A vendor arranges green mangoes near the Quiapo Church in Manila on March 26, 2010. (Photo credit: NOEL CELIS/AFP/Getty Images)
These days, there’s a healthier alternative to practically anything on a grocery shelf. Whole milk can be substituted with almond or other types of nut milk and there are now a whole menu of alternatives to white flour. People want something essentially better for their well-being and manufacturers from around the world are coming up with new products to meet demand.
According to Innova Market Insights, in 2016 alone, 9.5% of the total product launches worldwide have an organic "positioning." There was also a 14% growth in global food and beverage launches that have no additives and preservatives from 2015 to 2016. This accounted for 15% of the total launches tracked last year.
This opens up new market opportunities for countries like the Philippines. With knowledge of Asian flavors and cuisine rapidly spreading in Western continents, there's also greater fascination on Asian products and ingredients.
At the Anuga trade fair held in Cologne, Germany, the world’s biggest when it comes to food and drink, Filipino companies presented their answers to the healthier alternative question.
Healthier, gluten-free baking with mango flour
Finding a way to curb the island of Cebu’s waste problem was what led to the discovery of mango flour. The island -- found in the center of the Philippines -- is known for its mango processing plants. But once the fruit’s meat has been taken, dried or processed into a more commercial product, there’s waste left in the form of the skin and kernels.
Carolyn Ramoran-MalasigThe Philippine patented mango flour.
Carolynne Go, CEO of Green Enviro Management Systems (GEMS), said the waste was just being thrown in dumpsites and attracting pests. This motivated her and her team to somehow lessen the by-products left by manufacturers.
Made from the fruit’s fresh kernels, Go says their mango flour is a much more nutritious alternative to the usual white flour people use for baking. Aside from being gluten-free, it’s also rich in anti-oxidants and has high dietary fiber. Your colon will love you for it.
Nuts for nuts
Healthy snacking is catching on and nuts are a popular choice. Western favorites include almonds, hazelnuts, cashews and walnuts. The Philippines, however, has another type on offer: the Pili nut.
It is a favorite among locals, despite the slightly higher price tag due to the effort it takes to harvest even just one nut. Farmers have to climb Pili trees that average 20 meters high. Once the fruits have been picked, they'll have to take a single nut out of a hard kernel.
Carolyn Ramoran-MalasigJust one of the many ways the Pili Nut is sold.
The nut is rich in Vitamin E, scientists found when the Philippines’ Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) brought it to Switzerland for testing. The 100 gram-sample produced 25 grams of the said vitamin. Not only does Vitamin E help balance cholesterol and your hormones, it’s also a major ingredient in most anti-aging beauty products and is known as a hair vitamin.
“Even before, we were aware of the properties of Pili oil. It gets absorbed pretty quickly so we really suspected that it had beauty and wellness properties. We cannot be making claims without scientific results so we had it tested. Other possibilities beyond the Pili nut were also seen. There are already companies using the Pili sap for beauty products but now we can use the oil as well,” said Jocelyn Blanco, the DTI Director for Region V where Pili nuts are grown.
This is also good news for the Philippines which is the only country growing Pili nuts commercially.
Coconuts still in demand
Coconut is a trend that’s still going strong -- welcome news for the world's second largest exporter of the food. The Philippines produces not only edible products from the fruit but as well as beauty products made from virgin coconut oil and handicraft.
For big, international brands coconuts remain a favorite ingredient for cereals and even sweets. “Our coconuts have already entered the supply chain of big brands. I have been informed by some of our exporters that the desiccated coconut from chocolate brand Bounty is sourced from the Philippines,” said Philippine Commercial Counsellor for Germany Althea Antonio. “That’s just one example of Philippine industrial products entering the mainstream market as inputs to production.”
Carolyn Ramoran-MalasigDTI officials along with Filipino business owners who participated in the outbound business mission after a briefing with the German import promotions board. They were told of the high probability of Philippine products making it big in Europe.
She adds that other inputs to cereals such as banana chips and dried foods. “The challenge happens when we try to promote Philippine brands into the mainstream market because our products are traditionally ethnic markets -- the Filipinos themselves.”
Antonio says that at the end of the day, it all boils down to marketing and educating consumers on the products. “What helps in this aspect is the presence of overseas Filipinos who help our foreign friends appreciate our cuisine.”
Antonio adds that outbound business missions that educate business owners from the Philippines and joining trade fairs such as Anuga are also helpful.
The Philippines expects $62 million worth of export contracts from Anuga and is ready to respond to an increase in demand. “Responding to demand is only a matter of producing more,” Antonio said. “The government is already doing programs to increase production of coconuts and other products that have high demand for exports like cacao and the up and coming Pili nut.”
Entering the organic market
Carolyn Ramoran-MalasigThe Philippines is focusing on healthier, organic products and in improving packaging.
The organic trend is already moving from niche to mainstream, particularly in Europe. This is another trend the Philippines can ride, according to Export Marketing Bureau Division Chief Rose Marie Castillo,
“Organic farming is very much popular in the Philippines. In fact, there are already a lot of companies that are into it -- organic from production to the finished product,” she shared. However, it is key the country creates an organic certification body that’s internationally accredited.
With the high demand for organic products in Europe, Castillo is confident that the Philippines will be able to carve a place for itself in the ever-growing market. Especially with the new and innovative products that the Southeast Asian nation has to offer.
">A vendor arranges green mangoes near the Quiapo Church in Manila on March 26, 2010. (Photo credit: NOEL CELIS/AFP/Getty Images)
These days, there’s a healthier alternative to practically anything on a grocery shelf. Whole milk can be substituted with almond or other types of nut milk and there are now a whole menu of alternatives to white flour. People want something essentially better for their well-being and manufacturers from around the world are coming up with new products to meet demand.
According to Innova Market Insights, in 2016 alone, 9.5% of the total product launches worldwide have an organic "positioning." There was also a 14% growth in global food and beverage launches that have no additives and preservatives from 2015 to 2016. This accounted for 15% of the total launches tracked last year.
This opens up new market opportunities for countries like the Philippines. With knowledge of Asian flavors and cuisine rapidly spreading in Western continents, there's also greater fascination on Asian products and ingredients.
At the Anuga trade fair held in Cologne, Germany, the world’s biggest when it comes to food and drink, Filipino companies presented their answers to the healthier alternative question.
Healthier, gluten-free baking with mango flour
Finding a way to curb the island of Cebu’s waste problem was what led to the discovery of mango flour. The island -- found in the center of the Philippines -- is known for its mango processing plants. But once the fruit’s meat has been taken, dried or processed into a more commercial product, there’s waste left in the form of the skin and kernels.
Carolyn Ramoran-MalasigThe Philippine patented mango flour.
Carolynne Go, CEO of Green Enviro Management Systems (GEMS), said the waste was just being thrown in dumpsites and attracting pests. This motivated her and her team to somehow lessen the by-products left by manufacturers.
Made from the fruit’s fresh kernels, Go says their mango flour is a much more nutritious alternative to the usual white flour people use for baking. Aside from being gluten-free, it’s also rich in anti-oxidants and has high dietary fiber. Your colon will love you for it.
Nuts for nuts
Healthy snacking is catching on and nuts are a popular choice. Western favorites include almonds, hazelnuts, cashews and walnuts. The Philippines, however, has another type on offer: the Pili nut.
It is a favorite among locals, despite the slightly higher price tag due to the effort it takes to harvest even just one nut. Farmers have to climb Pili trees that average 20 meters high. Once the fruits have been picked, they'll have to take a single nut out of a hard kernel.
Carolyn Ramoran-MalasigJust one of the many ways the Pili Nut is sold.
The nut is rich in Vitamin E, scientists found when the Philippines’ Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) brought it to Switzerland for testing. The 100 gram-sample produced 25 grams of the said vitamin. Not only does Vitamin E help balance cholesterol and your hormones, it’s also a major ingredient in most anti-aging beauty products and is known as a hair vitamin.
“Even before, we were aware of the properties of Pili oil. It gets absorbed pretty quickly so we really suspected that it had beauty and wellness properties. We cannot be making claims without scientific results so we had it tested. Other possibilities beyond the Pili nut were also seen. There are already companies using the Pili sap for beauty products but now we can use the oil as well,” said Jocelyn Blanco, the DTI Director for Region V where Pili nuts are grown.
This is also good news for the Philippines which is the only country growing Pili nuts commercially.
Coconuts still in demand
Coconut is a trend that’s still going strong -- welcome news for the world's second largest exporter of the food. The Philippines produces not only edible products from the fruit but as well as beauty products made from virgin coconut oil and handicraft.
For big, international brands coconuts remain a favorite ingredient for cereals and even sweets. “Our coconuts have already entered the supply chain of big brands. I have been informed by some of our exporters that the desiccated coconut from chocolate brand Bounty is sourced from the Philippines,” said Philippine Commercial Counsellor for Germany Althea Antonio. “That’s just one example of Philippine industrial products entering the mainstream market as inputs to production.”
Carolyn Ramoran-MalasigDTI officials along with Filipino business owners who participated in the outbound business mission after a briefing with the German import promotions board. They were told of the high probability of Philippine products making it big in Europe.
She adds that other inputs to cereals such as banana chips and dried foods. “The challenge happens when we try to promote Philippine brands into the mainstream market because our products are traditionally ethnic markets -- the Filipinos themselves.”
Antonio says that at the end of the day, it all boils down to marketing and educating consumers on the products. “What helps in this aspect is the presence of overseas Filipinos who help our foreign friends appreciate our cuisine.”
Antonio adds that outbound business missions that educate business owners from the Philippines and joining trade fairs such as Anuga are also helpful.
The Philippines expects $62 million worth of export contracts from Anuga and is ready to respond to an increase in demand. “Responding to demand is only a matter of producing more,” Antonio said. “The government is already doing programs to increase production of coconuts and other products that have high demand for exports like cacao and the up and coming Pili nut.”
Entering the organic market
Carolyn Ramoran-MalasigThe Philippines is focusing on healthier, organic products and in improving packaging.
The organic trend is already moving from niche to mainstream, particularly in Europe. This is another trend the Philippines can ride, according to Export Marketing Bureau Division Chief Rose Marie Castillo,
“Organic farming is very much popular in the Philippines. In fact, there are already a lot of companies that are into it -- organic from production to the finished product,” she shared. However, it is key the country creates an organic certification body that’s internationally accredited.
With the high demand for organic products in Europe, Castillo is confident that the Philippines will be able to carve a place for itself in the ever-growing market. Especially with the new and innovative products that the Southeast Asian nation has to offer.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/cmalasig/2017/10/13/the-philippines-chewing-on-ways-to-cash-in-on-wests-healthy-food-obsession/Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "The Philippines Chewing On Ways To Cash In On West's Healthy Food Obsession"
Post a Comment