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Nongshim instant noodles certified halal by MUI

Image from Nongshim

The South Korean instant noodle company Nongshim has announced on 29 April 2019 that its instant noodles are now certified halal by the Indonesian Council of Ulama (MUI). The halal-certified instant noodles are now sold in Indonesia under the name Nongshim Farmer’s Heart and distributed by PT Sukanda Djaya. The five variants are

  • Shin Ramyun Spicy Mushroom
  • Shin Ramyun Shrimp
  • Kimchi
  • Neoguri Udon
  • Korean Claypot Ramyun

The MUI halal certified Nongshim instant noodles are made in the Shanghai factory in China and not in South Korea.

The launch of Nongshim Farmer’s Heart coincided with the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. As part of the launch, Nongshim will be having tasting events with a famous mosque in Jakarta to showcase the authentic taste and the permissibility of Korean noodles to consumers.

Even though some of the Nongshim’s instant noodles have been certified halal in South Korea, having the halal certification from Indonesia’s MUI will end once and for all the question surrounding the halal status of Nongshim’s instant noodles.

Also unveiled at the event was an attractive looking male character called Ramyun Oppa who is from South Korea and is knowledgeable about Korean noodles. He will serve as the brand ambassador for Nongshim.

THP unveils cola flavoured Number 1 Energy Drink

The Vietnamese beverage producer Tan Hiep Phat Beverage Group (THP), known for its Dr. Thanh Herbal Tea, Zero Degree Green Tea with Lemon and Number 1 Energy Drink, has launched the cola flavoured energy drink. Number 1 Energy Drink contains vitamin B3, taurine, inositol and caffeine and is available in lemon, original and strawberry flavours.

The new cola flavour taps into the popularity of the cola to make energy drink more palatable and accessible to a broader set of consumers.

Rival Sting has just introduced Sting Espresso.

F&N debuts new Lychee Pear for Raya, no plans for lactose-free milk

Image from F&N

F&N Malaysia has introduced limited edition F&N Lychee Pear drink for the Ramadan and Hari Raya festivities. The drink is certified with the Healthier Choice logo.

Also new are F&N Seasons Apple Pomegranate and Watermelon Lychee ready-to-drink teas. Both have less sugar.

F&N said it will reformulate 70% of its products that will be impacted by the sugar tax scheduled for implementation on 1 July 2019. Nearly 90% of F&N’s products come under the sugar tax, said F&N CEO Lim Yew Hoe as reported by The Star on 1 May 2019.

On lactose-free milk

“We have no near-term plans to bring this lactose-free range of products to Malaysia, as we need to have the right facilities and in-source our milk production first,” said Lim.

He added added “the lactose-free products are pretty new and would take time to grow its reception among consumers in Thailand.” F&N has launched the F&N Magnolia Plus – Lactose-Free Pasteurised Milk range in Thailand.

Ramadan inspired milk tea from Tealive, Chatime

Image from Tealive

With the start of the Muslim fasting month, the leading milk tea chains in Malaysia – Tealive and Chatime have announced their limited edition milk teas for the festive occasion.

Tealive collaborates with Horlicks

Tealive has partnered with Horlicks to launch two Horlicks-inspired milk teas.

  • Bang Bang Horlicks Milk Tea with Brown Sugar Warm Pearls
  • Black Diamond Horlicks Fresh Milk

Chatime picks kurma

Chatime has chosen kurma as the ingredient choice for its milk tea for the festive season.

  • Kurma Pearl Milk Tea
  • Kurma De Chocolate
  • Kurma Banana Milk Tea

Music is a Gift for everyone!

Kuala Lumpur, 14 May 2019 – Calling all music enthusiasts! You are now invited to be a part of the gaiety of the latest ‘Music is a Gift!’ Contest launched by 7-Eleven Malaysia, the largest convenience store chain in the country. The contest is available in Peninsular Malaysia including Langkawi, and submissions period begins from 14 May to 24 June 2019.

Music comes closest to expressing the inexpressible.  Imagine yourself enjoying Spotify music with the best headphones? Three simple steps will lead you to stand a chance to win a SONY Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones worth RM1,599! Fret not, there are fifteen SONY headphones in total to be won!

Entering the contest would be a breeze for participants as they are only required to purchase any Spotify Premium gift cards at 7-Eleven Malaysia stores and take a photo of the purchased gift cards with the original receipt as proof of purchase. Once completed, they will have to upload it on their own Facebook or Instagram account with the official hashtags #7EMusicIsAGift #7ElevenMY. Participants can increase their odds of winning by submitting more entries!

Ronan Lee, General Marketing Manager of 7-Eleven Malaysia said, ““Music is a Gift!” Contest is the perfect way for our devoted customers to enjoy their favorite music at Spotify Premium whilst being able to grab themselves an amazing gift! Through this contest, we strive to enhance customer’s music experience with Spotify Premium in our stores and arouse the feeling of excitement among our customers to win the ultimate SONY headphones with tailored noise cancellation!

He added, “Customers can now easily grab a Spotify Premium gift card at their nearest 7-Eleven outlet and enjoy Spotify Premium music at any time. Music can be convenient too. Quickly gift yourself or someone you love with a Spotify Premium gift cards at our stores now!

For more information and contest terms & conditions, please visit www.7eleven.com.my or Facebook at 7ElevenMalaysia.

7-Eleven Malaysia Leading the Way with 2323rd Store

From left: 7-Eleven Malaysia Chief Finance Officer Mr. Wong Wai Keong, Chief Executive Officer Mr Colin Harvey, and Senior Operation Manager Mr. Kelvin Gan standing in line to officiate 7-Eleven Malaysia’s 2323rd store at Plaza Arkadia, Desa ParkCity.

Kuala Lumpur, 8th May 2019 – 7-Eleven Malaysia, a wholly owned subsidiary of 7-Eleven Malaysia Holdings Berhad and the largest convenience chain store in Malaysia launched its 2323rd store at a launch ceremony held at Plaza Arkadia, Desa ParkCity. This milestone number reflects the unrivalled reach 7-Eleven has in the Malaysian retail scene and its latest store reflects its contemporary concept store format, which has been gradually rolled-out nationwide over the past few years.

Speaking at the ceremony, Colin Harvey, CEO of 7-Eleven Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. commented, “We are truly ecstatic at our latest milestone, which in less than 18 years, under the astute vision and guidance of Tan Sri’ Vincent Tan, has grown from a mere 176 stores to become the undisputed retailer with the most number of retail outlets in Malaysia. We are very pleased to have to have reached this milestone but it’ll be business as usual as we have no intention of stopping here and will continue with our rapid store expansion. We are also pleased to be able to showcase here today our latest product and service innovations which sets us apart from other convenience stores in Malaysia with a strong emphasis on best in class fresh food.”

At the ceremony, a brief tour was given on key highlights of the stores. The current generation of 7-Eleven stores encourages customers to see 7-Eleven as a lifestyle store, where they can enjoy the range of products on offer at the store in a relaxed manner, akin to what one would experience at a neighborhood café. At the store in Plaza Arkadia, its full food service offers a wider array of fresh food and beverages under the brand name of 7-Eleven which include designer sandwiches, Cocoks™ – the brand’s ever-popular skewered snacks that now can be purchased with 4 different sauces, grilled sausages and newly re-packaged bakery range.

Customers with sweet cravings can also opt to try 7-Eleven’s fresh donuts, Swiss rolls, a variety of cake slices and its exclusive soft serve series, aptly named Aiskleem™. Moreover, its extensive beverage selections including among others the world-famous Slurpee® in fun and exciting new flavours like ManGoda, a playfully-termed Mango Passion Fruit flavour. 7-Eleven Malaysia has also increased its range of in-store services to customers with a wider selection of utility providers of its 24/7 bill payment service, major e-commerce offline payment option as well as being able to pay for your PTPTN loan. E-wallets such as Razer Pay and Alipay are also now accepted with more to come on board and fans of Google Play, Sony Playstation, Spotify, Netflix and more can also conveniently purchase prepaid cards either for their own use or as a gift to family and friends.

Mr. Harvey continued, “It is important to us to continue to innovate on not only our product offering, but to also play more of a role in the daily lives of our customers. By offering these services, we can offer a whole new level of convenience in Malaysia and we continue to be the leader for the convenience sector. We are enthusiastic about the future and will continue to deliver the best possible product, services and promotional offerings at our stores based on what our consumers want.” 

7-Eleven Malaysia is the largest stand-alone convenience store-chain nationwide, with now 2,323 outlets across the country and continuously aspires to elevate customers’ shopping experiences and to scale greater heights as the largest stand-alone convenience store operator in Malaysia. To meet today’s expectations in providing convenience to customers; 7-Eleven Malaysia opts to stay close to its customer’s heart by staying true to its motto, Always There for You.

Hard Rock Cafe Brings Some Global Inspiration to its Menu During Ramadhan

For a Limited-Time Fans Will Be Able to Enjoy Selected Menu Items Created as Part of Hard Rock’s BurgerRocker Competition

KUALA LUMPUR, 8 MAY 2019  Hard Rock Cafe Kuala Lumpur today announced new, limited-time menu offerings that will take guests around the world in one bite! Between 1 May and 30 June 2019the cafe welcomes guests to explore a selection of locally-crafted, globally-inspired sliders and burgers. By integrating eclectic flavours with Hard Rock’s classics, fans will enjoy a unique dining experience combining the best of both worlds during the holy month.

Hard Rock Cafe’s limited-time burger offerings combine global flavours with the traditional burgers fans have loved for decades. These new dishes include:

·       Passion Fruit Sliders – get jammin’ with the winner of the BurgerRocker competition from Guanacaste, Costa Rica, Jacob Gonzalez. The menu item features three burger patties topped with a sweet and smoky turkey bacon jam, creamy Jack cheese and a crispy onion ring

·       Tex-Mex Cheese Burger – let’s taco ‘bout another BurgerRocker champion, Jesus Lara from Chicago, Illinois, USA. This burger features a full-flavoured steak patty topped with rich guacamole, smooth Jack cheese, juicy tomato, crisp lettuce, chili spice and a soft, toasted bun.

·       All-American Sliders – three burger patties topped with creamy American cheese and a juicy onion ring, atop a bed of coleslaw and served on toasted buns.

·       Buffalo-Style Sliders – burger patties topped with spicy, classic Buffalo sauce, a crispy fried onion and the choice of cooling blue cheese or creamy ranch dressing

“As we expand our menu with limited-time offerings, we wanted to give guests the chance to go around the world in one sitting,” said Anibal Fernandez, Vice President of Franchise Operations & Development for Hard Rock International. “Our two BurgerRocker competition winners, The Passion Fruit Turkey Bacon Sliders and Tex-Mex Cheese Burger bring exciting twists to fan favourites by blending new flavours with our beloved classics that have remained the core of the Hard Rock Cafe since 1971.”

Guests are encouraged to stop by a Hard Rock Cafe near them to try out the new limited-time menu and cocktail lineup or visit https://www.hardrockcafe.com/location/kuala-lumpur/ for more information.

Interview with CEO of Coca-Cola’s Bottling Investments Group MY & SG

(from right) Barry O’Connell, Chief Executive Officer for Malaysia-Singapore-Brunei, Bottling Investments Group, The Coca-Cola Company at the Coca-Cola Collectors Fair 2019

Mini Me Insights had a chance to interview Barry O’Connell, Chief Executive Officer for Malaysia-Singapore-Brunei, Bottling Investments Group, The Coca-Cola Company on the sideline of the launch of the Coca-Cola Collectors Fair 2019 on 4 May 2019.

When asked about the response of The Coca-Cola Company towards the Malaysian government’s move to tax sugary beverages from 1 July 2019, the company said it is looking at “reformulation” as among the multiple options being considered at the moments, said O’Connell.

Reformulation, expanding the healthy beverage portfolio

O’Connell said the company has “made significant progress in the last couple of years” when it comes to reformulation. Apart from reformulation, it is looking at portion control and downsizing, while working at expanding its portfolio into healthy beverages.

He added that “it is easy to reduce the sugar content but you will lose consumers because you compromise on taste.” The beverage giant is very “deliberate” in what they do when it comes to sugar reduction.

Collaborate with the government

The Coca-Cola Company is continuing to work with the government as the company “believes in the value of being a contributor to the issue of health and wellness.”

Coca-Cola Coffee won’t be in Malaysia soon

Globally, the company is releasing Coca-Cola Coffee in more than 25 markets by the end of 2019. Coca-Cola Coffee is a blend of Coke soda with coffee targeting consumers who want more caffeine in their drink but less sugar.

For Malaysia, we have to wait because O’Connell said The Coca-Cola Company will not “immediately” launch Coca-Cola Coffee in the country. The reason is the soft drink giant has to make “conscious decision on what to bring in and very often the most difficult decision is not what to bring in.” He added that “now is probably not the right time for coffee but then again that could change.”

Sports drink market overlapping with sparkling

In Malaysia, the isotonic market and the sparkling market overlap significant, said O’Connell. “Consumers tend to use them for similar things such as hydrate and to get a boost of energy.” This means Coca-Cola is directly competing against 100Plus, which is the leader in the isotonic/sport drink segment in Malaysia.

Energy drink remains a small segment

The Coca-Cola Company feels the energy drink market is not as large as other areas. The company’s focus will continue to be on soft drinks.

Dairy-based drink and RTD tea are important categories

Dairy will be a significant category for The Coca-Cola Company, said O’Connell. RTD tea is also another big category and the company is making a “very good progress” with Heaven & Earth and Authentic Tea House, added O’Connell. He said there will be more innovations around those two brands in the coming 12 to 18 months.

Brand’s® Essence of Chicken Brings More Goodness to Mothers

Ms. Lam Hui Min, Senior Brand Manager of BRAND'S Suntory Malaysia with the two Senior Scientists of BRAND'S Suntory International

6 May 2019. Over 100 pharmacists from leading pharmacy chains along with other invited guests discovered “The Science Behind BRAND’S® Essence of Chicken” in a recent 2-day interactive dialogue session that was led by Senior Scientist BRAND’S® Suntory International, Dr. Jack Wong Jing Lin.

Dr. Jack Wong Jing Lin, Senior Scientist of BRAND’S Suntory International

According to Dr. Wong, drinking BRAND’S® Essence of Chicken is not only good for the body and mind which reduces tiredness and improves concentration, but gives precious benefits that are most valuable for lactating mothers.

“BRAND’S® Essence of Chicken has been widely studied and supported by over 40 international scientific papers and clinical studies and it is also proven to improve the quality of colostrum and helps to boost up the quantity of breast milk.” explained Dr. Wong.

“In addition to that, knowing that Malaysian’s staple food are mostly white rice and bread, we have research showing that consumption of BRAND’S® Essence of Chicken together with white rice or bread helped reduce glycaemic response. This could be beneficial to people who are concerned about their blood sugar level.” he summarized.

BRAND’S® Essence of Chicken has long been a favourite based on trust and experience, especially among the older generation. Today’s consumers, however, are more discerning and need hard evidence for them to believe in a product that is safe and beneficial to be consumed.

During the session, the participants were also introduced to the new BRAND’S® Lutein Essence by Dr. Tan Zhen Wei, Senior Scientist BRAND’S® Suntory International. BRAND’S® Lutein Essence is the only health tonic in the market that has been developed based on science and has been proven to increase macular pigment in the eyes which is essential in filtering blue light.

“Malaysians spend an average of almost 14 hours a day on digital devices with 89% engaged with digital devices once awake and before sleep. BRAND’S® Lutein Essence helps to protect the eyes from over exposure to blue light through prolonged usage of electronic devices which can lead to various digital eye strain such as eye fatigue, dry eyes and blurred vision.” said Dr. Tan.

BRAND’S® Lutein Essence contains two important nutrients for eyes which are Lutein and Zeaxanthin, both of which have been proven to increase macular pigment in the eyes which is essential in filtering blue light.

BRAND’S® products are scientifically based and have been researched and published in various journals. BRAND’S® will now take it further by creating an online information resource by launching BRAND’S® Health Enrichment Centre website (www.BHEcentre.com), next month. The site aims to translate scientific knowledge into practical health and lifestyle resources to help health care professionals and consumers to be in their optimal health. 

Pharmacists and Members of Moms Club at The recent BRAND’S Science Forum event

Contribute to the Underprivileged This Ramadhan

Kuala Lumpur, 3 May 2019 – 7-Eleven Malaysia, the nation’s leading convenience chain store, carries on its goodwill of providing for the underprivileged community through its annual CSR charity programme this time of the year with Semurni Kasih through the Community Care program.

The donation drive will be held in the holy month of Ramadhan, running for 43 days from now until 10 June 2019. Customers are encouraged to contribute through the campaign by purchasing necessities and supplies from 7-Eleven stores nationwide and placing them into the collection box positioned in a prominent area of the store. Supplies could range from biscuits, instant food, groceries, medications, and other household essentials found in the store. The contributions will then be distributed by 7-Eleven to selected beneficiaries across the country.

Since its inception in 2008, Semurni Kasih has collected and disbursed almost RM15 million worth of provisions to close to 2,000 beneficiaries in Malaysia.

“We believe each contribution to Semurni Kasih, be it small or big, would make a positive impact towards the less fortunate community. From supporting local orphanages, nursing homes, and care centres, we are motivated to make this year’s campaign a bigger one, and encourage the public’s unwavering support and contribution to make this a successful initiative. With our network of 2,300 stores throughout Malaysia, doing good this Ramadhan is convenient and easy!” said Ronan Lee, Marketing General Manager of 7-Eleven Malaysia.

Semurni Kasih is part of 7-Eleven Malaysia’s Community Care, a non-profit entity set up to implement corporate responsibility and philanthropic initiatives in support of underprivileged groups and sustains environmental conservation efforts.

For more information on Semurni Kasih and 7-Eleven Community Care, please visit www.7eleven.com.my or follow 7ElevenMalaysia on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

About 7-Eleven Malaysia

7-Eleven Malaysia Holdings Berhad through its subsidiary 7-Eleven Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. is the owner and operator of 7-Eleven stores in Malaysia. Incorporated on 4 June 1984, 7-Eleven Malaysia has made its mark in the retailing scene and has been a prominent icon for over 35 years. 7-Eleven Malaysia is the pioneer and largest 24-hours standalone convenience store operator in Malaysia with over 2,320 outlets nationwide and serves close to a million customers daily. 7-Eleven stores can be found across bustling commercial districts to serene suburban residential compounds throughout Malaysia, from petrol stations and LRT stations to shopping malls and medical institutions. 7-Eleven is Always There For You.

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