Food Bev Asia

When you’re measuring success with your own yardstick, you’re doing well. When a new company with a longer yardstick comes along, where do you stand side by side your competitor? Some companies have it all worked out and are thriving at their own pace. But many small businesses appear to be content where they belong because in their small world, all is well. Or so they think. Every small company dreams big of course. Owners are serious about their mission and vision, but sometimes they need a push in the right direction, too. That direction is to increase their investment in learning to make it easy keeping up with industry trends.   In this day and age, there is no excuse to be left behind, at least when it comes to information. You can choose from so many conferences and industry events, webcast, newsletters, blogs, and so on, to be well updated. But what do you choose? One to consider  is the  Asia Food & Beverage Summit because it is packed with information

Way back in the past when playtime meant biking and hide-and-seek, one of the things I liked to do was experiment with plants, including the species of hibiscus that grew in the backyard. Hibiscus flowers are naturally pretty although they’re almost odorless. But what attracted my neighborhood friends to it then was the slimy extract that came out of the flower when it was squeezed. It was a fun ingredient when we wanted to pretend as cooks serving up pretend soup.  Frank Tam, owner of Roselle Farms This memory came back to me when our correspondent from Malaysia said she was interviewing Frank Tam, the owner of Roselle Farms in Malaysia.   Mr Tam has made a successful business out of Hibiscus sabdariffa or Roselle, which is the main ingredient in a wide range of products, including beverage, conserve, garnish and juice concentrate. Hibiscus adds a bit of tartness that complements a lot of other flavours. Wow, had I known then that hibiscus could be served in more way

With one of the fastest developing markets for food and beverage in the GCC, Oman continues to attract large manufacturers from around the globe. In September next year, it is hosting Food and Hospitality Oman, a trade exhibition organised by Omanexpo, and which covers the entire food processing industry as well as the hotel, restaurant and  cafe segments. Like the UAE and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Oman has a growing young population that is driving demand for fast-food and packaged snacks. This offers diverse opportunities for international manufacturers as well. But Oman itself has been nurturing its agricultural sector in order to improve food security. This rich state also boast a seafood industry as its main non-oil export earner. Read more  on Oman's food industry .

While it may not be typical for many small- to medium-size food companies to produce to Halal standards, especially in non-Muslim countries, they may find themselves eventually overtaken by those who have a dedicated Halal compliant kitchen space.   Having the capability to meet Halal standards opens up enormous opportunities for food manufacturing companies, not only in traditional markets such as the Middle East and parts of Asia, but even in Africa and China. With the Halal concept now becoming a gauge for hygiene and food safety in production, it becomes more important and sought after even by non-Muslim consumers who are worried over tainted food and counterfeit products. Malaysia dominates In our publications, we’ve covered the Halal industry several times in the past, and our latest is an interview with Dato’ Dzulkifli Mamud, the deputy CEO of the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE), the Halal promotional body of Malaysia. Other countries can le

Vitafoods Asia 2014 is just round the corner.     The region’s major event for nutraceuticals promises yet another year of attractive options for sellers and buyers of dietary supplements, pharmaceuticals and raw materials. While the latest products from leading and upcoming companies will take center stage at the New Products Zone, Innovation Station, and Finished Products Pavilion, make a note that new conferences and seminars are taking place as well. Launching this year, the Market Insights Hub will host free seminars from Frost & Sullivan, Euromonitor, the China Healthcare Association, and other organisations. With ASEAN integration soon to take place, organisers have set up sessions and workshops for knowledge exchange. The Vitafoods Asia Conference will cover 12 hot topics, and as a preview, we've asked three of the speakers, Kim Min Ji, research analyst for Euromonitor; Natasha D’Costa, research manager for Frost & Sullivan, and Alison Quesnel, di

Kim Fewster, owner of Fewster's Farm Honey, Australia Food critics have only good things to say about Jarrah honey, and for Kim Fewster, it is one of the best products that nature has to offer. Mr Fewster is the owner of Fewster’s Farm Honey in western Australia, and the country’s representative to the Asian Apiculture Association. His company has over a hundred years of experience in beekeeping and Jarrah honey production, so who can argue with that? In April, I had the opportunity to meet with him in Singapore. Below are some of the questions I asked. The rest of our interview is in the latest issue of FoodPacific Manufacturing Journal . How many honey producers are there in Western Australia? Western Australian honey producers have declined by over 300 percent in 30 years, due to poor returns for honey and younger beekeepers not entering the industry. Currently about 35 commercial beekeepers in Western Australia, over 700 hobbyists and part-time beekeepers wi