Industry Developments

Recent financial results of Japanese probiotic and fermented drink producer Yakult Honsha are in line with our view that growth opportunities abound in the Asian functional food and... 2012-05-18

Domestic demand uncertainties abound in both developed and emerging markets (EMs) across the Asia Pacific region. While margins of food and drink (F&D) companies have largely been... 2012-05-18

Our near-term retail outlook for Vietnam is looking increasingly worrying, and we are forecasting slower growth in overall mass grocery retail (MGR) sales in 2012. Growing uncertainties... 2012-05-17

Organised grocery retail has only a fledgling presence in Pakistan. The Pakistani grocery retail market remains highly fragmented and is dominated by mom-and-pop shops, which typically... 2012-05-16

Australia is witnessing a structural shift of consumption habits away from beer and towards higher-value alcoholic beverages such as spirits and wines. According to recent data by the... 2012-05-15

Tea consumption, which accounts for the bulk of overall hot drinks consumption in Pakistan, is growing strongly in recent years. Reflecting the growing demand for tea in Pakistan, the... 2012-05-14

Despite its relatively fragmented nature, the Chinese soft drinks market continues to attract major investments from global and regional soft drinks manufacturers, which translates... 2012-05-10

Australians' appetite for out-of-home consumption and fast food in particular appears to be waning against the backdrop of domestic demand weakness. US fast-food giant McDonald's announced... 2012-05-04

A lack of strong control over its Chinese distribution partners is frustrating efforts of Belgium-based brewer Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) to tap into the premiumisation trend in... 2012-05-04

Pakistan brewer Murree Brewery has had a mixed financial showing for the nine months ending March 2012. Discretionary demand took a hit in 2011 as the central bank tightened lending... 2012-05-04