Innovation is propelling Asia's food industry

WITH Asia being home to over two-thirds of the world's population and some of the fastest-growing economies, how the region develops has far-reaching implications. While its sheer size provides unparalleled diversity and opportunity, the pace and scale of growth we are witnessing brings inherent challenges - including many that involve the food-and-beverage industry front and centre.

Health issues such as the widespread prevalence of diabetes and chronic malnutrition due to poor diets are front of mind for society, governments and the private sector alike. And the economic impact of not addressing these issues can't be underestimated. A recent report by the Economist Intelligence Unit found, for instance, that obesity can remove as many as nine years of productivity from a person's life - a matter of concern for global economies.

We owe it to ourselves and Asia's next generation to address and alleviate these challenges. Encouragingly, many of the solutions we need are already available, or are being developed, thanks to an innovative, more-informed and creative generation which is using technology as much for ethical and social reasons as for business. We are better equipped than ever before to tackle the sustainability crisis head-on.