Food Bev Asia

Ringier Trade Media Ltd is among the media partners for ProPak Philippines, scheduled to take place from February 4-6 at the World Trade Center, Metro Manila. At the press conference held on January 13 at the World Trade Center, Informa Markets’ partners for ProPak Philippines -   the Asian Packaging Federation, the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Science and Technology - reaffirmed their commitment to supporting local companies by promoting innovation, sustainability, and global competitiveness in the processing and packaging sectors. Representatives from these organizations conveyed their messages and their role in driving industry growth. From left: Director Annabelle V. Briones, Director, Department of Science and Technology - Industrial Technology Development Institute; Assistant Secretary Leonila T. Baluyut, DBA, Department of Trade and Industry; Ms. Rungphech “Rose” Chitanuwat, Country General Manager, Informa Markets in the Philippines; and Dr. J...

  As China’s economic growth rate eases in recent years, Chinese enterprises continue to reach out beyond the mainland borders, seeking meaningful sales and profit in sectors ranging from food & beverage to advanced manufacturing. Its large-scale food processing technology infrastructure is an asset to supply chain resilience, ensuring reliable output across different product categories.   “Into 2026, more Chinese companies will aim to build and enhance their globalized supply chains – sourcing raw materials or building factories directly in foreign countries,” said Mr.  Sam Gao, a founding partner of Top Guide Advisory Shanghai, and currently an advisor to DFP Capital (a Lever VC shareholder), as well as senior consultant for Charisma Partners.     Sam Gao is a founding partner of Top Guide Advisory Shanghai, an advisor to DFP Capital (a Lever VC shareholder), and a senior consultant for Charisma Partners.     “A classic success story is that of Y...

  Vietnam maintains its reputation as a major production hub in Southeast Asia by ensuring favorable labor costs and trade agreements. The goal to position itself as a leading smart manufacturing center has become even more attractive to investors. With the onset of its digital transformation, supported by the government’s National Transformation Agenda Program, a bright future is paved for the eight sectors including manufacturing, under its priority. This program targets businesses, cooperatives, and business households to adopt advanced technologies and the necessary skill sets to match to stay competitive, according to Vietnam Briefing. Among the recent achievements is a fast-developing digital economy: in 2023, Vietnam dominated the region’s digital boom, with a 19% growth that amounted to USD30 billion , according to KPMG. This is a significant milestone among many that Vietnam aims to accomplish through digitalization in the next five years. The consumer packaged goods...

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...

Exciting products are emerging from the industry’s efforts to repurpose materials once considered food waste. From the farms to laboratories, innovators have discovered how to integrate husks, pineapple peels and banana fibers with other materials to create green packaging and textiles. Coffee grounds are finding their way into skincare products as exfoliants and skin tighteners, while fruit peels and seeds are antioxidant sources for beauty products. Broken rice or wheat grains are processed into flour. As Nestlé has proven, most parts of the cocoa fruit need not go to waste when making chocolate 1 . The list continues to expand rapidly as companies turn the burden of industrial waste into a green opportunity. Photo  © Eskymaks I Dreamstime.com Industrial waste consumes resources, causes operational inefficiencies, and impacts others and the environment. As we all know, food waste levels have not significantly improved, as 1.3 billion tonnes 2 are still generated from farm to for...