Thai Coconut PCL showcased its latest range of vegan-friendly Coconut Coffee at the recent THAIFEX – Anuga Asia 2024 held in Bangkok in May 2024. The soy-free Coconut Coffee is cholesterol-free and does not use dairy milk.
The drink uses high-quality Ratchaburi coconuts and high-quality robusta beans to create a range of RTD coffees, including Mocha, Latte, Cappuccino and Americano.
Image credit: Minimeinsights.com
In addition to Coconut Coffee, Thai Coconut also revealed its Thai Coco Cocogurt, a yogurt-flavoured coconut drink that is vegan-friendly, supports gut health and is a source of fibre. Cocogurt is available in Original, Strawberry and Mango flavours.
Image credit: Minimeinsights.com
Other products on display included plant-based cooking cream, which is low in salt, has a light taste and creamy texture, and the frozen convenient food Kin Kang Thai Curry Ball in four variants – Green Curry, Yellow Curry, Massamen Curry and Red Curry.
These innovations show Thai Coconut is shaking things up by exploring new applications for coconut ingredients like ready meals, cooking aids, RTD coffee, and even coconut-infused yogurt.
Lena Tan, Head of Marketing & Business Development at HerbYvore. Image credit: HerbYvore
At the recent Malaysian International Food & Beverage Trade Fair (MIFB) 2024 in Kuala Lumpur, Mini Me Insights had the chance to chat with Lena Tan, head of marketing & business development for the Singaporean plant-based brand HerbYvore. Lena offered insights into HerbYvore’s journey and shared their vision for the future of the brand.
HerbYvore Cheese Squares. Image credit: HerbYvore
Mini Me Insights: Tell us about HerbYvore. What’s the company’s mission, and what types of plant-based products do you currently offer?
HerbYvore is a Singapore plant-based brand and a downstream brand of an agricultural commodity company that is also one of the world’s leading movers of pulses. The brand’s promise is to offer sustainably nutritious plant-based food products that are:
dairy-free
vegan-friendly
soy-free (all our products contain protein from pulses like peas and faba beans)
nut-free
GMO-free
We have recently launched HerbYvore Just Like Cheese, a plant-based cheese range comprising:
Just Like Cheddar
Just Like Mozzarella, and
Just Like Parme
Many consumers are curious about plant-based alternatives. Can you explain the benefits of choosing plant-based cheese compared to traditional dairy cheese?
There are certainly benefits to considering more plant-based options, given that plant-based options are associated with significantly lower water and carbon footprints. (Cheese is number 1 in water footprint and number 3 in carbon footprint according to: https://ourworldindata.org/environmental-impacts-of-food)
Plant-based options can also be healthier, for example, in our case of plant-based cheeses, compared to dairy cheeses that contain hormones and anti-biotics from cow’s milk, coupled with high saturated fat from animal sources, HerbYvore Just Like Cheese presents itself as a sustainably nutritious alternative.
Also, compared to most vegan cheese brands out there that contain little or no protein (and plant-based milks typically contain 1 – 4% protein), HerbYvore Just Like Cheese range contains >8% soy-free protein extracted from climate-friendly and nutritious pulses like faba beans and peas.
Can you tell us about the industries you currently serve with your plant-based cheese solutions?
HerbYvore is a Singapore brand, and we have had more traction there since it was launched earlier in Singapore. The R&D and pilot production for the cheeses were conducted in Singapore, and from there, we worked to scale with an OEM collaboration in Johor Bahru. In Malaysia, we have only just introduced the brand and are selling via a specialty retailer and e-grocer, i.e., Vegan District. We are now seeking a distributor partner to help us service retailers, foodservice and institutional establishments in Malaysia.
Do you have plans to introduce your plant-based cheese products directly to everyday consumers?
Our plant-based cheese range is already available via Malaysia-based vegan specialty retailer, Vegan District. For larger retail chain stores, we will need to work with an appointed distributor.
What is your opinion on the future prospects of plant-based cheese in the Southeast Asian region? Are there any specific trends or challenges you see in this market?
Given that many consumers are motivated by health reasons when choosing plant-based options, there seem to be plant-based products on the market that may not offer health benefits. For example, vegan cheeses that contain little or no protein. Taste, health, and affordability will always be important factors for success in this space, and the challenge for us is to keep working on reducing the costs of production over time and improving taste and texture profile (as a continuous improvement and part of our R&D process).
Dairy-free cheeses that are nut-free, like HerbYvore Just Like Cheese, can grate and melt like dairy cheeses. However, during melting, some differences in “how to” need to be noted for optimal taste and texture since over-melting will cause the coconut oil within the cheeses to separate, leading to a less ideal taste/texture. Hence, sharing the how-to is an important part of the selling process.
We are also noticing an increasing demand for dairy-free options, even among meat-eaters, with increasing awareness of the downside of dairy products on health. However, significant education in this space is still needed to grow the category.
Can you share some insights into the future plans for the HerbYvore brand? Are they any exciting new products or developments on the horizon?
We are working on a plant-based liquid egg containing protein from pulses, with protein content equivalent to an egg per serving. There are also plans for a plant-based cream cheese.
Consumers living in Malaysia can find HerbYvore’s products on Vegan District.my. For those in Singapore, HerbYvore’s plant-based cheese is available at Fairprice Finest and Redmart.
At Food Taipei 2024, Thailand’s Nature Agro Product introduced Coco Pro Protein Coconut Tablet Bites – a convenient and tasty way to get your protein fix. Each bite is packed with 600mg of protein derived from coconut. A single serving (6.2g) provides 3g of protein.
Coco Pro Protein is low in calories, cholesterol-free, and low in sugar and fat. Plus, they are easy to digest and absorb.
Coco Pro Protein’s innovative coconut tablet bites with milk powder open doors for wider use of coconut in chewable tablets, appealing to both children and adults.
Nature Agro Product also unveiled NITE-On Complete Biotics at the event. This innovative dietary supplement combines prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics to support a healthy gut microbiome.
The prebiotic blend includes phyllium husk and GOS (galactooligosaccharides) with 12g of fibre per serving, which provide nourishment for beneficial gut bacteria. Probiotics, featuring the BC198 strain, work to directly populate your gut with friendly bacteria. Finally, postbiotics, derived from apple cider vinegar, further enhance the gut environment.
For a powerful antioxidant boost, NITE-On Complete Biotics incorporates a mix of seven berries like blackcurrant, strawberry, acai, raspberry, and cranberry.
This mixed berry flavoured supplement is designed for individuals who:
Struggle to meet their daily fruit and vegetable intake
Have an unbalanced diet
Experience constipation
Want to improve their overall gut health
Cocopro expands its range with Coco Pro Multi-Plant Protein, a delicious Thai tea-flavoured protein powder that packs a powerful 29 grams of protein per scoop, thanks to its blend of coconut and other plant-based proteins.
You can find these products on the company’s Shopee store.
Hershey’s Malaysia has released its scrumptious and mouth-watering Choco Balls. The new Hershey’s Choco Balls are available in two variants: Cookies N Creme and Cookies N Chocolate.
For chocolate lovers out there, Hershey’s is having a contest with RM20k up for grabs. Just spend RM15 on Hershey’s products in one go and follow the @hersheys_my IG and Snap a pic of your receipt, screenshot your profile, and scan the QR code to enter.
TCP is engaging the online gaming community by launching the new Red Bull Soda Blueberry Blackcurrant flavour featuring players from the Thai esport organisation Bacon Time. This limited edition design is available from 18 July 2024, while stocks last. The price is THB 20 per can (250ml).
This unique Red Bull Soda flavour has a unique sweet and sour taste that is said to be delicious, refreshing and fun to level up the game. There are also prizes to be won.
Bangkok – July 15, 2024 – Betagro Public Company Limited (BTG), Thailand’s leading integrated food company, through “Betagro Ventures,” introduces “Meatly!” a premium plant-based food product, aiming to penetrate the plant-based food market. The company is launching three new menus in response to the Thai food soft power trend: Plant-based Pork Belly with Basil on Rice, Plant-based Pork Belly with Chinese Kale on Rice, and Plant-based Pork Belly with Salt and Chili on Rice. The concept, “Plant-based Meat, Delicious and Healthy,” emphasizes familiar flavors with high protein and fiber, zero cholesterol, and a modern image reflecting a health-conscious product made with plant-based protein. A pricing strategy has been laid down to make the product more accessible to consumers, targeting leadership in the ready-to-eat plant-based food market.
Mr. Chayadhorn Taepaisitphongse, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer of Betagro Public Company Limited (BTG) and Managing Director of Betagro Ventures, revealed that “Betagro Ventures” focuses on spurring innovation across the Betagro ecosystem and operates on three core strategies: (1) Improving consumers access to safe and high-quality food, (2) Developing new sustainable sources of protein, and (3) Creating sustainable agro-industrial-food supply chains.
In the past, Betagro Ventures has developed plant-based food under the Meatly! brand to provide consumers with an alternative to high-quality and safer food products in response to the health and sustainability trends. According to Euromonitor, from 2019 to 2024, the global plant-based food market value has a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.5%, and it is expected to reach approximately USD 25 billion by 2024. Meanwhile, Krungthai Research Center forecasts that the plant-based food market in Thailand will grow to THB 45 billion by 2024, with a CAGR of 10%, similar to the global market growth rate.
Ms. Voralun Taepaisitpongse, Meatly! Founder in Residence, stated that Meatly!, a premium plant-based food brand, aims to offer a diverse range of products, including ready-to-cook and ready-to-eat meals, covering both Thai and international cuisines. This is to cater to health-conscious consumers who seek variety and convenience, suitable for a busy lifestyle. Recently, they launched three delicious new menu items, highlighting traditional plant-based meat dishes under the concept ” Plant-based Meat, Delicious and Healthy,” with modern packaging. These include 1) Plant-based Pork Belly with Basil on Rice, 2) Plant-based Pork Belly with Chinese Kale on Rice, and 3) Plant-based Pork Belly Stir-fried with Chili on Rice. These dishes feature plant-based pork belly that closely mimics the taste and aroma of real meat, offering high protein and fiber nutritional benefits.
Meatly! has rolled out a new pricing strategy, setting the price at 59 baht. Additionally, the product is now vegan, making it more accessible to customers and encouraging increased consumption of alternative protein products. The introduction of three new Thai dishes into the market brings the total number of ready-to-cook and ready-to-eat products offered by Meatly! to over 13. Notably, the development of the Plant-based Pork Belly with Basil on Rice, a favorite meal often chosen for daily consumption, is expected to expand the health-conscious customer base. These products are now available at Thailand leading department stores and supermarkets, such as Tops, Lotus, Gourmet Market, and online at Shopee: Meatly! Foods.
“Betagro believes that Meatly! will be a driving force in propelling Betagro’s food business into a new era for sustainable long-term growth. We are committed to continuously developing new menus to create delicious and healthy experiences under Betagro’s high quality and safety standards. This ensures that consumers have access to new protein sources and helps build a sustainable agro-industrial-food industry supply chain,” said Ms. Voralun.
Brand Veta Astaxanthin Collagen Pomegranate Shot contains four essential nutrients for skin nourishing including Astasanthin (2mg) from red algae Haematococcus pluvialis, which is 6,000 more effective than vitamin C, collagen (1,000mg), which contributes to maintaining skin elasticity, vitamin C contributes to collagen stimulation and vitamin E to retain skin moisture.
Brand Veta Lutein Blackcurrant Shot is designed for eye health. It contains lutein (10mg), zeaxanthin (2mg), vitamin A, and blackcurrant extracts. Lutein and zeaxanthin are antioxidants that help to protect the eyes from blue light damage. The latest product is designed for consumers with prolong exposure to the consumer screen or spend a long time using mobile phones.
In another development, Suntory Beverage & Food (Thailand) has released Brand’s W Essence of Chicken with Carnosine for women to consume during menstruation. The product contains seven ingredients including danggui.
QminC’s probiotic smoothie lineup just got a delicious upgrade with a new Forest Berry flavour. This refreshing drink is packed with four immune-boosting berries: raspberries, blueberries, strawberries and blackcurrants. All bursting with vitamin C, these berries are freshly blended to deliver a taste sensation.
This smoothie, which is sweetened with honey. is free from added sugar, so you can enjoy the guilt-free goodness of probiotics. The GBI-30 probiotic strain helps strengthen the defenses and keeps the digestive system running smoothly. Get yours now at 7-Eleven in Thailand.
QminC launched two smoothie probiotic is 2023: QminC Strawberry, Beetroot, Banana and Raspberry Smoothie Probiotic Drink and QminC Apple, Kiwi, Kale and Organic Wheat Grass Smoothie Probiotic Drink.
Indonesian food and drink giant OT Group is shaking things up with a brand new Ready-to-Drink (RTD) coffee. They have launched Kopi Naga (Dragon’s Coffee), a 240ml cappuccino in a convenient plastic cup format. This creamy Italian-style coffee offers a delicious pick-me-up at an affordable price.
OT already boasts a successful line of RTD milk coffees called Seruput Kopi, available in PET bottles. These come in two flavours: Original Milk Coffee and Palm Sugar Milk Coffee. Launched in 2022, the Seruput Kopi line received a fresh look in March 2024, keeping things exciting for consumers.
Nestlé Malaysia has launched Nestum 3-in-1 Caramel Macchiato as a special edition cereal drink to start the day. Just like the other Nestum 3-in-1 options, the drink is a source of fibre, protein and vitamin D and is high in calcium, iron and vitamin C.
Nestum Caramel Macchiato is indulgent, yet healthy with wholesome fibre and goodness to keep you feeling full, to go further.
