Hsu Fu Chi booth operated by Mix.com.my at a Carlsberg event in One Utama. Image by Minimeinsights.com
In 2024, Hsu Fu Chi (ćŸçŠèź°), a snack food maker from Guangdong being 60%-owned by Nestle, has made a significant presence in Malaysia to tap the Chinese New Year market. In China, the company is known as a beloved brand for gifting during Chinese New Year, a tradition deeply rooted in Chinese culture.
Hsu Fu Chi 2024 Chinese New Year stalls in one of the supermarkets in Nanning in Southern China. Image by Minimeinsights.com
The fortune of Hsu Fu Chi, which relies heavily on Chinese New Year sales, has waned as the company struggles to adapt to changing consumer habits. The brand has recently entered the healthy snacking segment with offerings like lower sugar snacks and healthy nut mixes in response to this shift.
At AEON MaxValu Prime Sphere Bangsar South, Kuala Lumpur. Image by Minimeinsights.com
To stimulate sales, Hsu Fu Chi has set its sights abroad and is replicating its Chinese New Year strategy in Malaysia. This Southeast Asian nation, with 23% of its population classified as ethnic Chinese, is an untapped market for the bulk selling of Chinese New Year confectionery through the mix-and-match approach. Apart from confectionery, the company sells gift packs containing assorted Hsu Fu Chi products, including sachima, pineapple cake, nougat, crispy candy, and cheese rice roll.Â
Nowadays, consumers crave variety and go beyond the offerings of a single brand. Hsu Fu Chi’s bulk sale approach may not appeal to these increasingly diverse preferences.
In Vietnam, for example, selling popular Tet treats like nuts, jellies and candies from different brands for the Tet holiday makes it more appealing to shoppers seeking more choices.
Bulk sales of confectionery and snacks in Lotte Mart in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam in 2024. Image by Minimeinsights.com
[From L-R] Dato' Jason Yap, Group CEO of LamboCellar & Alexandre Mea, CEO of Champagne Carbon
Kuala Lumpur, February 2, 2024 â Luxury champagne house, Champagne Carbon & Malaysiaâs leading distributor of fine wines and spirits, LamboCellar co-hosted an exclusive event which included media luminaries, tastemakers and discerning connoisseurs.
Known for merging traditionally handcrafted champagne with unique bottle designs, Champagne Carbon takes pride in its futuristic approach to this classic indulgence. Established in 2011, Champagne Carbon’s bottles feature a carbon wrap made through an artisanal 37-step process, to protect the champagne from light and preserve its taste. This feature underscores the brand’s unique DNA, emphasizing innovation and the spirit of celebration.
[From L-R] Miss Malaysia World 2014 Dewi Liana Seriestha, Group CEO of LamboCellar Dato’ Jason Yap, CEO of Champagne Carbon Alexandre Mea, Miss Universe Malaysia 2020 Francisca LuhongDatoâ Jason Yap, Group Chief Executive Officer of LamboCellar expressed his excitement for the night stating, âOur partnership with Champagne Carbon signifies our commitment to providing the market with exceptional and extraordinary champagnes. As the exclusive importer of this prestigious brand across the country, we are excited to introduce these two cutting-edge labels to Malaysiansâ.
Alexandre Mae, Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Champagne Carbon
According to Alexandre Mea, Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Champagne Carbon, âAs the sole distributor of Champagne Carbon in Malaysia, LamboCellar has continued to uplift the brand and expand our reach into different markets. At Champagne Carbon, we are committed to fostering creativity and gastronomy. With the launch of these two labels, we aim to offer an unparalleled experience for our consumers, providing a new way to discover champagneâ.
[From L-R] Actress Chelsia Ng & Artist Tiffany ChoongKey Champagne Highlights:
Champagne Carbon ÆB.03 Bolide for Bugatti
Champagne Carbon ÆB.03 Bolide for Bugatti
ÆB.03 is the latest collaboration between Bugatti and Champagne Carbon. This special edition champagne captures the essence of Bugatti with its sleek design and opulent flavour profile. Inextricably linked to Bolide, the most extreme Bugatti creation, this bespoke dual-tone carbon fibre bottle, contains a powerful and expressive vintage Blanc de Blancs. A technical marvel, it marks the first time Champagne Carbon has combined two colours of fibre in one bottle. A fresh-tasting vintage, it opens up with scents of citrus, followed by aromas of spring flowers. Initially intense in taste, it is quickly followed by a creamy and velvety texture. The striking aesthetic is complemented by Bolideâs
signature X motif on both sides.
LamboCellar stands as the epitome of luxury and exclusivity, merging rarity with refined taste. As the premier importer of Champagne Carbon in Malaysia and the local distributor of Clase Azul Tequila, we represent sophistication and discernment. Our dedication to unmatched quality is evident in our carefully selected collection, harmonizing Old World elegance with New World ingenuity. Beyond beverages, we offer access to elite experiences tailored for the most discerning connoisseurs.
For more information on LamboCellar, please visit:
Premium Pure, the company behind Malaysia’s first plant-based omega drink, has released its latest product: Drinking Salad, targeting consumers with chronic constipation, weight concerns, and acne.
The company describes Drinking Salad as a product curated by an expert team of doctors, clinical nutritionists, and consultant dietitians; it is a tool for dietary therapy.
Drinking Salad contains 27 mixed cruciferous vegetables and whole grains, offering on a per serving basis (30g), 7g of plant-based protein, 174mg of calcium, 4g of dietary fibre, and 118kcal. It is free from added sugar and does not contain soy, making it suitable for people who are lactose intolerant. Drinking Salad is also vegan and vegetarian friendly.
Ingredients:
Mixed Plant Protein Powder (Pea Protein, Brown Rice Protein), Mixed Cruciferous Vegetables Powder (Cauliflower, Cabbage, Bok Choy, Broccoli Sprout, Broccoli, Kale, Arugula), Coconut Oil Powder (MCT), Oat Flake, Fibersol-2, FOS (Prebiotic), Pre-Mixed Whole Grains Powder (Brown Rice, Sorghum, Red Rice, Corn, Millet, Wild Black Rice, Black Bean, Garbanzo Bean, Green Pea, Red Bean, Mung Bean, White Quinoa, Red Quinoa, Black Quinoa, Red Lentil*, Black Glutinous Rice, Brown Sesame, Pinto Bean, Pumpkin Kernel*, Sunflower Seed*), Psyllium Husk, Guar Gum, Calcium Phosphate Tribasic, Lemongrass, Lecithin, Wheatgrass, Barley Grass, Monk Fruit Extract, Chlorophyll
Origina has announced the availability of its new fresh cold-pressed juices in Malaysia: Sweet Heartbeet, Green Juice and Coconut Water. Packed with the goodness of heart-beneficial ingredients, Sweet Heartbeet contains red carrot, ginger, apple, lemon and beetroot, while Green Juice is made from kale, apple and lemon juice. Also available is Energizing Detox with mixed kale, spinach and green apple.
Origina+ (200ml) has no addition of water, no sugar added and no artificial colour.
Per 100ml
Total sugar (g)
Total dietary fibre (g)
Origina+ Energizing Detox:
6.6
0.6
Origina+ Sweet Heartbeet
6.1
0.9
Image credit: Minimeinsights.com
Origina fresh cold-pressed juices are an upgrade to the company’s existing juices in juice extraction technique using the high pressure processing (HPP) technique. The new cold-pressed juices are free from added water, sugar and colours.
The company communicates the merit of HPP by referencing food safety, higher shelf life and naturalness.
ZUS Coffee has released its new Ong Siblings to make this the Year of the Dragon spectacular. Ong Lon is the new Watermelon Latte with a refreshing taste of watermelon mixed with a latte, while Ong Melmel is a Watermelon Frappe that is a true crowd-pleaser.
Japan’s BASE Food, the developer and seller of nutritionally complete food, has started selling its products in Singapore and Taiwan. The company has already exported to China and Hong Kong.
BASE FOOD is a nutritional staple food that provides 30g of protein, about 6g of dietary fiber, 26 types of vitamins and minerals, and other nutrients the body needs throughout the day. Get one-third of your daily nutritional requirements with one serving.
In Singapore, BASE Food has made BASE Bread (Plain, Chocolate, Maple, Cinnamon) and BASE Cookie (Cocoa, Sweet Potato, Coconut, Matcha, Earl Gray) available. Consumers can buy it one-off or enter into a subscription basis.Â
Nutritionally complete food in eatable format has grown in popularity in markets like the UK, US, and Japan, but it is still undeveloped in Southeast Asia. This region’s nutritionally complete solutions are mainly in drinkable formats, such as multi-grain drinks.
Wings Food has expanded into the seasoning segment in Indonesia with the launch of Bumbu Kaldu Sedaap to tap opportunities in at-home cooking. These chef-approved seasoning powders are sold in 9g sachets at an affordable price. This affordable-led strategy has always been a hallmark of Wings Food’s approach in Indonesia. Bumbu Kaldu Sedaap is available in chicken and beef flavours.
Most seasoning innovations in Indonesia target the mid- to high-end segments with an emphasis on naturalness. Bumbu Kaldu Sedaap focuses on the mainstream market, communicating the usuals, such as boiling for an extended time.
Nabati has continued leveraging the Korean sweet potato (goguma) hype to capture the attention of its young consumers who are also interested in the K-trend. The Indonesian food company has just released SiiP Bite Goguma as the latest Nabati product with the goguma flavour.Â
Nabati’s goguma hype is similar to Mamee’s ghost pepper, but Nabati’s goguma has more leg to run as the sweet flavour has stronger appeal compared to the intense heat from ghost pepper.Â
Thailand’s Srinanaporn Marketing Public Company Limited (SNNP) has released two new chicken skin snacks under the Lotus brand. The two new flavours are Larb and Hat Yai Style Fried Chicken. Both products are sold exclusively at 7-Eleven.Â
In a similar development, the company has expanded its successful Jele Light Fresshy range with transparent packaging and colorful jelly with the new watermelon flavour. The jelly drink contains calcium, beta-carotene, and lycopene, offering consumers functional health benefits and a fun taste.
SNNP has also recently released Jele Chewy Jelly Ice, a snack that consumers can eat as an ice cream once frozen or consumed as a jelly snack when chilled.Â
For the first nine months of 2023, SNNP’s revenue from sales totaled THB 4,376.2 million, an increase of 11.5% compared to the same period of the previous year. For the first nine months of 2023, SNNP’s net profit of THB 470.8 million increased to THB 107.5 million, or 29.6%, compared to the same period of the previous year.
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