Food Bev Asia

CHIANG MAI’s food manufacturing industry combines tradition, technology, and sustainability, positioning the province as a cornerstone in Thailand’s food innovation ecosystem. The food industry’s competitive edge stems from a convergence of geographic, institutional, and innovation-driven strengths. It is contributing to the country’s ambition to become a future food leader. In April, Informa Markets invited the media to a tour of three manufacturers as well as the Glycemic Index Center in Chiang Mai University. Sunsweet Public Company Limited A taste of canned sweet corn from Sunsweet Public Company Limited, is convincing enough to know why its brand KC (King of Corn) is now known globally. The company offers frozen sweet corn cobs, cut corn, kernel corn, and corn ribs.  Sunsweet also produces and distributes other processed ready-to-eat fruit and vegetable products such as longan, pineapple, and lychee. These come in various packaging options - cans, carton packs, and retort pouc...

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has officially recognized seafood’s essential role in a healthy diet, granting it automatic qualification for the "healthy" claim under its newly updated labeling criteria. This change, effective February 25, 2028, marks a shift in how nutritional claims are regulated. It allows seafood products to carry the designation without additional scrutiny as long as these contain no added ingredients except water. With this new rule, consumers can identify seafood as a beneficial choice based on today’s dietary recommendations. Industry leaders and nutrition experts said this update will not only advance transparency in food marketing but encourage healthy eating. In the following interview, Anna Benevente, Director of Regulatory Affairs, Registrar Corp, clarifies how the new norm impacts on manufacturers and consumers. Please provide a quick introduction for FDA’s “healthy” labeling criteria. FDA's new regulation for the "he...

Article by JOHAN CERSTIAENS, Commercial Director, SVZ Meeting consumer demands in today's beverage market can feel like an uphill battle, particularly in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region which dominates the global market with a staggering 40% share of worldwide health drink sales. [i] As countries across Asia are implementing or exploring front-of-pack nutrition labelling – such as Singapore's ‘Nutri-Grade’ and Indonesia's proposed ‘Nutri-Level’ systems – brands face mounting pressure to keep sugar levels low and boost nutritional content, all while maintaining great sensory attributes. At the same time, consumers want to make healthy choices but feel overwhelmed amid a sea of conflicting advice. [ii] As a result, shoppers are searching for straightforward ingredients with claims they can trust. By swapping a long list of E-numbers for instantly recognizable ingredients like fiber-rich kale and spinach, beverage brands can help consumers cut through the confusion and get ba...