Setpember 2020
Welcome
Welcome to the September 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
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Market News
- Culinary Masterclass on U.S. Poultry
- Increasing Consumer Awareness for U.S. Poultry Products
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Food Service
- Mad about Mooncakes
- Keep Calm and Curry On
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In The Region
- ASEAN News in Brief
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Industry Trends
- Tempting Themed Eateries
- Optimizing Productivity with Food Technology
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
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Culinary Masterclass on U.S. Poultry
The second Masterclass on U.S. Poultry held September 9, drew a participation of 47 culinary students from the Singapore Hotel and Tourism Education Centre (SHATEC). The students recently completed the poultry curriculum as part of the current academic year. Chef Heman Tan led the session with a demonstration of two dishes - BBQ U.S. Chicken Leg, and Sous Vide U.S. Chicken Breast Sauce. Chef Eric Low showed off his creativity with U.S. Chicken Roulade with Buah Keluak Jam, and Grilled U.S. Duck Breast with Avocado Chimichurri Sauce. The students watched as the masters prepped the dishes, cooked and artfully plated them, while dishing out knowledge, cooking skills and techniques. Both chefs encouraged the students to think outside the box when preparing their own signature meals and menu. The Q & A sessions were very engaging with enthusiastic participation from the floor. USAPEEC Director, Margaret Say spoke about the quality and nutritional aspects of U.S. poultry and eggs and promoted the council’s website as a one-stop resource for the food and beverage industry, including new developments and trends in the region. The masterclass was a joint collaboration between USAPEEC and SHATEC, with funding from the United Soybean Board (USB).
SHATEC students taking it all in at the masterclass
U.S. BBQ Chicken Leg
In harmony with U.S. Poultry - Chef Heman and Margaret Say
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Increasing Consumer Awareness for U.S. Poultry Products
USAPEEC’s joint retail promotion with the Lotte supermarket chain proved to be a big hit with local consumers. Four outlets from Ho Chi Minh City, and one from Bihn Duong City participated in the month-long promotion held in July. Many stopped by to chat with local promoters to learn more about U.S. chicken. Aside from the posters and TV monitor screens promoting the quality and versatility of U.S. poultry, consumers took away product brochures and thermal bags. Vietnamese consumers are turning to chicken meat as an alternative protein source due to the high pork prices. They also found U.S. chicken to be healthy, nutrient-dense, and ideal for deep-frying, grilling and steaming.
Happy shopper at the U.S. Poultry booth
U.S. chicken display in chillers
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Mad about Mooncakes
The Mid-Autumn Festival marks the end of the autumn harvest. Falling on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, the festival brings families and friends together to rejoice and express gratitude for a harmonious and bountiful life, under a beautiful full moon, believed to be at its fullest and brightest at this time. Just as the moon lights the way, shops are decorated with exquisite lanterns, while little children gather around the neighborhood to show off their colorfully lit paper lanterns to celebrate the occasion. The mooncake, however, is the most traditional and important part of the festival. The deliciously stuffed cake gets its name and round shape from the full moon. Traditionally made with a red bean or lotus seed paste filling, mooncakes have evolved to colorful parcels filled with all kinds of unusual ingredients, from spicy dried shrimp to exciting new flavors such as hazelnut, sweet potato and smoked duck with assorted nuts. To top it off, they come in beautifully packed boxes that make great gifts for family, friends and colleagues.
And to nudge you a little, here are some delectable flavors that you just have to try.
Traditional Cantonese Lotus Mooncake with Salted Egg
(Image: The Woks of Life)
Lip-Smacking Lotus
The Cantonese Lotus Mooncake with Salted Egg is a top-choice for family celebrations. For those with an acquired taste, this indispensable mooncake flavor is among the most traditional and expensive of Chinese desserts. With its gorgeous “gold” coloring, the mooncakes have a very thick salted egg filling that complements the sweetness of the silky-smooth lotus paste. If you’re looking for a lip-smacking treat, these delightfully crumbly mooncakes will not disappoint.
Sliced Dried Longan and Chicken Floss Mooncake
(Image: Kuali)
Fruit and Floss
The unexpected combination of the Dried Longan with Chicken Floss Mooncake will leave you drooling for more. This mix of the lotus paste, diced dried longan, stuffed with chicken floss adds a unique and flavorful twist to the traditional dessert. Crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, each bite reveals the sweetness of the longan and lotus paste, and the savory-ness of the delicious chicken floss.
Flaky and crispy Xian Rou Yue Bing
(Image: The Woks of Life)
Crusty and Meaty
Adapted from Suzhou, Shanghai, the Xian Rou Yue Bing mooncakes will make you go weak in the knees. These mooncakes are definitely not your typical chewy, sweet festival desserts. It is a crispy, flaky dish with a yummy surprise in the middle. The layered mooncake, with a rich savory ground meat filling in the center, can be found in black or white sesame varieties. Traditionally, ground pork is used for the filling, but if you’re making this at home, you can substitute the pork with chicken or turkey. Packed with a meaty flavor and a pastry-like crust, this festival dish makes a perfect combo.
Assorted Nuts with Roast Duck Mooncake from Kam’s Roast
(Image: Serious Eats)
Roast of a Kind
The Assorted Nuts with Roast Duck Mooncake by Kam’s Roast Goose is truly one-of-a-kind. Made with its signature Michelin-quality duck, this unique offering is obviously not the traditional fare. The sweet and savory dessert features an earthy sesame paste, married with an assortment of nuts, and mixed in with small chunks of roasted duck. The walnuts and almonds along with sesame, melon and olive seeds, add a flavorful crunchy texture. Free of preservatives, artificial flavoring and coloring, this mooncake is a quite the healthy delight.
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Keep Calm and Curry On
Those who enjoy eating Asian food know that curry is the pinnacle dish in Indian or South Asian cuisine. Originating from India, it was generally referred to as spicy, saucy dishes. The word “curry” was historically introduced by the British. Curry is made with different flavors of meat, fish, eggs and/or vegetables, combined with the distinctive aroma of curry leaves, powder and pastes. Adapting traditional Indian spices and herbs such as turmeric, cumin, coriander, chilies, and fenugreek, each Asian country has put its own unique stamp on the dish. For example, Thai curries typically use coconut milk and more fragrant herbs, while Malaysian curries feature a fiery yellow-orange color with a burst of flavors emanating from curry powders rich in turmeric, coconut milk, shallots, ginger, shrimp paste, chilies, and garlic. Too good to miss! Are you ready for a simmering bowl of freshly made curry to take you on a journey of the senses?
Spice Galore!
Just like the colors of traffic lights, Thai curry comes in three different variations – red, yellow and green. The curries, best known for their rich ingredients and spice levels, are cooked with a concoction of fresh chilies, ginger, lemongrass, lime, shrimp paste, garlic and shallots made into a paste. It is then sautéed and added into coconut milk along with fish sauce, tofu, vegetables, and meats - usually chicken, fish or duck. Kaeng Khiao (green curry) is the spiciest as it is made from green chilies, whereas Kaeng Phet (red curry) takes second place, followed by the Kaeng Kari (yellow curry), which is often the sweetest and mildest of the three. The dishes are served with a thin soup-like broth along with steamed rice and a cucumber relish known as ajat.
Thai red, green and yellow curries denote different spice levels
(Image: Ariel Cagui)
Kari Ayam garnished with coriander leaves
(Image: Taste Australia)
Tender to the Bone
One of Malaysia’s most addictive curry dish, Kari Ayam (chicken curry) is popular in the ASEAN region. With creamy coconut milk harmonizing with hints of ginger, lemongrass, garlic, chili peppers and the haunting notes of star anise, this curry is what gastronomic dreams are made of! Traditionally cooked in a claypot, the chicken pieces are left in the broth to simmer, along with meat curry powder for that extra punch of flavor. Once the chicken is fall-off-the-bone tender, the dish is garnished with fresh coriander and a squeeze of lime juice, before it is served with warm rotis or steamed rice.
The X-Factor
A celebratory dish, Samlar Kari is a traditional Cambodian chicken curry, prepared during the Cambodian New Year, Pchum Ben and other festivals and special occasions. Aside from chicken pieces doused in a palatable coconut sauce, fish sauce and palm sugar, the Cambodian kroeung and shrimp paste ingredients make up the x-factor, setting the Khmer curry dish apart. The kroeung curry paste, made with a mixture of lemongrass, turmeric, galangal, red chilis, shallots, garlic, kaffir lime leaves and zest, gives the dish its brilliant red-orange color and rich flavor. Typically sold at street stalls and restaurants, or cooked at home, Samlar Kari is eaten with steamed rice, bread or noodles, with a side of vegetables.
Traditional Cambodian Chicken Curry, Samlar Kari
(Image: House of Nash Eats)
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Indonesia
Bukalapak gains 3 million new merchants
Three million new merchants have joined online marketplace, Bukalapak in the first seven months of 2020 with its strongest growth rate in rural areas and smaller cities. Under its 2019 Mitra Bukalapak program, the e-commerce platform collaborated with Google to encourage the digitalization of Indonesian SME’s and convenience stores. The collaboration enables retailers joining the company's wholesale platform to appear on Google search results, including Google Maps, and gain more traction and exposure. Bukalapak has partnered with over 5.4 million retailers selling a variety of consumer goods such as food products, household items, electronics, and clothing.
Malaysia
Don Don Donki to open in 2021
Japanese discount retailer Don Don Donki is set to open its first outlet at the Lot 10 Shopping Center in Kuala Lumpur early next year. The three-storey store will connect directly to the Bukit Bintang train station where it is expected to attract heavy foot traffic. Don Don Donki, selling Japanese goods and globally-sourced products, currently operates 11 stores across the region.
Cafe On the Go at PWTC
The Riverside Cafe On The Go is the latest eatery to open at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC). Catering to modern lifestyles for quick and efficient services, the café offers Malaysian favorites such as Nasi Lemak, Fried Mee Hoon and traditional Kuih. PWTC plans to expand with more branches in the Klang Valley area that will include petrol stations and tertiary institutions.
Myanmar
Aeon to invest USD180 million in first Myanmar mall
Japanese retail group, Aeon will build a large USD180 million commercial facility in Yangon, marking its first entry into the country. The Aeon Mall shopping complex will be built on a 72,000 sqm site within a 30-minute drive in central Yangon. Construction begins in 2021 and the mall is expected to be ready in 2023. Despite the ongoing pandemic, Aeon president said this would not impact its expansion plans. The investment, approved by the Myanmar government in late July, is a joint venture between Aeon and Shwe Taung Group, a local conglomerate. Aeon leads other big retailers around the world in terms of investments in Southeast Asia. In Cambodia, the company currently operates two outlets and is slated to open a third.
Singapore
Foodpanda tests drone delivery
In partnership with DroNet - a drone network system by ST Engineering, Foodpanda successfully delivered food to a ship docked 3 km offshore via a drone. Launched from the Marina South Pier, the drone delivered 5 packets of Ayam Penyet (Indonesian fried chicken rice) to seafarers aboard the Posh Bawean vessel. The drone, dubbed PandaFly, intends to use drones to pick up and deliver orders at designated collection points island-wide.
STB and Prima Taste team up for Singapore Food Story
The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and Prima Taste have created a two-minute video called the Singapore Food Story to encourage the rediscovery of local delicacies while paying tribute to the essential workforce. The video showcases Prima Taste’s gift bag distribution initiative for 11,000 essential workers in June, involving home-grown brands. These workers received close to USD218,834 worth of local dishes like Laksa LaMian, Plain LaMian, Ready Meals and Authentic Asia Cooking Sauces in fuss-free and easy-to-cook packages. The joint initiative began after a funding of USD32.9 million was set aside by STB, Sentosa Development Corporation and Enterprise Singapore for the SingapoRediscovers campaign.
Jollibee lands first cloud kitchen
Jollibee Food Corp (JFC) has started operating its first cloud kitchen in Singapore to meet the growing demand for delivery services. The kitchen enables Jollibee to reach more consumers and fulfil orders cost-efficiently, while retaining the same standard of safety and quality of food.
Blast-frozen meals from Indonesia
Singapore’s Padasuka Indo Food has introduced a unique delivery service where dishes from selected popular restaurants in Indonesia are sent on a plane to Singapore. The dishes are blast-frozen prior to delivery and can be ordered on the company’s website. Delivery fee starts around USD14 for a box of 6-8 items, and is chargeable by weight.
Vietnam
Gojek launches new app
Gojek has begun its food delivery services in August via the newly launched Gojek Super App (GoFood) in Vietnam. With more than 150,000 drivers and 80,000 food merchants in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City alone, the app enables the company to scale up and adapt to changing consumer needs. Currently available in Indonesia and Singapore, the app is expected to launch next in Thailand.
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Tempting Themed Eateries
With meticulously executed interiors and aesthetically pleasing menus, themed restaurants and cafés are becoming the new craze in Southeast Asia. As lockdowns and social distancing measures start to ease, a surge in domestic tourism can be observed. Consumers are looking to themed eateries to indulge in a little escapism while still complying with travel restrictions. From airplane cabins to underwater aquariums, having a meal has never been so mesmerizing.
The Dreamliner Airways Café takes your dining experience to new heights
(Image: DAC’s FB)
Dining on Cloud 9
Let the Dreamliner Airways Café in Johor, Malaysia take you to cloud nine without the hassle of luggage check-in and immigration. The aviation-themed café replicates the interior of a plane cabin with comfortable business class seats, in-flight flat screen TVs, cabin crew waiters and awesome food that will have you dining in style - 30,000 feet off the ground. The menu offers a variety of dishes, from western classics like Fish & Chips, Hawaii Chicken Ham Pizza, Meatball Spaghetti and Grilled Salmon with Salted Egg Sauce, to timeless Thai, Korean and Malaysian cuisines, ranging from Thai Tom Yum Fish Rice, Korean Chicken Wings to Sambal Sotong Rice. Buckle-up foodies and get ready to satisfy your wanderlust!
Underwater dining at the Ocean Restaurant
(Image: City Nomads)
Underwater Fine-Dining
Want to know how it feels to be in a fishbowl with over 100,000 marine animals swimming all around you? At Singapore’s Ocean restaurant located within the renowned Resorts World Sentosa, patrons are seated within floor-to-ceiling glass panels showcasing some pretty amazing marine life as they dine. In addition to the huge variety of seafood items on the menu, the restaurant is also known for its mouth-watering slabs of Braised-Seared Beef Short Rib, Teriyaki Pork Toro and Crisp Brick Duck Foie Gras, procured from sustainable sources. Dive in for this once-in-a-lifetime dining experience in the ocean.
It’s always autumn at Kreams Krafthouse
(Image: TimeOut)
Crafted for K-fanatics
Bringing the autumn season to the warm and humid weather in Singapore, Kreams Krafthouse is a dream come true for Korean drama fanatics. Here, customers get to reminisce over their favorite K-drama story as they enter the insta-worthy café decorated with a canopy of leaves in shades of red, orange, yellow and green. More than just aesthetics, the café’s menu is filled with a long list of caffeine beverages, and an impressive collection of sweet treats like cakes and specialty scones. Having mastered the golden ratio of eggs to milk, the scones are lightly-textured, crumbly and tasty. Take your pick from an assortment of Cream, Sweet Potato, Yuzu, Dalgona and Matcha scones!
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Optimizing Productivity with Food Technology
Asia Pacific has recently seen an exceptional growth in the multi-billion-dollar agri-food sector, supported by strong population growth, rising affluence and changing consumer demands. Today, food innovation and big data analytics have become one of the strongest contenders to meet the continent’s nutritional needs, making quality food available and accessible. Here’s what’s trending:
A peek at TiffinLabs’ centralized cloud kitchen
(Image: TiffinLabs)
Cloud Kitchens on the Rise
Cloud kitchens have become an increasingly prevalent trend in recent years. These centralized facilities are home to delivery-only restaurants with no physical outlets. Cloud kitchens help restaurants to maximize profits and minimize cost for front-house employees, food waste, and real estate.
Together with its 50 cloud kitchens across Southeast Asia, GrabFood fulfils end-to-end business needs in areas such as marketing, finance and business management while extending low cost and risk-free opportunities. Earlier this year, GrabFood launched its first cloud-kitchen in Singapore. GrabKitchen offers on-demand delivery and takeaway services through a unique self-order kiosk. The shared kitchen currently works with over 10 small F&B virtual brands such as Crave, Huraideu and Southern Soul, serving dishes like Nasi Lemak with Chicken Cutlet, Chicken Burgers, Wings and Drumlette sets.
The increasing demand for food delivery has also prompted Singaporean foodtech firm TiffinLabs to create an international network of cloud kitchens. Focusing on creating cuisines linked to consumer needs, TiffinLabs’ solution is reshaping the business model by currently operating 9 digital-first restaurant brands such as Publico Pastabar in Singapore. The startup hopes to leverage its Artificial Intelligence (AI) driven system to deliver international menus with the potential to reach more than 15 million households.
Computerized egg conveyor system
(Image: John Lambeth)
Farms go High-Tech
Poultry and egg farms around the world are now adopting new technologies to increase productivity. These farms are harnessing modern technology such as computerized egg conveyor systems for egg counting, as well as high-tech egg grader machines to automatically sort, grade, perform quality checks, disinfect and package eggs. Besides crate washing and egg packing, the fully automated systems minimize wastage of resources and production costs, and efficiently meets specific industry needs such as increased safety and reduced carbon footprint.
KFC’s restaurant of the future concept is all about 3D printed chicken nuggets
(Image: SLYOU)
Breakthrough Technology
You’ve heard about 3D printed models but now get ready for 3D printed food. In partnership with 3D Bioprinting Solutions, KFC is in talks to develop 3D bioprinting technology to create the world's first laboratory-produced chicken meat. The innovative production caters to the growing consumer demand for healthy nutrition and more environmentally-friendly methods of producing food. While the research laboratory is in the process of developing the additive technology using chicken cells and plant material, the fast food chain is working to ensure that the chicken nuggets achieve its signature KFC taste.
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Disclaimer: All opinions and views expressed in the articles published in the newsletter are those of the individual journalists and do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher, the newsletter's sponsors or USA Poultry & Egg Export Council.
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