APAC’s biggest food and nutrition business stories of 2016, featuring Blackmores, Mead Johnson, DuPont and GNC

By Gary Scattergood

- Last updated on GMT

2016 saw a raft of high-profile business stories across Asia Pacific. ©iStock
2016 saw a raft of high-profile business stories across Asia Pacific. ©iStock
2016 saw a wave of big business deals in Asia Pacific, from takeovers and joint ventures, to new market entries and fresh collaborations.

But these were the seven that got the most attention from NutraIngredients-Asia readers in what was a big year for business news across the region.

1) Blackmores and Bega infant nutrition venture misses targets amid China slowdown

A joint venture between Blackmores and Bega Cheese to supply infant formula across APAC - and in particular China - has missed its sales targets, hitting Bega’s financial performance.

A combination of a market saturated with Western companies, forthcoming regulations seeking to better control and restrict the number of brands on the shelves, and the resulting heavy discounting by firms wanting to shed stock before the new rules come into place, took their toll.

Read the full story here.

 

2) Can Mead Johnson sustain China growth to offset emerging troubles?

China provided one of the few positive notes in Mead Johnson’s quarterly results, with bosses hailing “substantial progress”​ in the country, despite conceding that global growth would be slower than planned.

Gross sales were 2% below the prior year quarter on a reported basis and 1% higher on a constant dollar ​basis.

Read the full story here.

3) DSM and China firm By-Health seal deal for CVD collaboration

DSM sealed a strategic collaboration agreement with Chinese supplement firm By-Health to develop new cardiovascular health products containing tomato extract ingredient Fruitflow.

DSM has commercial responsibility for Fruitflow under an agreement with ingredient-owner Provexis, which said the China link-up would lead to the establishment of evaluation and testing procedures to meet the country’s technical and regulatory standards.

Read the full story here.

 

4)  Chinese group pays $239m for Australian vitamin firm Viatco

Shanghai Pharmaceuticals Holding Co Ltd and private equity firm Primavera Capital is to buy Australian vitamin manufacturer Vitaco Holdings for US$239m.

Vitaco's chairman, Greg Richards, said ongoing volatile macroeconomic conditions and regulatory uncertainty in China meant the deal was in the best interests of the company. 

Read the full story here.

 

5)  DuPont's Asia nutrition boss: Dow merger will make us faster, flexible and more efficient

In the first of a two-part interview with NutraIngredients-Asia, DuPont’s Asia president for health and nutrition Dr Li Yongjing discussed the initial turbulence created by the ongoing merger with Dow, and explained why he believes the new relationship will make the firm better equipped to deal with Asia’s fast-moving emerging markets.

Read the full story here.

 

6) Could GNC be the next supplement firm to be taken into Chinese ownership?

GNC could become the latest vitamin and supplement firm to have Chinese owners, after the company met with several interested parties.

The move would show that Chinese companies remain keen to enter the supplement market, despite several high-profile takeovers in the last year.

Read the full story here.

 

7) Supplement firm Mannatech prepares for China entry with new e-commerce strategy

US supplement firm Mannatech is entering the China market via e-commerce - a clear change in tack for the Texas company, which usually focuses on multi-level marketing or direct selling.

CEO and president Alfredo Bala said the company was preparing to launch a consumer-facing, cross-border e-commerce site, specifically for China. 

Read the full story here.

Next up: The top regulatory stories from the region thi year.

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