Japanese-based Ezaki Glico Co. Ltd is looking further out of its home turf to grow the sales of its snacks and confectionery products. It is gearing up for a more aggressive expansion in Southeast Asia, with strong focus on the region’s need for healthier food choices.
Glico is optimistic about the market reception to its Almond Koka line of products and long time favorites Pretz and Pocky.
In its recent public announcement, Kazumi Hasegawa, General Manager and Head of Group Communications at Glico, mentioned that ASEAN is deemed a growth priority region for the company, which last year saw 21.4% of its consolidated 2023 sales of US$2.19 billion coming from overseas, including from ASEAN.
Glico established its Asia-Pacific headquarter in Singapore in 2017, and built manufacturing facilities in Thailand and Indonesia anticipating long-term growth in this region.
Glico is also banking on the launch and growth of its Almond Koka line in ASEAN countries like the Philippines. Almond Koka is a line of almond milk products in a variety of flavors like chocolate, strawberry, caramel and coffee. Scientific research demonstrated that almonds, which are rich in dietary fiber, oleic acid and vitamin E, have numerous health benefits and can, among others, help delay the ageing process.
