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Sugar-free Gatorade G-Active enriches flavoured water line-up in the Philippines

By
Tan Heng Hong
-

Gatorade G-Active debuts in the Philippines

Gatorade, the top sports drink in the Philippines, has announced the launch of the new G-Active. It is a refreshing take on water with available flavors: Berry, Orange, and Lime. This electrolyte water drink does not come with sugar.

Previously launched in Mexico and Australia

Gatorade G-Active was previously launched first in Mexico in 2016 and subsequently in Australia at the end of April 2017.

Here is how the Australian version looks like. The campaign in Australia asks audiences ‘what if your water was as active as you?’. The message is Gatorade G-Active is the smart hydration choice for busy lifestyles.

Flavoured water is trending in the Philippines

We have seen the emergence of a range of new flavoured water or near water beverages in the Philippines market targeting consumers embracing the healthier lifestyle.

Philippine Spring Water Resources has its Nature Spring Flavoured Water packed with vitamins B1, B3, B6, and B12. This water-based drink with fruity twist flavors is positioned as a healthier alternative to soft drinks.

Another water brand, The Coca-Coca Co’s Wilkins delivered the county’s first water brand infused with flavors extracted from real fruit.

Gatorade G-Active is sugar free

Both Nature Spring Flavoured Water and Wilkins Delight represent the extension of the bottled water category into the emerging flavoured water segment. Both products contain sugar. Wilkins Delight’s sugar content is 18g per 250ml, while Nature Spring Flavoured Water is 25g per 350ml.

The difference between Gatorade G-Active and the other flavourer water brands is G-Active does not have sugar. This is something new for the flavoured water category and for sports enthusiasts who do not want to burden their body with the extra sugar.

All eyes on snack puffs for babies with new Promina Puffs

By
Tan Heng Hong
-

Baby supplementary food innovation in Southeast Asia is moving towards puff snack, a finger food for toddlers. The most recent launch involves the Promina brand of Indonesia’s leading food producer Indofood.

New Promina Puffs

The Promina Puffs was officially launched on 7 June 2017. Promina and SUN are part of the Indofood’s Nutrition & Special Foods Division. Promina is aimed at the higher-income bracket, while SUN is for the mass market.

There are 2 variants under Promina Puffs – banana and blueberry for babies 8 months and above. The puffs are fortified with Omega 3 & 6, calcium, iron and 7 vitamins.

Nestle Cerelac Nutripuffs launched in Malaysia in 2016

In 2016, Nestle launched its first toddler finger food in Asia – Cerelac Nutripuffs in Malaysia. There are two flavours – Banana & Orange and Banana & Strawberry. Unlike Promina Puff, Cerelac Nutripuffs is aimed at children 12 months and above.

Cerelac Nutripuffs now available in Vietnam

Cerelac Nutripuffs was subsequently introduced in Vietnam in the first quarter of 2017 in the form of a direct import from Malaysia.

What Mini Me thinks

The growth of the middle income class in Southeast Asia meant that parents have the extra money to spend beyond basic baby supplementary food such as cereal and biscuits and into something more premium like puffs.

The availability of imported puff from brands like Gerber and Happy Baby, often priced at a premium, provides a conducive environment for local market players to come up with a cheaper alternative.

Personally, I still buy Happy Baby Organic Puffs for my baby even through they are more expensive than Cerelac Nutripuffs because Happy Baby does not contain cane sugar and is less sweet than Nutripuffs.

David versus Goliath in Ichitan’s entry into energy drink

By
Tan Heng Hong
-
Image from the web

The official launch of T247, a new energy drink from Ichitan Group PLC in May 2017, marked the entry of the Thai RTD tea giant into the energy drink space in Thailand.

Struggling with RTD tea sales

It is obvious from the 2016 annual report of Ichitan that the company is struggling to revive consumer interest in RTD tea after years of intense marketing. There is no exact breakdown of the segment but Ichitan’s revenue mainly came from RTD tea, according to the annual report.

Turns to energy drink

The energy drink market stood at THB 35 billion in 2016, a contraction of 2.6% year-on-year, according to the article in the Bangkok Post on 24 May 2017. The top three players M-150, Carabao Dang and Krating Dang had a combined 94.4% share of the market, in which M-150 from Osotspa dominated with a 57% share.

The reason Ichitan turns to energy drink is because the market is huge and there is only a handful of players. This is a classic example of David taking on Goliath. Ichitan founder Tan Passakornnatee is well known for his ability to use crude but effective marketing (ie cash rewards and lucky draws) to grow the company’s share in the RTD tea market, wrestling market share away from Oishi. It is wait to be seen if he is able to repeat the same success with RTD tea in energy drink.

Focusing on both white and blue collars

T247 is aimed at both white and blue collar workers (20-30 years old), particularly new workers, who need the energy to stay ahead. The choice of the brand ambassadors reflect the brand positioning – actor Son-Yuke Songpaisan (well groomed) endorsing T247 with Collagen + Zinc and pop musician Jetrin Wattanasin (macho) promoting T247 with Ginseng.

PET bottle as differentiation

The energy drinks of the top three players are in either can or in glass bottle. Ichitan differentiates from the key competitors by coming up with an energy drink in a 280ml PET bottle packaging, similar to AJE’s Volt (300ml).

At 7-Eleven, the T247 energy drink is priced at THB 15, which is more expensive than Volt THB 10, Carabao THB 10, White Shark THB 10 and Red Bull Theoplex-L THB 10 but the higher price is made up for the higher volume. The price of T247 is comparable with Red Bull G2 and G3 THB 15 and M-150 Storm THB 15.

The image below was photographed by the author at 7-Eleven in May 2017.

The downsize to using PET is that Ichitan T247 is not placed on the same rack as the other energy drinks in glass or can.

What Mini Me thinks

Ichitan’s entry into the crowded and competitive energy drink market will be a test of the marketing powress of the company. Ultimately the success or failure of T247 hinges on marketing.

Ichitan adapting to local Indonesian taste with two new RTD teas

By
Tan Heng Hong
-

Thailand’s Ichitan is adapting to local taste with two new RTD tea for Indonesia – Teh Manis (Sweetened Tea) and Teh Hijau Melati (Jasmine Green Tea). The two beverages enriches the existing local lineup of Honey Lemon Green Tea, Lychee Green Tea and Yen Yen Herbal Tea.

What Mini Me thinks

Following the success of the Ichitan millionaire program (jutawan mendadak), Ichitan is now emboldened to dip its toes into the popular RTD tea segments – jasmine green tea and sweetened tea. This brings the brand into head on collision with market leaders – Teh Gelas, Teh Kotak, Teh Pucuk Harum and Sosro.

Captain Oats offering new convenient oat porridge, oatmeal in sachet

By
Tan Heng Hong
-

Federal Oats Mills Sdn Bhd, famous for its Captain Oats instant oatmeal and quick cook oatmeal, introduced the new Eazy-Go instant oatmeal range at Thaifex 2017. The new range, likely to be launched in Malaysia in July 2017, comes in a sachet and offers convenience to busy consumers looking for something to fill up their day.

Eazy-Go range

  • Chicken Mushroom Instant Oat Porridge
  • Mixed Vegetables Instant Oat Porridge
  • Honey & Raisins Instant Oatmeal
  • Skim Milk Instant Oatmeal

This marks the first time Captain Oats is venturing into the flavoured instant oatmeal and oat porridge segment.

Ingredients

The key ingredients in the Eazy-Go Chicken Mushroom Instant Oat Porridge are oats (85%), chicken stock powder (salt, corn starch, permitted flavour enchancer [yeast extract powder, sodium guanylate, sodium inosinate], sugar, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, spice powder, chicken meat, garlic powder, onion powder, chicken fat, palm fat), whole milk powder, dried corn, dried mushroom, sugar, salt and dried spring onion. There is no added MSG.

Halal and Healthier Choice

It is certified halal by JAKIM and come with the Healthier Choice – higher in wholegrain by the Singapore Health Promotion Board.

Preparation method

The preparation method is add 220ml of hot water then stir well and wait for 3 minutes.

Sponsoring Ipoh Starwalk

The company sponsored Ipoh Starwalk with 30,000 packs of Captain Oats (including Eazy-Go) and RM 15,000 cash, which was held on 7 May 2017.

Sampling of Captain Oats Eazy-Go is also being held at selected places in the country.

New animated Captain Oats

The iconic Captain Oats is now appearing as a friendlier animated character, which will be used to drive consumer engagement with the younger generation.

Milo Nutri G, Nescafe Smoovlatte upsized to 225ml

By
Tan Heng Hong
-
Image from NTUC FairPrice

We have talked about the launch of Milo Peng in Singapore featuring heartthrob Nathan Hartono.

https://www.facebook.com/milosingapore/videos/10155612202494573/

Now lo and behold, Milo Nutri G has been upsized to 225ml and is given a new packaging highlighting the ingredients of oats, brown rice, wheat and barley. The packaging of the new Milo Peng, meanwhile, features a cyclist, the same cyclist that once appeared on Milo Nutri.

Following the upsizing of Nutri G to 225ml, the previous 190ml bottle for Nestle Nutri G and Nescafe Smoovlatte in Singapore will be phased out in favour of the 225ml bottle. I have yet to find the 225ml Milo Nutri G in Malaysia.

Nescafe Smoovlatte upsized

At the same time, Nescafe Smoovlatte now comes in a larger 225ml bottle in Singapore and Malaysia.

In Singapore, the price of the 225ml Nescafe Smoovlatte is the same as the Nescafe Smoovlatte in a previous smaller 190ml bottle. Both are selling at a price of SGD 1.30 on RedMart.

What Mini Me thinks

It appears Nestle is standarising its ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages to the new 225ml PET bottle without charging a higher price for the upsized version. It is very noble for Nestle to give back to consumers without imposing a higher price tag for the larger volume.

S&P Industries showcases Kerra Coconut Spread

By
Tan Heng Hong
-

S&P Industries Sdn Bhd, the pioneer in the production and manufacturing of instant coconut milk powder in Malaysia, showcased its Kerra Coconut Spread at the recent Thaifex 2017 in Bangkok.

Kerra Coconut Spread comes in 200g and 400g. It is gluten-free and is a good source of fibre. The spread is kosher friendly and is certified halal by JAKIM. The coconut spread is ideal for lamington.

S&P Industries plans to export Kerra Coconut Spread to Australia, which will make Australia the first market for Kerra. The choice of Australia seems right as there are already similar products in the market including Tablelands Coconut Spread and Mayver’s Super Spread Coconut. Coconut spread is marketed as a healthier spread offering less saturated fat than butter and rich in vitamin A and D.

Tablelands Coconut Spread contains coconut oil (31%), water, canola oil, vegetable oil, salt, emulsifiers (471, 322 from soybean), natural flavour, preservative, lactic acid, vitamins A & D. It is available in Malaysia and Singapore.

Kerra Coconut Spread is made from coconut (38%), inulin, vegetable oil, sugar, skim milk, emulsifier (E471, E492, E476 and E451i), citric acid (E330) and antioxidant (E307a).

Final design

Here is the look of the product with the final design as seen at Taipei International Food Show in June 2017.

*Kerra Coconut Spread at Thaifex 2017. Images were taken by the author

Boosting breast milk Thailand style

By
Tan Heng Hong
-
Image from Iron Mom

Milk booster has become a trend and a big business in Malaysia and Indonesia as breastfeeding is back in vogue again. At Thaifex 2017, I come across Iron Mom, the maker of breast milk booster made using homemade recipe and 100% natural. Click here for the Iron Mom Facebook page.

From milk boosting to preventing clogged milk duct

The unique thing about Iron Mom is that it has three products – Yummy Plee, Hot Mama and Flow. Flow is the one that prevents clogged milk duct and is made from Thai eggplants juice and date palms.

Hot Mama is made with ginger, fingerroot and basil to help boost breast milk, digestion, reduce blood sugar and cholesterol.

Yummy Plee is made from banana blossom juice and high quality honey for pregnant and breastfeeding moms.

Local, trusted ingredients

In Malaysia, kurma or date palm and honey are commonly used in breastmilk booster. For the Chinese in Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong, green papaya soup with fish is a traditional lactation booster. In Thailand, mothers turn to banana flower soup to nurture breastfeeding. Each country has a different recipe. So long as it works then it should be fine but it will be harder to export such products to consumers who are not familiar with the benefits of banana flower.

The idea of preventing clogged milk duct is something that Malaysian and Indonesian companies should explore.

Organic milk from Vinamilk coming to Thailand

By
Tan Heng Hong
-
Image from Vinamilk Thailand Facebook page

Vinamilk organic milk set for debut

Vinamilk organic milk will enter Thailand in probably around September 2017, according to Topmost Enterprise Co., Ltd when contacted at Thaifex 2017. Topmost is the exclusive distributor of Vinamilk in Thailand.

The organic milk will come from the EU-certified organic dairy farm in Da Lat, Vietnam. The price of the organic milk will likely to be more premium than the domestic non-organic UHT milk as seen in the example in Vietnam. The debut in Thailand will make Vinamilk likely the only organic milk in the UHT format in the country.

Click here for more information about the earlier launch of the organic UHT milk in Vietnam.

100% UHT fresh milk entered the market

Topmost said it has introduced the 100% UHT fresh milk from Vinamilk in Thailand in May 2017. According to Topmost, there is room to grow in the 100% UHT fresh milk category as there are only a handful of players in the market. Vinamilk product is priced slightly higher than local producers as it imported.

Low sugar, aloe vera popular

Vinamilk yoghurt entered Thailand in 2016 and is available at Tesco Lotus, Big C, Tops, Foodland, MaxValu, The Mall, Lawson 108 and Family Mart. The most popular variants are low sugar and aloe vera, said the company. This shows Thai consumers are opting for a healthier choice.

Solving brand visibility issue

One of the executives of Topmost alluded to me that that packaging, how the brand stands out at the point of purchase, is a main challenge for Vinamilk at the moment

The original Vinamilk yoghurt comes in a pack of four. There is no product description on the side of the cup. When displayed on the shelf, unless the four-pack format is tilted or wrapped with another set of packaging, the Vinamilk yoghurt will not be able to catch the attention of shoppers. The issue of not having the side wrapping is made worse when it comes to the display of individual cup.

Malaysia example

In Malaysia, Vinamilk was available for a short period of time. This was how the yoghurt was displayed on the shelf at Giant supermarket.

Thailand example

Below is an example of Vinamilk Susu yoghurt at Tesco Lotus Rama 1 outlet. The Susu yoghurt was given a packaging to ensure it is more visible to consumers.

The Susu yoghurt at Tesco Lotus (image above) was given a markdown price of THB 13, down from THB 65 since they were close to the expiry date.

Thai consumers are known for reading the label. Vinamilk yogurt does not come with nutritional information on the side unlike their Thai peers. This is something that needs to be addressed since Vinamilk yoghurt comes with a more premium pricing compared to domestic brands.

What Mini Me thinks

Simple things like all-rounded packaging plays an important role in the success of a product and cannot be neglected.

*All the Images were taken by the author.

New low or no calorie beverages from Zummer, DJPoom at Thaifex 2017

By
Tan Heng Hong
-

Thai consumers are notorious for their preoccupation with slimming and dieting. Slashing the carbo and sugar with low or no calorie beverages remain a major theme in the beverage category in Thailand. This is reflected in the new launches at Thaifex 2017.

DJPoom clean beverage

 

Poomjai Tansanga, the owner of the renowned health food restaurant DJ Poom Menu offering clean food, showcased its zero calorie beverages. The 330ml range comprises Green Tea, Peach Tea, Pandan and Chrysanthemum Tea.

The tea is sweetened with Magic Taste, lauded as the new sweetener blend.

Zummer sweetened with stevia

Zummer, the beverage brand of Food and Drinks Public Company under BJC, unveiled the Zummer Aloe Vera Juice with Stevia at Thaifex 2017. The Zummer brand was first launched in 2013 with two products – plum juice with plum and aloe vera juice with aloe vera bits.

The key product attributes are made from real aloe vera, sugar free, low calorie suitable for all ages (9kcal), no artificial colour and no preservatives.

Zummer Aloe Vera Juice with Stevia is currently not available in the market.

*Photos were taken by the author at Thaifex 2017

 

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