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Mister Potato introduces limited edition Raya flavours

By
Tan Heng Hong
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Image from Mister Potato

Mamee-Double Decker is back with another limited-edition offer and this time for the celebration of Hari Raya 2019. Without the need to “stir” (rendang) and “fan” (satay), consumers can get their favourite taste of Raya in Mister Potato Rendang flavour and Satay flavour chips.

In the past, Mamee has not really come up with limited edition Raya flavours. The recent launch is set to change how the brand approaches Raya and we expect there will be more interesting limited-edition Hari Raya flavours in the coming years.

Dydo Mamee jumps into chilled premium yogurt segment with NYU Hokkaido

By
Tan Heng Hong
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Image credit: NYU Hokkaido

Dydo Mamee has introduced a new chilled premium yogurt series called NYU Hokkaido in Malaysia around March 2019. The range comprises yogurt drink and spoonable yogurt and is sold in premium supermarkets such as B.I.G., Mercato, Village Grocer, Cold Storage, Jasons Food Hall and Oliver Gourmet as well as myNews.com convenience store.

The company describes the Hokkaido milk as:

“The finest prepared milk under the best environment.

Our cattle treated equally like our family. They roam the pastures freely, grazing at will at the foot of Hokkaido’s scenic mountains. The unadulterated air – crisp in winter, cool even in summer – complements the natural alkaline water they feed on.

Rich in taste, with a dreamy texture that glides across the tongue, this is the beginning of a new level of dairy enjoyment.“

Hokkaido milk. Image from NYU Hokkaido Milk

NYU Hokkaido Spoonable Yogurt is available in 135g and Yogurt Drink in 200g and 600g. The flavours are plain and strawberry.

The protein count for the yogurt drink (plain) is 1.6g per 100g and spoonable yogurt (plain) is 5.5g. The yogurt drink (plain) has a total sugar of 7.2g per 100g, spoonable yogurt (plain) has 8.2g and spoonable yogurt (strawberry) has 11.1g.

The NYU yogurt drink has a thicker texture compared with other yogurt drinks in the market. We believe the thicker texture is influenced by the popularity of Yili Ambrosial ambient yogurt drink, which offers satiety through its rich and thick texture.

Dark coloured packaging exudes premiumness but the black and white colour scheme is rarely used in yogurt. Consumers might overlook this product. The packaging design could be an issue going forward.

Price wise, the premium pricing, comparable with imported yogurt, might make it less attractive to consumers. The key reason is even though Hokkaido milk is mention on pack but there is no assurance that this made-in-Malaysia yogurt actually contains milk from Hokkaido, Japan.

New Attraction ‘The Peranakan Gallery’ Opens at Orchard

By
Tan Heng Hong
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Discover The Peranakan Gallery at Orchard Road:
A Newly-Launched Attraction Tracing 500 Years of Straits Chinese Heritage through
Peranakan Artefacts, Art, Fashion and Culinary Traditions

This newest Place Of Interest, situated in Singapore’s famed Orchard Road retail and hotels district, is a must-visit, visually immersive experience depicting the grandest traditions of the extraordinary Baba and Nyonya culture from Singapore and Southeast Asia.

SINGAPORE, MAY 2019: Phoenix in flight, dancing dragons and peonies in full bloom; visitors to The Peranakan Gallery at Orchard Road will be enthralled by artful depictions of these colourful and iconic Peranakan symbols throughout a gallery space that focuses on tracing the 500-year-old story of the Straits Chinese population in Southeast Asia.

A timely addition to the attractions scene given the two-year closure of Singapore’s main peranakan museum for renovations, The Peranakan Gallery brings to life this remarkable heritage within a setting that is accessible and intriguing to visitors with all levels of understanding of the Straits Chinese culture.

At the entrance, guests are greeted by a typical Peranakan shophouse façade complete with an ornately-carvedPintu Pagar (fence door), a traditional privacy screen placed in front of the home’s main entrance. A table set-up for a game of Cherki (a olden card game similar to gin rummy) beckons within, while a large section is dedicated to the art of embroidering and wearing the iconic Sarong Kebaya and Kasut Manek (beaded slippers) traditionally worn by Peranakan women.

Authentic Peranakan Flavour

The Peranakan Gallery’s main exhibit centers around an elaborate 20-seater Tok Panjang table set with exquisitely-crafted Nyonya ceramics, Chinese porcelain and Waterford crystalware; a nod to the Malay, Mandarin and European influences beloved by the Peranakans and assimilated into their aesthetic.  Visitors will be heartened to know that this Tok Panjang table isn’t merely a museum display, as the gallery’s adjoining restaurant,The Peranakan, is able to serve up an authentic Tok Panjang feast comprising over 12 signature items at the table.

Baba Raymond Khoo, founder of The Peranakan Gallery and also executive chef of The Peranakan shares, “The Peranakan Gallery is a celebration of our Straits Chinese way of life, created to transport visitors to the golden age of Peranakan heritage through an experience that is visually captivating and highly-immersive. We hope the gallery inspires each visitor to discover more about our unique hybrid culture that embraces East and West, and to be an active advocate for all things Peranakan. Our efforts in encouraging people to participate in and promote Singapore’s Peranakan culture stems from a passion to preserve our ancestral heritage for generations to come.”

Sharing more on the Orchard district’s Peranakan history, Baba Raymond explains, “Orchard Road was home to one of Singapore’s original Peranakan enclaves in the 1800s. We hope this exciting project both celebrates the heritage of Orchard Road whilst transforming the typical mall visit with an enriching insight into Peranakan culture.”

The Peranakan Gallery is open daily from 11am to 10pm and is conveniently located at Level 2 of Claymore Connect Mall, 442 Orchard Road Singapore 238879.  The admission fee of S$15nett per person is waived for all visitors who present a hotel key card or a receipt from any outlet located at Claymore Connect.

The Peranakan Gallery offers docent-accompanied experiences, as well as dining packages with authentic Peranakan cuisine by The Peranakan restaurant. For  enquiries and bookings,  kindly tel: +65 6262 4428 or email:friends@theperanakan.com.

Kirin Latte Coffee & Caramel offers the sweet taste of caramel

By
Tan Heng Hong
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Image from Kirin

Kirin has introduced a new RTD coffee in Vietnam. Known as Kirin Latte Coffee & Caramel, the drink contains 100% Robusta and the sweet taste of caramel. It is designed for office workers and young people to enjoy after a busy and hectic day at work and study.

The most interesting thing about the TVC is it starts by showing how the protagonist does not get what they wanted when drinking the coffee in a cup bought from the coffee shop/kiosk. It is only when they start drinking drinking Kirin Latte Coffee & Caramel in PET before all the good things start to happen.

The 345ml drink is sold at a price of VND 10,000.

URC unveils performance of individual brands/units

By
Tan Heng Hong
-

Universal Robina Corporation (URC), one of the largest branded consumer food and beverage product companies in the Philippines, has revealed interesting figures on the performance of its individual brands. The data came to light, thanks to Thomson StreetEvents’ Q4 2018 Universal Robina Corp Earnings Call (28 February 2019) published on 30 April 2019. URC fiscal year ends on 31 December.

We now know the following:

  • “Noodles, our Nissin joint venture, completed a very strong year, in total growing by plus 10% versus year ago. And this was mainly driven by our Payless brand in both pouch and cups segments.”
  • “Ready-to-drink tea recovered growth in quarter 4 to plus 8%, ending the year at plus 6% growth. For the full year, volumes were negatively impacted by the sugar tax. But given the pass-through of the sugar tax, overall net sales was still positive. “
  • “Coffee declined by 16% for the full year. Steady sales was posted in the previous months, which continued into quarter 4″
  • ” Our joint venture with Danone grew sales by 24% versus last year in the fourth quarter. The entire year, though, was down about 15% as the B’lue brand was — suffered from the sugar tax implementation. “
  • “Vitasoy also grew strongly, plus 72% for the full year, plus 14% for quarter 4, and was driven by strong campaigns into introduction of our soy milk products. “
  • ” On Calbee, which is our premium potato snack brand, we posted a very strong growth of plus 24% for the full year. And this was driven mainly by a very successful honey butter flavor, which tripled its size from — since its launch in 2017. “

New Foremost Rocky Road and Strawberry Biscuit flavoured milk

By
Tan Heng Hong
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FrieslandCampina Thailand’s main brand Foremost has added two more dessert-type flavoured milk. The two flavours are Rocky Road and Strawberry Biscuit. Both are exclusively available at 7-Eleven.

New Version of NESCAFE BLEND BREW Launches the First-ever Finely Ground Roasted Coffee Mix Made from Two Types of Beans Features Two Magnet Superstars Representing the Intense and Smooth Coffee Experience

By
Tan Heng Hong
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Bangkok–23 Apr NESCAFÉ is taking the lead to elevate Thailand’s 16-billion-baht coffee mixes market to the next level with the launch of a new version of NESCAFÉ BLEND & BREW. It’s the first-ever finely ground roasted coffee mix innovation made from Arabica and Robusta, two types of coffee beans. New NESCAFÉ BLEND & BREW uses a proprietary encapsulation technology that captures and protects the full-bodied flavor and aroma of genuine roasted coffee.

Reformulated to meet the changing preferences of Thai consumers, new NESCAFÉ BLEND & BREW delivers a perfect cup that combines the complementary flavors of smooth Arabica and intense Robusta coffee beans offering a better and irresistible aroma and improved taste.

NESCAFÉ also introduced Thai superstars Pope and James Ji as its new NESCAFÉ BLEND & BREW co-brand ambassadors who represent the perfect bonding of the intense and smooth flavor of the two beans, based on new NESCAFÉ BLEND & BREW’s “Bond to be the Best” concept.

Ms. Naritta Vipulyasekha, Business Manager – NESCAFÉ Coffee Mixes, Nestle (Thai) Ltd., said, “NESCAFÉ continues to lead the Thai coffee market with innovation. The world of coffee is changing, with more diversified choices, and Thai consumer trends are evolving. Drinking coffee is more than just stimulation – it’s also about enjoying a pleasurable moment of irresistible aroma from good-quality coffee. NESCAFÉ, as the coffee mix market leader, is putting our full effort into exceeding the demands of Thai consumers. We see an opportunity in the mainstream coffee mix market, as most products use only one type of coffee bean, mainly whole Robusta. This is the first time in Thailand that we are bonding two types of finely-ground roasted coffee beans together using a proprietary encapsulation technology that captures and protects the full-bodied flavor and aroma of genuine roasted coffee.”

“This is why we created a new milestone for coffee mix in Thailand by introducing new NESCAFÉ BLEND & BREW. It offers a perfect cup from two types of coffee beans. We bring the strength of the two coffee beans together. Robusta offers an intense, full-bodied, full flavor, while Arabica offers a smooth taste and unique aroma. This perfect bonding of Robusta and Arabica delivers a more irresistible aroma and a better taste with an intense yet smoother taste profile that Thai people will love.”

“Our research showed that Thai consumers prefer new NESCAFÉ BLEND & BREW over the previous version. It’s the third generation of our coffee mix product range that reflects evolving trends, with a better aroma and taste profile that fits today’s consumer preferences. This is our biggest coffee mix launch in three years,” she added.The first generation of NESCAFÉ coffee mix, NESCAFÉ RICH AROMA 3in1, was introduced in 1996. Loved by millions of Thai coffee drinkers, it became the country’s number one coffee brand.

In 2016, NESCAFÉ introduced the second generation of its coffee mix, renamed NESCAFÉ BLEND & BREW, still made from 100% Robusta. Described as “Pa Som Kafe Kwua Bod La-iad,” it was the first finely-ground roasted coffee to use NESCAFÉ’s patented Aroma Encapsulation technology that captures and protects the full-bodied flavor and aroma of genuine roasted coffee. It was also a tremendous success, achieving a market share of 52.9%. Thai people consume around 1,500 million cups of NESCAFÉ BLEND & BREW every year.

To promote the new version of NESCAFÉ BLEND & BREW, NESCAFÉ has allocated 1.2 billion baht for an integrated marketing communications campaign. New co-brand ambassadors Thanawat (Pope) Wattanaputi, who represents the intense taste of Robusta coffee, and Jirayu (James Ji) Tangsrisuk, who represents the smooth taste of Arabica coffee, will together convey the “Bond to be the Best” concept of the new product range through a TV commercial and web films directed by Nithiwat (Ton) Tharatorn, the famous movie director and featuring the popular song “Aow Pai Loey,” covered by the band “Slot Machine.”

As part of the official launch of new NESCAFÉ BLEND & BREW, Pope will lead a Robusta Team including Isariya (Hunz) Pattaramanop in a Battle to be the Best with James Ji, who will lead the Arabica Team including Thassapak (Bie) Hsu. The battle will take place on Friday, 26 April, 2019, at Parc Paragon starting at 18:00, with an aim to reach 10,000 consumers. Ten million sample cups of new NESCAFÉ BLEND & BREW will also be handed out to Thai consumers nationwide.

“We are putting a huge effort into making new NESCAFÉ BLEND & BREW a phenomenal success, as it offers Thai consumers a superior coffee experience. We are confident that our ‘Bond to be the Best’ concept of a perfect cup of coffee from two highly-complementary types of beans, Arabica and Robusta, will sustain NESCAFÉ’s position as Thailand’s number one coffee brand,” concluded Ms. Naritta.

Coca-Cola launches new range of Nutriboost UHT milk products

By
Tan Heng Hong
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Hanoi, April 16th, 2019 – Coca-Cola Vietnam Beverages Ltd. (Coca-Cola Vietnam) has unveiled new smart nutrition solutions featuring three brand new Nutriboost UHT milk products featuring Fonterra’s New Zealand dairy, as the company’s latest continued efforts in tapping into the consumers’ rising and diversified demands for nutrient-rich products in the modern life. The new Nutriboost UHT milk range introduced in Vietnam are available in three varieties:

·         Nutriboost KIDS – Morning Growth (Khởi đầu trọn váşąn), Playtime (Giờ ra chơi), Good Night (ChĂşc ngủ ngon): providing children from 03 years old with optimal nutrients matching demands at three different periods of the day.

·         Nutriboost TO-GO – Platform – Stamina: adding oats and natural fiber, being designed to offer the body boundless energy.

·         Nutriboost BEAUTY – Fresh and Youthful Look: science-based formula skim milk, well-balanced and fortified with nutrients such as Collagen, Zinc, which have long been associated with body fitness.

These three newly-launched milk products today mark the first project under the strategic alliance between Coca-Cola and Fonterra in the Southest Asia region, which aims to provide Vietnamese consumers with science-based formula, nutrient-rich milk products which are sourced from New Zealand and cater to the diversified nutritional demands of various consumer groups. The launch also re-affirms Coca-Cola’s commitment on becoming a total beverage company, by which the company can offer innovative products with proven sustainable health benefits to consumers.

The original milk-and-juice drink Nutriboost, launched since 2010, has been Coca-Cola’s breakthrough to Value-Added-Dairy product category. The product provides essential nutrients needed by young millennials to fuel their energy for busy daily routine. Taking from the success of Nutriboost, Coca-Cola has expanded its product range with the three nutrient-rich UHT milk, including Nutriboost KIDS, Nutriboost TO-GO and Nutriboost BEAUTY, elevating Nutriboost as the brand for smart nutrition solutions from milk products. The expansion also taps into the rising consumer demand for diversified nutritional products.

The philosophy underlying Nutriboost’s new milk product development includes: Right Nutrition – Right Occasion – Right Method. Made from 90%-95% certified New Zealand milk, the powerful combination of science-based formula, natural nutrients with pleasantly delicious flavors has offered consumers  smart nutrition solutions, which help them experience a fully optimized life and be free from the intense pressures of modern life.

Steve Bonz, General Manager of Strategic Allience, said: “More than ever before, Vietnamese families and active millennials are consciously seeking smart nutrition solutions for long-term health foundation which helps them pursue greater goals energetically in a fast-moving and challenging life. Consumer demands are different among various groups: While children need mental and physical development, women wish for health benefits and beauty, and busy millennials look for the boundless energy in their everyday life. Dairy products therefore should be customized to optimize the benefits brought by nutrient-rich milk source to best suit each customer’s particular needs. Nutriboost UHT milk products cater to this and is expected to be a smart and reliable companion who best understands such essential needs of consumers.”

The three Nutriboost UHT milk variants, in addition to the existing milk-and-juice range, will be available in supermarkets and convenience stores nationalwide as of April, 2019.

·         The three Nutriboost KIDS milk products to be available as of April 15, in 110ml cartons and at VND 5,500 per unit.

·         Nutriboost TO-GO and Nutriboost BEAUTY 220ml to be available as of May at VND 15,000 per unit.

·         The 298ml milk-and-juice Nutriboost is still at VND 10,000 per unit.

Carlsberg Malaysia Welcomes New Managing Director Ted Akiskalos

By
Tan Heng Hong
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Carlsberg Malaysia's outgoing Managing Director Lars Lehmann (L) and new Managing Director Ted Akiskalos.

Outgoing Managing Director Lars Lehmann thanks everyone for Probably The Best Partnerships and Friendships

Kuala Lumpur, 26 April 2019 – Carlsberg Malaysia welcomed its new Managing Director Ted Akiskalos with much fanfare and conveyed farewell wishes to outgoing Managing Director Lars Lehmann who has been promoted to the Executive Committee (ExCom) of Carlsberg A/S (Carlsberg Group) as Executive Vice President of Eastern Europe and also as CEO of Baltika, Carlsberg Group’s company in Russia effective 1 May 2019.

Held at Brixton 23 at Jalan Sultan Ismail, Bukit Bintang, around 350 customers, business partners and media guests were feted to an evening of sumptuous food while enjoying Carlsberg Malaysia’s portfolio of beers, stouts and ciders as they conveyed their congratulations to Lehmann while getting to know Akiskalos for the first time.

Lehmann (L) and Akiskalos made a dapper appearance on stage, igniting a beer fountain with dazzling pyrotechnics in the spirit of semper ardens (“always burning”) to mark the passing of the baton from one managing director to another.

Inspired by the concept of Brixton 23 after the “Kingsman” movie series, Lehmann and Akiskalos made a dapper appearance on stage, igniting a beer fountain with dazzling pyrotechnics in the spirit of semper ardens (Carlsberg’s motto in Latin meaning “always burning”) before joining Carlsberg Malaysia Chairman Datuk Toh Ah Wah, Independent NonExecutive Director Chew Hoy Ping, and the management team to thank guests for their continued support that saw the company through “Probably The Best Year” for the 2018 financial year.

As incoming Managing Director, Akiskalos brings with him nine years of experience within the Carlsberg Group where his first role was as Vice President of Group Strategy with a proven track record in driving growth and leading various transformational projects throughout the Group.

At 40 years of age, this appointment is Akiskalos’ third role as Managing Director within the Carlsberg Group. Currently the Managing Director of Carlsberg Sweden, Akiskalos has led the company to return to double-digit growth, and the highest reputational scores among all beer companies in Sweden. As Managing Director for Carlsberg’s operations in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau, he, together with the team, transformed Hong Kong to be the market leader whilst improving its profits significantly in three years.

Akiskalos said, “I am most honoured and humbled by this appointment because Malaysia, which covers Singapore and an associate company in Sri Lanka, is one of the top three markets in Asia, in terms of profitability and growth. Taking over the helm from Lars, my intent is to continue our growth with our strong brand portfolio and win with our winning customers.

In delivering his farewell speech, Lehmann said, “It has been Probably The Best three years for me and the Company. Together, we had an unprecedented financial year in 2018 with strong growth in revenue, net profit and free cash flow, allowing us to declare the highest dividends in the history of Carlsberg Malaysia. None of these would be possible if it wasn’t for our customers and consumers’ support towards our brands, our people and our businesses.”

Both the outgoing and new Managing Directors pledged the company’s commitment to continue delivering excellence in great innovations, excellent product quality and relevant consumer activations in the times ahead.

Carlsberg Malaysia Chairman Datuk Toh Ah Wah (centre, blue tie), independent non-executive director Chew Hoy Ping (4th from left) and the management team thanked guests for their continued support that saw the company through “Probably The Best Year” in 2018.

URC debuts localised Piattos sambal geprek, sambal matah

By
Tan Heng Hong
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Image from Piattos

Universal Robina Corporation (URC) has unveiled Piattos Sambal Geprek and Sambal Matah flavours in Indonesia. It likely the first branded snack in Indonesia that taps into the popular ayam geprek trend. Ayam geprek is the top most ordered food at Grabfood in Indonesia in 2018.

Ayam geprek is a crispy fried chicken which is smashed then mixed with Indonesian spices usually sambal. Ayam geprek is made popular by Geprek Bensu, founded by celebrity Ruben Onsu. His Ayam geprek has different levels of spiciness and is really hot and spicy. Sambal matah is a spicy condiment from Bali.

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