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Grow young together with Anlene Heart-Plus

By
Tan Heng Hong
-

Focusing on heart health

Fonterra Malaysia has launched Anlene Heart-Plus with MoveMax and HeartMax dual action formula for good heart health and mobility. The HeartMax formula comes with plant sterol to reduce cholesterol, omega 3 (DHA + EPA), potassium and folic acid.

Grow young together

The brand message is you need to have strong bones, muscles and joints (mobility) as well as a strong heart (low cholesterol) to “grow young together with your loved one.”

Featuring Datuk Sheila and husband Acis

The TVC features Anlene’s brand ambassador Datuk Sheila Majid together with his husband Hashridz Murshim Hassim (Acis). Sheila said she “always encourages her husband, music director Acis, to consume a healthy diet, stay physically active and perform regular check-ups” so that they can grow young together.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PINQ-e-YdLU

The Anlene Heart-Plus is a squeal to Anlene BoneMax, which was launched at the end of 2016, showing brand ambassador Datuk Sheila grooving to the latest Sinaran Remix with her daughter, Kayda Aziz. The message was to show that she “would never let anything stop her from moving as young as she feels inside.”

With Anlene Heart-Plus, her husband will also grow young together with her. This opens up the opportunity for Anlene not only targeting female but also male consumers.

Here are the nutritional ingredients of the new Anlene Heart-Plus compared with Anlene Gold for adults aged 51 and above.

What Mini Me thinks

Anlene Heart-Plus taps into the strong desire of growing young together with your partner and still able to enjoy live together. This theme sets in motion the innate desire of the other sex (mainly females) to encourage their spouse to start drinking Anlene milk so that they can age healthily together.

Image from the web

Press Release: ”Unlock the Warrior in You” with an elixir that boosts your courageous confidence

By
Tan Heng Hong
-
From left: Jate Samathivathanachai, Director of Strategy & Investments at Allexcel; Athita Bunpatimakorn, Assistant Business Development Manager - International Business T.C. Pharmaceutical Industries Co., Ltd.; Pornsak Sermwiwatwong, Senior Business Development Manager from T.C. Pharmaceutical Industries Co., Ltd.
  • All-new sparkling energy drink that keeps you alert and active to help you conquer the day
  • Comes in two great-tasting flavours: zesty lemon and fruity strawberry

 Petaling Jaya, 31 March 2017 – Allexcel and TC Pharma today announced the launch of Warrior, an all-new sparkling energy drink. Warrior is a dynamic brand that has its sights set on expanding the energy drink category in Malaysia by helping consumers to ‘’unlock their courageous confidence’’ and warrior spirit with two great-tasting flavours – zesty lemon and fruity strawberry.

Infused with the goodness of vitamins B and C to enhance concentration and increase the body’s immunity, respectively, as well as an energy boosting Ginseng extract, Warrior offers consumers the much needed alertness to move forward with their daily endeavours with the courage, confidence and bravery of a Warrior!

Jate Samathivathanachai, Director of Strategy & Investments at Allexcel, said “Warrior is a fantastic product. It not only tastes great but its bubbles tickle your tongue while the vitamins, ginseng extract and taurine provide the energy one needs to continually cross off that never-ending to-do list. Warrior aims to be the enabler for millennials and youths to push themselves to reach their full potential with a stride of confidence.”

Samathivathanachai further elaborated that the Warrior personality resonates with young ‘Modern Day Warriors’ who are seeking ways to bring out the best in themselves, step out of their comfort zones and engage in new experiences. People in general require assurance that they are making the right decisions and the brand strives to be the catalyst in helping to motivate consumers to believe in themselves – and with that comes the birth of a true warrior. Life is full of challenges, but don’t be a WORRIER, be a WARRIOR.

“One of our goals for launching Warrior in the Malaysian market is to provide consumers with an exciting alternative to regular ready-to-drink beverages in the form of a refreshing sparkling energy drink as well as to revitalise the millennial palate. Warrior is a dynamic beverage made using high quality ingredients and appeals to consumers with active lifestyles who are looking for a pick-me-up” added Samathivathanachai.

As part of the launch and the three day “Warrior Genesis” roadshow, members of public will get to experience a novel tech crossover journey to “Unlock the Warrior” in them. Activities begin with participants donning their arms with intricate eye-catching body marbling “War Paint”, a first in Malaysia, followed by a virtual reality “Mission”, concluding with participants striking a “Victory Pose” which will be captured by bullet time photography in the form of a lenticular 3D print that can be taken home as a keepsake of the Warrior journey. The Warrior roadshow commences today in Petaling Jaya and will make its rounds to Johor Bahru on April 29-30 and Penang on May 20-21.

Warrior is available at major convenience stores and selected petrol marts, independent small grocers, supermarkets and hypermarkets at a recommended retail price of RM2.10 – 2.30 per can (depending on channel). In conjunction with the launch, members of public will get to enjoy a special promotion of RM4.00 for two cans of 325ml Warrior from 31st March to 2nd April 2017 at Sunway Pyramid Shopping Centre’s Blue Concourse and a chance to experience the Warrior Journey with unique and exciting activities.

For more information about Warrior, please visit www.facebook.com/WarriorSparklingEnergyMY and www.instagram.com/WarriorSparklingEnergyMY.

About Warrior Sparkling Energy Drink

Warrior is an all-new sparkling energy drink for individuals with active lifestyles and is available in two refreshing flavours – zesty lemon and fruity strawberry. Warrior is infused with the goodness of vitamins B and C to enhance concentration and increase the body’s immunity, as well as an energy boosting Ginseng extract to keep one alert and active to conquer the day. Warrior is available at major convenience stores and selected petrol marts, independent small grocers, supermarkets and hypermarkets at the recommended retail price of RM2.10 – 2.30 per can (depending on channel). For more information, please visit www.fb.com/WarriorSparklingEnergyMY

About Allexcel Trading Sdn. Bhd.

Allexcel Trading Sdn. Bhd. (“Allexcel”) is the brand representative and exclusive agent for Red Bull® Energy Drink and Warrior® Sparkling Energy Drink in Malaysia. Allexcel launched Red Bull® in Malaysia in 1993 and the brand is currently the No. 1 energy drink in the country. Red Bull enhances alertness, endurance and performance – stimulating both mind and body. Warrior® Sparkling Energy Drink was launched in 2017. For more information, please visit www.redbull.com.my and www.fb.com/WarriorSparklingEnergyMY

About T.C. Pharmaceutical Industries Co., Ltd. 

T.C. Pharmaceutical Industries Co., Ltd. (“TC Pharma”) is one of the leading F&B companies in Thailand with a diverse product portfolio comprising four product categories – energy drinks, electrolyte beverages, functional drinks and snacks – and more than thirty product lines under nine brands. TC Pharma is the sole manufacturer of Red Bull® and Warrior® formulas worldwide and creator and owner of Red Bull® and Warrior® trademarks. TCP was founded in 1956 by Mr. Chaleo Yoovidhya. In 1975, Mr. Chaleo invented Krating Daeng (“Red Bull®”), an energy drink that combined a stimulating effect with a unique taste profile, thereby creating an entirely new product category. The company has over 2,600 employees at its headquarters, production sites and joint-venture locations around the world. For more information, please visit www.tcpharmaceuticals.com

Press Release: 7-Eleven Malaysia, Empowering Women

By
Tan Heng Hong
-
Photo: Rev. Henry Sandanam (2nd from top left) of the Association of Social Services and Community Development of Gombak District, Selangor, with the community and volunteers from 7-Eleven Malaysia and NGO Hub Asia.

30 March 2017

SELAYANG – In collaboration with NGO Hub Asia and the Association of Social Services and Community Development of Gombak Selangor (PSPK), 7-Eleven Malaysia recently conducted its latest CSR initiative by organizing a cupcake certification course for single mothers and children at PSPK Women Development Centre.

The Association of Social Services and Community Development of Gombak Selangor (PSPK) was formed in 2006 by Rev. Henry Sandanam. Situated in Selayang Baru, Batu Caves, the non-profit organization is dedicated in empowering single mothers and youths from the underprivileged community. They offer help to these individuals in gradually regaining confidence and attain a renewed sense of purpose to extend their support within the community.

“We believe that in order for individuals to be self-sustaining, they have to take the initial step towards change,” said Rev. Henry. “The acquisition of different skill-sets through our training program provides an opportunity for these individuals to generate income on their own and lead a self-sustained life.”

“In return, they only have to contribute back to the community and help restore the lives of others. For the community, by the community,” he added.

More than 40 participants were present during the cupcake certification course. To facilitate the program, 7-Eleven Malaysia and NGO Hub Asia volunteers assisted with the preparation of frostings and fondant to be used for decorating. Specialized baking instructors were invited to conduct the certification session by teaching cake piping techniques to the participants and they eagerly embellished their cupcakes with elaborate and creative designs.

By the end of the session, assortments of cupcakes were boxed and ready to be brought home. In acknowledgement of the community’s participation and achievement, 7-Eleven Malaysia awarded each individual with a certificate and a small reward; followed by a hearty lunch consisting of freshly packed food from 7-Eleven Malaysia’s range of Fresh to Go products.

7-Eleven Malaysia General Manager of Marketing, Mr. Ronan Lee commented, “In support of women, we at 7-Eleven Malaysia are devoted to empower them through any means possible and help them gain the recognition they deserve to uphold in society and demolish stereotypical beliefs. It is truly a pleasure to be able to fulfil our part to make a difference for the community. Knowing that we can inspire change within these individuals to take charge in the betterment of their lives motivates us to extend our help further to those who need us, as it is our aspiration to continue to be Always There For You.

For more information, please log on to 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 have been a prominent icon for over 32 years. 7-Eleven Malaysia is the pioneer and largest 24-hours standalone convenience store operator in Malaysia with over 2,100 outlets nationwide and serves more than 900,000 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.

Perfect time to indulge in premium ice cream

By
Tan Heng Hong
-

The weather is getting hotter in Malaysia. The extreme hot weather is a good excuse for many to indulge in cold treat like ice cream.

Malaysians are spoiled for choices when it comes to ice cream. We have access to a wide selection of premium ice cream including imported brands like Haagen Dazs (Nestle), Magnum (Unilever), Kapiti and Tip Top from New Zealand, Bulla from Australia, Ben and Jerry’s from the USA and Yukimi Daifuku from Japan as well as a new local Japanese owned Malaysian made “iNatural”.

Most ice cream comes from Thailand

The key sources of premium ice cream are Thailand, Indonesia, the US, France, New Zealand, Australia, South Korea, Japan and other European countries. Häagen-Dazs is manufactured in France, Magnum is made in Indonesia and London Diary is produced in the UAE.

The total value of imported ice cream in 2016 stood at RM 181.6 million, down 9% year-on-year.

Data above was complied by Mini Me Insights from the Malaysia External Trade Statistics (METS)

Each imported premium ice cream brand has their own taste and ardent followers. Häagen-Dazs needs no further explanation as it has set its name as a premium ice cream. Basically, they all have something in common and that is most are milky, chocolatey, very sweet and not healthy (read indulgent treat).

Here is a summary of their retail prices at Cold Storage.

iNatural embraces natural ingredients

Compared with most premium imported ice cream, the new iNatural, launched in late 2016, adopts a different approach. The taste is based on fresh fruit and coconut milk and it tries to make itself as natural as possible to target the healthy market. iNatural targets consumers who want to avoid high calories, chocolate and the thick milky taste. The ice cream suits consumers who like to  buy fresh juices and smoothies as iNatural is made from real fresh fruit and not from puree.

One thing iNatural can explore in the future with its ice cream are individually wrapped cubes featuring the right size for self indulgence.
Other recent launches – Magnum Red Velvet
Wall’s has introduced the limited edition Magnum Red Velvet. The ice cream is inspired by the popular Red Velvet cake. It combines cocoa ice cream and cream cheese sauce with Belgian white chocolate. Here are the ingredients of the new Magnum Red Velvet.

Magnum Red Velvet 80ml

White chocolate, sugar, milk solids (skimmed milk powder, whey protein concentrate), coconut oil, glucose syrup, cream cheese powder, contains permitted colouring, stabilisers (INS 410, INS 407, INS 412), emulsifier (INS 471 – plant origin) and flavouring substances of plant and synthetic origin, cocoa powder and citric acid.

Häagen-Dazs White & Almond

The Häagen-Dazs Raise the Bar ice cream range has been added with the new White & Almond. The stick bar is made in France and does not come with artificial colourings and additives.

Häagen-Dazs White & Almond

Vanilla Ice Cream (Fresh Cream (39%), Condensed Skimmed Milk, Sugar, Egg Yolk, Dried Glucose Syrup, Natural Vanilla Flavouring, Salt) Belgian White Chocolate (Cocoa Butter, Sugar, Whole Milk Powder, Skimmed Milk Powder, Butter Oil, Coconut Oil, Emulsifier: Soy Lecithin) Caramel Almonds (Roasted Almonds, Sugar, Coconut Oil, Glucose Syrup, Caramelised Sugar Syrup).

Vinamilk inaugurates first organic dairy farm, premiumisation opportunity

By
Tan Heng Hong
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Image from the web

Vinamilk made headline in March 2017 with the official opening of its EU-certified organic dairy farm in Da Lat in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong. The Da Lat organic farm in Lam Dong is certified by Netherlands-based Control Union in 2016 under the European standards (according to the EU organic EC 834/2007 and 889/2008). This makes the farm in Da Lat the first organic dairy farm with European organic standards in Vietnam.

Da Lat is a key supplier of temperate agriculture products for all over the country. A number of organic farms have emerged in Da Lat including Organik Farm. It is therefore natural that Da Lai was picked as the site for the organic farm thanks in part to the temperate climate where the average temperature is around 14°C.

Image above from Vinamilk

Phase one started in 2014 with an initial 500 herds. Phase two expansion will start soon.

Image above from Google Map. The accuracy of this image has not been verified.

Three years ago in 2014, the same company certified Vinamilk’s farm in Nghe An as a GLOBAL G.A.P. (Good Agricultural Practice) site.

Vinamilk debuts USDA-certified organic milk in June 2016

In June 2016, Vinamilk launched its USDA-certified organic UHT milk, making it the first local dairy company to launch an organic line in the country. The company has full ownership of the US-based dairy company Driftwood, which is the biggest supplier of milk and juice to K-12 school districts in Southern California. It is not known if this USDA-certified milk was sourced from the US or from the local farm in Vietnam.

New EU organic UHT milk

Image above was captured by the author

Now, Vinamilk has a new UHT milk certified organic by a EU organic certifying body. The milk comes from the company’s own farm in Da Lat.

The new Vinamilk 100% Organic Milk is the priciest among domestic and imported UHT milk but it is also comes at a fraction of the cost of an imported organic UHT milk.

Farm tour to build trust

With the opening of the organic dairy farm, Vinamilk has also started the dairy farm tour, which helps to improve transparency and build trust. The scenic farm does make a good holiday spot for the entire family.

What Mini Me thinks

What is significant about the Da Lat organic farm is that it elevates Vietnam’s dairy industry to the next level. It also opens premiumisation opportunity and making organic milk more accessible to consumers. There is also the export potential for Vinamilk organic milk in the region due to the attractive price and strong EU certification.

Farm Fresh Kurma Milk targets lactating mothers

By
Tan Heng Hong
-

Now in modern trade

Malaysia’s Farm Fresh has recently made available its Kurma Milk in the modern grocery stores. Milk made with kurma or palm dates is known to be a “good source of iron for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, helping the development of red blood cells in infants.”

No sugar and preservatives are added.

Selling mainly through home dealers

Apparently, Kurma Milk has been in the market for sometime selling mainly through home dealers. According to one of the home dealers, they cannot order only Kurma Milk from the manufacturer as there is limited stock available. Each Kurma Milk ordered has to be matched by another milk from Farm Fresh. Therefore, when the home dealer sells Kurma Milk to their customers, the package will come with other non-Kurma milk as well.

Tapping milk booster trend

Mini Me Insights has talked about the rising popularity of milk booster in Malaysia and Indonesia in the past. Click here for the article.

Google Trends – Milk Booster – Malaysia

Palm dates are well known for its nutritious qualities among the Malays in Malaysia. One way to increase the breast milk supply is to consume palm dates. The other milk boosting ingredients are habbatus sauda, honey and cocoa.

The expansion of the distribution channel for Kurma Milk is positive as it has made the product more widely available. Kurma Milk also fills the gap in the lack of commercially available milk booster in the form of fresh cow’s milk.

Kurma Milk (700g) is available at Cold Storage for RM 7.99 and is priced at a premium compared with the chocolate milk.

A visit to a sundry shop catering to Bangladeshi in Kuala Lumpur

By
Tan Heng Hong
-

The author visited a provision shop that caters to the Bangladeshi workers living in Taman Lembah Maju on the fringe of Kuala Lumpur to find out what sort of beverages that are popular with Bangladeshi nationals staying in Malaysia.

Taman Lembah Maju is on the fringe of Kuala Lumpur (image above)

Nearly 2 million legal workers – Bangladeshi 13%

Here is a background information about Bangladesh workers in Malaysia. At the end of September 2016, the country had 1.85 million foreign workers with temporary employment visit pass. This figure did not include undocumented workers. Of the total, Indonesia accounted for 40%, Nepal second with 22% and Bangladesh third with 13%.

The Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) estimated the number of documented and undocumented foreign workers at 6 million! Bangladesh workers work mainly in the labour-intensive construction, manufacturing and plantation sectors.

Nowadays in Malaysia, there are a lot of provision stores (trade license owned by Malaysian but often operated by Bangladeshi). Such sundry shop tends to stock a lot of products from the South Indian continent. The most important supplier is Pran, the Bangladesh-listed food processor, which has operations in Malaysia focusing on both migrant Bangladeshi workers and Malaysian consumers.

The shop sells Pran energy drink (Power), carbonated soft drinks (Up and Zeera Pani), fruit juices (Lavila mango drink, Fruitfun mango/orange, Junior juice, mixed fruit juice and litchi drink), dairy (lassi) and others (Fruitfun basil seed drink, basil seed drink and soya milk).

Pran does not only import from Bangladesh, it also sources beverages from suppliers in Malaysia and Vietnam to cater to the palate of the Malaysian consumers. The basil seed drinks are made by Vietnam’s Nam Viet Phat Food Co Ltd for Pinnacle Foods (M) Sdn Bhd, the local unit of Pran, while the soya milk is produced by Malaysia-based Jascon Food Sdn Bhd.

Pran has also made available the trending Zeera Pani cumin-flavoured carbonated soft drink. Cumin seeds have traditionally been noted to be of benefit to the digestive system. The drink leverages on cumin’s benefit and is marketed as having the benefit of suppressing appetite, thus aiding in weight lost. The 250ml Pran Zeera Pani comes with a retail price of RM 1.00.

In India, a range of new jeera pani flavoured soft drinks were launched in 2016 and they were positioned as ethnic drink. In Bangladesh, Partex Beverage (RC Cola bottler) introduced RC Jeera Pani in 2016. RC Jeera Pani is known as a refreshing drink. Pran Zeera Pani is likely to be the only cumin flavoured beverage that stresses on the digestive benefits of cumin.

What Mini Me thinks

The substantial foreign worker population in Malaysia has opened up new business opportunities and potential cross cultural influence in terms of the food culture. However, ethnic food from Bangladesh, Nepal and Myanmar have yet to make a mark on Malaysia and are still confined within their communities.

Exporters including Pran are resorting to localise their offerings or focusing on products that have the greatest appeal among Malaysian consumers such as mango drink and spices if they want to broaden their consumer base.

Press Release: Consumer Complaints about E-Commerce – A Study by iPrice & Trusted Company –

By
Tan Heng Hong
-

23 March 2017

As a price comparison website in the arena of e-commerce in SEA, we thought it would be interesting to study and compare how consumers in Singapore and other nationalities in SEA complain about e-commerce. Partnering with Trusted Company (a reliable 3rd party platform for consumers), we analysed 30,000 consumer reviews (especially complaints) by Singaporeans, Malaysians, Thais and Filipinos about e-commerce in SEA and compiled our findings in the attached infographic.

Among the findings were:

Ethical consumerism on the rise. Giant stopped selling dog meat

By
Tan Heng Hong
-

The Giant supermarket in Manado capital city of the North Sulawesi province of Indonesia has announced on 17 March 2017 that it is no longer selling dog meat (daging RW). This follows negative reaction from the public especially from dog lovers after the story about the supermarket selling dog meat became viral on social media.

Catering to local dietary habits

What Giant Ekstra Manado AA Maramis was doing before that was actually catering to the local dietary practice. In Manado, dog meat is considered a delicacy by the Minahasan people. In the marketplaces in Tomohon and Tondano, various exotic meats are sold openly including dog, rat, bat, monkey and wild boar. The author has seen this with his own eyes during a visit to the Tomohon market few years ago.

 

Eating dog meat is considered cruel, barbaric

Even though some cultures allow dog meat to be consumed but with the rise of ethical consumerism and the growth of pet ownership in Asian countries, eating dog is now considered cruel and barbaric.

In China, the Yulin (玉林) dog meat festival in southern China’s Guangxi autonomous region has been in the centre of widespread criticism by both the local and international communities. This practice continues despite criticism. The leading supermarkets in Yulin do not selling dog meat in the store as this can easily lead to bad reputation.

Image captured by the author

Dog meat is also consumed in Vietnam especially in the northern provinces. Young people are increasingly shunning dog meat because it is uncivilised and there are many substitute to dog meat. With rising dog ownership in Vietnam, more people are now keeping dogs as pet rather than consuming them. In modern restaurants, you still can enjoy dog meat but this will be the fake dog meat dish prepared with pork.

What Mini Me thinks

Grocery stores are known to sell foodstuff customised for the local population and this would include selling things like selling live turtles in supermarkets in China. Tesco in China ended the sale of live turtles in 2015 following complaints by animal welfare campaigners. The retailer has been selling live turtles for the past eight years.

With the rise of ethical consumerism, grocery chains need to review their products to ensure they sell do not products that would offend the sensitivities of consumers. This would include religious sensitivity.

Vietnam’s Vinamilk yoghurt now in Malaysia

By
Tan Heng Hong
-

Vinamilk deepens international push

Vinamilk is deepening its presence in Southeast Asia. The Vietnam’s largest dairy company has already exported to 43 countries including the US with export revenue reaching USD 250 million to USD 270 million. In 2015, Vinamilk posted a 14% year-on-year gain in revenue to USD 1.7 billion.

Vinamilk enters Malaysia

Having exported its yoghurt to Thailand in 2016, Vinamilk has now entered Malaysia in the first quarter of 2017 through DS Borneo Trading Sdn Bhd. DS Borneo is a food & beverage brand grower, importer and exporter.

The Vinamilk yoghurt is available at Giant supermarket.

Vinamilk priced at a premium

In Vietnam, the price of Vinamilk yoghurt ranges from RM 0.88 to RM 1.15 per 100g, which is comparable to Nutrigen LiteYo in Malaysia.

Kefir will be the most interesting product as one can hardly find packaged kefir in the local market.

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