The Knowledge to Decide

The tongue is capable of discerning the taste of carbohydrates. Diet foods – containing artificial sweeteners but few carbs – are thus unsatisfying to many consumers. How can food manufacturers cash in on the ‘carbohydrate taste’? Tasting carbs Simple and complex carbohydrates, including sugars, are the body’s main source of energy. People tend to treat carbs as more of a necessity and “filler food” than a tasty treat. But a study conducted in 2014 suggests that the tongue senses the taste of carbohydrates in addition to the five conventional tastes (sweet, sour, salty, bitter and savoury). According to the study, when an individual consumes carbohydrates directly, there is a 30% increase in activity in the brain areas controlling movement and vision. Carbohydrates influence areas of the brain which are not affected by artificial sweeteners. The brain’s pleasure centers only light up when the tongue senses real carbohydrates instead of artificial sweeteners. Good news

What does the infamous (2008) case of fake Chinese milk powder and Malaysia’s fake Milo case in 2016 have in common? These are all noteworthy cases of food fraud that show the level of dilution, counterfeiting and mislabelling of food products that has plagued Asia’s food industry, at an estimated annual cost of USD40 billion in damages. What tools can be used to tackle this issue? Safe and Secure Approaches in Field Environments (SSAFE) – a non-profit organization – in collaboration with Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC), VU University Amsterdam, and Wageningen University along with global food industry leaders have launched a free assessment tool. The tool helps to identify loopholes and formulates custom-made solutions. Other ways of prevention can be through using anti-counterfeit technology like holograms and systematic notification to both private and public companies of blacklisted suppliers. Will Asia succeed in reigning in fraudulent food? https://www.spirerese

On 20 January, Spire and Yamada Business Consulting (YBC) jointly held a breakfast seminar in Singapore to explore the impact on India’s economy of the recent Rupee demonetization of high-value currency notes. Leon Perera, Chief Executive Officer of Spire Research and Consulting, Japnit Singh, Deputy Chief Executive Officer at Spire and Yasuyuki (Luke) Kita, General Manager of YBC (Singapore), addressed the session. Spire Singapore and YBC discussed the demonetization’s impact on different industry sectors, on e-commerce and on the outlook for doing business in India in 2017. The speakers talked about how demonetisation will spur growth in cashless transactions. Although the retail and car resale sector will suffer short-term damage, there is a visible shift towards modern trade and online transactions. Moreover, ease of doing business and transparency will rise, making India more investment-friendly. https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/events/spire-and-ybc-host-br

On 23 September, Spire and Yamada Business Consulting (YBC) jointly held a breakfast seminar in Singapore to shed light on business opportunities in today’s dynamic Japan. Leon Perera, Chief Executive Officer of Spire Research and Consulting, Japnit Singh, Deputy Chief Executive Officer at Spire and Yasuyuki (Luke) Kita, General Manager of YBC (Singapore), addressed the session. Yamada Business Consulting recently acquired an 80% stake in the Spire Research and Consulting group. This acquisition gives Spire access to YBC’s extensive network of 5 offices and over 400 consultants in Japan to conduct research and advise clients on Japan market entry and growth. Spire Singapore and YBC discussed emerging business opportunities in Asia for Japan Regional HQs. Seminar attendees heard about how the Japan market can contribute substantially to the revenue of Singapore-based companies. The speakers talked about the macro-factors buoying Japan’s economic growth while also highlig

The Korean robotics industry grew by 60% a year between 2005 and 2011. Korea has a strong position in industrial robots. Now, the government’s focus should now be on developing service robots to sustain growth. Spire Research and Consulting shared its insights, published on the Business Korea news portal. Korea’s industrial robot sector is larger than any country’s, except for Japan, China and the U.S. However, the service robot sector is emerging as a new growth hotbed, thanks to the accelerated use of artificial intelligence. However, Korea does not have any companies that specialize in the development of service robots. It will take time to further develop Korea’s service robotics technology which is where the government and Korean enterprises need to step in and focus so as to claim early global leadership. https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/media/korea-needs-to-focus-on-developing-service-robots/

Spire Malaysia was invited to Universiti Kuala Lumpur Business School – one of Malaysia’s leading technical universities – as a guest panellist to evaluate a social entrepreneurship pitching session by students held on 8 December. Yap Far Loon, Business Development Director, Telecommunications of Spire Research and Consulting attended the session. Spire Malaysia had the pleasure to evaluate business pitches by university students based on social entrepreneurship as part of their assessment for this subject. The 10 teams of students studying Bachelors of Business Administration were led by lecturer Muhamed Zulkiflee Osman. As a guest panellist, Far Loon shared his views on this sector in the interactive session, so as to give students an opportunity to learn what social entrepreneurship is all about from the industry perspective. https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/events/spire-malaysia-invited-as-guest-panellist-to-assess-students-at-universiti-kuala-lumpur-busine

One out of every three manufacturing jobs in Australia is in the food and grocery sector, which directly employs around 300,000 people. The food and beverage market in Australia is climbing greater heights, buoyed by a growing population with an appetite for good food. Jeffrey Bahar, Deputy Chief Executive Office of Spire Research and Consulting, highlighted the key opportunities in this sector during his presentation at the Sydney Franchise and Business Expo in August 2015. As the population of Australia is set to reach 23.5 million in 2014, the food and beverage industry looks upbeat. A major portion of the population is present in the cities, like Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth. The weekly average household spending per person on restaurant meals in these cities is AUD32 –a ripe market opportunity. Bahar opined that food industry growth is directly proportional to the number of food outlets. With 58,602 commercial outlets and 15,954 institutionalized outlets recorde

Has China’s smartphone market reached its saturation point? As more consumers switch to touchscreen smartphones, growth in the market is becoming upgrade-oriented. Shipment volumes to China fell by 4% during the first quarter of 2015 with a total of 98.8 million devices shipped – the lowest in six years. This drop reflects the changing nature of the country’s smartphone market – most consumers already own a smartphone and will switch only if there is an upgrade. Industry players now rely on tech-savvy consumers who hit the stores right after an upgrade is launched. They must now focus on innovative ways of locking in their consumer pool to maintain sales figures. Will China’s smartphone market bounce back? https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/spirethoughts/chinas-smartphone-market-reaches-saturation-mode/

With Automotive Aftermarket demand expected to soar at 13% from 2010 to 2018, how can industry players cash in on this market opportunity? Japnit Singh, Senior Director, Singapore and India of Spire Research and Consulting shared his insights in the Lube Report Asia magazine. Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) in the automotive industry are operating in highly competitive markets. In most countries, they are fighting for market share via promotions and heavy price discounts. OEMs are always on the look-out for new income streams. It is in this context that industry players and manufacturers in Indonesia and Malaysia have been zeroing in on the lubricant oil market. Singh highlighted that post-sales services – inclusive of oil change and regular maintenance check – generate higher profit margins than vehicle sales. The current low oil prices have encouraged motorists to use their cars more often – raising demand for aftermarket services and parts, including lubricant oil.

Indonesia is now poised to become a popular holiday destination for national and international tourists. The growing tourism sector is becoming economically significant. Against that backdrop, the third South East Asia Hotel Expansion Summit 2014 gathered key industry stakeholders and service providers from Indonesia’s travel and tourism sector to discuss the market outlook and potential business opportunities. Jeffrey Bahar, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Spire Research and Consulting, was amongst the prestigious list of speakers at the 3rd Annual SEA Expansion Summit 2014 held in Jakarta, Indonesia. In his presentation, Bahar emphasized how the tourism sector boosts the economy. 2014 saw a record number of inbound tourist arrivals, at 8.6 million. He shared that Indonesia’s travel and tourism sector is expected to grow further due to the implementation of a common ASEAN Visa, expected by the end of 2015. However, the nation still struggles with challenges such a

As drone technology matures, the business applications continue to multiply – from logistics to security to agriculture. It is only a matter of time before drones overcome the remaining technical and legal barriers and become assimilated into most industries. It is estimated that the drone industry would be worth USD10 billion by the year 2025. It is set to transform the operational landscape of many industries. For instance, a Singapore restaurant is experimenting with trials of drones to serve customers their food. With over 7,000 staff needed to keep Singapore’s booming restaurant industry ticking, drones could raise productivity. Several companies (including Amazon.com) are experimenting with the use of drones for document and small parcel delivery in big cities, as well as surveillance of crops to monitor crop health in large plantations. Drones are being used for entertainment purposes as well. The world’s first drone circus, known as “Air”, is coming to the Net

India is not famous for its wine, but the nation does have a viticultural industry that has been producing wine for centuries. This industry suffered a major setback only in the 19th century when phylloxera – a wild pest – destroyed countless vineyards. Nonetheless, a few entrepreneurs in India are now taking great pains to restore the Indian wine industry, setting their sights on the massive vineyard spreads across Nashik, Maharashtra. This is where Rajeev Samant founded Sula Vineyards in 2002 – making a noteworthy entry into the global wine market. Amongst the first in India to be featured in Wine Spectator – a renowned industry magazine – his company currently holds 65% of the country’s wine market, making him the top wine producer in India. Will India’s entrepreneurs succeed in placing India on the world wine map? https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/spirethoughts/raising-a-glass-to-indias-wine-market/

With 100 days in power for Joko Widodo – the newly elected President of Indonesia – what does the business community have to say about his leadership? Jeffrey Bahar, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Spire Research and Consulting, shared his insights on Bloomberg Businessweek Indonesia. Indonesia – the world’s fourth most populous country – held its latest direct Presidential elections on 20th October 2014. Elected President Joko Widodo – popularly known as Jokowi – completed his first 100 days this January. Most in the business community have been all praises for the government’s performance so far. It is difficult to evaluate a government’s performance based on its first 100 days in power but Bahar opined that Jokowi’s government has taken initiatives to improve certain industries directly, especially fisheries and marine. The new government’s current focus lies on fixing transportation and revamping the climate for investment issues using one door licensing. It remains

India’s e-commerce industry has recorded massive growth during the last five years. The factors contributing to this growth include increasing number of internet users, growing acceptability of online payments, availability of a cash on delivery option and favourable demographics. Will India’s e-commerce industry continue its growth trajectory? Spire Research and Consulting conducted a research study on India’s e-tailing industry among 300 Indian retailors in the apparel, consumer electronics and food sectors. The findings of the study were further published on Asahi Shimbun’s Japanese website. According to research findings, 91% of Indian companies in the apparel, consumer electronics and food sectors offer online shopping solutions to customers. The overwhelming take-up can be attributed to the introduction of online payment systems and developments in logistics infrastructure. Over 54% of the online businesses reported a growth of more than 20% in sales revenue post increasi

Indonesia’s aquaculture industry is ranked 4th globally in terms of production tons. Franklin Crum, Manager, Client Service of Spire Research and Consulting, shared his views on the future outlook for Indonesia’s aquaculture industry on MNC Business Channel – Economic Buzz. Crum commented that Indonesia’s water conditions have provided a favourable environment for wet aquaculture (otherwise known as fish farming); allowing a wide range of tropical fish species to breed. The aquaculture industry has shown great potential in Indonesia; contributing 1% towards its GDP. Indonesia is one of the leading Asian countries in this industry, alongside China, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, Republic of Korea, Japan and Bangladesh. The industry had registered a total revenue of USD 7 billion in 2012, seeing compound annual growth (CAGR) of 25.9% between 2008 and 2012. The figure is expected to grow to USD14.3 billion by 2017. Crum shared that the Indonesian government has allocate

Singapore will mark its 50th anniversary of independence in 2015. In conjunction with the country’s upcoming Golden Jubilee, Leon Perera, Chief Executive Officer of Spire Research and Consulting, shared his views in The Business Times – Views from the Top section on what Singapore’s economy and society would look like in 2065. In the future, technology would have eliminated much of the manual labor that humans perform today. Robots will revolutionize work in the home, elder-care as well as the personal services industry. Commercial space flight will accelerate the growth of globalization and enhance innovation, thanks to people being able to meet face-to-face with far less time spent in travel. On the other hand, 3D printing coupled with big data analytics will revolutionize the traditional manufacturing model of economies of scale in favor of mass customization. In addition, stricter Green and ethics regulations will foster Greener, safer and fairer processes in the work

Thailand has been beset by continuous political tension since 2008. And now, anti-government protestors vow to “shut down” Bangkok. But the protests have not derailed foreign direct investment or economic growth. Leon Perera, Chief Executive Officer of Spire Research and Consulting, shared his thoughts on the outlook for Thailand’s economy in China Daily – Asia Weekly. Despite the on-going political unrest, Thailand’s economy continues to grow steadily. One of the drivers of this growth is foreign direct investment. The Thai Board of Investment, one of the region’s most respected investment boards, has managed to maintain investor confidence thus far. However, adverse impacts have been felt on Thailand’s stock market, currency and inbound tourism during this period of intense political strife. Perera shared that the Thai tourist industry has been hit by flight and tour cancellations. Having said that, other key sectors such as chemicals, automotives, information and communica