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Facebook reveals year-end shopping trends and tips on how to grow business

By
Tan Heng Hong
-

Kuala Lumpur, 28 November 2017 – Facebook empower businesses to discover their unexpected customers this year-end shopping season with the biggest shopping trends, insights and marketing tips.

Malaysians purchase through Facebook 88% more in Q4 on average than the rest of the year. Grabbing their attention and driving action is now more important than ever. Instead of waiting for purchase intent, Facebook enables businesses to create them. Rather than wait for people to find products, it is time for products, to find people.

According to Nicole Tan, the Country Director of Facebook Malaysia; “Businesses that connect with people before they even begin looking are going to be ahead in the race. This is about spotting ‘unexpected customers’ who aren’t even searching for your products and services.”

Here are five key insights around how people shopped during the year-end period last year to help businesses better reach their audiences.

 

  1. Mobile is the year-end shopping cart

Mobile is the new first screen and device of choice in Malaysia when it comes to shopping. From October to December last year, 2 in 3 online purchases through Facebook took place on mobile across the region on average, and younger shoppers top this table: 61% of these purchases were made by millennials.

 

  1. The early bird gets the worm

Shoppers start early. As early as October, online purchases through Facebook in Malaysia were 18% higher than the yearly average. And businesses that built their brand ahead of peak shopping periods often come out on top. Lazada, Blibli.com and Tesco Lotus Thailand are among brands who’ve impacted conversion results through strong brand campaigns.

 

  1. Join the conversation

The shopping journey often involves talking to friends, sharing the coolest products or even communicating with businesses. On Facebook last year, people in Malaysia started posting more about shopping as early as the week of November 6. These shopping related Facebook posts reached its peak in the week of December 251.

 

  1. End of year rush

Businesses need to ready themselves for a surge of Facebook purchases in November and December, the top shopping months. In 2016, online purchases through Facebook in Malaysia were 84% higher in November and 66% higher in December compared to the yearly average. December 12 was a day to watch, with 2.7x more online purchases compared to the yearly average.

 

  1. Don’t forget January

Online shopping doesn’t stop in December. The season extends into the new year, presenting businesses an opportunity to upsell products that complement items people bought, or gifts they’ve received. In January 2017, online purchases through Facebook were 36% higher than the 2016 average.

“With Southeast Asia being pegged as the new frontier for e-Commerce, it is critical for consumer goods businesses to act now and start implementing the right e-Commerce strategy for their brand or category,” added Tan.

To champion the shopping season advertising blitz, businesses are encouraged to focus on these tips.

 

  1. Speak the language of mobile. Capture attention with short, attention grabbing and sound-off creatives.

 

  1. Start brand campaigns now. Start brand campaigns ahead of peak shopping periods. Drive sales by building trust and a stronger brand.

 

  1. Generate interest and drive demand. Connect with target audience and capture leads before shopping peaks.

 

  1. Score online and offline sales. Showcase product catalogue with Dynamic Ads and use the Store Visits objective to drive people in stores.

 

  1. Think of the New Year extension. Cross-sell relevant products to complement year-end purchases. Drive people to stores with the best deals.

Source:

Unless otherwise stated, all data derived from Facebook internal data, analysis of conversion pixel and app events data for ads shown to people ages 18-64 on Facebook, Malaysia, 1 Mar 2016 to 31 Jan 2017

1 Source: Facebook internal data (text, video and photo posts), Malaysia, 1 Oct to 31 Dec 2016; Online shopping post data derived from Facebook posts with keywords related to online shopping categories (for instance, dress, shirt, etc.)

About Facebook

Founded in 2004, Facebook’s mission is to give people the power to share and make the world more open and connected. People use Facebook to stay connected with friends and family, to discover what’s going on in the world, and to share and express what matters to them.

Relaxing Good Night Drink now in the Philippines

By
Tan Heng Hong
-

The sleep enhancing beverage Good Night Drink from Slovakia has added the Philippines as the newest country where it is distributed. The drink is made in Austria, the same country that manufactures TranQuini.

From Good Night Drink website

This is how the maker describes Good Night Drink:

“It’s the soft drink with herbal extracts lemon balm and hops. This herbs are traditionally used to help relieve feelings of stress and to encourage peaceful sleep. Lightly carbonated with a slightly sweet taste reminiscent of a prickly pear.”

Good Night Drink is to be consumed about 30 – 45 minutes before you go to sleep.

According to the company, the drink is ideal for:

“Anyone who wants to wake up in the morning feeling fully rested. Frequent (and infrequent) travellers, business people and athletes are often found among out most avid fans and customers.”

Good Night Drink is available in 7-Eleven in the Philippines with a retail price of PHP 69 per can.

 

Greenfields Milk secures 54% market share, focusing on fresh cheese

By
Tan Heng Hong
-

PT Greenfields Indonesia said during a media visit that it has a market share of 54% in fresh milk (susu segar), giving it the market leadership position in this segment. This was disclosed by Syahbanta Sembiring, Country Head Marketing and Sales Indonesia PT AustAsia Food, reported by Tempo.

Aims to have more distributors in 2018

Its parent company PT Japfa aims to increase the number of distributors to 37-38 in 2018, up from 20 currently, to make Greenfields milk more readily available in the country.

Two farms with total production of 70 million litres of milk

The company has two farms with a capacity to produce a total of 70 million litres of milk per year in 2017. The first farm on the foothill of Kawi Mountain, Malang has the capacity to produce 43-46 million litres of milk, while the second farm in Bilitar, located 74km from Malang, can produce 25 million litres of milk a year.

Location of the two Greenfields dairy farms

Export 30-35% production

Syahbanta said 65-70% of the production is meant for the domestic market, while the remaining 30-35% is for the export market. Hong Kong and Singapore are the two biggest markets, said Head of Dairy Manufacturing Southeast Asia PT Greenfields Indonesia, Darmanto Setyawan, reported Kumparan.com. The other markets include the Philippines, Brunei, Vietnam, Malaysia and occasionally Laos and Cambodia.

Focusing on fresh cheese

At the moment, Greenfields Indonesia focuses on manufacturing fresh cheese such as ricotta, camembert and mozzarella that requires a shorter fermentation period, said Darmanto as cited by Tempo. Fresh cheese is currently mainly targeting at hotel and restaurants, which serve authentic Italian and French cuisine.

The company has not moved towards the direction of producing hard cheese because of the issues with cost, manufacturing process as hard cheese takes a longer time to produce and market competition. However, he does not rule out the possibility of producing hard cheese in the future.

Get in the Mood to Celebrate with Delicious Festive Menu at SF Coffee

By
Tan Heng Hong
-

27 November 2017

The SF Coffee elves have been working hard and have come up with a mouthwatering festive menu that will be available in all its 38 outlets across Peninsular Malaysia, from now until the end of the year.

Served around the theme “In The Mood For Celebration”, SF Coffee’s festive menu will feature a festive flavours like butterscotch, turkey and cranberries.

The baristas will be brewing a range of signature Butterscotch Macchiato drinks to be enjoyed as a holiday treat that features Macchiato Latte beverages with a dash of Butterscotch and drizzled with rich caramel sauce.

Priced from RM13 to RM16.50, these beverages are served hot or iced as well as in the form of SF Coffee’s signature Frisco FrappĂ©.

The Butterscotch Macchiato pairs beautifully with the new Creamy Turkey Pasta, that features penne, turkey, button mushrooms and cherry tomatoes in a hearty cream sauce, topped with crispy chicken strips, Parmesan and parsley for a deliciously festive meal.

Another delightful festive treat is the Merry Turkey Focaccia that features turkey breast rolls and natural cheddar cheese on a bed of lettuce and tomatoes with a whip of cranberry sauce for that holiday touch. Both the pasta and sandwich are selling at RM18.90 each.

“The year-end period at SF Coffee is a special time of the year for us, so we are making it an extra special place for friends to catch up and even exchange presents over a cup of festive coffee. The store elves will be busy making sure the mood is right for the festive celebrations by making everything more merry and bright,” said Koo Sue San, General Manager of San Francisco Coffee.

Those looking for a special gift for coffee lovers can choose any of the fresh coffee beans in 100g bags worth RM12.75 for free with every purchase of a SF Coffee Graffiti tumbler, which is selling at RM75.90.

For more details of the festive promo and menu, go to SF Coffee’s Instagram page or visit the website at www.sfcoffee.com

 

Clean label and antimicrobial resistance force rethink of antibiotic use

By
Tan Heng Hong
-
Image from Charoen Pokphand Group

Clean label, a popular term and yet there is not a single official definition. Clean label often means no artificial ingredients and this concept is increasingly including non-GMO, natural flavours, organic, no preservatives and no hormones and antibiotics.

CPF announces responsible antimicrobial use

In Southeast Asia, there is a realisation by governments and corporations that the continue use of antibiotics and hormones in food production has to stop. Charoen Pokphand Foods Plc (CPF) announced a new livestock and aquaculture antimicrobial use policy in October 2017. The new policy will apply to all units in Thailand and overseas.

The vision will take effect immediately for implementation in 2020. The key objective is to use antimicrobials reasonably and responsibly. Disease prevention practices will also be emphasised to reduce the need for antimicrobial use.  The complete text can be accessed here.

Indonesian government bans antibiotic growth promoter

From 1 January 2018, the Indonesian government will ban the use of antibiotic growth promoter (AGP) in livestock. However, the antibiotic use for therapeutic purposes is still permitted for up to one week under veterinary supervision.

Thailand, which has banned the use of AGP since 2012, allows the use of avilamycin and flavophospholipol at sub-therapeutic doses in poultry as they are not absorbed from the gut.

Malaysia aims to have antibiotic-free chicken by 2020

The Malaysian government plans to have local poultry companies producing antibiotics-free chicken by 2020, said Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Hamzah Zainudin in March 2016.

S-Pure sets new standard for Thailand’s antibiotic-free chicken meat

Companies are shifting towards antibiotic-free meat to premiumise their offering and to offer a safer option to consumers.

Thailand’s Betagro Group has received the world’s first NSF Raised Without Antibiotics Certificate in an announcement in May 2017. The certification was awarded to the fresh chicken meat brand S-Pure where the chickens are raised without the use of antibiotic.

S-Pure currently has a 90% share in the premium fresh meat market in Thailand.

Kee Song lacto chicken bred with lactobacillus

Kee Song, one of the leading poultry producers in Singapore and Malaysia, uses the advanced farming technology to breed chicken without the use of growth hormones and antibiotics. The lacto chicken is fed with lactobacillus, a friendly bacteria, to combat harmful bacterial the natural way.

Kee Song lacto chicken selling on the company’s online store in Singapore

What Mini Me thinks

Growing concern about antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which threatens global public health, food safety and security, has expedited efforts by the government and companies to look for alternatives to reduce antibiotic use. The elimination of antibiotic use also feeds into the current clean label trend and transparency.

 

 

 

Indonesian chips Chipstaro, Sing Kong, Chitato now available in Malaysia

By
Tan Heng Hong
-

Indonesian snacks from the Indonesian celebrity couple and the country’s biggest food conglomerate Indofood have arrived in Malaysia. The fried cassava/tapioca snacks Chipstaro and Sing Kong from the celebrity couple Raffi Ahmad and Nagita Slavina (RANS) have been made available through the 7-Eleven convenience store.

In Malaysia, local actress Nur Fazura Sharifuddin, officially crowned as Puteri Keladi (Taro Princess), is the brand ambassador for the brand in the domestic market.

Chitato

The other snack food that has arrived in Malaysia is Indofood’s Chitato potato chips. They are distributed by Indofood (M) Food Industries Sdn Bhd and were showcased at the recent Tastefully Food & Beverage Expo 2017 in November 2017. Among the Chitato potato chips sold at Tastefully were original, BBQ chicken, supreme cheese and the mie goreng version first launched in Indonesia in 2016. Chitato will be made available through the provision good store (sundry shop) channel first.

What Mini Me thinks

Indonesian food and drink products are casting their eyes on Malaysia for expansion. The country shares the same cultural root as Indonesia, making it an ideal country to market Indonesian food and drinks.

Mie Sedaap, Indomie, Indocafe and Daia are already household names in Malaysia. Sosro Teh Botol has increased its penetration and availability, while Nabati Group’s Wafer Richeese Nabati has just been crowned the leader in the wafer category in Malaysia based on Nielsen (Oct 2017) as disclosed by M

What Coca-Cola Amatil investor day tells us about its Indonesia operation

By
Tan Heng Hong
-

Coca-Cola Amatil held its investors day in Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia on 24 November 2017. The investor day presentation contains a wealth of information about the company’s operation in Indonesia in terms of market share, size, growth and future plans.

Market leader in sparkling

It is clear Coca-Cola is number one in the sparkling category and probably one or two in the juice segment as well, citing Nielsen data. For the other categories, Coca-Cola is still a minor player.

Coca-Cola Amatil Investor Day Jakarta 2017
Coca-Cola Amatil Investor Day Jakarta 2017

Looking at the broader non-alcoholic ready to drink market (NARTD), assuming the data for YTD Sep 2013 and YTD Oct 2017 is comparable, we see AJE losing significant market share in both volume and value in NARTD as its core sparkling business faces headwinds. Wings and Danone are able to preserve their respective position as Danone operates in the healthier/functional segments -bottled water and sports drink, while Wings is into tea, juice and sports drink.  Coca-Cola Amatil, meanwhile, has lost value share during this period.

Coca-Cola Amatil Investor Trip Nov 2013

Slowdown in non-alcoholic drink market

Within the overall NARTD, the market has reached a plateau since 2014 with some segments seeing a decline. The data excludes bottled water where it is still growing healthily albeit at a slower pace. The Canadean data shows consumers are drinking less sparkling beverages, which is in line with the overall shift towards healthy eating and wellness, thus affecting players operating in the sparkling segment.

Coca-Cola Amatil Investor Day Jakarta 2017

The market is still sluggish in 2017. For the second quarter of 2017, the Association of Indonesian Soft Drink Producers (Asrim) said soft drink sales fell by 3.3%, reported Kontan.co.id. This follows a 3-4% decline in the first quarter of 2017, of which carbonated soft drink sales fell 15%, according Asrim.

For the first nine months of 2017, RTD tea sales volume fell 7.6% with volume down 4.9%, while carbonated soft drinks sales volume declined 11.2% and value fell 5.7%, reported Detik.com citing Nielsen data.

Bottled water, on the other hand, is expected to grow by 8-9% in 2017 to reach 27 billion liters, according to the estimation made by the Indonesian Association of Bottled Drinking Water (AMDK).

Key strategies going forward

In view of the current challenging situation, the company said it is aiming at improving product availability to ensure its sales force now focusing on range selling instead of concentrating only on a single product. As beverage is a volume game, improving product availability especially in the traditional trade is crucial to ensure the product is available anywhere and anytime.

An additional 20,000 cold drink equipment is to be installed in the market in 2018. This will add to the 348,000 equipment already put in place in the market.

Improving affordability is another route to gain share from competitors. The tools are price reset, new pack sizes and new products. We have talked about the Affordable Small Sparkling Package (ASSP) in 250ml in another post.

Juice – value-added and carton

The Minute Maid brand is positioning itself as the number one juice brand delivering everyday goodness to Indonesian families. The company will be introducing affordable Minute Maid Nutriboost (dairy) in carton to bridge the affordability gap. It will also innovate in carton with value-added benefits through the new Minute Maid Nutriforce (IDR 3,000) enriched with vitamins and minerals. The same product was launched earlier in Thailand as Minute Maid Vita Kids.

Coca-Cola Amatil Investor Day Jakarta 2017

New packaging for Frestea

Within the ready-to-drink (RTD) tea category, Coca-Cola Amatil will establish Frestea in the original tea segment to improve its tea credibility through freshness of real tea leaves. The current Frestea Jasmine Tea will be rebranded under Frestea Original Tea, while the other range will be given a new packaging design.

Coca-Cola Amatil Investor Day Jakarta 2017

Bringing international coffee – Caffitaly

Coca-Cola Amatil has established a partnership with coffee equipment supplier Caffitaly to supply coffee machine and capsule to food retail, professional and end-consumers. The official launch is slated in December 2017.

 

Quaker oatmeal localising flavour to suit Indonesian palate

By
Tan Heng Hong
-

To make oatmeal the breakfast choice for Indonesians, Quaker, the oatmeal brand of PepsiCo, has replicated in Indonesia the flavour localisation strategy that it has been rolled out in Malaysia.

Quaker Bubur Lambuk in Malaysia

In Malaysia, Quaker Instant Multigrain Porridge comes in two flavours – Bubur Lambuk and Chicken Mushroom. Bubur lambuk, literally known as ‘scattered porridge’, is traditionally consumed by ethnic Malays during the holy month of Ramadan. The porridge is prepared by throwing the ingredients together in one big pot. Muslims will often line up at mosques to take home the dish, which is usually given away for free.

The chicken mushrooom flavour is a more Westernised flavour suited for the multi-ethnic racial composition of the Malaysian population. The multigrain porridge is made with oats, wheat and rice.

Quaker oatmeal with chicken curry, chicken soto flavour

In Indonesia, the new Quaker oatmeal comes with Rasa Kari Ayam (chicken curry flavour) and Rasa Soto Ayam (chicken soto flavour).  Unlike the Quaker instant multigrain porridge in Malaysia, the Quaker oatmeal in Indonesia needs to be cooked or microwaved for three minutes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pdNfJSKsMc

Healthier alternative to bubur ayam

The new Quaker oatmeal serves as a healthier option for breakfast as it is high in fibre and is a good source of protein. Moreover, there is no flavour enhancer. Each pack contains baked shallots and leek to replicate the bubur ayam or chicken porridge popularly consumed by Indonesians in the morning.

Quaker does have the recipe for Quaker bubur ayam but it requires a lot of effort to prepare especially when consumers are often rushing to work or to school in the morning.

For the Quaker oatmeal, consumers are encouraged to add other fresh ingredients to complete the meal.

What Mini Me thinks

The new Quaker oatmeal provides a quick and healthier alternative to bubur ayam for morning breakfast. There are consumers who like their oatmeal plain or added with sweeter ingredients like fruit pieces. For those who want a savoury experience, they now have the option of Quaker Oatmeal localised with the soto ayam and kari ayam flavours.

250ml perfect size Coca-Cola, Sprite refreshment launched in Indonesia

By
Tan Heng Hong
-

Coca-Cola Amatil Indonesia has introduced a new 250ml perfect size refreshment for its Coca-Cola, Sprite and Fanta range in mid-2017. 

https://youtu.be/F_RL-9SLD4s

The new 250ml PET mini bottle does not have the curvy bottle as the previous 250ml PET mini bottle that made its debut in 2014. The new mini PET bottle is shorter, bulkier and cuter, which encourages the consumer to drink it in one go.

in Thailand, The curvy PET bottle design of Coca-Cola and Sprite has also been replaced by something that is taller, flatter and slimmer with less contouring. This probably suggests consumers care more about the perceived value for money in taller bottle (ie. larger volume) than the curvy shape.

Eco-friendly bottle

In Indonesia, the narrative for the 250ml ASSP (Affordable Small Sparkling Package) is environmental. The new bottle design addresses the concern about plastic waste, while ensuring the product is fresh, light and affordable.

The USD 30 million new production line in Cikedokan, West Java is able to reduce plastic use by up to 800 tons a year. This is made possible as each PET bottle under the ASSP will be using only 9.6 grams of plastic, instead of 20 grams previously. The Cikedokan plant, with a capacity to make 188,000 bottles per hour, is the second ASSP plant after the one in India and was commissioned in April 2017.

In India, the narrative about the ASSP bottle is about preserving the “biting taste” sparkling beverages offer and longer shelf life. The 250ml ASSP bottle is designed to ensure carbonation is not lost during transit, while maintaining the aesthetically pleasing look expected from Coca-Cola.

According to The Coca-Company, the “bottle’s opening was redesigned to reduce the amount of gas loss from the cap. Additionally, a new protective coating was added on the bottle to lengthen beverage shelf life by five months.”

Price point competitiveness

The smaller pack sizes help improve the competitiveness of Coca-Cola’s products in Indonesia especially when competing with Big Cola. The low price also helps to drive recruitment of new users to the carbonated soft drinks category.

If you look at the price, the suggested price for the 250ml PET has increased to IDR 3,500 from IDR 3,000 in 2014, which is understandable to take into consideration inflation.

Get Inner Nourishment For Outer Radiance With InnerShine

By
Tan Heng Hong
-

23 November 2017

Popular beauty drink brand InnerShineÂź has introduced a new formula for its Prune Essence which now comes with Vitamin E to nourish the body and combat ageing from within for outer beauty.

The signature prune concentrate made from fresh, premium Californian prunes rich in dietary fibre aids digestion and help regulate bowel movement to bring overall good health as it flushes away toxins from the body naturally.

Now complementing the prune essence with a hefty 10mg dose of Vitamin E per bottle, the new InnerShineÂź Prune Essence with Vitamin E supplements the daily diet to help meet the recommended dietary allowance of 15mg a day for adult females for skin to get the protection from within.

Vitamin E promotes a radiant complexion as it nourishes and protects skin from within so that it stays healthy and hydrated. Also extremely rich in antioxidants to neutralise free radical damage, consuming Vitamin E regularly can boosts collagen production and speeds up cell regeneration to keep skin looking youthful and radiant.

With daily consumption, results can be seen as early as 12 days as the body regains a healthy digestive system to cleanse itself while skin is protected and repairs from within. Regain your confidence as skin’s healthy glow is restored in no time at all!

“Many women desire a natural, radiant complexion which will give them the confidence to step out with minimal make-up. As the outer glow stems from inner health, nourishing and protecting from within is the secret to keeping dull skin at bay. The new formulation of our proven prune essence gives skin the extra protection and regenerative properties even as it helps the body cleanse from within,” said Kuang Ming Ming, General Manager of BRAND’S Suntory (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd.

InnerShine Prune Essence with Vitamin E retails at RM32 (6-bottle pack) and RM58 (12-bottle pack) respectively and is available at all hypermarkets, supermarkets, pharmacies nationwide. For more information on the new product, consumers can call BRAND’S Customer Care Line at 1-300-228-300, or visit InnerShine Club on Facebook.

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