December 2021 Welcome
Welcome to the December issue of the USAPEEC ASEAN Regional Newsletter.
This newsletter seeks to provide readers with useful product and major market information for institutional and consumer users of U.S. poultry. Readers will find a variety of general market information, activities as well as useful product information in every issue.
This month's issue:
Contents
Additional Market Information Available
We have updated our website to include more information on market reports and export documentation guidelines. You can visit our ASEAN website at: www.usapeecasean.com
Christmas Blooms In Singapore
Singapore is amping up the festive cheer with its "Christmas in Bloom" theme. This year's iteration sets the iconic Orchard Road aglow with 68 km of fairy lights, oversized floral decorations and bold neon lights. A giant outdoor video projection takes up an entire wall of the Mandarin Orchard hotel, together with augmented reality fireworks that shoppers can view through a mobile app.
Not to be left out, luminous decorations made of white Christmas roses at the Cairnhill Junction Atrium@Orchard, intersects with an archway of eye-catching red, white and gold poinsettias at the Scotts-Paterson Road Junction. A festive, floral wonderland that’s sure to make you go "ooh and aah"!
To experience an extravaganza of lights, sounds and spectacle, check out Christmas Wonderland at Gardens by the Bay. The month-long event features an array of attractions and carnival games. You can shop at the Festive Market, meet Santa at the largest Santa Grotto in Asia, and skate under the stars. And that’s not all! Music in the Air brings you carols and Christmas classics along the stretch of ION Orchard to Ngee Ann City.
If you prefer to enjoy the festivities at home, gather your family and friends for a Christmas feast of traditional favs like turkey and honey-baked ham, and tune in to the virtual edition of Christmas on A Great Street at https://christmas.orchardroad.org featuring performances by local musicians and talents.
This Christmas, there’s really magic in the air. Enjoy the season! Mandarin Orchard Singapore has transformed its side wall with multimedia projections, using AR technology. (Photo: Orchard Road Business Association) Floral-themed Christmas decorations light up the streets of Orchard Road. (Photo: Rove) Christmas Wonderland at Gardens by the Bay. ( Photo: Spalliera)
Rise Of The RTE Food Market
The Asia Pacific (APAC) ready-to-eat/prepared meals market is predicted to record a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.4% from USD29.4 billion to USD38.4 billion by 2023, according to analytics firm, GlobalData. APAC accounts for a 32.5% share of the global market for ready-to-eat (RTE) meals, with 61% of APAC consumers preferring ‘easy-to-consume’ products, while 63% of them actively purchase ‘time and effort-saving’ products.
The ready meals segment is rapidly developing, in tandem with the fast-paced lifestyle of consumers, leading to increased demand for precooked foods. The changing food consumption pattern and increasing urbanization are key factors driving the global ready meals market. The growth is attributed to frozen food companies revamping their products to include more healthy and flavorful options. The chilled ready meals segment is the fastest-growing segment as consumers become more aware of the benefits of these meals. As they have a relatively short shelf-life, ready meals provide consumers with the opportunity to enjoy freshly prepared food without needing any special skills or having to spend much time preparing meals, reports Mordor Intelligence.
Highly competitive market
The ready foods market is highly competitive with top players holding major market shares. Conglomerates like McCain Foods Nestle, Unilever and Kraft are diversifying their product portfolio to include more ready meals into their product range. However, various small and regional players also exist in the market.
In Indonesia, meat company Dharma Jaya is collaborating with processor Halalan Thayyiban Indonesia to produce ready meals. Dharma will supply beef, chicken, and seafood as raw materials, while Halalan will process them into RTE food. In Thailand, Betagro has partnered with Nestlé’s Maggi to launch chilled and frozen RTE meals. The new offerings, available at all Lotus retail chain stores include Braised Chicken and Shiitake Mushroom with Rice, Cocoa Braised Pork, and other food products. Singapore-based, Li Da worked with Temasek Polytechnic’s Food Innovation and Resource Centre (FIRC) to translate a local dish, Chicken Rendang into a RTE meal in a retort pouch. The meal, comprising chicken breast in gravy, takes only minutes to prepare. FIRC has also helped to develop a diverse range of local hawker favorites with authentic flavors such as Hainanese Chicken Rice, Soya Sauce Chicken Rice, Curry Chicken Rice, Mee Pok (dry), Laksa, Black Pepper Crab and Chili Crab – all available in frozen RTE forms.
Distribution channels
Hypermarkets and supermarkets are the primary channels of distribution for RTE food in the region. The wide availability and range of products under one roof has fueled the growth in the sales channel. Supermarkets tend to sell products at competitive prices to expand their consumer base, while bundling of products is a popular strategy which has spurred the growth of products, like instant noodles, ready meals, and canned soup. The rise in the number of outlets and entry of foreign players have also contributed to the growth of the channel over the years, together with digitalization of the retail industry, and optimization of online-to-offline commerce. Changing food consumption patterns and increasing urbanization are driving growth in the RTE market. (Photo: RKB Food Truck) Prepared meals with local authentic flavors are favored by many. (Photo: Ingredients Network)
Sugar, Spice And Everything Nice
This time of year, the holidays are centered around eating. And with all the good food that’s available, it’s easy to understand why Christmas is an occasion to feast and make merry with family and friends. Turkey roasts, honey-baked ham, gingerbread cookies and traditional fruit cake - Christmas wouldn’t be the same if any were left out. Sweet cakes and breads studded with candied fruits and nuts are synonymous with Christmas. (Photo: Tim Douglas) But if there is one dessert that we just can’t get enough of, it’s the traditional fruit cake. Sweet cakes and breads studded with candied fruits and nuts are hallmarks of Christmas baking across the world. Traditional Christmas sweets like the Panettone from Italy and the German Stollen have made their way to supermarkets everywhere. Then there’s the French Christmas staple - Bûche de Noël.
What’s so special about Christmas cakes and desserts – let’s find out more. Bûche de Noël is a traditional French Christmas dessert shaped like a log. (Photo: Honeycombers) Bûche de Noël
The original tradition behind Bûche de Noël had nothing to do with a cake. The French name simply translates to “yule log”. Until the 19th century, this was a big piece of wood that families in France would burn at the fireplace to keep warm during Christmas season. The ashes were collected and spread over fields as families prayed for a bountiful harvest the following year. This ritual was not only common in France but in many other countries in Europe as well but over time, it started to fade. It took a very smart Parisian confectioner to concoct an idea to bake a cake resembling the wooden “Bûche de Noël” and the rest, as they say, is history!
The Bûche de Noël is a rich sponge cake roll filled with chocolate butter cream. To create the log-shape, many recipes suggest cutting a piece of the roll and attaching it to the side of the “stem”. Bark-like patterns carved on to the chocolate surface create the perfect illusion. Icing sugar is spread over the cake to resemble snow, and the candied fruit, marzipan mushrooms and evergreens add that warm, cozy, winter feel. As the festive decoration indicates, this type of chocolate roulade is only eaten during Christmas season. The famed British Christmas Pudding is made with 13 different ingredients. (Photo: Karolina Grabowska) Christmas Pudding
Originating from England, this traditional pudding is soaked with brandy or other types of alcohol. The Christmas or plum pudding goes back centuries and is steeped in tradition. The very first version appeared in the 14th century as a form of porridge, known as Frumenty - made with beef and mutton, accompanied by raisins, wines, currants, and spices. The consistency was more like that of soup. At the turn of the century, the Frumenty went through different names, from being branded as plum pudding to Christmas pudding, to simply pud! After the 16th century, when dried fruit became more available, the pudding slowly shifted from savory to sweet. The recipe was thickened with eggs, breadcrumbs, dried fruit, beer and other spirits – and the sweet pudding was born. It’s worth mentioning that it was the Victorians who experimented and fine-tuned the recipe into the pudding that many of us have come to love and enjoy today. More than 2.5 million of the beloved stollen are sold in German retail stores each year. (Photo: Sebastian Coman) German Stollen
The German stollen that has been around for nearly 700 years is recognized as one of the most famous and beloved of all Christmas pastries. Flaky and moist, these homemade Christmas stollen are simply divine. Do you know that more than 2.5 million stollen are sold in German retail stores each year, and countless more are baked in home kitchens? In the past two decades, this delightfully sweet and fruity cake, which is very different from the British fruit cake, has become really popular in America. Today, you can choose from a wide variety of domestic and imported stollen in almost all food stores.
The best tasting stollen contains quality wheat flour, yeast, butter (dried raisins, sultanas or currants soaked in rum, orangeat (candied orange), zitronat (candied lemon), and powdered sugar as topping.
Occasionally, marzipan, vanilla extract, almonds nut, and spices are used to enhance the flavors. However, due to its high content of fat and fruit, stollen remains fresh and can be stored for a long time before getting stale. Although not light in calories, stollen burns fast and doesn’t make you feel heavy. Gingerbread houses are intricately linked to the Grimm fairy-tale of Hansel and Gretel. (Photo: Showcat Coldstrand) Gingerbread House
During Christmas season in America, children get really excited about making cut-outs of men, women, and animals, out of gingerbread recipes. It’s a fun way to include the kids in the festive preparations. A typical recipe for a fluffy gingerbread man involves flour, baking soda, brown sugar or molasses and spices including ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg or cloves, depending on the recipe. The gingerbread used for house construction leaves out the baking soda or any other form of leavening, resulting in sheets of thinner cookies that can easily be cut to shape or baked in a special gingerbread mold. The gingerbread house is another tradition that came to America from Germany and Scandinavia. Now we know why gingerbread houses look like those in the Grimm fairy-tale books with steep gabled roofs covered in snow. Today, gingerbread houses are available in kits where you can use molds and printed patterns for the various house sections. To fit the pieces together, you can use edible glue made from egg white, cream of tartar and powdered sugar. The glue is also used to stick pieces of candy or bits of cookies to the house. Various forms of icing and frosting, which may be tinted with food coloring, are used for decorative details, as are colored food paste.
As far as Christmas cakes go, there is no shortage of variations and tastes. Asians have taken to European and American offerings at local bakeries and supermarkets. Other variations have emerged with the use of local ingredients to spice up the flavors. The Philippines has an interesting version known as Bibingka, a rice-baked dessert that is predominantly sold on the streets to celebrate the Christmas season. Both sweet and salty, it is made from basic ingredients like butter, sugar, grated coconut, with the addition of jackfruit, durian, and salted duck eggs. The Bibingka is traditionally cooked in a terracotta oven, lined with banana leaves and eaten for breakfast or as merienda (light snack). The Japanese Christmas cake is a fluffy sponge cake decorated with a generous amount of strawberries and whipped cream. Malaysians have created their own Christmas Sugee cake that is full of fruit, nuts, and semolina, laced with brandy.
“A little bit of spice and a dash of soaked-in-wine sweetness in a luscious dark brown slice - the Christmas Cake is as synonymous with Christmas as the man in the red suit or the Christmas tree.
For The Love Of Sausages
Served with eggs at breakfast or in potato salad at lunch, when it comes to flavor, sausages reign supreme. An ancient treat that has become a part of our daily lives, the humble sausage has yielded some pretty incredible recipes. Incorporating different meats in casings and utilizing different methods of cooking, each country has its own unique twist to this classic, versatile food. Sausages and eggs make a classic breakfast combo. (Photo: Primal Wellness) Romans also took a liking to this delicious meaty treat on festive occasions – so much so that the early church banned it altogether!
One thing that’s true - the best cured sausages come from colder mountainous regions, like Germany. This is because during winter, dry winds from the North aid in the curing process. Germany is also where the sausage got its vast vocabulary from. For instance, the word ‘Bratwurst’ is derived from the German word, Brät (finely chopped meat).
Way ahead of the sustainability curve, sausages were first created by mixing the extra meat trimmings rejected by butchers, in fat and salt. Our ancestors used this method as a way to preserve extra meat that would have otherwise gone to waste. As the quick and easy-to-eat treat evolved over time, it gained acceptance as a gourmet food product. Today, sausages can be found stuffed in casings, dried, fermented, smoked, or mass-produced using any combination of these techniques.
Here are some ways Asians enjoy their sausages: Lap Cheong (Chinese sausage)
From casual family meals to extravagant Chinese New Year reunion dinners, Lap Cheong or Lap Chung is a favorite among the Chinese. These sausages, made with duck liver, pork meat and turkey liver variations, are moist, plump and sometimes smoky in flavor, if charcoal fired. Served either dried, steamed, boiled, fried, or braised, the sausage is dotted with nuggets of fat and is very addictive. A nostalgic treat for many, you can find Lap Cheong in hawker stalls - served with dishes like fried rice, noodles, or as is, with sweet sauce on the side. Stir-fried with veggies or topped over rice and noodles, Lap Cheong has a distinctive fragrance. (Photo: Phase Changes Kitchen) Sai Kok or spicy pork sausage is a staple in Laos cuisine. (Photo: Tastelatlas) Sai Kok (spicy pork sausage)
A staple in Laos and Northern Thailand, Sai Kok is a spicy pork sausage. It gets its core flavors from everyday ingredients used in Lao cuisine, like lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, red chilis, garlic, shallots, and fish sauce. Some recipes also incorporate dill, galangal (spice), chicken bouillon seasoning, and black pepper. The herbaceous sausage is usually left to infuse in the mixture for a few days. Street vendors can be seen selling this mouthwatering treat – either uncooked, or grilled, and served alongside sticky rice and spicy dipping sauces. Urutan (fermented sausage)
A delicacy in Bali, the Urutan sausage is a concoction of ground pork and fats, mixed with Basa Genep (Balinese mixed spices). To make the sweet and spicy sausage, ingredients are stuffed into the pig intestine and left to ferment under the hot sun. At night, the sausage is brought indoors to prevent moisture loss. The Urutan sausage can be found in both restaurants and street stalls. It is also presented as offering during the religious festival of Galungan, when spirits of deceased relatives “return home” to visit with family. A Balinese delicacy, the Urutan sausage is a concoction of ground pork and fats mixed with local spices. (Photo: Tripadvisor)
Wake Up And Taste The Coffee!
There is nothing like waking up to a warm cup of coffee in the morning. For many, the aromatic magic brew is just the right pick up to perk up and start the day off right. Hot, cold, blended or iced – coffee is steeped into our culture.
If you’re wondering about the beans in your brew, we have the scoop. Coffee beans come from the coffee plant, a bush-like plant with bunches of cherries growing. Inside these that you’ll find two coffee beans. It takes about a year for the coffee plant to produce fragrant, white flowers, and another four years before it begins to bear fruit. That said, it takes ten years for these plants to begin producing coffee beans on a commercial level.
Coffee is known to have over 800 aromatic compounds, with more discovered each year. The incredible array of flavors and smells present in the coffee bean make it versatile for many different types of recipes, beyond the beverage. Coffee is a classic addition to sweet recipes like cakes, cupcakes and ice cream. And if you think coffee is a strange thing to add to chili, meat, salad dressing, or roasted vegetables, think again! The recipes we’ve uncovered will have you convinced otherwise. Perk up your mornings with a delicious serving of Vietnamese Egg Coffee. (Photo: Relish) Vietnamese Egg Coffee
Nothing beats eggs and coffee in the morning. How about eggs and coffee in the same cup? The Egg Coffee has been an integral part of Vietnamese cuisine since 1946 when it was first discovered by Nguyen Van Giang, a chef at Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi Hotel. While experiencing a shortage of milk in the city, he decided to incorporate egg yolks as a substitute. And voila! Today, the peculiar beverage is available throughout the nation, with each café offering its own take.
A combination of alluring coffee and meat is just hard to resist. (Photo: Eating Well) Coffee-Rubbed Meat
Impress your guests with a combination of alluring coffee and meat, guaranteed to wet appetites. Coffee-Rubbed Chicken Thighs, Coffee-Brined Drumsticks or a New York Strip with Spicy Coffee marinate, there are plenty of recipes to choose from online. If you prefer local flavors, you’ll have to try the iconic Coffee-smoked Tandoori Chicken recipe created by Chef Sakthivel Karuppiah from the Allspice Institute. Definitely, a developing trend in the region. Coffee Jelly, made from black coffee and gelatin is a dessert that’s light and not too sweet. (Photo: No Recipes) Coffee Jelly
The Japanese Coffee Jelly is a jiggly chewy concoction that is making waves in Asia as consumers seek new ways to get their caffeine fix. It’s a simple dish to make. Just dissolve gelatin in strong, hot coffee, allow to cool, and let it set in the fridge. Once firm, drizzle the gelatin and sweetened cream mixture. And there you have it – a fun, delicious treat - made in a matter of minutes! Crunchy and buttery, these cookies mimic the flavor of local coffee. (Photo: Mdm Ling Bakery) Coffee Cookies
Calling all sweet tooths and avid snackers! Of course, this trend has sparked new creations of desserts with coffee infused flavoring. Mdm Ling Bakery in Singapore has launched its new Kopi Siew Dai Cookies (less sweet local coffee), which you can purchase online. The cookies mimic the flavor of the local beverage, encased in buttery fragrant cookies. It’s crazy delicious! The next time you fancy an indulgent treat, take your pick from coffee classics like espresso, latte and cappuccino and create your own coffee-inspired recipes. Red Velvet comes to mind!
Top Packaging Trends Shaping F&B Supply Chains
The pandemic has totally disrupted the food and beverage (F&B) supply chains over the past two years. Manufacturers have suffered from terrible losses due to the shortage of raw materials, reduction in demand and supply, and more. On the other hand, the pandemic has boosted consumers’ appetite for food, with an eye on sustainability - prompting a higher demand for packaging used to wrap food items. ReportLinker projects the global packaged food market, valued at USD 2976.41 billion in 2020, to grow at CAGR of 6.27% in value terms, to reach over USD 4261.36 billion by 2026. The popularity of packaged food items keeps increasing among health-conscious consumers, who are choosing food with health benefits. Moreover, factors such as changing eating habits and busy lifestyles have contributed to the increased demand for packaged food products.
So, what are the latest food packaging trends that warehousing and distribution companies need to take note of?
As the need for sanitized and safe packaging increases, food packaging industry players need to deliver innovative solutions to cater to the needs of consumers. Warehousing and distribution companies must also ensure the supply of sanitized and safe products to end-users. The industry must consider that evolving trends in the food packaging industry are greatly influenced by the demand for clean, smart, convenient, and sustainable packaging solutions. It’s time to implement these new ideas to keep the world safe, and contribute towards a healthy smart environment, don’t you think?
Cambodia
Cloud kitchen concept food court opens in TK Central AHA Central is partnering with Parbury Investments to bring a new cloud kitchen food court to TK Central. With brands like Home Steak, Pinto’s, Amazing Pho and more, the operators offer a diversified range of popular street food and new culinary trends, along with an interactive dining experience through smartphone apps. The operators want to entice customers to discover different types of cuisines and food concepts within a convenient, safe and smart dining environment. Next, AHA Central plans to open food courts at PTT gas station branches across the Kingdom.
Indonesia
Lounge in The Sky Indonesia to debut in Jakarta Lounge in The Sky (LITS) Indonesia will commence operations in January 2022 for a limited time — promising a stunning 360-degree view of Jakarta from 45-50 meters high. LITS Indonesia is a collaborative project between Mangkuluhur City, a mixed development complex, and Dinner in The Sky Asia. Located at Boca Rica Tapas Bar & Lounge at Mangkuluhur City, the lounge in Jakarta will be its third location, after Belgium and Malaysia. Consumers can expect specials like Caesar Salad Balinese Chicken and vegetarian mains like Smashed Avocado Toast. This program is part of the Belgium-based Dinner in The Sky, which operates in 60 countries across the globe, and has served about 10,000 dishes since it was founded in the late 2000s.
Malaysia
FamilyMart launches Food Superstore concept FamilyMart has introduced its new Food Superstore concept with a new look and feel, to give customers a comfortable shopping and dining experience. Located at Sri Petaling and Bandar Puteri Puchong, Food Superstore brings a wide selection of daily foods, hot snacks, and convenient frozen meals in addition to favorites like Oden, Onigiri, Sofuto, and more. Customers can enjoy these food offerings instore, on-the-go, or stock them at home as any meal of the day. Based in Japan, FamilyMart is the world’s second largest convenience store chain, with over 17,500 stores across various markets globally.
Philippines
Embassy showcases Malaysian convenience foods at Robinsons To showcase the variety of Malaysian convenience food, the Malaysian Embassy recently held a Malaysia Fest at 46 Robinsons Supermarket and 11 GoRobinsons online groceries in the Philippines. Brands included Fusipim’s Rich Mama, Everbest, Kawan, Chek Hup, Old Town Coffee, among others. The Indian-inspired section featured frozen flatbreads such as plain roti and paratha, oil-free chappati, curries and papadam. As consumers return to physical shopping, the Embassy took the opportunity to showcase Malaysian products and raise more awareness amongst Filipinos, as it makes a bid for international recognition of its F&B sector.
Singapore
Fresh funding for SaladStop Singapore-based healthy food chain, SaladStop, has raised USD8.9 million during a Series B investment round led by Temasek. New investors include Vulcan Capital, K3 Ventures, and East Ventures. The funds will be invested towards accelerating its digital transformation, investment in proprietary technologies, and expanding its presence in Asia. The group aims to enter four new countries by 2025. The healthy food chain will also invest in food sustainability, focusing on ingredient traceability and opening of the group’s first net-zero outlet next year, aligning with Singapore’s 30x30 goals. Founded in 2009, the SaladStop Group operates 69 outlets across eight markets – Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Japan, Korea, and Spain.
Danish cafe opens concept store Known for its signature hand-crafted Småkagers (Danish butter cookies), Copenhagen-based pastry shop, Leckerbaer, has unveiled its new concept store at Keong Saik Road (old Chinatown). Located in a heritage shophouse, the store features minimalistic design with warm tones. Upon entering, customers are greeted at the pastry counter where they can pick up takeaway orders. For the festive season, Leckerbaer Singapore has introduced a Christmas Collection, featuring eight new festive flavors and visually appealing geometric molds. Founded in 2014, the brand arrived in Singapore during the pandemic, marking its first expansion outside of Denmark.
Thailand
Top chefs unveil new casual restaurant Chefs Napol “Joe” Jantraget and Saki Hoshino have unveiled their latest venture, Samlor. The new restaurant offering no-frills comfort bites and drinks, also serves as the main stage for a slew of side projects the chefs have lined up, like dessert set menus featuring ice cream brand Yora. Chef Joe will introduce dining concepts that focus on old Thai recipes and showcase Thai ingredients through a global lens. On the menu are juicy burgers, Chicken Satay, Pad Thai, Krapow Gai (Spicy Thai Basil Chicken), among other items.
Vietnam
Korean conglomerate to invest $340 million in retail platform South Korean conglomerate, SK Group will invest USD340 million in The CrownX, a retail platform of Masan Group Corp (Vietnam’s top F&B and retail company). Through the investment, SK plans to strengthen a strategic partnership with Masan in Vietnam’s retail, logistics and fintech sectors that are expected to rapidly grow. The SK Group signed a deal to acquire secondary shares in The CrownX. Following the completion of the transaction, SK will own a 4.9% stake in the company while Masan will hold 85.0%. The CrownX has two subsidiaries – Masan Consumer Holdings, and WinCommerce, the country’s top retailer. WinCommerce holds more than 50% of the country’s modern retail markets, operating 2,300 convenience stores and 120 supermarkets. It recently launched an online retail business in cooperation with Lazada, Alibaba’s e-commerce marketplace in Southeast Asia.
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