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Monster energy drink arrives and distributed by Coca-Cola

The Monster energy drink has gone mainstream in Malaysia. Previously, the Monster energy drink has limited distribution due to its high price point of around RM 9.00 (500ml). The high price has limited the distribution of Monster to premium supermarkets like Village Grocer and Jaya Grocer.

Distributed by Coca-Cola

Now, Monster is imported and distributed by Coca-Cola Refreshments Malaysia Sdn Bhd, which is the same company currently working hard to improve the distribution of the Barbican malt drink. The Monster energy drink distributed by Coca-Cola is made in the Netherlands and comes with the Halal Food Authority (HFA) logo.

HFA recognised by JAKIM

HFA with the registered addresses in the UK and Belgium is ” an independent, voluntary nonprofit organization, part of a registered charity involved in the supervision, inspection, audit, certification, and compliance of halal principles and practices in the food and beverages industry within the UK and abroad.”

HFA has received recognition from the Department of Islamic Development of Malaysia (JAKIM), thus allowing products with the HFA halal certification to be exported to Malaysia.

Coca-Cola has a 16.7% stake in Monster

The US beverage giant bought a 16.7% stake in Monster Beverage Corp in 2014. As part of the strategic partnership, The Coca-Cola Company transferred ownership of its global energy business including BU, Mother, Full Throtte, Samurai and Power Play to Monster, and Monster transferred its non-energy business including Hubert’s Lemonade and Hansen’s Natural Sodas to The Coca-Cola Company.

Coca-Cola Refreshments Malaysia Sdn Bhd’s distribution of Monster in Malaysia can be explained in light of the strategic partnership between its parent company and Monster Beverage Corp.

This also marks Coca-Cola’s entry into the local energy drink category.

Pricing

The price of Monster is competitive against Red Bull (Allexcel Trading Sdn Bhd), which is the number 1 energy drink brand in the country. Compared with Red Bull (250ml), Monster has a larger volume of 355ml. In the 355ml segment, Monster is cheaper than the imported Red Bull Europe as well as against the Monster in 500ml not officially distributed by Coca-Cola.

The other Monster in 500ml is distributed by 78Six Distribution Sdn Bhd and Gourmet Alliance Sdn Bhd.

What Mini Me thinks

To grow Monster’s share in the energy drink market in Malaysia, Coca-Cola can no longer use the hands off approach that is has adopted for Barbican. Barbican’s case is more sensitive since it is a non-alcoholic malt-based drink. I would expect Monster will receive marketing budget to align the brand with extreme sports events like UFC, Speedway and BMX as well as eSports going forward with priority given to eSports.

Excitement Brews at the First-Ever Malaysia Coffee Fest 2017

5 to 7 May 2017
Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC), Hall 5
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

5 May 2017, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – The alluring aroma of coffee will be thick in the air as coffee lovers converge at the inaugural Malaysia Coffee Fest 2017. Launched this morning, the festival located at the iconic Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre from 5 to 7 May, is dedicated to celebrating everything that embraces Malaysia’s vibrant coffee culture.

Coffee in Malaysia has been enjoying a promising growth in recent years mostly due to the increasing urbanisation of the country, lifestyle changes and the demands of young consumers for convenient and fashionable products. These developments have had a positive impact on the growth and direction of the industry. Everywhere in Malaysia, coffee is celebrated in hip and bustling cafes that serve up some of the most creative brews of specialist coffee and in charming, rustic coffee shops that offer the familiar and comforting brew of local Malaysian kopi – making up Malaysia’s colourful and vibrant coffee scene.

Bringing together top-class baristas, local artisan roasters, independent specialty cafes, bean suppliers and equipment distributors, Malaysia Coffee Fest 2017 is set to thrill the senses with an immersive trove of activities that embraces Malaysia’s unique and robust kopi heritage. From tasting the different nuances of coffee beans sourced from all over the world to witnessing the creations of intricate latte art live, there is something for everyone at Malaysia Coffee Fest 2017. Festival goers will also be thrilled as they weave through some of Malaysia’s best coffee roasters and cafes and get their coffee kicks, all without needing to travel far and wide across the country.

Coffee enthusiasts curious about what goes into their favourite cup of joe, can learn from the experts at Coffee Clinic, a dedicated series of workshops curated to delve deeper into the artistry of brewing the perfect cup of coffee. Topics covered include “Introduction to Brewing Skills” by DC Academy Sdn Bhd and “A Basic Guide for the Home Coffee Drinker” by Q Cup Coffee Roasters. The Sensory Room with DC Academy will help participants exercise their senses and learn how to identify different aromas and flavours while tasting some great cups of coffee along the way.

With great coffee comes great food. Visitors will be spoiled for choice with delectable menu from the Food Truck Fiesta – authentic Italian pasta and snacks from the famed LaFamiglia Food Truck, tasty nachos, tacos and burritos from Guac Food Truck, a selection of local favourites from MakanSharing Food Truck all to the beat of live music at DOREMi Music Café by aspiring local singers and bands with a slew of hit songs.

Visitors also get to witness an exciting battle among some of Malaysia’s top baristas and latte artists as they vie for the top spots at the first ever Malaysia Open Barista Championship and Malaysia Open Latte Art Championship.

The coffee celebration is organised by the creator of the highly successful Café Malaysia series, CEMS Conference & Exhibition (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. and co-hosted by Malaysia Specialty Coffee Association (MSCA) and Café Owners Alliance, Malaysia (COA My).

7-Eleven Malaysia, Shaping Lives of the Community

Photo: Marketing General Manager of 7-Eleven Malaysia, Mr. Ronan Lee (2nd from right); Founder of Autism Café Project, En. Mohd Adli Yahya (4th from left) with local autistic youths and volunteers from 7-Eleven Malaysia and NGO Hub.

News Release 

4 May 2017

PUCHONG – In support of raising awareness on autism, 7-Eleven Malaysia collaborated with NGO Hub Asia to initiate a short certification program on Café Preparation and Service for autistic youths at Autism Café Project in iM4U Sentral, Taman Perindustrian Puchong.

The Autism Café Project was established last year by its founder, En. Mohd Adli Yahya who aspires to help local autistic youths take charge of their lives in seeking and securing future employment. The café presented an ideal opportunity for 10 of its youths to slowly build their confidence by socializing with others and accomplishing daily tasks.

“As parents, we constantly think of our children’s best interests, and raising a child with autism is no different. In fact, it becomes even more crucial for us to be supportive and   guide them through the process of being independent on their own,” said En. Adli.

“Knowing that our child is capable to take charge of their own future helps put our mind at ease, as we know that they will be able to support themselves when we are no longer able to,” he added with a teary smile.

Volunteers from 7-Eleven Malaysia coordinated the program by mentoring youths to carry out basic café and food service skills such as greeting walk-in customers, serving food and baked goods, as well as cleaning and clearing tableware and kitchen utensils after use. In between, volunteers would provide encouragement and assurance to further boost their confidence.

To acknowledge their efforts upon completion of the certification program, 7-Eleven Malaysia awarded each youth with a certificate and goodie bag. They also contributed a generous supply of provisions consisting of eggs, rice noodles, sugar, coffee and other necessities for the café’s daily operations and catering services.

“We are delighted to have fulfilled our part in this community project,” said Mr. Ronan Lee, 7-Eleven Malaysia General Manager of Marketing. “We hope that by extending our support towards this cause, we can expand its outreach on garnering more awareness on autism and prompt the public do their part in helping the community.”

He further commented, “These youths need our help more than ever. The extent of their capabilities is boundless; and by offering them a chance to learn, we are giving them a future. We at 7-Eleven Malaysia strongly believe in uplifting the lives of those who need us, and knowing the difference we make inspires us to continue our endeavours of being Always There For You.”

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.

New 100Plus Active non-carbonated isotonic drink launched

The new F&N’s 100Plus Active non-carbonated isotonic drink has hit the stores in Malaysia. 100Plus Active is fortified with vitamin B3, B6 and B12. Plus, it only has 6g out of 100ml of total sugar, lower than 6.6g of total sugar found in the 100Plus Original.

How is this different from 100Plus Edge?

F&N always has a non-carbonated version called 100Plus Edge that claims to provide the “extra energy you need to achieve peak performance in your daily sporting activities.” The 100Plus Edge was first introduced in November 2012.

The main difference between 100Plus Active and 100Plus Edge is in the total sugar. The new product only has 6.0g of total sugar compared with 6.2 for 100Plus Edge. The lower total sugar enables 100Plus Active to be entitled to the new Healthier Choice Logo issued by the Ministry of Health.

100Plus Active priced at a slight premium

The new 100Plus Active (still) is priced at a slight premium to Lucozade Sport (still) but more expensive than its carbonated peers – 100Plus Original and Revive.

 

Official isotonic drink for SEA Games

100Plus is the official isotonic drink for the 29th SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur, which will be held on 19 August 2017. The launch of 100Plus Active is timely to coincide with the sporting fervour generated by the  biennial Southeast Asian Games.

What Mini Me thinks

We are seeing F&N re-emphasising the functional aspect of 100Plus with the non-carbonated version for the physically active consumers. This brand positioning could help to protect the brand from further encroachment by Suntory’s Lucozade Sports (still), which has strongly craved itself as the drink that enhances hydration and fuels performance for Malaysian sports enthusiasts.

A visit to Oliver Gourmet at Tropicana City Mall

Located at Tropicana City Mall

Oliver Gourmet is the new kid in town offering a fine selection of local and international brands of premium groceries, wine, pork and coffee. The new premium grocer is located at Tropicana City Mall in the affluent suburb of Petaling Jaya.

The Petaling Jaya/Damansara/Mont Kiara area to the west of Kuala Lumpur’s central business district (CBD) is home to a host of premium supermarkets. They include Jaya Grocer, Village Grocer (including Ben’s Independent Grocer), SAM’s Groceria (Mydin) and Mercato & Jasons Food Hall (GCH Retail) as well as the new Oliver Gourmet.

Strong competition

The new Oliver Gourmet faces strong competition in the Damansara area, which means it has to innovate to stand out. Within a 1km radius of the new store are three existing high-end supermarkets – Jaya Grocer at Starling Mall, Village Grocer at Atria Damansara and Ben’s Independent Grocer at Glo Damansara.

The hypermarket chain AEON Big, meanwhile, is located within the same building as Oliver Gourmet but it targets the mass market.

Grocerant concept widely embraced

The grocerant concept, which offers in-store dining to patrons, has become a trend in the retail industry in Malaysia, particularly in high-end supermarkets to attract shoppers. Ben’s Independent Grocer is famous for its Eat. Drink and Shop concept where unique foods from pizzas, spit roast chicken, tapas to oysters are served and prepared inside the store.

Iberian swine to the rescue

Non-halal food is served at selected high-end supermarkets in Malaysia. To differentiate itself from the rest of the pack, Oliver Gourmet focuses its attention on the premium Iberian pork to deliver an enhanced dining experience.

At the moment, there are only a few restaurants serving Iberico meat in the Klang Valley including Iberico Kitchen and Black Market let alone supermarket. This makes Oliver Gourmet likely the first premium supermarket in Malaysia that creates its dishes using Iberico meat imported from Spain. To highlight the provenance of the meat, Iberico meat is predominately displayed with some seen hanging at the transparent kitchen.

Consumers have a wide selection of meat to choose from for their dish. Also available are take-home, pre-cut processed pork, beef, turkey and chicken meat. Many of them are in individual packs.

 

Wide selection of fine wines

There are over 1,500 different wine labels at the wine and alcoholic beverage corner, said Oliver Gourmet Sdn Bhd managing director Tham Oi Loon when speaking to The Star.

The wine corner has a special enclosed area storing top notch wines for the wine enthusiasts.

Fresh produce and seafood

The fresh produce section is small but has a wide selection of organic vegetables. The vegetables and fruits are displayed in wooden boxes to make them look appealing to exude the feeling of shopping in a typical European produce market.

Tham also added that their seafood comes from Kuala Selangor and is not imported.

Deli good such as kebab is offered in the meat section.

Free ice cream for kids

The free ice cream for kids is a crowd puller. It keeps the children happy and makes them want to visit the store again. When I was there, a lot of children including adults were happily enjoying the ice cream. For adult, they have to pay but it costs them only RM 1.50 for the ice cream.

For those who want to have a wider choices of ice cream, the ice cream section offers a good selection of local and imported ice cream. The imported Korean and Japanese ice cream is distributed by Tian An Trading Sdn Bhd.

Imported Japanese and Korean ice cream

Coffee and bakery corner

Coffee is also another crowd puller for the store. At Oliver Cafe, the price of coffee starts from RM 6.90 to RM 11.90 (including 6% GST). The hot tea is priced at RM 5.90.

Next to Oliver Cafe is the bakery section where delectable pastries and bakeries are sold.

The special KitKat Croissant gets a thumbs up from one of the patrons.

The cakes are made by Madeleine, famous for its Madeleine Patisserie with outlets  inside Sunway University, Sunway Medical Centre and the Madeleine Bistro at Oasis Ara Damansara.

Inspired by the food halls

The decoration of the 1,114.84sq m outlet is inspired by the food halls in Europe and North America. The store has an industrial design to it. The store is well lit and the high ceiling is decorated with hanging light bulbs to make it brighter. The aisles are also interspersed with tall mirrors to offer a department store feel to it.

Star products are highlighted in a special display section at the start of each row.

Next stop – The Mines

Oliver Gourmet is opened daily from 9am to 10pm. The good news for those who stay in Seri Kembangan area is the second Oliver Gourmet will open at The Mines shopping centre soon.

Both Tropicana City Mall and The Mines are operated by CapitaLand Malaysia Mall Trust, which also has Sungei Wang Plaza (KL), Gurney Plaza (Penang) and East Coast Mall (Kuantan) under its wings.

Snack bar category in Indonesia addresses health issue

Fitbar, the leading snack bar from PT Kalbe Farma Tbk, was upgraded to multigrain in February 2017 with the addition of oats, whole wheat and quinoa.

Image from Fitbar Facebook site

The key difference with the previous Fitbar is the addition of quinoa, which helps make you feel fuller and thus making you feel less likely to eat unhealthy foods.

The benefits of quinoa in reducing body weight. Image above from Fitbar Facebook site

Feeling fuller

The weight loss functionality is a strong theme in the snack bar category in Indonesia. Fitbar is know for its “Snacking with no worries” tagline. The addition of quinoa helps to reduce the urge to eat.

The same positioning was adopted even earlier by Soyjoy in 2016 through the “Cut Carbo” campaign. Soyjoy is made by PT Amerta Indah Otsuka, the same company behind the Pocari Sweat isotonic drink. The key message of the campaign is to encourage consumers to eat Soyjoy two hours before meal so that they can reduce their intake of carbohydrate, thus leading to weight loss.

What Mini Me thinks

The Indonesian snack bar category has positioned itself in the forefront of addressing consumer health concerns – over weight and obesity. It helps to make the snack bar category relevant to consumers who are conscious of their health. The same positioning can be implemented in the Philippines and Malaysia where Fitbar has a strong presence.

Nestle Bliss gets new packaging

Photo taken by the author

Following the introduction of Nestle Bliss Plus in the first quarter of 2017, the existing Nestle Bliss was given a new look. The new packaging design is to ensure the Nestle Bliss range shares an identical brand design as the new Nestle Bliss Plus, which was officially introduced at the end of March 2017. Nestle Bliss Plus comes with live cultures, inulin and real super fruit juices.

Here is the image of the new packaging for Nestle Bliss (right). The background colour now comes with a lighter blue hue. The product description and the word “with real fruit juice” are given a more prominent placement to highlight the product’s key characteristics.

Ayam Goreng McD achieves phenomenal success

Image from McDonald's Malaysia website

Ayam Goreng McD or McDonald’s spicy fried chicken managed to create a buzz on social media in Malaysia . The humble fried chicken was even out of stock on 3-6 April 2017.

Will be back on 7 April 2017 (Friday). Image above from McDonald’s Malaysia Facebook fan site

Spike in search for Ayam Goreng McD

Google Trends, a indicator to gauge popular trends through online keyword search, shows a spike in interest from early March 2017.

Upgrade Ayam Goreng McD

McDonald’s has been serving fried chicken (Ayam Goreng McD) in Malaysia since 1987. But when it comes to the top-of-the-mind for fried chicken, most consumers would think of KFC – Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Hunger marketing

This changed when McDonald’s Malaysia introduced the upgraded version of Ayam Goreng McD in March 2017 with the tagline There’s Nothing Like It. The crunchiness sound of the crispy Ayam Goreng McD and the expression of the eaters especially when the spicy taste finally hits them have done all the talking.

Unboxing event live on Facebook

McDonald’s Malaysia even organised an event on Facebook Live on 17 March 2017 to celebrate the unboxing of Ayam Goreng McD. Here is the snippet of the press release:

“McDonald’s today paid tribute to Malaysians’ enduring love for its Ayam Goreng McD™- a classic customer favorite since 1987 – in the biggest Live Unboxing event on Facebook, in Malaysia. Over 2500 Share Boxes of Ayam Goreng McD™ was unboxed simultaneously across all of McDonald’s restaurants nationwide.”

Finally, the success of the Ayam Goreng McD campaign is summed up in the words of McDonald’s Malaysia Managing Director Azmir Jaafar.

Dear Friends,

In the past few weeks, we have seen the love that we all share for our Ayam Goreng McD. Indeed, the demand for Ayam Goreng McD has been overwhelming and we are truly grateful for the support that Malaysians have shown for this product.

One of the reasons why Ayam Goreng McD continues to be a favourite is because our chicken is delivered fresh daily to our restaurants. However, our firm commitment to offering only the freshest product – prepared and served at our quality standards and specifications – has led to the ‘sold-out’ situation you may have encountered at some of our restaurants.

We are estimating that our supply will stabilize by early June. In the meantime, the availability of Ayam Goreng McD will differ from restaurant to restaurant, depending on their location and demand.

We truly value your feedback and we hear your comments. In the meantime, we kindly ask for your patience and continued support.

Thank you and may Ayam Goreng McD always have a special place in your heart.

Azmir Jaafar
Managing Director
McDonald’s Malaysia

What Mini Me thinks

First, it is the unexpected – the upgraded Ayam Goreng McD, which raises consumer’s interest to try how good is the chicken. McDonald’s is not known as the fried chicken expert. Then came hunger marketing to demonstrate how successful the new Ayam Goreng McD flew off the shelf.  All these were accentuated by the power of social media. The rest is history.

Indonesia’s instant coffee exports to Iran skyrocketed

A consumer selecting instant coffee at Hyperstar in Tehran, Iran. Image photographed by the author in April 2017

Strong growth in instant coffee exports to Iran

Indonesia’s instant coffee exports to Iran have skyrocketed. At the end of 2016, the export value stood at USD 5.9 million, up from a mere USD 148,000 in 2012, according to data from the Ministry of Industry Indonesia (kemenperin).

The major Indonesian instant coffee exporters to Iran are Mayora Indah (Tora Bika) and Santos Jaya Abadi (Good Day).

Tora Bika instant coffee sold in a shop in Tehran, Iran. Image captured by the author in April 2017

Selling instant coffee Indonesia style

The author saw a vendor selling Tora Bika instant coffee outside Golestan Palace (image above). This reminded me of Indonesia – the disposable cups, the instant coffee sachets and the hot water flask. Perhaps this is something Mayora Indah is exploring to create a network of mobile vendors selling its Tora Bika coffee.

Competing against Nescafe & Klassno

Indonesian instant coffee’s presence in Iran is still small. The market is currently dominated by the Swiss multinational Nestle (Nescafe) and Singapore-based Food Empire (Klassno). Euromonitor put the market share of Nescafe in 2014 at 23% and Mita Kish at 22%, according to Financial Tribune. Mita Kish is the local distributor of Klassno.

Good Day among the sea of Klassno instant coffee in a petrol mart on the outskirt of Tehran. Image above was photographed by the author in April 2017

Local Part Makers Coffee Industry Corporation (Multi-café) has the only instant coffee producing plant in Iran. The country has to import all its coffee as the climate is not suitable for coffee growing. However, there is limited planting of coffee on a trial basis in the southern coasts in Chabahar.

Other competitors

Wide selection of instant coffee at Hyperstar in Tehran, Iran. Image above was photographed by the author in April 2017

The other players in the market include Turkey’s Altunsa, Bahran’s New York Coffee and Malaysia’s Cobizco, which has also made available the distinctive Malaysian white coffee.

What Mini Me thinks

On the backdrop of the expected stable growth of instant coffee volume consumption in Iran, the growing coffee drinking culture in a traditionally tea drinking country like Iran bodes well for instant coffee players looking to capture a slice of the market. The key risk is still the ongoing economic sanctions against the country.

Graph above taken from RHB Securities from its equity research report on Food Empire on 11 April 2017

Dairy-free alternatives in Iran

Image from http://www.mandasoy.com

Dairy-free alternatives are growing in popularity worldwide. In Iran, the most common dairy-free alternative is soymilk. There is also coconut milk but it is not considered dairy-free per se as the product is made from fresh cow’s milk. Nevertheless, coconut milk will be discussed as well.

Soymilk

Image photographed by the author in Iran in April 2017

The soymilk above is produced by Saina Ghaza Part Co. The brand website is at www.mandasoy.com. The key ingredients are soy milk, sugar, vanilla flavour, salt and calcium lactate. The range is free from lactose and cholesterol. It comes with eight flavours – cantaloupe, strawberry, vanilla, plain, banana, saffron, coffee and chocolate.

Image from Mandasoy.com

The taste of the soymilk seems quite raw to Asian consumers feeling akin to drinking soymilk that has just been pressed.

Coconut milk

Image photographed by the author in Iran in April 2017

The Khorasan Pegah coconut milk from Iran Dairy Industries Co is sterillised and homogenised. The key ingredients are fresh cow’s milk (fat 2.5%), coconut powder, sugar and carrageenan. The coconut milk is packed in an SIG Combibloc carton.

Image from http://shirinasal.com

The Liona coconut milk by Shirin Asal Food Industrial Group contains cow’s milk. The key ingredients are fresh and pure cow’s milk (1.5% fat), sugar, coconut milk powder, stabiliser and identical natural colour. It is packed in a Tetra Pak carton.

Lionel coconut milk food calories per 100ml is 68.7 kcal and calories from fat per 100ml of food is 13.5 kcal.

What Mini Me thinks

The dairy-free alternatives in Iran appears to be confined to soymilk. Will there be a growing market for soymilk in Iran? Plant-based drinks are naturally lactose free. The lactose free positioning can be used to target consumers who are lactose intolerant. However, the lactose-free and low-lactose claims have appeared in the liquid milk category, a competing category.

When it comes to the health benefits, a research by the Kashan University of Medical Sciences has found drinking soy milk may protect women with polycystic ovary syndrome from heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Such research may benefit the category over the long run. But first of all, the consumption of soymilk has to be cultivated from young.

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