Food Pacific Manufacturing Journal

Bright spot in a blighted landscape

Guarded optimism it may be, but it still counts as optimism - that's the tone we're getting from the industry players and market analysts we consulted for this edition of Outlook 2012. Their consensus is that the regional food & beverage industry will weather the financial gusts from the West, and play a role in turning around the global economy.

Even in this most volatile of periods, Asia Pacific is projected to be the fastest growing regional market for many types packaged foods and drinks. Disposable incomes in South East Asia, particularly Viet Nam and Indonesia, and certainly India and China, continue to rise and lifestyle changes favour more purchases of processed foods. The regional market for microwave foods, for instance, outpaces the rest of the world. The same can be said for baked goods, coffee and tea, snacks, instant noodles and beer.

Speaking of beer, consumption numbers are still rising - especially in China. Premiumisation of beer in the Middle Kingdom means consumers are switching to cans (from returnable glass bottles), and beverage canmakers like Crown Holdings and top competitor Ball are escalating operations in the Mainland to serve demand for aluminium cans. Crown also expanded in Viet Nam, where it can better serve the still-growing thirst for beer in Indochina. Ringier FoodPacific will continue to cover the upbeat beer and alcoholic beverage industry in the region with Brewery Asia special reports in our March, June and September editions. At the same time, Brewing in China supplements will run in our Chineselanguage trade, China Food Manufacturing Journal.

So here's looking forward to a spicy, tasty and heady 2012.
Cheers!