Jebsen & Jessen Ingredients (JJING) and AB Food & Beverages Thailand (ABFT), a subsidiary of Associated British Foods, have forged a new partnership to expand malt distribution across Southeast Asia.

The move will see JJING, the ingredients business unit of diversified industrial conglomerate Jebsen & Jessen Group, serve as the primary distributor of ABFT’s malt products across the region, which spans Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines.

“This partnership marks a pivotal moment for us. With our legacy spanning over a century, we’re excited to take a significant step forward in our vertical integration strategy and expand our business upstream into the ingredients sector,” shares Ian Kavanagh, regional operations director of Southeast Asia at ABFT.

“The partnership with JJING will allow our high-quality malt products to be used for F&B formulations across the region and serve as a good foundation for us to unlock new avenues for innovation and drive growth.”

Boosting high-quality malt ingredients
As ABFT ventures upstream into the ingredients sector in Southeast Asia, this partnership is expected to assist in providing high-quality malt products to F&B manufacturers in the region.

As part of the partnership, JJING — as the primary distributor — will tap into its extensive distribution network and deep knowledge of local markets in Southeast Asia to distribute ABFT’s malt products, which include dried malt extracts and liquid malt extracts.

Rise in malt ingredients
According to ABFT, its premium malt ingredients are being used in beverages more frequently.

“We’re seeing rapid traction and strong interest in ABFT’s malt products, with initial orders already secured. We expect to see continued strong demand across the market for these ingredients to meet the evolving tastes of Southeast Asian consumers,” says Ratana Vongmukdaporn, regional business line head — Food and Pharmaceutical & Personal Care at JJING.

With the demand for malt-based foods, drinks and supplements — including baby food, craft beers, health supplements and protein-rich diets — surging due to the increasing popularity of organic food and a growing awareness of malt’s nutritional benefits, the addition of ABFT’s malt products to JJING’s existing malt range will diversify and expand its malt portfolio and offerings to customers in the region.

Through its Regional Innovation Labs, JJING is also on track to utilize and incorporate ABFT’s malt products to develop new formulations and ingredient applications tailored to diverse consumer taste profiles.

“The addition of ABFT’s high-quality malt products to our offerings and solutions will help meet the growing needs of the food and beverage ingredients industry and cater to the diverse eating habits and preferences of modern consumers across Southeast Asia,” Vongmukdaporn adds.

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