Subscribe
Lessons learned: Japan F&B companies prioritise manufacturing, R&D and safety amid second COVID-19 state of emergency By Guan Yu Lim Leading Japanese firms Asahi, Ajinomoto, Kirin, Hotei Foods, Nippn and Nissin have underlined how their manufacturing, R&D and employee safety are being maintained as certain prefectures come under another state of emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Japan government first declared a state of emergency in capital Tokyo on January 8, as COVID-19 cases surge to 5,000 a day, the highest levels since the start of the pandemic. It was then extended to Kanagawa, Chiba and Saitama prefectures.
Almost a year since the start of the pandemic in Europe, many of those infected who reported losing their sense of smell and consequently taste even without displaying other symptoms still haven’t recovered these senses. What implications could this potentially bring food industry innovation?
Why COVID-19 can uniquely and suddenly impact a person’s sense of smell and consequently taste is not yet fully understood. Not everyone experiences loss of smell and taste as a symptom. In some that do, it might not last very long. Others are not so lucky.
The ZOE COVID symptom app reports that as many as one in 20 people who have had COVID suffer symptoms for more than eight weeks. Carl Philpott, a professor of rhinology and olfactology at the University of East Anglia and who set up the awareness charity Fifth Sense, reports that about 60% of those with COVID suffer smell/taste disturbances; of that 60% about 10% have persistent problems beyond four wee
With in store sampling off the table during the pandemic, the non-alcoholic spirits brand Ritual Zero Proof drove “explosive” growth in 2020 and has high hopes for 2021 with help from partnerships with established CPG brands, including most recently Campbell’s V8, as well as lifestyle companies and passionate influencers who shared the company’s ethos of living a full, balanced life.
“Non-alcohol is not a fad, and the need for balance in our consumption is really a movement. I think we see that illustrated not only in press and discussions, but frankly in sales last year. We outsold our projections by 80% and our Q4 numbers were three times the volume of our Q1 numbers. So, the growth in the category is unmistakable,” Marcus Sakey, founding partner of Ritual Zero Proof, told FoodNavigator-USA.
PepsiCo extends reach, usage of sparkling water brand bubly, SodaStream with new bubly drops PepsiCo is driving incremental growth for two of its hottest brands by bringing together flavored sparkling water bubly and at home water carbonation platform SodaStream to launch a line of bubly drops that will hit store shelves and ecommerce this month.
By allowing consumers to use six of bubly’s most popular flavors to make unsweetened flavored carbonated water at home with SodaStream machines, the partnership will create new usage occasions for each brand and open doors to households that previously were unavailable.
“I’m sure brands are coming together saying all this all the time, but I can’t think of a better marriage” than between bubly sparkling water and SodaStream, Bryan Welsh, general manager at SodaStream USA, told FoodNavigator-USA.
Craft pickle brand SuckerPunch Gourmet’s new look shifts the focus from its iconic prizefighting mascot to the bold flavors and high-quality ingredients that set the brand apart from the competition, while also balancing the visual priorities of in-store and online marketing.
The new branding and packaging, rolling out early this year, comes as the company expands its footprint in new categories and appeals to a more diverse consumer-based with recent and upcoming product launches in the snack, beverage, and confection segments, CEO Alok Advani told FoodNavigator-USA.
He explained that while a rebranding always comes with some risks of confusing or alienating consumers, SuckerPunch was careful to maintain its