Microsoft has entered into a strategic partnership with Bukalapak, one of Indonesia’s leading e-commerce platforms, while Google and Temasek have agreed to invest USD 350 million in Tokopedia, one of the 6 startup unicorns in Indonesia. Both moves are seen to tap into...
Malaysia-based Astral Asia Bhd (AAB) is planning to diversify its core businesses to include e-commerce, focussing on fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG). The new e-commerce business is expected to launch in December 2020, supported by an estimated total initial...
Data analytics company GlobalData has reported that the rise in demand for suncare products will drive the Philippines’ personal care sector, which is projected to record a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.8% to grow from USD 3.63 billion in 2019 to USD...
The US Dairy Export Council (USDEC) has continued to expand its progress in South East Asia since it first entered the region in 1998, opening a new US Centre for Dairy Excellence (US. CDE) in Singapore – it’s first overseas physical investment. Funded by...
Consumers in South East Asia have become more concerned with maintaining healthy lifestyles and with food safety, and are seeking alternatives to traditional foods, a trend which has been reinforced during the Covid-19 Pandemic. This has led to an increased focus on...
Japanese cosmetics and drugs retailer Matsumoto Kiyoshi recently opened its first store in downtown Ho Chi Minh City, covering 274 square meters and featuring over 6,000 items of functional foods and beauty products. There are several products available exclusively at...
To ramp up local food production, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) announced that the Lim Chu Kang area, a largely undeveloped area in north-west Singapore, will be developed into a high-tech, highly productive, and resource-efficient agri-food cluster. The master...
Thailand-based full-service e-commerce logistics provider Flash Express announced that it has completed a Series D funding round of USD 200 million, led by PTT Oil and Retail Business Public Company Limited with participation from Durbell and Krungsri Finnovate. Flash...
Aquarius International Development (AQI), a company specializing in high-end travel experiences and owned by the Norcal Venture Capital Group, will invest USD 250 million into its expansion across the South East Asian region. The investment will encompass luxury...
The Halal Development Corporation (HDC), Malaysia’s federal government halal promotion agency, plans to expand its operations in the next five years to Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and China. The East Asian countries were identified as HDC’s potential markets due to the high...
The Indonesian government plans to expand a national “food estate” program centered in Borneo, by establishing millions of hectares of new crop plantations. The program’s aim is to help secure domestic food supplies and decrease Indonesia’s reliance on food...
The Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PHilMech) announced that it is in the process of bidding and acquiring farm machines worth PHP 3 billion (USD 61.9 million) under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) which collects...