Coca-Cola Malaysia is advising that it is in no way associated with a fraudulent website claiming to offer cash prizes to Malaysians. Any use of the Coca-Cola name and trademarks used on such ‘phishing’ websites are used without the Company’s permission.
“These phishing websites or scam phone messages are not authorised by nor linked in any way to Coca-Cola. We encourage consumers to be cautious and report any suspicious sites or messages to the authorities,” said Coca-Cola Malaysia’s Public Affairs and Communications Director, Kadri Taib.
Members of the public who want to verify anything they come across that mentions Coca-Cola can contact our call centre on 1800-88-2653. Operating hours are from 9 a.m. to 12 a.m.
The Coca-Cola Company in Malaysia
In addition to Coca-Cola, one of the world’s most valuable brands, the Coca-Cola system in Malaysia manufactures, markets and distributes over 20 products including sparkling beverages (Fanta, Sprite, A&W, Schweppes), zero-calorie sparkling beverages (Coke light, Coke zero), juice drinks (Minute Maid Pulpy), teas (Heaven and Earth) and water (Dasani).
Coca-Cola has invested RM1 billion in Malaysia since 2010, creating more than 800 jobs and touching over 75,000 customers directly with a total reach of over 200,000 customers across Peninsula Malaysia and East Malaysia. Through its programmes and partnerships Coca-Cola Malaysia aims to make a lasting positive difference in the local community.
From promoting active lifestyles through their partnership with the Olympic Council in Malaysia, to working with Raleigh International and Muslim Aid Malaysia to provide access to clean water for more than 20,000 villagers in rural Sabah, and economically empowering women in East Malaysia through the SURI entrepreneurship programme – Coca-Cola is committed to building sustainable communities in Malaysia.
Farm Fresh Milk Sdn Bhd, the company behind the Farm Fresh milk, has added a new product called Yarra Farm Australian Pasteurised Cow’s Milk. The milk is made using 100% imported Australian cow’s milk with no sugar added and no preservatives. It is available as normal and low fat. The Australian flag is shown prominently on the packaging for provenance purposes.
Identical nutritional value as Farm Fresh
Comparing the existing Farm Fresh Low Fat milk with Yarra Farm Low Fat milk, the only thing that is different is the ingredient. For Yarra Farm, it is 100% imported Australian cow’s milk and for Farm Fresh is it 100% fresh cow’s milk. The nutrition facts information is the same for both products.
Does it mean that Yarra Farm use fresh Australian cow’s milk flown all the way from Australia, while Fresh Farm use milk from the local farm in Malaysia?
Yarra Farm (RM 6.81) is around 5.7% cheaper than Farm Fresh (RM 7.31) for a 1L pack.
Farm Fresh promotional videos
Farm Fresh has recently added a series of videos to show how its milk is produced at its dairy farm in Malaysia. The focus is to demonstrate how fresh is Farm Fresh. It takes only 48 hours from milk collection to delivering it to the shelf.
Here are the 4-part videos:
So far, a call to the company revealed even the staff at Farm Fresh Milk Sdn Bhd was not even aware there is a product called Yarra Farm. It is not sure if this is a repackaging or a new approach by the company to get a different source of milk for its fresh milk products.
McDonald’s Malaysia has stirred a storm in the teacup in the last week of December 2016 by issuing a notice that only halal-certified birthday cakes are allowed in its premise. The following is McDonald’s explanation and apology.
Non-Muslim consumers not happy
The notice has not gone down well with non-Muslim Malaysians who fumed at the decision made by McDonald’s. Many were critical of the decision and planned to boycott the US fast food chain. One important issue often raised by netizens is what would happen to mom’s birthday cake? Reality speaking, most bakery shops are not certified halal and this would create a problem. Some even questioned if McDonald’s should celebrate Christmas at all.
JAKIM lauded the move
JAKIM, the Islamic authority tasked to issue the halal certificate, has lauded the move in a statement issued on 4 January 2017.
“Jakim views the policy brought forth by McDonald’s to be a good initiative and strong commitment by the company in its halal assurance efforts at McDonald’s premises, based on the Halal Assurance Management System.”
The McDonald’s incidence came on the heels of a confirmation by JAKIM on 23 December 2016 that Mondelez International’s Toblerone and Daim chocolates did not have the halal certification from JAKIM or from any other international bodies. According to the Malay Mail, the posting read “therefore, be a smart consumer by purchasing products that have the Malaysian halal logo or foreign halal logo that is approved by Jakim.”
Company responded by saying chocolate safe for Muslims
Mondelez International said the two chocolates contain ingredients that are safe to be consumed by Muslim consumers. The manufacturer added that “The Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) has also issued a clarification that food products which do not have halal certification cannot be considered halal or non-halal.”
“We will continue to cooperate with the authorities in the entire local market including Jakim to ensure our products meet the requirements of consumers in Malaysia,” said Mondelez.
In 2014, Mondelez was embroiled in a halal saga when traces of pork DNA were detected in some of the Cadbury chocolates in Malaysia. JAKIM later affirmed that all Cadbury products in the country complied with Islamic laws and the Malaysian halal standard, thus putting an end to the speculation.
What Mini Me thinks
As Malaysia positions itself as the world’s leading halal hub, halal-friendly policies and the strong focus on halalness are increasingly impinged on one’s daily life in a multi-ethnic society like Malaysia. In the quest for stronger regulation on morality and permissibility, the unwritten rules are becoming codified and come to the limelight, and this has sparked uproar among the public especially from ethnic minorities.
Manufacturers and brand owners need to thread a fine line to ensure their brand is protected. They also need to make sure their actions are sensitive to all consumers.
The Toblerone issue shows how the quick action by Mondelez with additional clarification by JAKIM has protected the brand from further damage. Even the Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (FOMCA) has stood by Mondelez by saying if the product did not receive the halal certification, it did not mean that it cannot be consumed if the ingredients and the manufacturing processes are not in doubt and halal. However, who can really be sure if the production process is not tainted without the proper audit by the Islamic body?
For McDonald’s, the key issue is the ingredients in the cake. Of course, no sensible parents will give their children alcohol-infused cakes. If the loose standard for Toblerone is similarly applied on the birthday cakes then McDonald’s can check with the parents on the ingredients. If they are still not sure, at least prevent the cakes from being kept in the McDonald’s refrigerator to prevent possible contamination.
The best solution for McDonald’s is to start selling its own halal-certified birthday cakes. Finally, McDonald’s handling of the issue has failed from a PR prospective and will become a good case study for practitioners of what not to do.
HoneyB was launched in Malaysia around November 2016. It is known as the world’s first halal sparkling honey drink. HoneyB is made from 100% Australian honey and designed for consumers who want to indulge in something sweet but do not want the usual sugary sweet sodas.
HoneyB does not come with added sugar, colouring and flavouring. It is currently available at the following retail outlets.
The 250ml drink is selling at a normal price of RM 3.50 at myNEWS.com (Promotion price is RM 3.00).
Key ingredients
Carbonated water, 100% natural Australian honey, apple juice, acidity regulator (glucono delta-lactone) and preservative (sodium benzoate).
About the manufacturer
The producer of HoneyB is The Original Beverage Sdn Bhd, which shares the same office as Oregene Biotechnology Sdn Bhd.
The Original Beverage currently only has one product – HoneyB, which is certified halal by JAKIM. Oregene Biotechnology, founded in 2013, is the company behind senZues, the world’s first halal-certified and clinically proven cosmeceutical.
Nuhoney
HoneyB does look quite similar to Nuhoney in terms of ingredients. Nuhoney is currently available in Singapore and is made from 100% Australian honey, carbonated water, Glucono Delta-Lactone and Sodium Benzoate. Nuhoney is made in Malaysia under the license of Nuhoney Pte Ltd.
What Mini Me thinks
With sugar becoming public enemy number one in most countries, companies are innovating with sugar alternatives such as stevia and honey to satisfy consumer craving for something sweet without the sense of guilt.
What would you do if you have a relative asking you sensitive questions during Chinese New Year’s eve reunion dinner? For most singles, the most awkward question is when are you going to get married or are you dating now? For children, the dreaded question is what’s your exam result. With this in mind, Coca-Cola has new come up with a new commercial for Singapore and Malaysia with the title “Taste the irresistibility in a match made with Coca-Cola.”
Are you dating now?
In one of the clips, the auntie asked the young beautiful female when is she going to get married. To reduce the tense atmosphere, the quick-thinking kid quickly passed a glass of Coke and a chicken drumstick to the auntie. Soon, she forgot about the sensitive question and got into the festive mood accompanied with the shout of “Huat Ah!” (prosperity ah!)
These commercials resonate with the Malaysian and Singaporean Chinese viewers as relatives do have the tendency of asking awkward questions at the dinner table. Most of the time, it is hard to find the best reply. Offering them with food is by far the best way to divert their attention and ease the awkward atmosphere.
A very Happy New Year to all our readers! Here is a good news to kick off 2017.
Hans Lienesch, founder of the influential site TheRamenRater.com, has informed me that he has created The Ramen Rater Select. The following is how he describes the new product.
The Ramen Rater Select is a line of premium instant noodles – ones that I consider to be the best in the world. The first variety will be available soon, and soon I’ll let everyone in on the flavor and where it can be purchased.
As you know, I’ve reviewed thousands of instant noodles over the years; ones I’ve liked immensely, ones I haven’t. All of the best aspects I’ve found went into the recipe for these products. This isn’t something I’ve taken lightly; it’s really been a process of trial and error. This effort has resulted in a line that is just amazing.
When available, I’ll be having samples sent to other reviewers and posting their reviews here. Ultimately, it’s all about you – the hungry guy or gal who wants to taste something authentic, innovative and delicious. I believe I have created this and can’t wait to hear what the world thinks!
Finally, I want to mention: THE RAMEN RATER SELECT WILL NOT BE ON ANY OF MY TOP TEN LISTS. It just wouldn’t be fair, and a definite conflict of interest. I will continue to review instant noodles as I always have – based solely on my taste buds.
I am eagerly waiting for the launch of The Ramen Rater Select and will keep you all informed.
The Coca-Cola Company has just released Sprite Zero and Fanta Kiwi in Malaysia, its last new products under the sparkling category in 2016. The launch of Sprite Zero comes on the heels of the introduction of Coke Zero in early 2015. The new Sprite Zero is bottled at Bandar Enstek in Negeri Sembilan. The zero-calorie drink is also exported to Singapore and Brunei.
Sprite Zero has the same refreshing taste of Sprite but without the calories or sugar and no caffeine. The beverage contains sucralose and acesulfame-K. As a comparison, Coca-Cola Zero features sucralose and acesulfame-K as well as aspartame.
Image above shows Sprite Zero at Giant Superstore Taman Connaught
The other notable zero-sugar launch in 2016 is the Ayataka green tea under the Heaven and Earth label.
As Malaysian consumers become more discerning about their beverages, Sprite Zero and Ayataka are options for consumers to replace beverages that are laden with sugar.
Sprite Zero launched in China in mid-October 2016
Sprite Zero made its debut in China in the middle of October 2016 with the name 零卡路里雪碧 (Sprite Zero Calories)
New Fanta Kiwi for Malaysia
Kiwi is a new flavour Fanta. It joins the existing flavours like grape and strawberry. It is not known if Fanta Kiwi will be turned into a permanent variant.
P/S: Sprite Zero appears to have been discontinued in Malaysia as of 1 May 2017.
Here is a picture of Sprite Zero in a supermarket in Tehran, Iran. Image photographed by the author in April 2017.
Interesting figures have come up lately on the performance of the Indonesian RTD tea category. The SWA magazine (25/2016) – 30 November to 7 December 2016 issue, comes with the theme “The Most Popular Products for 2016” (Produk Produk Terlaris 2016).
43% share of non-cup jasmine
The magazine features the story of Teh Pucuk Harum, an RTD tea brand of Mayora Group. The headline says “Teh Pucuk Harum needs only 5 years to control the market.” According to PT Mayora Indah Tbk Beverage Director Riko Sistanto, the brand has a 43% market share in the non-cup jasmine segment in Indonesia, which makes it the market leader in this category without citing the source. The article describes the feat as an impressive achievement since Teh Pucuk Harum was only launched in 2011.
Sales surged 39.6% in 2016
Riko said sales of Teh Pucuk Harum in 2016 surged by 39.6% year-on-year with a total average production of 100 million bottles per month at its four factories in Ciawi, Makassar, Palembang and Pasuruan. The company put on stream a new factory in September 2016 at Ciherang with a production capacity of 40 million bottles a month. The sales target for 2017 is 140 million bottles per month.
What about Teh Gelas?
OT Group claims its Teh Gelas is number one in all RTD tea packaging sizes (teh siap minum semua kemasan) since 2012 according to the Nielsen Retail Index. This message was conveyed in a TV commercial in 2016 called “Teh Gelas No 1 Sesungguhnya” (Teh Gelas is number one indeed).
Teh Gelas is very strong in RTD tea in cup format, an affordable packaging popular with lower income consumers. This probably explains why Teh Gelas is number one in overall RTD tea as measured by Nielsen.
Other measurements
Frontier Consulting Group, a local market research company, puts Teh Botol Sosro as the number one RTD tea brand for all packaging as measured by its Top Brand Index (TBI). The top brand index is measured using 3 parameters: Top of Mind (TOM), Last Usage (LU) and Future Intention (FI). This approach does not focus on actual transaction but takes into account TOM and FI as well as usage.
In terms of geography, Teh Botol Sosro scores well in Medan and in Balikpapan. Teh Pucuk Harum is popular in Surabay and in the Jabodetabek region, which encompasses Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang and Bekasi.
Euromonitor claims PT Sinar Sosro “continued to dominate RTD tea with a 56% off-trade volume share in 2015” with its “share declined quite significantly from 59% in 2014”.
What Mini Me thinks
With the absence of a central depository system that provides the public access to private company financial statements in Indonesia, market share is really depends on the coverage and the methodologies. The best hope for accuracy is for RTD tea producers to tap the financial market for capital, which would force them to issue financial statement about their operations and possibly shed light on their RTD tea segment.
Indonesian RTD teas are going big in size. Teh Pucuk Harum is now available in the family size of 1,500ml. The existing PET variants are 500ml and 350ml.
Teh Gelas Big
OT Group’s Teh Gelas rolled out what is known as Teh Gelas Big in the cup format probably around August 2016. Now the Teh Gelas cup has two sizes 190ml and the new 320ml, which is 66% bigger. Teh Gelas first started out in cup where it became popular. It launched its first PET format in 2014. The company seems to have dropped the Tetra Pak format, a format currently popular with Ultrajaya’s Teh Kotak.
PET: 500ml, 350ml and 25ml. Cup: 190ml and the new 320ml
The private label instant noodle of GCH Retail under the World O’Noodle label has now being enriched with four new flavours – Asam Laksa, Tom Yum, Chicken and Curry. The existing three fried noodle (Mi Goreng) flavours celebrating the taste of Indonesia seem to have been discontinued but this is not verified.
Now the four new flavours are meant to bring “you a piece of Asian in every bowl.” Unlike the Mi Goreng range, which is made in Indonesia, the four new flavours are all manufactured in Malaysia. The name of the manufacturer was not disclosed.
Each product comes in a pack of 5. The Tom Yum and Asam Laksa is selling at RM 3.99 (USD 0.90), while the Curry and Chicken is priced at RM 3.19.
World O’Noodle is distributed in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia and the Philippines by the units of Dairy Farm.
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Non-Muslim consumers not happy
