to look at healthier, better-for-you versions of energy drinks to differentiate from those high in sugar and caffeine content.

One of these newer players is Hippo Energy Drink, which has gained a strong consumer base in markets across Thailand and the CLMV (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam) markets within the ASEAN region.

Hemp for active nutrition: Regulatory support and debunking of myths ‘crucial’ to unlock potential​

Stronger government regulatory support and the ‘debunking’ of myths surrounding hemp are still at a ‘crucial’ stage in Asia, the success of which is key to unlocking its active nutrition potential.

The United States is the market best-known to have cannabis/marijuana legalised for recreational usage in several states, which has resulted in a strong association between the plant and its industrial variant hemp with negative psychoactive effects.

This is a misconception, as the content of key psychoactive component tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in hemp is generally far too low to induce such effects.

Championing cauliflower: Nudie Snacks to go big with packaging sizes in Middle East on the back of better-for-you sharing trend​

Plant-based and better-for-you vegetable snacks firm Nudie Snacks is targeting the Middle East market with its larger packaging size strategy on the back on a growing trend of consumers demanding not only healthier snack alternatives but also shareable packaging options.

Nudie Snacks specialises in the development of snacks made from plants and vegetables such as lentils, corn and chickpeas, and its trademark Cauliflower Crisps won the Gulfood 2023 Innovation Award for Best Plant-based Product earlier this year.

India iced tea innovation: Shark Tank-backed Beyond Water launches first RTD products with strong health focus​

India’s Beyond Water has launched its first ready-to-drink (RTD) iced tea in India, tapping on high-quality tea sourcing and consumers demand for healthier beverages.

The functional beverage company launched RTD iced tea, available in peach and lemon flavours, last month across India.

The 250ml bottled tea is made available via its website and the biggest online delivery apps such as Instamart, Blinkit and Zepto.

Hybrid innovation and affordability: How food firms can meet Asia’s evolving protein demands​

Hybrid innovation with meat and plant-based ingredients, affordability and a focus on the needs of flexitarians is needed to boost the protein sector in APAC over the long-term.

This is the opinion of Connell Caldic, a new-yet-old manufacturing firm formed from the merger of two legacy firms Connell (over 125 years) and Caldic (over 50 years) earlier this year.

“The thing about Asia is that the global trends for food and beverage are definitely here as well, be it personalisation, sustainability or health and wellness,”​ Connell Caldic APAC CEO Knud Mohr told FoodNavigator-Asia​ at the recent Fi Asia 2023 show in Bangkok, Thailand.