Oct 28, 2026

The first half of October brought two sizeable deals in India and Singapore, new processing capacity in Malaysia, Vietnam and China, and a steady run of ingredient distribution agreements across Southeast Asia. This roundup covers 21 announcements published between October 1 and 15, 2026, chosen for their relevance to flavorists, food scientists, ingredient suppliers and manufacturers. Regulatory news is not included.

Acquisitions and investment

McCain buys Falcon Agrifriz's frozen potato business in Gujarat

October 14 · India

McCain Foods has agreed to acquire the frozen potato processing business of Falcon Agrifriz Foods in Gujarat. The plant serves domestic and export customers and sits close to McCain's existing factory in Mehsana, also in Gujarat. The deal brings Falcon's network of contract potato growers with it, which matters as much as the processing capacity. McCain, in India since 1998, is building supply for quick-service chains, foodservice and retail. More frozen fries and formed potato products in India means more demand for seasonings, batters and coatings.

Source:NUFFOODS Spectrum Asia

Global Yellow Pages to acquire Gloria Jean's Coffees

October 1 · Singapore

Singapore-listed Global Yellow Pages has agreed to buy the global Gloria Jean's Coffees business from Tea & Coffee Traders, acting for the Saleh Family Trust. The deal covers the Gloria Jean's and It's A Grind brands, the global supply chain and master franchising. Gloria Jean's runs more than 800 coffee houses in 39 countries. The buyer has named China as its main growth target. Executive chairman Nabi Saleh will keep interests in some regional master franchises.

Source:The Edge Malaysia

Pharma Foods pays ¥5.03 billion for an institutional food supplier

October 6 · Japan

Pharma Foods International will acquire all shares of a Tokyo company that supplies processed seafood, soy products and agricultural ingredients to hospitals, nursing homes and school-meal operators. The seller is a private equity fund, and closing was set for late October. The purchase moves Pharma Foods into institutional catering, where texture-modified and nutrition-focused foods are in growing demand as Japan's population ages.

Source:Tokyo Brief

L Catterton invests in Nandhana Foods

October 3 · India

L Catterton India Fund has invested in Nandhana Foods through new equity and a purchase of existing shares. Nandhana runs South Indian restaurants and cloud kitchens and sells branded spices and pickles. The terms were not disclosed. The appeal is a restaurant brand that can carry its flavors into packaged products for the home.

Source:SCC Times

Philippines pitches $57.4 million in coffee, seaweed and cocoa projects

October 13 · Philippines

The Philippines presented a $57.4 million agrifood portfolio to investors at the FAO Hand-in-Hand Investment Forum in Rome (October 13–16). It covers coffee, seaweed, mango, jackfruit and cocoa, with coffee and seaweed taking about $51.2 million. The government projects a 24.6% average internal rate of return; these are forecasts, not results. If funded, the projects would add processing capacity for coffee, cocoa and tropical fruit, all flavor raw materials, and for seaweed used in carrageenan and other hydrocolloids.

Source:AgroSpectrum Asia

Manufacturing capacity and processing technology

AAK takes solvent-free fractionation to commercial scale in Malaysia

October 5 · Malaysia

AAK will use its patented dry-fractionation process commercially for the first time at NURA Speciality Oils & Fats, its joint venture with Kuala Lumpur Kepong (KLK) in Pasir Gudang, Johor. The process splits palm oil into fractions through controlled cooling and filtration, without the solvents some conventional methods use. Its main output will be palm mid-fraction, a core component of cocoa butter equivalents. AAK expects lower capital costs, running costs and emissions. Ramp-up starts in 2028, with full production in 2029. For confectionery developers, the supply and price of CBEs shape chocolate melt, snap and mouthfeel.

Source:Vegconomist

Oji breaks ground on a $110 million aseptic carton plant

October 12 · Vietnam

Japan's Oji Group has started building a US$110 million aseptic carton plant, Oji Liquid Pak, at Long Thanh High-tech Industrial Park in Dong Nai. The 57,000 m² site will make up to 8 billion cartons a year for beverages and liquid foods, starting in 2028, and employ more than 200 people. Oji plans to supply Southeast Asia from Vietnam. More regional carton capacity helps makers of shelf-stable dairy, plant-based drinks and juices shorten their supply chains.

Sources:Oji Group via PR Newswire;Vietstock

Krones opens its largest plant outside Germany

October 13 · China

Krones has inaugurated an expanded facility in Taicang, now its biggest manufacturing site outside Germany. The 120,000 m² complex, with about 74,000 m² of floor space, combines machine assembly, line testing, engineering and automated warehousing. An on-site aseptic laboratory handles sterilization validation for packaging materials and microbiological testing. Krones can now build and test complete filling lines in China, which should shorten delivery times for Chinese beverage makers.

Sources:Krones;Taicang municipal government

Spiber opens its fermentation plants to outside producers

October 5 · Japan / Thailand

Spiber has launched SPIBER BIOFOUNDRY, a contract development and manufacturing service. It offers strain engineering, process development and commercial production using research and pilot facilities in Tsuruoka, Japan, and fermenters of more than 100 kiloliters in Rayong, Thailand. Spiber built the capacity for its Brewed Protein textile materials. It is now offering it to companies making food ingredients, enzymes, recombinant proteins and microbial biomass. Scale-up capacity is a common bottleneck for small fermentation start-ups, so this could speed new food proteins to market.

Source:Vegconomist

Al Ghurair Foods to supply dextrose for Abu Dhabi fermentation plant

October 14 · United Arab Emirates

Al Ghurair Foods has signed a memorandum of understanding to supply locally made dextrose syrup to a planned 4-million-liter protein fermentation plant in Abu Dhabi. A consortium led by UK-based New Agrarian is developing the plant, which is still in engineering. Dextrose is the main carbon source for precision-fermentation microbes, and Al Ghurair will produce it from its UAE corn mills. Local feedstock cuts import dependence and improves the plant's cost base.

Source:Vegconomist

CPF and Bosch extend AI energy partnership

October 13 · Thailand

Charoen Pokphand Foods and Robert Bosch signed a second-phase memorandum, extending their energy-management work by two years. The program uses real-time production data, predictive analytics and AI to cut fuel use and emissions. An earlier boiler pilot reportedly reached more than 97% energy efficiency. Heating, cooking, drying and refrigeration are major cost lines for food plants, so savings here go straight to margins.

Source:NUFFOODS Spectrum Asia

Ingredients and distribution

GNT appoints DKSH for EXBERRY colors in Vietnam

October 15 · Vietnam

GNT has named DKSH as its Vietnamese distributor for EXBERRY, its range of colors made from fruits, vegetables and plants. The agreement took effect October 12 and targets beverage, confectionery and dairy manufacturers. DKSH adds logistics and local application support, which matters because plant-based colors can be sensitive to pH, heat and other ingredients in a formula.

Source:NUFFOODS Spectrum Asia

Kemin partners with Indesso in Indonesia

October 9 · Indonesia

Kemin Industries has named PT Indesso Niagatama as distributor for Kemin Food Technologies–Asia in Indonesia. Kemin brings shelf-life, preservation and stability ingredients plus laboratory support; Indesso brings local customer relationships and distribution. Sauce, snack, bakery and processed-protein makers are the main targets. The agreement took effect September 15 and was announced October 9.

Source:NUFFOODS Spectrum Asia

Fermenta Biotech opens a food fortification center with NIFTEM-T

October 5 · India

Fermenta Biotech has inaugurated a Centre of Excellence for Food Fortification with the National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management in Thanjavur. Fermenta makes nutritional premixes and specialty ingredients. Adding vitamins and minerals to everyday foods often affects taste, texture and stability, and the center is meant to work through those problems for products such as beverages, cereals, dairy and snacks.

Source:NUFFOODS Spectrum Asia

Functional foods and new proteins

Happy Cultures moves yeast protein into snack bars

October 13 · India

Happy Cultures has launched protein bars made with its yeast-based protein, in Roasted Coffee, Dark Chocolate & Almonds, Wild Cranberry and Crunchy Peanut Butter. The company says its annualized revenue run rate has passed ₹500 million after growing more than fivefold in a year. The bars will sell online and through quick-commerce apps. The move takes yeast protein out of supplements and into everyday snacking, where taste and texture decide repeat purchase.

Source:NUFFOODS Spectrum Asia

SGProtein takes its plant-based range to 54 Malaysian stores

October 1 · Singapore / Malaysia

Singapore manufacturer SGProtein has made its first move abroad, placing its frozen shnëdz range in 54 Malaysian grocery stores, including Village Grocer, The Food Merchant, Ben's and BSC Fine Foods. The soy-based line includes Buffalo-Style and Citrus Protein Bites, Chilli Sin Carne Protein Tips and Protein Nuggets, with 16–18 g of protein per 200 g pack. It is halal-certified, non-GMO and free of onion and garlic, a formulation choice aimed at regional dietary needs.

Source:Vegconomist

Atomin launches Creazyn creatine delivery system

October 15 · India

Kerala-based Atomin Innovations has introduced Creazyn, which uses natural biopolymer stabilizers to make creatine disperse more easily in water. Poor dispersibility has kept creatine largely in powdered supplements; better performance could open ready-to-drink and other formats. The company also claims improved bioavailability, and formulators will want to see the supporting data.

Source:NUFFOODS Spectrum Asia

Nutrifresh grows revenue 51% in controlled-environment farming

October 15 · India

Pune-based Nutrifresh reported fiscal 2026 revenue of ₹219.3 crore, up 51% from ₹145.2 crore, and is targeting ₹400 crore in fiscal 2027. It grows produce in controlled environments near large cities and sells mainly to institutional and retail buyers. The company also disclosed a proposed ₹400 crore debt facility involving the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation. For ingredient buyers, it points to more consistent, locally grown fresh supply.

Source:NUFFOODS Spectrum Asia

Flavor-led launches and regional brands

Calbee launches POP LAYERS in Thailand

October 8 · Thailand

Calbee has launched POP LAYERS, a multilayer corn snack, in Thailand as the first market for a brand it plans to roll out across Asia and Oceania. The opening flavors are Salt, Cheese and BBQ. All three launch at 7-Eleven, where BBQ stays exclusive; Salt and Cheese will move into other channels later. Calbee developed the product using know-how from its Indonesian business. Texture is the selling point here, with familiar seasonings keeping trial risk low.

Source:NUFFOODS Spectrum Asia

HEYTEA turns mango sticky rice into a drink

October 15 · China / Thailand

Chinese tea chain HEYTEA has launched a mango, coconut and sticky-rice beverage in a global collaboration with Thai performer Lisa. The drink adapts one of Thailand's best-known desserts to the premium tea-shop format. It is another sign that dessert flavors from Southeast Asia travel well into drinks for younger consumers.

Source:PR Newswire Asia-Pacific

Big Apple Donuts & Coffee opens its 100th Malaysian store

October 12 · Malaysia

Big Apple Donuts & Coffee opened its 100th domestic outlet, at IOI Mall Puchong, ahead of its 20th anniversary in 2027. The chain, founded in 2007, mixes company-owned and franchised stores. It marked the milestone with two pandan doughnuts, Ola Pandan and Dreamy Pandan, pairing the leaf's flavor with cream and vanilla toppings.

Source:NUFFOODS Spectrum Asia

What the fortnight tells us

Capacity is being built close to Asian demand. McCain in Gujarat, Oji in Dong Nai, Krones in Taicang and AAK in Johor all add local production rather than relying on imports, with Oji's and AAK's plants coming online in 2028–29.

Fermentation is becoming infrastructure. Spiber's contract service and Al Ghurair's dextrose deal both address what holds new proteins back: scale-up capacity and feedstock cost, not the science.

Distributors with lab support are the route to market. GNT and Kemin both chose partners that can help manufacturers reformulate, not just ship product.

Regional flavors keep crossing formats. Mango sticky rice in a tea drink, pandan in doughnuts and South Indian pickles backed by private equity show local taste profiles being turned into scalable products.