South Korea Foodservice News
- April 2023: Shinsegae Food introduced a 100% plant-based burger called Better Burger. Instead of using animal products like milk and eggs, the burger uses substitute meat, cheese, and buns created from plant-based proteins like soybeans and cashew nuts.
- March 2023: Yum! Brands Inc. teamed up with a Korean private equity fund to acquire KFC Korea Co.
- February 2023: McDonald's Korea collaborated with NewJeans and introduced a special crispy chicken sandwich meal.
Related Food Industry News
- June 2024: Heinz launched two limited-edition, new-to-category sauces, Black Garlic Ranch and Harissa Aioli.
- March 2024: Kikkoman's sales base in Europe launched the Special Limited Edition soy sauce tabletop dispensers infused with Japanese culture across the regional market.
- January 2024: Kikkoman India Pvt. Ltd (KID), Kikkoman's sales and marketing company in India, launched the group’s first-ever dark soy sauce crafted exclusively for the Indian market.
- February 2023: Hostess Brands Inc. unveiled Hostess Kazbras, a novel snack cake that blends layers of cake, cream, candy crunch, and caramel, offering consumers a unique candy-bar-inspired treat.
- January 2023: Sara Lee, a brand under Bimbo Bakeries USA, introduced a new white bread infused with vegetables. Each loaf, fortified with vitamins A, D, and E, contains the nutritional equivalent of one cup of veggies, aligning with the company's commitment to healthier bread options.
- January 2023: The Campbell Soup Company announced plans to centralize its snack offices from Charlotte, North Carolina, and Norwalk, Connecticut, into its Camden headquarters. To accommodate this consolidation, the company intends to invest over USD 50 million in upgrading its Camden facilities over the next three years, leveraging the site's refurbishment for its revamped offices.
- June 2024: Nestle allocated USD 29.1 million to a new technology that produces noodles with reduced fat and salt content.
- March 2024: Amano Foods launched a new specially made freeze-dried miso soup. The product is available in different variants containing veggies, seasonings, and spices.
- January 2024: GEA helped Nestlé reduce steam consumption by 75% at its new infant formula plant in Nunspeet, Netherlands. GEA equipped the milk powder line with advanced process and heat pump technology. Nestlé reported that innovative heat recovery from the spray dryer and other processes led to significant energy reduction and lower carbon emissions.
- May 2024: Bimbo Bakeries USA, a subsidiary of Grupo Bimbo SAB de CV, added Hawaiian bakery bread and buns to its Sara Lee Artesano portfolio. The two new bread products are made without any artificial flavors, preservatives, or high-fructose corn syrup.
- January 2024: New Jersey’s Bread manufacturer Anthony & Sons Bakery Inc. launched the Avocado Bread Company brand, making it the first bakery to utilize avocados in the line of plant-based innovations.
- December 2023: COBS Bread started its third US bakery in Merrick, New York. This was among the first of many in Long Island.
- January 2023: Bimbo Bakeries USA brand Sara Lee launched a new white bread made with veggies. According to the company's claim, the product is baked with the equivalent of one cup of veggies per loaf and fortified with vitamins A, D, and E.
- January 2023: The Campbell Soup Company revealed that the Camden headquarters of the company would house the snacks offices located in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Norwalk, Connecticut. The corporation revealed its plans to spend over USD 50 million over the following three years to upgrade its Camden facilities, which would be relocated to its refurbished site.
- January 2024: The Cheez-It brand introduced its latest offering, the Cheez-It Extra Crunchy crackers, available in two enticing flavors: Crunchy Bold Cheddar and Crunchy Sharp White Cheddar.
- January 2024: ITC Sunfeast Farmlite, a range of wholesome biscuits from ITC Foods, unveiled its latest product: the Sunfeast Farmlite Digestive Biscuit Family Pack, in eco-friendly 100% outer paper bag packaging.
- January 2024: Mondelēz International unveiled three new cookie flavors under its Oreo brand: Oreo Gluten-Free Golden, Oreo Peanut Butter Cakesters, and Oreo Black & White cookies.
- January 2024: As a part of diversifying its product range, Mars acquired "Hotel Chocolat," one of the leading premium chocolate brands based in the United Kingdom.
- January 2024: Haldiram's launched a premium chocolate brand, 'Cocobay,' in the Indian market. As per the brand’s claim, all products under this brand are crafted from 100% pure cocoa. This new collection features uniquely designed fruit and spice flavors tailored to Indian tastes.
- October 2023: Mondelēz International Inc. introduced a new Toblerone brand platform and expanded its premium chocolate offerings from airports to US retail stores. As per the brand claim, Tiny Toblerone packages are available in two varieties: classic milk chocolate with honey and almond nougat and a variety pack of milk, white, and dark chocolates with honey and almond nougat.
- September 2023: Hershey Canada Inc. introduced a plant-based chocolate named "Hershey's Oat Made." As per the brand’s claim, the chocolate bars are available in two flavors: Creamy and Almond & Sea Salt.
- April 2023: Toll House, a brand under Nestlé, launched two new plant-based chocolate chips. The product range includes two varieties: semi-sweet and dark chocolate morsels.
- January 2023: WickedGud, a direct-to-consumer (D2C) health food brand, introduced a new line of instant noodles crafted from a blend of oats, lentils, whole wheat, millets, and brown rice. These noodles are 100% free from refined flour (maida), devoid of any added oils, and entirely free from harmful chemicals. They offer a wholesome and nutritious alternative compared to traditional instant noodles.
- September 2022: Wai Wai expanded its product range by embracing the growing Korean culture in India and launched Spicy Korean-style hot noodles. These noodles are claimed to feature Bhut Jolokia, one of the world's spiciest chilies. This premium line of Wai Wai instant noodles comes in three distinct flavors: Akbari, Dynamite, and Pyro, targeting consumers in Northeast India.
- April 2022: Yu Foodlabs, an Indian brand specializing in instant meal bowls, unveiled two signature instant noodle bowls, each with its unique and delectable flavors. The first, known as "Zingy Cheese," features cheddar cheese, spring onions, and corn kernels. The second, "Chilli Manchurian," offers a spicy and savory twist on instant noodles, adding a distinct Indian flavor to the popular snack.
- February 2023: Haagen-Dazs and EIT Food (European Institute of Innovation and Technology) launched the Start-Up Innovation Challenge. The company announced it to be a global project that aims to explore the potential for innovation in technology and ingredients, focusing on opportunities to increase the sustainability potential of the ice cream brand.
- March 2022: Traveloka launched an e-grocery market named Mart, which provides products including frozen food, fresh fruit, and personal care items. The company partnered with several supermarkets and grocery stores in Greater Jakarta for its most recent product.
- January 2022: Yili Group, a Chinese producer of dairy products, announced its expansion with the launch of its facility in Indonesia. The brand has spread to 260 cities in 26 provinces across Indonesia in a short time.
- April 2023: Symrise partnered with the global culinary brand Shan Foods, Pakistan. This collaboration was intended to co-develop and deliver consumer-led winning concepts and taste solutions for leading local and global consumer-preferred food brands in categories like culinary and snacks with Symrise’s taste, nutrition, and health expertise.
- March 2023: PepsiCo Pakistan organized an event to celebrate World Water Day 2023 by sharing that the company would replenish a significant share of the water they use at their snack manufacturing facilities in the Sundar and Multan watersheds. This move was intended to build a positive brand image in the minds of consumers across the region.
- July 2022: In accordance with the "Agreement on the Promotion of Domestic Wheat Consumption signed with the Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs," SPC Samlip introduced four different types of domestic wheat bakeries. The new item is available in Nonghyup Hanaromat and e-mart locations nationwide.
- February 2022: Mondelez expanded its production line of Oreo biscuits in Indonesia's Cikarang. The company revealed that it invested USD 23 Million in the production facility. The company claimed the new production line had cutting-edge technology and boasted a low carbon emission footprint.
- July 2021: President Bakery Public Company collaborated with Ovaltine to launch two new co-branded products under its Farmhouse brand, featuring Ovaltine, to deliver a crunchy texture. The new products include dorayaki, biscuits, ice creams, and a bun filled with Ovaltine.
- June 2021: SPC Group has opened its first Paris Baguette bakery franchise in Cambodia, with the first branch being launched in the country's capital city. This Korean bakery brand has gained a reputation for quality and is owned by the well-established firm SPC Group. The partnership with Cambodia's HSC Group to open the first Paris Baguette store in Phnom Penh is a promising development, given the country's growing economy and expanding middle class.