By: Asian Consumer Intelligence 

Manufacturers and retailers in the F&B industry have long heeded the call for driving change through sustainability and championing environmental advocates. What has significantly grown over the past year, however, is just how much noise these companies are making in terms of their PR and marketing campaigns on mitigating carbon footprint at all points in their production chain. Now, more than ever, we’re seeing a bigger trend on “visible sustainability.” Best-practices and green innovations are playing a bigger part of the brand story and climate conscious messages are getting louder.

Strategic research and trend forecasting agency Asian Consumer Intelligence uncovers how some companies in the AP region are chiming in on issues regarding climate change and dwindling natural resources through front-of-pack carbon-emission references, data dissemination and climate scoring on packaged goods.

In January 2020, Quorn became the first meat alternative brand to achieve 3^rd party certification of its carbon footprint figures. This accomplishment is trumpeted on its packaged products through the inclusion of carbon emission data labels. The UK company, which was purchased by Philippine-based F&B manufacturer Monde Nissin Corp. a few years back, announced that 30 of its bestselling meat and meat-substitute products such as Quorn Mince and Quorn Fishless Fillet will now display carbon dioxide equivalent readings on their front of pack labels to provide consumers a frame of reference on the impact of their food choices.

Moving on to the beverage category, Japanese brewery Asahi made news regarding the production of their non-alcoholic beer Asahi Dry Zero using renewable energy mainly derived from biomass and wind. The green energy mark established by the Japan Quality Assurance Corporation will be found on both the can and the outer packaging of the product when it goes on sale at the end of January 2020, as part of the company’s efforts to reduce overall carbon emissions by 30% in 10 years.

Heading to New Zealand, a sibling-owned company that established the country’s first solar powered juice factory in December 2018 has taken concrete steps to mitigate its environmental impact on the planet. Chia-seed drink producer Chia Sisters later announced they were adding a new nutritious beverage line Bottled by the Sun to their range. Containing 100% juice mix from local fruits, the free-from product which was awarded Best Drink in NZ in 2019 by the Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards, comes in four flavours and displays a clear message on its label stating only the product name and the words “bottled by the Chia Sisters in our solar powered juicery” at the bottom.

So what? According to a Nielsen global report published in Nov. 2018, emerging markets in the AP region such as India, Philippines and Indonesia are among the top 10 countries that demand and value corporate sustainability. This puts start-ups and companies in these areas in a good position to pursue carbon neutrality and create buzz on their efforts. This may be because compared to more “sustainably sophisticated” consumers in Europe or US, the population here are relatively less demanding and more eager to embrace efforts that make an impact on the all too felt effects of pollution and resource shortages.

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