Julian Wipper, General Manager of the New World Millennium Hong Kong Hotel, outlines how his establishment has benefitted from Halal certification and offering a more Muslim-friendly experience for tourists, diners, business travellers and many local religious festival observers.

Launch of the city’s Halal Q Mark seen as catalyst for change in food outlets, F&B exporters, hotels, retailers and travel hubs.

In Hong Kong, approximately 3,191 tonnes of food waste went to landfill every day, which was accounted for 29% of municipal solid waste. Founded in 2018, Hong Kong-based Farmacy Group has pioneered a decentralised Farming-as-a-Service model that uses vertical farming method in hydroponic growing. By transforming growing into a service, Farmacy has commercialised and scaled its solution both locally and abroad to tackle food waste problems.

India and Australia have signed a mutual recognition arrangement (MRA) aimed at facilitating trade in organic goods. The arrangement covers both grown and processed organic products, including agricultural produce, wines, unprocessed plant items and processed foods. Under the MRA, signed on 24 September 2025, India and Australia will recognise each other’s organic certification standards. The agreement, which will be implemented by India’s Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) and Australia’s Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF), is expected to boost bilateral trade, streamline compliance, and generate fresh opportunities for farmers, exporters and processors.

On 13 October, the General Administration of Customs (the GAC) released updated rules on the registration and administration of overseas manufacturers of imported food. The revised rules, which will come into effect on 1 June 2026, introduce and refine several provisions to strengthen oversight of the safety of imported food.

The GBA Standardization Research Center announced on 13 October that 10 new items have been added to the list of standards to be adopted throughout the GBA, upon consultation and mutual confirmation by the parties concerned, in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao.

Thailand has introduced tougher regulations on alcoholic beverages under the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act (No. 2) B.E. 2568 (2025). Set to take effect 60 days after publication in the Royal Gazette on 9 September 2025, the new law tightens marketing restrictions and enhances the National Alcohol Policy Committee authority. It prohibits using brand names, logos or celebrities/influencers to promote alcohol; the advertisement of alcoholic beverages except for education; and indirect advertising, such as using alcohol-associated names or symbols to brand non-alcoholic items like sodas and clothing.

Abu Dhabi has rolled out the Golden Food Product List to enhance trade flow and the food business ecosystem.

On 10 September 2025 the EU formally accepted Malaysia’s national sustainable palm‐oil certification scheme, the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO), as meeting its new deforestation regulation (EUDR), set to enter force in December 2025. Under the EUDR, exporters to the EU in commodities such as palm oil, soy, beef, wood, coffee and cocoa, as well as lines featuring leather, chocolate or furniture, must show that land used has not been deforested after 31 December 2020.

Marriott International, a global leader in hospitality, integrates Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles across its operations. This case study focuses on Marriott’s sustainability efforts in Greater China, particularly Hong Kong, where the company addresses key ESG challenges like sourcing and waste management. The hospitality sector’s extensive supply chains and significant waste generation make it a critical focus for ESG. Marriott’s responsible sourcing initiatives include cage-free eggs and responsible coffee, as well as waste reduction and recycling and more. At the same time, programs like soap recycling and food waste reduction exemplify its holistic approach to sustainability.