Breaking News on Food and Beverage in Asia Pacific

Vitamin-enriched foods growing faster in SE Asia than Europe

Demand for food and drink with added vitamins is growing in Asian markets, thanks to government campaigns to boost public health.

Alcan buys remainder of Chinese subsidiary

Leading drink can producer Alcan said on Wednesday that it had acquired the remaining 35 per cent stake of its Chinese subsidiary Propack.

McCain halts chip production in Harbin

Chip maker McCain has shut down its recently opened plant in Harbin, northeast China, after authorities cut off the water supply due to fears of contamination.

New project probes functional properties of milk

A dairy research body in Australia will get $300,000 of government money to examine bioactive material in milk that could be used to develop novel functional foods.

Weekly Comment

Time for Japan to act on agriculture

Strong rhetoric at last weekend's Apec summit on the abolition of agricultural subsidies could not drown out the scraping sound of Japanese heels.

Kimchi exports on the rise

South Korean kimchi exports have jumped in the first 10 months of the year, after the media reported it may have a preventative effect against avian influenza.

Fonterra to upgrade Northland plant, buys Kapiti

New Zealand dairy firm Fonterra will spend around $15 million upgrading its Northland site next year, it said today.

Burns Philp goes to market to raise acquisition funds

Burns Philp's plan to raise A$2.1 billion (€1.3 billion) from a share offering in its Goodman Fielder business underlines the group's ambitions to dominate the Australasian ingredients market.

Scientists search milk for new functional proteins

Australia's dairy industry will spend $850,000 on research to find novel milk proteins that could be used in functional foods to improve nutrition and combat major diseases.

Numico to buy EAC babyfood, expands in Asia

Numico, Europe's leading babyfood company, will become the number two player in Asia through a €1.2 billion deal to acquire East Asiatic Co's nutrition businesses.

Burns Philp to sell Goodman Fielder, reports

Leading baking ingredients supplier Burns Philp & Co postponed an IPO of its Goodman Fielder unit after getting an offer for the business, according to reports today.

Bird flu spreading in China

China has reported its eighth outbreak of bird flu in a month, suggesting that measures taken so far to halt the spread of the disease have been ineffective.

Unilever opens new production centre in China

Anglo-Dutch consumer goods group Unilever opened a global production centre in China this week, which will include a new packaging plant for Lipton tea.

First Pacific raises stakes in AP food industry

First Pacific, the majority owner of Indonesian noodle maker Indofood, has bought a 40 per cent stake in Del Monte Pacific, as part of a strategic expansion in the region's food and beverage industry.

Fonterra scientists study genes for new enzymes

Technology able to isolate genetic information has uncovered a new generation of enzymes in dairy cows' stomachs, as New Zealand dairy group Fonterra looks to capitalise.

Danone raises stake in Bright Dairy, opens China research centre

French dairy and biscuits group Danone has raised its stake in China's Bright Dairy & Food Co to 11.55 per cent to increase its presence in the country's fast-growing dairy sector.

Vietnamese confectionery leader buys stake in beverages firm

Leading Vietnamese confectionery company Kinh Do has bought a 35.4 stake in Saigon Beverage Joint Stock (Tribeco), according to local media reports.

China bans poultry imports to stop bird flu spreading

China has banned imports of poultry products from 14 countries as one of a raft of new measures to help prevent the spread of bird flu.

Fonterra to build new dairy innovation centre

Fonterra, the New Zealand dairy co-operative, is set to build a new multi-million dollar research and development centre to help it move ahead in global added value product trends.

Australia permits juice drinks fortified with calcium

Food standards authorities in Australia and New Zealand have legalised drinks fortified with calcium, offering opportunities for firms amid growing consumer demand and poor dietary intake.