Anlene low fat yogurt now with new packaging, formulation

By

-

11th March 2018

Fonterra Brands Malaysia has unveiled a new look for its Anlene range of low fat yoghurts as well as new formulations. The Anlene yogurts now come with 50% more nutrients (collagen, protein and high calcium), of which it has around 70% higher calcium than a 100g ordinary yogurt.

Like the previous Anlene low fat yogurt, it contains the MoveMax formulation to support movement with flexibility, dynamism and strength. The formula provides important nutrients such as calcium for bone health, collagen to repair joint cartilage and Protein for the growth and maintenance of muscle mass and bones, according to Fonterra website.

The pack comes with the Ministry of Health’s Healthier Choice Logo (HCL) to certify this product is a healthier choice for consumers.

The new Anlene range has higher protein, energy and vitamin D compared to the old one but this is compensated by slightly lower magnesium and calcium.

Below is how the old packaging looks like.

Compared with another range of yogurt from Fonterra’s Fernleaf, the repackaged Anlene low fat range, the only difference is the addition of collagen (fish) in the Anlene low fat yogurt.

The promotion price for Anlene low fat is two for RM 2.99 (1-14 March 2018) at Giant and the promotion price for Fernleaf low fat is one for RM 0.99 (normal price is RM 1.49).

Pocari Sweat sees strong growth in sales, revamped packaging

By

Tan Heng Hong

-

10th March 2018

Pocari Sweat new packaging 2 — Koy Ratchawin Wongviriya as the presenter of Pocari Sweat latest TVC

Pocari Sweat distributor in Thailand Otsuka Nutraceutical (Thailand) Co., Ltd. said Pocari Sweat sales in the country surged by 80% in 2017 citing research data from The Nielsen Company (Thailand) Co., Ltd., reported the company’s press release. The strong performance of Pocari Sweat stands in contrast with the 8.5% decline in the overall sports drinks category, which fell to around THB 5 billion in 2017, Nielsen data shows.

The downturn of the sports drink market has hit Boonrawd Trading, the distributor of Singha beer. The company announced in February 2018 that it has stopped the sale of Sanvo sports drinks and Syder Bay cider in late 2017 to concentrate on the premium beer segment, reported The Bangkok Post. The reason for the exit of Sanvo was due to strong competition and strong brand loyalty for Sponsor, the market leader in sports drink.

New wave pattern packaging

Otsuka Nutraceutical, first established in May 2017, has repackaged Pocari Sweat to feature the wave pattern packaging to add a sense of practicality and modernity. The new packaging makes the bottle more durable. Thailand is the first country to launch this packaging. Similar launches are planned for other countries in the future.

Pocari Sweat has been distributed in Thailand since 1998 through local agents.

Lose to Live

According to the press release, Pocari Sweat has introduced the latest online TVC with the concept of ‘Lose to Live’ featuring Koy Ratchawin Wongviriya as the presenter. “The TVC shows that, to achieve one’s goal, sometimes it involves a lot of obstacles and losses. Although it is not easy, the result can always be appreciated. Whatever the challenge, Pocari Sweat is ready to stay beside the consumers to refresh their spirit.”

Danone Aqua offers unadulterated taste of Indonesian tea

By

Tan Heng Hong

-

10th March 2018

Danone, the number one player in bottled water in Indonesia through Aqua, has officially announced the launching of Caaya on 7 March 2018. This marks the entry of Danone into the competitive RTD tea market. Caaya differentiates itself by offering the unadulterated taste of Indonesian tea.

The three RTD tea comprises:

Revive Me Jasmine – It shows the creativity of Indonesians of adding jasmine into green tea to reduce its unpleasant smell, said Peter Harjono, Beverages Marketing Manager Danone AQUA, speaking to Kumparan.com.

Soothe Me Vanilla Pandan – This drink is inspired by the practice of Sumatran people of adding vanilla into tea to make the tea more milky. This is influenced by the local dietary culture of the Sumatrans who tend to consume food that is made with coconut milk (santan), which has a milky texture, said Peter. The Malay people also like to add pandan into their cooking. The use of pandan and vanilla has influenced the creation of the new flavour.

Power Me Toasted Rice – This is inspired by residents of Jatiluwih in Bali who roast brown rice and brew it with hot water. This tea drink offers a strong smoky taste, reported Kumparan.com citing Peter.

The taste of Indonesia range does not have a strong sweet taste in line with the overall trend of lowering the sugar content in food and drinks. The packaging design is contemporary but also traditional to highlight the rich Indonesian cultural heritage.

The 350ml RTD tea drink is available online at Lazada and Shopee as well as in Ranch Market, Farmers Market, Foodhall, Grand Lucky, AEON, Kem Chicks and Lulu in Jakarta.

What Mini Me thinks

The choice of launching an Indonesia-inspired RTD tea drink is not unique as Wings has already launched something similar called Teh Javana inspired by tea fit for the kings.

Caaya goes one step further by localising the taste by incorporating toasted rice and pandan into the tea creations. As a multinational, the new Indonesian tea series shows Danone pays homage to the Indonesian rich dietary culture and hopes this would resonate with local consumer’s strong pride in their culture.

More Savings and Rewards with AEON

By

Tan Heng Hong

-

10th March 2018

Aeon savings — Mr. Poh Ying Loo and Mr. Hiroyuki Kotera, Executive Directors of AEON CO. (M) BHD. at the launch of AEON 2018 Promotions

Introduction of 2018 Promotions gives customers better incentives to shop at AEON

KUALA LUMPUR, 8 March 2018 – A faithful and satisfied customer is the best business strategy of all, and AEON CO. (M) BHD. has hit the right note with the recent launch of AEON 2018 Promotions, which takes place on selected dates in a month.

Poh Ying Loo, Executive Director of AEON CO. (M) BHD. said: “The launch of our AEON 2018 Promotions will benefit more than 1 million AEON members who have played a pivotal role in spurring our growth. It is also our way of rewarding them for continuing to choose us as their shopping destination. We endeavour to stay on top of our game by offering innovative shopping experiences for everyone, so that they see the benefits of shopping at AEON throughout Malaysia.”

With Loyalty Comes Greater Rewards

AEON introduced two important days to be remembered: AEON Day and Thank You Day. AEON Day falls on 8^th and 28^th of every month and is extended to all AEON Supermarkets, AEON Wellness, MaxValu and MaxValu Prime outlets. AEON Members can enjoy cash vouchers of RM5 for every RM100 spent (excluding GST) at AEON Supermarkets and AEON Wellness. Meanwhile, all customers will receive RM3 cash vouchers for every RM60 spent (excluding GST) at MaxValu and MaxValu Prime outlets. All AEON Day cash vouchers will be printed on the customer’s purchase receipt.

As a reward to members and other customers, AEON has procured more than 1,000 items with great savings for AEON Day.

On the other hand, Thank You Day is to encourage weekend shopping on selected dates* in a month at all AEON General Merchandise Store. AEON Members will get RM5 cash vouchers for every RM80 spent, RM10 for every RM150 spent and RM30 for every RM300 spent, all excluding GST. Thank You Day cash vouchers can be redeemed at redemption counters in all AEON outlets.

*Every second Saturday and Sunday and last weekend (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) of the month. For Kota Baru, the promotions apply on every second Friday and Saturday and last weekend (Thursday, Friday and Saturday) of the month.

The cash vouchers for both AEON Day and Thank You Day are valid for two weeks from the date of purchase.

With rising cost of living and inflation on the uptrend, many consumers are looking for more ways to stretch their Ringgit, especially when grocery shopping.

“The cash vouchers can go a long way in helping our customers get greater savings in the long run. Everyone loves a good bargain, and no one will say no to more savings. As one of Malaysia’s established retailer, AEON has set the bar for an immersive shopping experience for consumers. With that comes a host of other offerings, especially extensive benefits for members over the years. We want to empower more consumers to join the AEON family and be the first to receive updates and members-only rewards,” concluded Poh.

AEON is known for its range of top-quality products sourced locally and abroad, including the freshest of produce, and have been delighting many Malaysian neighbourhoods with their extensive offerings.

Overview of AEON 2018 Promotions

2018 Promotions	Dates	Cash Voucher Value	Eligibility	Location
AEON Day	Every 8^th and 28^th of the month	RM 5 for every RM100 spent	AEON Members only	At all AEON Supermarket & AEON Wellness
AEON Day	Every 8^th and 28^th of the month	RM 3 for every RM60 spent	All customers	At MaxValu & MaxValu Prime Outlets
Thank You Day	Every second (Saturday & Sunday) Kota Bharu (Friday & Saturday) and last weekend (Friday, Saturday & Sunday) of the month	RM 5 for every RM80 spent RM 10 for every RM150 spent RM 30 for every RM300 spent	AEON Members only	At all AEON General Merchandise Store (GMS)

About AEON CO. (M) BHD

AEON CO. (M) BHD. is a leading General Merchandise Stores (GMS) cum supermarket chain in Malaysia, with 26 AEON Malls, 33 AEON Outlets, 3 MaxValu and 3 Maxvalu Prime Supermarkets across the country. In the spirit of the name AEON, which means eternity in Latin, AEON’s goal is to work together endlessly with its customers, suppliers, business partners, shareholders and the community to create a future of limitless promises. Incorporated in 1984 in response to the Malaysian Government’s invitation to help modernize the country’s retailing industry, AEON’s chain of stores strive to satisfy the ever changing needs and desires of consumers. Guided by its “Customer First” philosophy, the company’s acute understanding of the target market needs, aided by optimal product-mix, AEON surpasses consumer expectations and enhances their experience every time they shop. All this is encapsulated in the tagline “AEON Enriching Your Lifestyle”.

AEON also strongly supports environmental sustainability by championing various recycling, energy conservation and tree planting causes, by engaging and encouraging various parties, including staff, customers, NGOs, government agencies and the community at large to participate.

In 2015, AEON introduced the ‘Do Mall’ initiative as part of its rebranding exercise to rebrand AEON Shopping Centres to AEON Mall. The initiative marks a next step in product innovation whilst maintaining customers’ favourites, year-long activities to enhance shopping experience and a new refreshed AEON Mall with more offerings from food and entertainment to fashion and community events.

AEON has been awarded the Gold in Retail category by Putra Brand Award for 7 consecutive years since 2011. AEON was also awarded Green Leadership by Asia Pacific Entrepreneurship Awards in 2010 and 2011. In recognition’s of AEON’s CSR initiative, the Federation of Asia-Pacific Retailers Associations (FAPRA) awarded AEON the Regional Award for “Best Efforts in Social Responsibility” in 2017.

For more information, please visit: www.aeonretail.com.my or www.facebook/aeonretail.com

Give Dishes a Delicious Colour and Taste with Lee Kum Kee Cooking Caramel

By

Tan Heng Hong

-

10th March 2018

8 February 2018

A must-have brand in the kitchen, Lee Kum Kee is introducing another quality product into its range of high quality sauces. The Lee Kum Kee Cooking Caramel is made using Class 1 Caramel, which is the highest grade and most natural of the four classes of caramel as it is minimally processed without any chemical compound added. It is also free from harmful 4-methylimidazole (4-MEI).

Manufactured to the strictest quality control standards and using only Class 1 Caramel, Lee Kum Kee Cooking Caramel does not contain added preservatives. With this assurance, consumers can have peace of mind while preparing their family’s favourite dishes.

Adding a dash of Lee Kum Kee Cooking Caramel enhances the colour of any dish and gives a subtle caramel aroma and flavour without overwhelming the taste buds with bitterness that often associated with caramel cooking sauce. It is also ideal for braised recipes where the cooking caramel gives a perfect deep reddish brown colour that makes the dish hard to resist.

This stringent quality requirement reinforces Lee Kum Kee – the inventor of oyster sauce and leader in authentic Chinese sauces – as an internationally recognised brand known for its quality sauces that enhance Chinese dishes, whether for home cooking with love or professionally prepared by chefs.

“The new Lee Kum Kee Cooking Caramel will help create tantalising looking dishes with rich colour while giving our consumers a peace of mind as it is safe and free from 4-MEI,” said May Lim, Managing Director South East Asia, Middle East, Africa and India of Lee Kum Kee (M) Sdn. Bhd.

“It is manufactured at our regional Halal-certified plant in Shah Alam and made from top grade ingredients with food safety being a top priority for us. At Lee Kum Kee we always strive to improve the quality of our sauces so that our consumers can enjoy safe, authentic flavours in their cooking,” added May.

Lee Kum Kee Cooking Caramel retails at RM5.50 (350ml) and RM10.50 (740ml) and is available at selected minimarkets, supermarkets and hypermarkets nationwide.

*Note To Editor: The 4-methylimidazole (4-MEI ) chemical compound is a byproduct that forms during the food manufacturing process when using lower grade caramel and long term consumption of 4-MEI is linked to lung cancer – a finding supported by a study by the National Toxicology Program in the United States.

Female Entrepreneurs Thriving on 11street

By

Tan Heng Hong

-

10th March 2018

56% of the registered sellers on 11street are entrepreneurial women
30% of the female entrepreneurs on 11street are selling Health & Beauty products
7% of 11street’s female sellers are tapping into male-dominated categories including Home Electronics and Mobile, IT & Camera

11street (www.11street.my); Malaysia’s number two online marketplace, today announced that in 2017, 56% of its registered sellers were women’ selling products across various categories. This data was revealed in conjunction with International Women’s Day.

CEO of 11street, Hoseok Kim said: “Online shopping has proven to be a boon for female entrepreneurs and they are thriving in the e-commerce industry. The top category with the highest number of registered female sellers is in the health & beauty segment. 30% of the female entrepreneurs on 11street are selling cosmetics, fragrance, dietary supplements & tools, skin & personal care items online.”

The platform that first launched in Malaysia in 2015 has had a fierce vision to help sellers reach their full potential, particularly with female entrepreneurs through its seller development programs and the 11street Academy.

Hoseok Kim added, “On average, 11street’s sellers have witnessed an increase in sales revenue by 15% to 20% within six months of completing the courses under the 11street Academy, the nation’s first certified e-commerce certification platform. Many of the women entrepreneurs have outperformed the average benchmark, and some have even doubled or tripled their sales performance.”

Agnes Chua from JOCOM who has an online grocer app on 11street has enjoyed a 300% growth since joining 11street. JOCOM is an integrated solution that connects rural farmers, traders and vendors with consumers via e-commerce. She started a business in e-commerce to allow herself more flexibility; a factor that is especially crucial to those balancing motherhood and other familial responsibilities, in addition to the advantage of being one’s own boss, as well as lower costs than starting a brick and mortar business. With support from 11street, Agnes has started to see the fruits of her labour come to life with the success that JOCOM is enjoying “Rather than competing with each other, why don’t we collaborate and forge a stronger outcome together?” she said.

Tapping into Male-Dominated Categories

In addition, 11street saw 7% of its female sellers tapping into the categories of large electronic appliances, camera, smartwatches & wearables, audio & gaming and home improvement. One notable female entrepreneur who has definitely broken the gender stereotypes of women in e-commerce industry is Chief Operating Officer of IT Comp, Sharon Goh. Interestingly, despite not having a background in IT, Sharon was savvy enough to foresee that e-commerce was the future trend and hopped onto the bandwagon.

In 2015, Sharon and IT Comp joined forces with 11street, a partnership that eventually helped her become one of the top players in a typically male-dominated category of sales on 11street’s marketplace: Mobile, IT & Electronics

Director of the N4 Camera Store Sdn Bhd, Ong Mei Jye also spoke about how e-commerce changed her business and her life. “I have found greater opportunities in providing consumer digital products and services online, like a steadier growth and wider possibilities at the lowest cost. By partnering with online marketplaces, including 11street, the N4 Camera Store has successfully achieved a turnover of 20% in our group business and I am positive to see more growth in the e-commerce sector,” Ong said.

BRAND’S InnerShine growing at double-digit

By

Tan Heng Hong

-

8th March 2018

We spoke to Kuang Ming Ming, General Manager of BRAND’S Suntory Malaysia, on the sideline of the appointment of the Malaysian actress Siti Saleha as the new brand ambassador for BRAND’S InnerShine Prune Essence with Vitamin E. We asked her about BRAND’S Suntory products and their brand positioning in Malaysia.

According to Kuang, the flagship BRAND’S Essense of Chicken comes under the health segment and consumers drink it for health reason. The BRAND’S InnerShine range, meanwhile, falls under the beauty segment. The philosophy of InnerShine is beauty from within rather than external, natural goodness and is 100% plant-based without the addition of chemicals.

InnerShine is growing at a double-digit rate and the trend is still continuing, said Kuang.

For products targeting the mind, BRAND’S Suntory Malaysia has BRAND’S Essense of Chicken and Ca’ya. She explained Ca’ya Habbatus Sauda and Ginseng not only gives you energy but also ginseng also gives you the mental alertness.

Ca’ya Habbatus Sauda and Ginseng, first launched in 2016, is a product that focuses on the health aspect and is a non-essence of chicken-based drink, according to Kuang. She explained “Ca’ya is a ginseng drink product that is anchored towards people that perhaps would choose to go for non-animal based products.” Kuang added Ca’ya is “gaining traction among the Chinese and Malays” but revealed Malay is still the biggest consumer. For consumers in Malaysia, Kuang alluded “BRAND’S has a certain credibility and is very big in ginseng not in Malaysia but in Taiwan.”

The company does have Malay and Indian consumers for BRAND’S Essense of Chicken but the majority of the consumers are still Chinese and Kuang attributed this to the “Chinese tradition and culture” of drinking essence of chicken.

Real Good UHT milk reports 3.9% volume growth

By

Tan Heng Hong

-

7th March 2018

Japfa Ltd reported a 3.9% full year growth in volume sales of its Real Good brand of UHT milk products, according to the company’s latest FY2017 financial results.

Sales volume of Real Good UHT fell 18% in the first half of 2017, according to Japfa’s 1H 2017 financial results. The company attributed this to weaker purchasing power citing falling retail sales.

This poor performance in the first half of 2017 stood in contrast with a 19% growth in sales volume for the January-December 2016 period, according to the FY2016 investor presentation. In 2015, sales volume of Real Good UHT milk jumped 30% year-on-year.

The launch of the Real Good UHT milk in flexible plastic pouch with sweet cheese, strawberry cereal and chocolate cereal flavours in 2017 must have stimulated demand and helped to returned volume sales to a positive territory in 2017. The milk in flexible plastic pouch is the first of its kind in Indonesia and offers an alternative to the existing pillow pouch format.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hLLCnpICUY

The flexible pouch can be microwaved to reheat, chilled in the refrigerator or soaked in hot water with a temperature of 70°C.

Greenfields opens 2nd dairy farm, enters small pack UHT market

By

Tan Heng Hong

-

7th March 2018

PT Greenfields Indonesia, a unit of Japfa Limited, has officially opened its second dairy farm in the country. Located at Wlingi, Blitar in east Java, the farm will have 7,266 dairy cows with a capacity to produce 2.2 million litres of milk per month by the end of 2018, reported Kompas.com.

2020 target

By the end of 2019, the capacity will increase to 9,264 dairy cows with a production capacity of 3.8 million litres of milk per month. The target will subsequently increase to 10,000 dairy cows by the end of 2020 with a monthly production capacity of 4.1 million litres of milk.

Meeting rising demand for fresh milk

The new farm is aimed at meeting rising demand for fresh milk in Indonesia, said Edgar Collins, CEO AustAsia Dairy Group. He said the group contributed as much as 5% of the total fresh milk produced locally in 2018 and with the full operation of the new farm, this share will rise to 10%, said Collins.

Greenfields Indonesia might open its third dairy farm in the coming two years but it depends on demand, added Collins.

The company’s first dairy farm is located in Babadan, Malang.

Location of the two Greenfields dairy farms

Entering UHT small packs

The dairy firm has recently introduced UHT milk in smaller sizes of 250ml and 200ml as UHT small pack is deemed a big market in the country, said Darmanto Setiawan, Head of Manufacturing PT Greenfield Indonesia as cited by Kompas.com.

Image from Greenfields Indonesia website

He also added at the moment, the highest sales is pasteurised milk at 65%.

What Mini Me thinks

The focus on small pack UHT milk is a significant development for Greenfields. UHT is the largest segment in the Indonesian dairy market and the key consumers are mainly children and young adults. There will be a change in strategy with more emphasis on marketing to children and young adults going forward.

Chitato sports new packaging to maximise flavour authenticity

By

Tan Heng Hong

-

6th March 2018

Indofood’s Chitato potato crisp is now sporting a new packaging to maximise the authenticity of its flavours. The packaging features a split view design with the image of the flavour on the left represented by the depiction of the actual food and on the right is the image of the chips.

The image below is the old Chitato packaging where the flavour is represented in the form of a graphic design.

The marketing does not stop here. Chitato encourages consumers to pair its crisps with other foodstuffs such as ice cream, pancakes or martabak, a roti-like stuffed fried flatbread.

We have seen other snack food companies channeling their marketing to encourage their consumers to experiment with other ways of eating snacks. In Thailand, Lay’s offered combo meal sets featuring its chips at the inaugural Tesco Lotus expo at IMPACT’s Challenger Hall in late 2017.

Lay’s booth at the inaugural Tesco Lotus expo at IMPACT’s Challenger Hall. Photographed by the author.

Perhaps snack food companies can work with the foodservice industry to use their snacks as garnish or for new meal creations?

Mini Me Insights

Anlene low fat yogurt now with new packaging, formulation

Pocari Sweat sees strong growth in sales, revamped packaging

Danone Aqua offers unadulterated taste of Indonesian tea

More Savings and Rewards with AEON

Give Dishes a Delicious Colour and Taste with Lee Kum Kee Cooking Caramel

Female Entrepreneurs Thriving on 11street

BRAND’S InnerShine growing at double-digit

Real Good UHT milk reports 3.9% volume growth

Greenfields opens 2nd dairy farm, enters small pack UHT market

Chitato sports new packaging to maximise flavour authenticity

HOT NEWS

McDonald’s BTS Meal arrives

MUST READ

JJ Drinks offers JJ Oolong Tea and Pu Erh Tea brewed...

10,000 Reasons to Celebrate with Guinness this March

Century Pacific’s UnMEAT Ventures Down Under Via Woolworths

Nissin Celebrates Laksa in New Nissin Cup Noodles Potato Chips

EVEN MORE NEWS

THAIFEX – ANUGA ASIA 2025: Driving Innovation & Global Opportunities in...

Tan Seng Kee Foods turns dumpling waste into delicious Krunch-Up

CorNiche Soft Lollipop offers soft, chewy sore throat relief

POPULAR CATEGORY