On 1 April 2022, a partnership was signed between two of the biggest names in food manufacturing to help bring a better mealtime experience to consumers in the Philippines. Philippine meat processing giant CDO Foodsphere will take charge of the distribution of Kraft Heinz products in the foodservice industry in the Philippines. This includes hotels, full-service restaurants, quick-serve restaurants, canteens, and caterers.
Both companies are major players in the food business. Kraft Heinz is one of the largest food and beverage companies in the world. CDO Foodsphere was recognized by Campaign Asia-Pacific to rank number 14 in the top 100 brands in the Philippines and was the recipient of the ASEAN Business Award in 2020 in the regional category.
“It is good to have this collaboration between our two companies,” says Jerome D. Ong, President & CEO of CDO Foodsphere. “It allows both us to further strengthen and expand the reach of our product portfolios.”
Through their products, the companies bring to life dishes that delight customers and families who go out to eat and spend quality time together.
“We see the Philippines as an important market to grow our Kraft Heinz presence,” said Rafal Walendzik, Managing Director of Asia Trading at Kraft Heinz. “We look forward to our partnership with CDO Foodsphere and chose them because of their credibility and strong distribution network in the local foodservice channel.”
CDO Foodsphere has been in the food processing business for 47 years and is known to introduce innovative products that can win in the market.
With the company now handling the distribution of Kraft Heinz products, both companies are able to expand their presence in various categories. Vice President for Emerging Business Jason D. Ong explained, “With the partnership with Kraft Heinz we can provide customers with their need for condiments and seasonings which complete the delightful mealtime experience. This is important to us and it is good to find a partner in Kraft Heinz who also has consumers at the center of how it operates.”
With the distribution agreement signed, the full implementation commenced on April 10. This is very promising especially with the Philippines being in an election year and maneuvering its way towards recovery from the pandemic.
“We’ve always been passionate about our consumers and our customers. We want them to succeed and we want their businesses to grow,” said Jerome Ong.
Kids love the adorable Alce Nero Organic Alphabet Pasta and they love a simple tomato sauce - pair these for an instant hit!
Kuala Lumpur, June 20, 2022 – Malaysia has entered the endemicity phase of COVID-19, and most of us are back to working at offices but the family still needs dinner after your long day at work. There’s always takeout but food prices are rising globally. What can you do? Break out those amazing cooking skills you hones during the WFH-era, choosing meals that are quick, easy and that can please the entire family’s tastebuds.
Where can you start? With pasta of course!
Pasta is a favorite among urban Malaysians because it looks and tastes like local noodles, blends well with many cuisines, can be modified to suit every skill level and palate, and is nutritious and healthy. For busy parents, pasta meals can be prepared quickly and easily, with fewer pots and pans to wash up after. Cooked pasta refrigerates and reheats very well making it ideal for pre-prepped meals, and as leftovers for lunch boxes.
Alce Nero, a leader in organic food including, pasta, pasta sauces, honey, jams, olive oil and apple cider vinegar and much more, presents four simple pasta recipes that you can adapt or use as is, with hacks to save you time to get dinner to the table, and to enjoy leftovers for lunch. The recipes were developed by Retna Vijayan, a business owner and mother-of-three, who cooks dinner for five every weeknight.
Alce Nero organic pastas are delicious and pair perfectly with Alce Nero organic pasta sauces for quick and tasty meals. The pastas comes natural, or as Tricolore, a mix of naturally coloured and flavoured pasta using tomato and spinach for the added goodness of vegetables and fibre. Kids love Tricolore pasta meals as the fun colours elevate the experience. Alce Nero Organic Pastas are bronze drawn for a rougher and more porous pasta, ideal for sauce absorption. They are made using organically grown durum wheat, contain no preservatives or artificial substances such as sugars. These pastas are made in Italy to be low in fat and sodium, high in protein and are a good source of dietary fibre.
Alce Nero also has a new range of Kid’s Pastas, the Tricolore Alce Nero Kid Pasta Sports Shape that received a 5 Star Rating, the highest rating possible, on Motherhood Malaysia[1].
The pasta sauce recipes include creamy tomato, basil pesto, carbonara and herbed tomato. All recipes can be tweaked to suit vegetarians by omitting the meat or seafood. For speedy preparation, frozen seafood and prepared meat is used. The sauces contain lots of herbs to increase the fibre content but you can reduce or increase to taste.
Creamy Tomato Clam Spaghetti
Alce Nero Organic Spaghetti Tricolore adds fiber and colour to this creamy tomato clam sauce meal
Absolute comfort food that combines the piquancy of Alce Nero Organic Pasta Sauce with Vegetables with the richness of cream, the salty chewiness of clams, and the freshness of parsley over al dente Alce Nero Organic Spaghetti Tricolore. So good especially on a rainy day.
Add Alce Nero Organic Spaghetti Tricolore to a pot of well salted boiling water. Cover and cook for 6 minutes or al dente. At the same time, pan fry the garlic, chopped parsley and clams until the clams are browned. Reserve some browned clams for garnishing. Using cooking tongs add the al dente pasta to the clams, stir in the cherry tomato halves and the Alce Nero Organic Pasta Sauce with Vegetables allowing to heat through. There are lots of juicy vegetables in the sauce for a well-balanced one pot meal. Stream in the cooking cream while stirring. If you prefer more sauce, add half a cup of the salted pasta water, and stir in until well-incorporated.
Plate up, garnish with some parsley and the reserved clams. Grate some cheese over the pasta if you like it cheesier.
Fusilli with Basil Pesto (Suitable for Vegetarians)
Short pastas such as the Alce Nero Organic Fusilli hold chunky sauces such as this homemade pesto better for more flavour in each bite
If you are a weekend food prepper, blend or pound pesto on weekends, store in a mason jar with a thin layer of olive oil on top to keep the pesto green and fresh. This vegetarian fusilli pesto recipe can come together in less than 15 minutes for a light, refreshing meal that is high in fiber and full of flavor. For me, pesto works best with short pastas like fusilli that have more surface area for the pesto paste to cling on to. Using a bronze drawn pasta such as Alce Nero Organic Tricolore Fusilli helps the sauce adhere better for a juicier, more flavourful meal.
In a pan over medium heat, add the drained pasta and two tablespoons of pesto for each 100gm of pasta. Stir well. Pour in a quarter cup of pasta water to loosen the pesto and coat each spiral of fusilli. Add more pasta water for a saucier pesto.
Plate up, garnish with basil leaves and roasted nuts. Dot with more pesto.
Variations: For pasta pesto salad add one cup each seeded and diced tomatoes, celery, garden peas and cucumber to the pesto pasta. Add more pesto for creaminess.
For pesto salad with chicken, top the pesto pasta with shredded roast or boiled chicken.
Pair a long pasta such as the Alce Nero Organic Spaghetti Tricolour with creamy carbonara for more slurpiness
Carbonara works best with beef bacon, but you can use thinly sliced or minced beef. OG Italian carbonara uses only eggs for the sauce but this is a less eggy, more creamy variation. Choose a long pasta for carbonara for a satisfying slurp-iness as the creamy sauce coats the pasta fully. Alce Nero’s bronze drawn Organic Spaghetti Tricolore is a perfect pairing for carbonara as it holds the sauce well, and the pretty green and orange pasta strands contain spinach and tomato for more fiber.
Heat the olive oil and butter, add the garlic for about a minute, then add the beef, parsley and half the black pepper. At the same time, lightly beat the eggs, cheese and cream. Remove the fried beef from the pan. Reduce heat to low, add some pasta water to deglaze the pan for a delicious sauce. Quickly add in the al dente spaghetti and stir to coat with the sauce. Stream in the egg mixture and stir vigorously. Add a quarter cup of pasta water for a silkier sauce. Toss the fried beef into the steamy, creamy spaghetti carbonara. Mix well.
Serve immediately, garnishing with some reserved fried beef and fresh parsley, a sprinkle of fresh ground pepper and a drizzle of carbonara sauce.
The eggs and beef provide sufficient protein for a balanced meal. Add a garden salad as a side.
This shrimp in basil tomato sauce is simple to prepare and pairs well with any pasta but is super cute with the Alce Nero Kids’ Pasta Alphabet Shapes! Here’s how:
Prepare 500gms of Alce Nero Organic Kids’ Pasta Alphabet Shapes according to the pack. Drain and reserve.
In a large flat-bottomed pan or skillet, melt butter with olive oil. Add garlic and sauté for about a minute. Next add chicken stock, red pepper flakes, black pepper and bring to a simmer for 2 minutes or until the liquid is reduced by half. Add the shrimp and sauté until lightly pink. Stir in the basil and pour in a bottle of Alce Nero Organic Pasta Sauce with Basil. Heat through.
To serve: On a large platter mound the pasta. Pour over the shrimp in tomato sauce. Garnish with more basil.
The brand’s farm-to-table concept is made possible by working with its network of organic farmers, making the produce much healthier. The brand’s extensive line of authentic Italian organic produce is 100% organic certified by European Union law and by JAS organic agriculture in Japan.
Malaysians can use Alce Nero products with confidence as it is certified Halal by official certification bodies recognized by JAKIM.
Singapore, 20 June 2022 – The wonders of purple rice are not spoken of often enough because of its frequent association with desserts, especially in Asia. When consumed as a staple, purple rice in all its goodness, has a distinct flavour and is a nourishing food source. Delightfully delicious when prepared just right, lovers of such grains will be in for a treat with the launch of the all-new limited-edition NUTRISOY Fresh Soya Milk with real Purple Rice.
This variety of rice is black when raw, and reveals a beautiful hue of purple when cooked. The whole grain has a slightly nutty flavour and a chewy texture on the palate, and has an aromatic fragrance. In Korea, purple rice is consumed as a main source of carbohydrates in everyday meals. In Southeast Asia, it is the core ingredient used in Pulut Hitam, a renowned dessert which is usually served with coconut milk.
Naturally packed with nutritional goodness, purple rice, also known as black rice, is an ancient heirloom rice with origins in Asia. Known to little, purple rice is naturally gluten-free1. Its colour, created by a flavonoid called anthocyanin pigment, has potent antioxidant properties too2. It is also a great source of protein, iron, and fibre3.
The newest addition to the NUTRISOY family is high in plant-based protein, calcium, and vitamin D3 content as compared to other soya bean drinks. The delicious beverage made with soya beans contains nine essential building blocks of protein, known as amino acids, which play important roles in almost every system throughout the body. Soya beans are rich in iron, phosphorus, magnesium, B-vitamins and zinc, contributing to a well-balanced sustenance. NUTRISOY seeks to inspire healthier moments that align with our health goals and lifestyle.
The delectable limited-editionNUTRISOY Fresh Soya Milk with real Purple Rice contains no added preservatives and is lower in sugar. It carries the Healthier Choice Symbol accorded by the Health Promotion Board (HPB) and is vegan-friendly.
Supermarkets, hypermarkets, and participating retail outlets will start receiving the beverage from today. The Recommended Selling Price (RSP) is S$2.70 for a 1-litre pack.
Payment system remains most targeted by financial phishing attempts in Malaysia. Kaspersky’s fresh data revealed that March recorded the highest detections of this threat at 41.09%.
February witnessed the cybercriminals eyeing to victimise users through banking, payment system and online shopping, at 52.43%, just 1.57% lower than overall Southeast Asia region in terms of finance-related phishing attempts.
Global
SEA
Malaysia
Bank
Feb
12.68%
5.8%
9.15%
Mar
13.52%
4.52%
6.68%
Apr
13.80%
4.78%
4.05%
Payment System
Feb
28.25%
38.99%
38.93%
Mar
20.93%
32.17%
41.09%
Apr
19.61%
25.16%
34.05%
E-Shop
Feb
11.55%
9.21%
4.35%
Mar
11.18%
10.08%
4.58%
Apr
13.13%
13.12%
8.67%
Kaspersky’s phishing attempts data for Global, Southeast Asia and Malaysia for the period February – April 2022
The percentages are from anonymised data based on the triggering of the deterministic component in the Kaspersky’s Anti-Phishing system on user computers. The component detects all pages with phishing content that the user has tried to open by following a link in an e-mail message or on the web, as long as links to these pages are present in the Kaspersky database.
Banking and payment system phishing attempts may have been lower since the April 1, 2022. This was the announced start of Malaysia’s border reopening to international travellers, as well as for Malaysians to travel abroad without the need to quarantine.
However the online shopping phishing attempts went up in April to 8.67%, with the possibilities of many looking into online deals that may have promised lucky draws.
“Alongside the increased adoption in digital transactions here in Southeast Asia, we also see the rise of “Super Apps” in the region. These are the mobile applications that combine all popular monetary functions including e-banking, mobile wallets, online shopping, insurance, travel bookings, and even investments. Putting our data and digital money in one basket can trigger an aftermath snowball, with the impact of a phishing attack swelling at an unforeseeable rate,” says Yeo Siang Tiong, General Manager for Southeast Asia at Kaspersky.
Super Apps are traditional banks and service providers’ way of standing out in a rather crowded industry. As they try to work with third parties and incorporate their services into a single mobile app, the attack surface expands, opening up more doors of a malicious exploit.
Phishing has remained to be the most effective trick on cybercriminals’ sleeves. It is a known way to crack into a user’s or even a company’s network by playing on a user’s emotions.
A possible scenario is given that one app has all the financial details of a user, a simple phishing link asking for the user’s credentials can compromise all the data available in the app. This magnifies the possible damaging effects of this threat.
“It is known that cybercriminals follow the money trail, so it is important for banks, app developers, and service providers to integrate cybersecurity from the beginning of application development. We expect hackers to target the rising “Super Apps”, both its infrastructure and its users through social engineering attacks. We urge all fintech companies to deploy a secure-by-design approach in their systems and to continuously provide proactive education for their users in this period where phishing attacks continue to thrive,” adds Yeo.
While security systems are in place in most financial companies to protect customers from falling victim to suspicious activity, it is a truth that prevention is better than cure; much more can be proactively done at both the individual and bank level.
For enterprises, the most important method of protection is to keep in mind that cybersecurity should be a “living” strategy, not a static platform. This will blend technology and effort, and is constantly upgraded, updated and improved.Banks and service providers need to ensure a security team (or security experts) who will be able to ensure cyber defence infrastructure is updated, and will be able to provide support in the event of a cyberattack.
To start, firms can invest in endpoint security solutions. Kaspersky currently offer its Endpoint Detection and Response Optimum at 35% off to help enterprises get started with. Interested companies can visit this link to know more.
Some more crucial steps to consider also include:
Consider a threat intelligence platform: Another key component to include would be to ensure access to the latest IT security trends/threats – that is also known as threat intelligence. Threat intelligence will give the insight to act on, and paint a bigger, more accurate picture of the bank’s digital presence, to educate senior stakeholders about the ongoing risks and vulnerabilities. This will empower them to be able to make informed decisions on what needs to be done to keep the potential harm at bay, refine existing security processes to better defend against known threats and to plug any gap the IT infrastructure on an ongoing basis.
Ensure any third party vendors’ cybersecurity systems are also updated. There have been increasing reports on how breaches to third-party security systems have implicated businesses. Whether you are the bank, the Government or a private enterprise, no one is immune from these security threats, and it is important that we heighten our vigilance when it comes to cybersecurity. It does not matter how secure your third-party vendor tells you their systems are, as the elevated prominence of supply chain attacks have shown us that it is important to take responsibility for your own cybersecurity posture rather than leaving it in your partners’ hands.
Being the parties impersonated by threat actors, the implementation of defence measures need to go beyond protecting their systems. Banks need to take proactive measures to remind their customers against falling prey to their impersonators and their phishing and scam attacks, even if they happen outside of their systems.
Some things to keep in mind that can help individuals protect themselves against phishing attacks include:
Do not respond: even prompts to reply like texting “UNSUBSCRIBE” or “STOP” can be a trick to identify active phone numbers. Attackers depend on your curiosity or anxiety over the situation at hand, but you can choose not to engage.
Avoid using any links or contact information in the email or message: go directly to contact channels where possible. Furthermore, urgent notices can be verified directly on online accounts or via an official phone helpline.
Look out for mistakes, typos and strange characters in the text: some threat actors really struggle with English, or some mistakes are intentionally made (such as using numbers to replace certain alphabets, eg “Bank L0an” instead of “Bank Loan”) in an attempt to bypass spam filters.
Slow down if a message is urgent: the nature of emails and SMS are that they are often read on the go, when one is distracted or in a hurry and thus leaving one’s guard down. Approach offers as caution signs of possible phishing, remain calm and proceed carefully.
Download an anti-malware app, which can protect against malicious apps such as Kaspersky Total Security for a safety net.
Lee’s Fandbee rebrands as Fandbee, investing RM100 mil to expand across southeast Asia including Malaysia
KUALA LUMPUR 17 June 2022 – : Third-generation food distributor Fandbee today announced its aggressive expansion plans to help Malaysians businesses and customers cope with the escalating food costs.
The brand, previously known as Lee’s Fandbee, will be investing RM100 million to expand
across Malaysia and southeast Asia by the end of 2022. Locally, the locations include Bukit
Mertajam, Alor Setar, and Kuala Terengganu among others.
According to Fandbee’s managing director Gareth Tan, the brand, previously synonymous
with supplying affordably priced chef-quality ingredients to food operators now has a new
mission – to strive toward food equality by offering high-quality products at the most
affordable prices.
“We are currently among the fastest growing and most innovative distributors in South East Asia with our operations centers in Malaysia, Cambodia and Vietnam. We are also looking to expand to two other countries very soon.
“In order to bring about food equality – offering high-quality products at the most affordable prices – as a business organisation, we must first have a better cost advantage. This means that our order quantity will have to be massive enough to be able to negotiate for the most competitive cost price with exporters globally,” Gareth said.
According to Gareth, Fandbee would be able to achieve this by rapidly expanding its
operations within Malaysia and across southeast Asia and incorporating advanced
technology to grow omnichannel – business-to-consumers, business-to-business, online and offline-to-online.
“With the escalating cost of groceries due to ongoing supply shortage from extreme weather, export controls and war, what better way to begin our mission if not from home?” he said.
According to Gareth, the business has grown by leaps and bounds since its humble
establishment as Lee’s Frozen in Kampung Attap by his maternal grandmother Mrs. Lee
Wing Kang in 1962. Since the commissioning of its growth plan in 2002, the business has
now achieved a 5,000 percent growth in terms of sales.
“The loyal support of Malaysians has put us in business for three generations. As such, we
will always be putting the interest of Malaysians first when it comes to expanding our
operations,” he said.
Gareth added that while Malaysians were experiencing lockdown back in 2020 and were
confined to a 10km radius of travel, Fandbee expanded its operations to 14 additional
neighbourhoods across Klang Valley in order to be close to its customers and provide job
opportunities for 300 people.
When the lockdowns were extended, the business went online with the promise to deliver
groceries right to its customers’ doorsteps within 24 hours.
To date, Fandbee is present in 17 neighbourhoods across Klang Valley, one neighbourhood
in Bukit Mertajam Penang and two others in Terengganu and Kedah.
“Not only do we offer competitive prices for frozen meat and seafood such as beef, chicken and fish, but we have now also expanded our range to cover fast-moving grocery items such as cooking oils, eggs, seasonings and baking ingredients among others,” he said adding that with the expansion, Malaysians have the option to not only shop online but also buy online and collect the items in-store or shop offline by visiting any of its store where it’s most convenient.
On Fandbee’s business model, Gareth said that the business-to-business model is still a
huge part of its operations. However, he sees at least double-digit in growth in the
business-to-customer segment by 2025 with its aggressive store and online expansion
plans.
He added that Fanbee intends to set up a national distribution centre in order to establish
outlets in every state in Malaysia. Similar business model is also adopted for its overseas
operations, making Fandbee the only Malaysian-owned grocery chain brand outside
Malaysia.
PT Indofood CBP Sukses Makmur has recently released a special perfume featuring the scent of its iconic Chiki Balls Keju (Chiki Balls Cheese Flavour), which is a popular snack among children and consumers from all ages in Indonesia. The current Chiki Balls range consists of cheese, chocolate and Kaldu Ayam flavours.
What we are seeing here is a move by Indofood CBP to blur the snacking category with beauty to re-engage with the Chiki Balls fanbase who are growing up or have grown up.
Indonesia’s Kapal Api has launched ABC Tulus Mix targeting young, modern consumers. ABC Tulus Mix is a traditional black coffee but formulated with fine coffee dregs (ampas halus) to ensure the coffee dregs settle to the bottom quicker than the typically traditional Kopi Tubruk. The instant coffee reaches out to young consumers through gula aren (palm sugar) and bubble gum flavours.
Kopi Tubruk is an Indonesian-style coffee where fine coffee grounds are boiled along with solid sugar, resulting in a thick drink similar to Turkish coffee.
Mayora Indah launched a coffee mix Kopi Gilus Mix black coffee for young consumers in May 2020. Gilus Mix comes in three interesting flavours – vanilla, pandan and gula aren (palm sugar). The most important feature of Kopi Gilus Mix is the coffee dregs have been formulated to settle to the bottom quicker to prevent the rough coffee particles ending up in your throat or on your teeth.
GrabKitchen and Excelso Coffee have collaborated to bring WonderBrew to Indonesian consumers who like cold brew coffee and other coffee and tea beverages. The partnership leverages on the cloud kitchen format to reach out of the millennials and Gen Z who are heavy users of online food ordering in the country.
The WonderBrew range comprises the following hot/cold beverages including:
Iced Dark Mocha Latte
Iced Coco Vocado Latte
Iced Osmanthus Sparkling Coffee
Hot Dark Mocha Latte
Hot Coco Vocado Latte
Iced Cold Brew
Iced Latte
Iced Aren Latte
Iced Salted Caramel Latte
Iced Hazelnut Latte
Iced Hojicha Latte
Th Iced WonderTea range comprises:
Thai Tea
Osmanthus Oolong Tea
Blue Lemon Tea
Strawberry Tea
Classic Blue Milk Tea
Rose Milk Tea
Consumers can also pair their WonderBrew drinks with WonderSub sandwiches to turn it into a complete meal. The WonderSub range includes:
Thursday 16 June 2022 – The Pizza Company in Thailand is working with the campaign’s brand ambassadors “Earth-Mix” to create a phenomenon and highlight its market-leading delivery position.
To impress customers, The Pizza Company promises to take deliciousness, hot from the oven, and deliver it directly to their homes, while also providing fast service and standard quality.
Moving forward as the ‘King of Delivery,’ The Pizza Company strives to maintain the number one brand in service excellence that has won the hearts of consumers in the food industry for more than 20 years under the concept of ‘A Company iron rules; deliver freshly baked pizza on every tray, fast delivery everywhere, and guaranteed delivery in 30 minutes.’
To accomplish this, the company emphasizes the strength of success through three main factors: systematic in-store management, the availability of modern equipment, and fast delivery within 30 minutes using the largest network of branch locations totaling 420 branches covering 75 provinces, as well as the meticulousness in delivering food on a standard that the company pays attention to every detail when providing services in the form of delivery.
Customers can now order a pizza or more through the brand’s strong channels, such as The Pizza Company 1112 mobile app or calling 1112 or ordering via the website www.1112.com. This campaign is expected to increase overall sales through delivery by 20-25 percent in 2022 and will continue to grow in the future.
Thai Glico has lanched the new brand ‘SUNAO’ ice cream in Thailand, marking the first ever launch of SUNAO outside of Japan, according to the company’s press release. The ice cream in a cup format is free from added sucrose.
“SUNAO is made from aromatic Macadamia nuts and Almonds and contains dietary fibre with no sucrose added. It also uses Hokkaido milk, which adds a rich milky taste thanks to Glico’s extensive knowledge and experiences.”
SUNAO ice cream was launched in Japan in February 2017. Since its success, SUNAO brand is now available in various categories such as biscuits, risotto and pasta.
SUNAO will be exclusively available at 7-Eleven stores in Greater Bangkok, Thailand.
Mitr Phol Group is Thailand's and Asia's biggest sugar and bio-energy producer has displayed its latest Priva FOS (Fructooligosaccharide Dietary Supplement) at THAIFEX Anuga...
Heineken®, Tiger Beer and Guinness were honoured with Gold at the Putra Brand Awards.
Simultaneously, Edelweiss awarded Bronze at the Putra Aria Brand...
