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All news articles > July 2004
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30-Jul-2004
Unilever hit by discounting in Asia
Unilever has reported a small fall in sales for its operations in the Asia Pacific region during the first half of the year, as overall results are dragged down by even worse performances in the European and North American markets. The company said that some sales growth in the Asia Pacific region had been sustained through continuing success of its leading food brands, though discounting had hit profits.
ADM hit by volatile soybean market in China
US ingredients giant ADM saw double-digit sales growth for the year but overall profits were dragged down by a volatile soybean market in China. The company said that many cancelled orders from soy meal buyers there had particularly impacted results in the last quarter.
NFZA believes contaminated corn came from China
The New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) says that it has come across lead contamination in cornflour milled from imported corn following routine food safety tests on a number of food products. The organisation says that it has now traced the contamination to a batch of cornflour, stating that the source of contamination is probably China.
GM foods, the future for Asia?
A major European food science body has asserted this week that genetic modification has the potential to offer strong benefits - quantity, quality and acceptability - for the world's food supply. With the booming population of the Asia-Pacfic region, such talk is likely to put more of an emphasis on GM food production in the region in attempt to stretch food supplies, writes Lindsey Partos and Simon Pitman.
Asia round-up: China M&A activitity booms
Mirroring China's record economic growth, mergers and acquisitions activity has boomed to record levels this year. According to PricewaterhouseCoopers M&A activitity in both Hong Kong and China grew 168 per cent in the first half of this year to $26 billion.
Is this the end of China's wet markets?
Farming in China needs serious investment if domestic food production is to keep up with rising food consumption. But with a growing emphasis on food quality and safety, future investment in the sector looks seems an inevitable route towards the relentless move from wet markets to modern supermarkets, a market report says.
SMC expands in Vietnam
The Philippines-based San Miguel Corporation has broken ground on a non-alcoholic beverage facility in South Vietnam. The move comes as part of the company's plans to increase its operations outside the domestic market - aims that have already seen the announcement of similar soft drink ventures in Thailand and Indonesia.
EU extends ban on Asian poultry
Following further reported outbreaks of avian flu in China, Vietnam and Indonesia, the European Union has said that it will extend its ban on importing poultry products from Asian countries until 15 December, leaving the regions poultry producers looking for business in new markets.
Packaged fruit and veg take off
The rapid evolution of eating patterns in Asia has led to huge changes in the way fruit and vegetables are consumed. Where once canned and packaged fruit and vegetables were almost unknown, such product launches are proliferating, as the latest product launches from Mintel show.
Report exposes potential RFID weaknesses
A leading consultancy firm has warned that the widespread adoption of RFID could open up the door to a range of potential scams, resulting in huge losses for retailers and manufacturers, writes Anthony Fletcher.
23-Jul-2004
Chinese firm to invest in Thai cooking oil
The Thai government has announced a series of planned investments by Chinese companies, one of which includes a THB 500 million (€10m) aimed at a leading Thai cooking oil business.
Loders Croklaan buys Malaysia palm oil company
Loders Croklaan, part of the Malaysian IOI Group and a world leader in the production of palm oil based products for food use, has confirmed the intended purchase of Malaysian palm oil specialties company Soctek in an attempt to extend its position in the Asian market.
Increasing soft drink sales drive new launches
The latest Euromonitor report on the global soft drinks market suggests that it is Asia that is the driving force behind market growth. With this in mind we take a look at the latest soft drinks launches in the region from the Mintel databases.
22-Jul-2004
Asia drives Remy sales
French drinks group Rémy Cointreau has reported double-digit growth in the first quarter of 2004, driven by strong gains in Asia and the US, but continued weakness in its domestic market took a toll on Champagne sales.
Bird flu back in Indonesia
Indonesia is the latest Asia Pacific country to report further outbreaks of bird flu in poultry farms, following last weeks news that bird flu had also resurfaced again in China, Vietnam and Thailand. Indonesian officials says that producers are now initiating large scale vaccinations to prevent further spread of the disease.
Coke and Nestlé Indonesian water venture
In Indonesia Nestlé and Coca Cola have announced the creation of a 50:50 joint venture, Water Partners Bottling (WPB). The new business is being used as a platform to acquire a 65 per cent share of PT AdeS Alfindo Putrasetia (AAPS), the number two player in bottled water in Indonesia. The move is part of the companies aims to make inroads on the country's bottled water industry.
South Korea coffee market comes of age
The South Korean market is proving to be dynamic for coffee exporters, as the population continues to embrace the fashion and trends prevalent in the western lifestyle, reports the German Coffee Assocation, Deutscher Kaffeeverband. But with the market showing increasing signs of maturation, premium coffee is expected to lead future growth.
Food authority issues warning over low-cal sweetener
The Australian food watchdog has issued a warning over a low-cal sweetener that could harm consumers who are intolerant to the fruit sugar fructose, advising these people to avoid the novel food ingredient tagatose, produced by Arla Food Ingredients, which hit supermarket shelves last month, writes Lindsey Partos.
21-Jul-2004
Bio-One continues expansion into China
Nutritional supplements company Bio-One yesterday (Tuesday) showed that it has no intention of slowing down its attempts to grow through an aggressive acquisition strategy, announcing its purchase of a majority interest in another Chinese herbal medicine company.
Food quality concerns open up market opportunities in China
Food safety scares in China have opened up opportunities for food makers looking to pierce this growing market with imported brands. Raw materials and food ingredients products with the most potential include tree nuts, dried fruits, livestock and livestock products, poultry products, seafood and cereals, reports Lindsey Partos.
16-Jul-2004
China economy 'not overheating'
Although the Chinese economy is showing definite signs of slowing, experts have said that it is not about to overheat. Investment, particularly in the food and beverage sector, is continuing apace, but this being coutnerbalanced by a steadier rise in consumer prices.
FAO: poultry producers prime cause of bird flu
The FAO has urged countries in Asia not to cull wild birds in response to recent outbreaks of avian influenza in China, Thailand and Viet Nam, citing poultry producers as the primary cause for the spread of the disease.
Market share for cassava sourced starch set to rise
Faced with rising costs for starch ingredients sourced from stock-squeezed wheat and corn the global food industry is on the look out for better value alternatives. A recent report on the modified starch market suggests that the tropical starch commodity cassava will become more dominant.
Thailand drives processing and packaging demand
The organisers of Propak Asia expo, held in Bangkok last month, claim that strong growth and an upward trend in investment in the region's processing and packaging markets were reflected by record attendance, with particular interest shown in Thai businesses.
China economy 'not overheating'
Although the Chinese economy is showing definite signs of slowing, experts have said that it is not about to overheat. Investment, particularly in the food and beverage sector, is continuing apace, but this being coutnerbalanced by a steadier rise in consumer prices.
Alcoa opens second China plant
US-based Alcoa has completed construction of a new plant in Hangzhou, China, for its Closure Systems International (CSI) business, feeding growing demand for closures in both the domestic and Japanese markets.
Thai company launches vegetarian ready-to-eat meals
Nutrition House, part of the consumer goods group Pan Group, has expanded its frozen ready-to-eat meals line with the launch of a line of vegetarian meals, claimed to be the first product of its type on the market in Thailand. The company is also aiming to start exporting the meals to the US, Europe and Australia.
UN denies granting coconut water patent to Philippines
The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations has denied reports that it has granted the first patent for processing coconut water to the Philippines. Patenting of the technology has been eagerly awaited as it is likely to provide a step into the $1 billion sports drink industry.
EU lifts two year ban on Chinese foods
The EU has lifted a two year ban on honey, together with a number of seafoods and products of animal origin. The move is expected to give a particular boost to the country's position as the world biggest honey producer.
15-Jul-2004
Carlsberg acquires more breweries in China
Carlsberg and the Danish Industrialization Fund for Developing Countries (IFU) have drawn up an agreement with Lanzhou Huanghe Enterprise Group to acquire 50 per cent of the LanzhouHuanghe Brewery's operations in the Gansu and Qinghai provinces.
Tesco clinches China deal
Britain's biggest retail group Tesco has finally made its first entry into the massive Chinese market, finally sealing an on-off deal with local group Ting Hsin. The UK's leading retailer now joins Europe's biggest (Carrefour) and the world's biggest (Wal-Mart) in the fast-growing Chinese market.
12-Jul-2004
New Zealand study proves dairy benefits
An international clinical study funded by New Zealand dairy giant Fonterra is said to have proved that dairy products prevent major childhood diseases such as diarrhoea and pneumonia.
09-Jul-2004
San Miguel to start up Indonesian drinks plant
San Miguel has started construction of a new beverage manufacturing facility in Java, Indonesia, as part of its aim to further expand its operations beyond the domestic Philippines market and into the Asia Pacific region.
McCain achieves global production synchronisation
McCain Foods, one of the world's largest producers of quality frozen foods, has installed FullTilt's I-Accel collaborative product information management (CPIM) software in order to achieve data synchonisation and standardised product information across six continents.
High night temperatures deplete rice yields, study shows
Yields of the Asian staple rice are plummeting at twice the rate modellers had predicted due to the increasing effects of global warnings, according to a report from the Philippines-based International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). The prediction could spell future problems for the region¡¯s grain producers and food manufacturers who have been squeezed by increasing demand and poor harvests.
Thailand to push tropical fruit exports
The Thai department of agriculture says its is rapidly moving towards the development of its tropical fruit production in the country in an effort to gain a leading edge in an increasingly liberalised pan-Asia Pacific market.
Will bird flu ever go away?
The FAO has said that new outbreaks of bird flu in China, Thailand and Vietnam confirm that the virus is still endemic in the region. The resurgence highlights warnings from experts that the eradication will mean that many poultry producers will have to undertake long-term prevention measures.
Asian appetite for biscuits grows
The sweet biscuits market in Asia is set to grow rapidly in coming years, due mainly to the continuing strength of the China market. However launches are coming thick and fast throughout the region, as this week's product launches from Mintel testify.
Asian shrimp producers penalised
Asian shrimp farmers have described a US ruling to increase tariffs as 'regrettable' after increases of up to 112 per cent were slapped on Chinese and Vietnamese producers' exports.
McDonalds in court over trans fats
In a clear warning to food makers, McDonald's faces a damaging court case as a US public interest group accuses the fast food giant of falling short of promises to remove artery clogging trans fats used in the cooking process.
08-Jul-2004
Food makers to stick to '5 a day'
Initiatives by food makers to push food products that can tap into the growing health concerns from consumers have found support from a new study that backs ongoing research to suggest a healthier diet and lifestyle can potentially reduce the risk of getting cancer and dying from it.
07-Jul-2004
Deadly bird flu returns to Thailand
Thailand has confirmed a new bout of bird flu, sparking fears of a return of the winter outbreak that left over 20 people dead and devastated the region's poultry industry, writes Anthony Fletcher.
02-Jul-2004
Southcorp fights downturn
Australia's biggest wine producer, Southcorp, has announced an extensive restructuring designed to counteract the affects of a downturn in the US economy and a weakened Australian dollar. The AUS93 million (€53.7m) package involves the streamlining of production activities and the loss of 300 jobs.
China continues to dominate world honey production
Although the market for honey in China has fluctuated in recent years the country continues to be by far the leading producer in the world. And with per capita consumption set to rise, a recent report from Access Asia indicates that production will continue to increase in line with demands.
San Miguel profits up
Philippine-based food and beverage giant San Miguel has reported that consolidated net profits in the five months to May of this year rose 32 per cent to PHP3.29 billion (€47.98m), due mainly to higher operating income from increased beer sales and reduced costs for its soft drinks unit.
Soy drinks boosting Asian sales
The health benefits of soya are boosting sales of soy drinks in south-east Asia, says a new report. Although the market is currently dominated by Asian players, the scope is said to exist for European manufacturers offering a variety of non-dairy drinks alternatives.
China egg production gets into full swing
The establishment of large scale battery farms has pushed egg production in China to 40 per cent of the world total. In turn increased interest in egg-based foods, such as dairy products, pre-packaged foods and bakery have all boosted per capita consumption to amongst the highest in the world, says the latest report from Access Asia.
Is the RFID revolution here?
The retail-driven drive towards universal usage of RFID technology throughout the supply chain looks unstoppable, but are we getting a bit carried away too soon? Anthony Fletcher reports.
Brits sell tea to China
Taylors of Harrogate, an English tea company, has done the seemingly impossible by selling tea to China. It has packed off its first consignment and is hoping for follow-on orders, but should this really come as a surprise considering the changing consumer patterns in China?
01-Jul-2004
A-B takeover of Harbin under threat
A Hong Kong stock Exchange disclosure has revealed that investment company Castlerigg International has bought a strategic 10.01 per cent stake in China's Harbin Brewery, a move that looks likely to put more pressure on international brewer Anheuser-Busch's designs on the company.
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