The Kerry Health & Nutrition Institute (KHNI) in celebration of a decade of innovation and scientific discovery, hosted a webinar on Friday, January 24th, 2025, broadcasted from Singapore. This special event showcased key health and nutrition trends shaping consumer preferences in the South East Asia region, and explored the Future of Sustainable Nutrition with discussions led by renowned experts within the region.
The discussion focused on how the food industry can address challenges like rising food costs, changing demographics, and evolving consumer preferences. This discussion included the following key topics:
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- Accessible Nutrition: The speakers emphasized the UN’s sustainability goal of ending hunger and addressed the rising cost of food, particularly staples like cocoa. They discussed the need for diverse and affordable options, with a focus on reducing food waste and supporting local, sustainable agriculture.
- Aging Population: With a focus on the growing aging population in Asia, the panel discussed the nutritional needs of older adults and how to combat age-related health issues through diet. They highlighted the importance of nutrient-dense foods and convenient, healthy options.
- Women’s Health: The experts explored the unique nutritional needs of women throughout their life stages, from pregnancy and lactation to menopause. They stressed the importance of tailored nutrition strategies to support women’s health and well-being.
- Sodium Reduction: The panel discussed the global health concern of high sodium intake and its link to non-communicable diseases. They explored innovative approaches to reducing sodium in food products while maintaining taste and consumer satisfaction, particularly focusing on how to balance those efforts with the strong flavours and taste preferences common in Southeast Asia.
The panel also provided valuable insights on other important trends, including the role of the food industry in promoting sustainable practices, the importance of taste and convenience in food choices, and the potential of innovation and technology in addressing nutritional challenges.
Watch the full webinar above to learn more about the future of sustainable nutrition and be part of this celebration 10 years in the making!
Contributors:
Edmond Scanlon, CEO
Chief Executive Officer - Kerry Group PLC
Edmond is a highly experienced leader in the global food and beverage industry having spent over 20 years in senior roles across the Group. Edmond brings a strategic mindset to drive Group performance and growth as well as significant financial and operational expertise.
Simon Hague
General Manager - Foodservice Chains South East Asia
Simon has over 20 years’ experience across multiple roles in innovation, commercial and marketing, working with some of the biggest global foodservice brands. He is a strong supporter of Kerry’s ambition to provide sustainable food and beverage solutions to more than 2 billion consumers by 2030.
Kalpana Bhaskaran
Deputy Director, Industry Partnerships / Head, Glycemic Index Research Unit Advisor, Diabetes Singapore / President, Singapore Nutrition Dietetics Assn and Co-Chair, Heathcare & Applied Nutrition Cluster
Kalpana championed the design, planning and implementation of Singapore’s and the region’s first accredited Glycemic Index Research Unit (GIRU). Kalpana has been appointed as an expert advisor to Ministry of Health (MOH) in relation to sugar reduction from the sugar-sweetened beverages and she sits on Singapore Food Agency’s Advisory Committee on Evaluation of Health Claims.
Aoife Marie Murphy, PhD
Global Sustainable Nutrition Manager - Kerry
As Sustainable Nutrition Manager at Kerry, Aoife’s role involves assessing Kerry’s global ingredients portfolio for nutrition and sustainability impacts. Aoife is passionate about science communication and manages the Kerry Health and Nutrition Institute, a non-commercial thought leadership platform that disseminates the latest insights in nutrition science for the food industry.
Angelia Teo
Storyteller and Futurist - APAC
Angelia is a leading futurist and strategist in APAC. She is a storyteller with a speciality in creative “connecting the dots” for Asia. An expert in the Asian consumer, her work spans industries –from FMCG, lifestyle to design-led fashion, beauty, consumer appliances – to introduce disruptive thinking to innovation pipelines.
Oliver Truesdale-Jutras
Founder and Chef - Re:Growth
Oliver has become one of the leading advocates in Singapore for sustainable food, being a founding member and chair of the Singapore F&B sustainability council. Oliver recently opened Re:Growth, a consultancy for regenerative hospitality.
