Food & Beverage

Osaka's street-food scene is bursting with flavor and variety, from motsu-nabe beef intestine hot pot, far left, to takoyaki octopus balls, far right. (All photos by Stephen Mansfield)
Life

Osaka is Japan's 'soul kitchen'

Gourmet tour of a food-obsessed city yields cultural insights and expanded waistlines

1 July 2023
Bread products account for the largest share of items affected by price hikes in Teikoku Databank's latest survey. (Photo by Rei Araki)
Inflation

Grocery bills in Japan keep rising as price hikes hit 3,500-plus items

Bread producers set to pass on higher wheat costs to consumers

1 July 2023
Customers enjoy cold beers at a restaurant in Bangkok on June 28. Thailand’s overall beverage market was worth $20 billion in 2020, with alcoholic tipples accounting for 64% of that. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi)
Food & Beverage

Thailand braces for liquor industry disruption under Move Forward

Craft brewers and distillers call for easing of production curbs

28 June 2023
As the volume of sea urchin landings in Hokkaido drops, imports from Russia are increasing.
Trade

Japan's appetite for Russian fishery products remains strong

Sea urchin and crab imports hover at high levels despite Ukraine war

26 June 2023
The eastern Indian city of Kolkata is home to over 9,000 sweets stores, ranging from popular chains to tiny mom and pop shops.
Life

Kolkata makes mark as sweetest spot in South Asia

Bengali cuisine famed for its unique sugary dishes

16 June 2023
Kura Sushi's new Shanghai restaurant features covers that can be opened without touching them on the dishes that are carried on a conveyer belt. (Photo by Tomoko Wakasugi)
Companies

Kura Sushi debuts in China, with eye on 100-store network

Shanghai restaurant features touchless system

16 June 2023
CP Foods expects to ship 500 to 600 tons of cooked duck meat to Australia this year, adding 300 million to 400 million baht to its annual revenue. (Photo by Francesca Regalado) 
Food & Beverage

Australia opens cooked duck market to Thailand's CP Foods

Agribusiness giant flags 30% cost increase, potential drought impact

14 June 2023
Snowfox oversees 3,000 sushi kiosks and restaurants in North America and the U.K. (Photo courtesy of Snowfox)
Business deals

Japan restaurant group Zensho to buy U.S., U.K. sushi chains

Company to gain 3,000 locations via record $625m purchase

14 June 2023
Tao Bin vending machines in Thailand offer a variety of affordable, customizable drinks. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi)
Consumer

Cashless smart vending machines take China and Thailand by storm

Devices in Singapore and Malaysia serve up medicine and supplements

13 June 2023
Local chefs are helping raise awareness -- and the popularity -- of indigenous Taiwanese cuisine. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by Embers Restaurant, Bulaubulau, John Krich)
Life

Taiwan chefs go back to island's roots

Foraged and indigenous cuisine moves up the menu

8 June 2023
Vietnam now boasts its first ever Michelin stars, but the country's culinary delights have long attracted global attention. (Photo courtesy of Michelin)
Food & Beverage

Vietnam makes Michelin debut as four restaurants receive stars

French reviewer also lists 29 'top tips' for heavenly eats on a budget

7 June 2023
Japanese wagyu is popular overseas, but the country is having trouble exporting it under favorable conditions. (Photo by Masatoshi Ida)
Agriculture

Japan beef exports face downturn over U.S. tariff quotas

Shipments overseas drop 4% in 2022; China market still off-limits

6 June 2023
The price of nori seaweed sheets, a key ingredient in onigiri rice balls and other Japanese cuisine, is set to rise due to poor crops resulting from higher sea temperatures and a lack of rainfall. (Courtesy of Lawson) 
Inflation

Record poor harvest drives down Japan seaweed output to 51-year low

Leading processed seaweed makers plan to raise prices by up to 40%

4 June 2023
Restaurant patrons in Zibo roast meat skewers on portable grills at their tables. (Photo by Tomoko Wakasugi)
Travel & Leisure

Chinese factory city finds second life as BBQ boomtown

Zibo's tasty, affordable meat skewers lure crowds via social media

3 June 2023
The market for "surimi" fish paste, used to make imitation crab, is expanding rapidly.
Food & Beverage

High-end imitation crab offers savor and succulence, not shells

Once derided as fake, high-quality simulated seafood is catching on

3 June 2023
Ichiro's Malt & Grain whisky, made by Venture Whisky, won the World's Best Blended Limited Release award in the World Whiskies Awards 2023, a competition held by Whisky Magazine, a British specialty publication. (Photo courtesy of Venture Whisky)
Food & Beverage

Japanese craft whiskey Ichiro's Malt to build distillery in Hokkaido

Producer Venture Whisky to acquire 6.6 hectares of land for the plant

28 May 2023
The taste of bottled namazake can be preserved by an unconventional method of freezing.
Food & Beverage

Frozen or canned? Japanese companies try new ways to export sake

Freshness and simplifying choices seen as keys to tapping overseas markets

28 May 2023
Fadillah Yusof, center, and Airlangga Hartarto, right: The two will make Malaysia and Indonesia's case against Europe's anti-deforestation law on May 30-31. (Photo by Norman Goh)
Environment

Malaysia, Indonesia to send palm oil mission to EU next week

Delegation to make case for small farmers in crosshairs of deforestation rule

27 May 2023
Efforts to elevate the quality of Thai coffee have helped create a flourishing cafe culture in the northern city of Chiang Mai and improve the livelihoods of local farmers, many of whom belong to ethnic minority groups. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by Getty Images, Denis Gray)
Life

Thailand adds quality coffee to its export menu

Specialty brews include one made from beans found in elephant feces

25 May 2023
Shrimp's evolution from luxury to buffet staple has come with global environmental and social costs. (Photo by Lien Hoang)
Agriculture

Vietnam shrimp sector adopts tech in quest for clean supply chain

Asia's top exporter after India helped crustacean's explosion in popularity

24 May 2023
A worker in Dhaka dries rice: Bangladesh's agricultural sector, which accounts for 12% of GDP, has been challenged to meet ever-growing demand for food grains.
Opinion

With support, Bangladesh can improve its food security

New rice mill will help reduce wastage and increase women's participation

23 May 2023
South Korean Choco Pie makers like Orion are enjoying rising sales in Russia. (Source photos by EPA/Yonhap/Jiji and AP)
Business trends

South Korean food makers' profits grow in Russia despite war

Orion and Lotte churn out Choco Pie as other companies exit country on sanctions

15 May 2023
Japan's consulate-general in Dubai hosted a shiitake mushroom tasting event in February. (Photo by Shuntaro Fukutomi)
Food & Beverage

Japanese cuisine gains fans in Middle East, buoyed by halal options

Increased access to affordable restaurants in region spurs food exports

15 May 2023
Tuition for the three-month course combines online lessons with on-the-job training and costs 880,000 yen ($6,456).
Education

Sushi school creates chefs in 3 months using hybrid teaching

Course with online videos, hands-on training aimed at addressing shortage of pros

14 May 2023
Flash Coffee plans to continue growing in Indonesia, already its most mature market. (Screenshot from Flash Coffee's website) 
DealStreetAsia

Singapore's Flash Coffee closes Series B funding round at $50m

Grab-and-go chain to use fresh capital for Asia-Pacific expansion

12 May 2023