Latest news with #Alpro
The Sun
21-05-2025
- Health
- The Sun
1 in 4 Malaysians at Risk: Alpro Pharmacy Leads National Movement to Reverse Prediabetes
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA - Media OutReach Newswire - 21 May 2025 - With one in four Malaysian adults unknowingly living with prediabetes, the country is facing a silent but escalating health crisis. Research shows that one in ten individuals with prediabetes will develop type 2 diabetes within a year, and up to 70% will progress within a decade if no action is taken (Sources: National Health and Morbidity Survey 2019; International Diabetes Federation). In response to this urgent need, Alpro Pharmacy has launched the ASAP Programme (Alpro Stand Against Prediabetes) a nationwide health campaign that began in April 2025. This initiative is designed to raise early awareness, promote timely screening, and provide accessible, professional care to help Malaysians reverse prediabetes before it becomes a lifelong condition. As part of this commitment, Alpro is offering 10,000 free HbA1c tests to high-risk individuals across more than 300 Alpro touchpoints nationwide, from April through June 2025. With a focus on those with a family history of diabetes and those at higher risk due to age or weight, the ASAP Programme empowers individuals to take proactive steps towards better health. Through early detection and pharmacist-led counseling, nutrition guidance, and lifestyle modifications, participants can potentially reverse their condition. Beyond individual action, the programme also reinforces the vital role that primary care providers—including community pharmacists, community nutritionists and dietitians, and general practitioners—play in delivering preventive healthcare directly to the public. By bringing early intervention into the heart of the community, the programme ensures that help is accessible, timely, and coordinated. This national effort is made possible through a strong multidisciplinary collaboration between Alpro Pharmacy, Merck Sdn. Bhd., University of Malaya, Yuwell Malaysia, Ethos Healthcare, and Powerlife Malaysia. United by a shared vision for preventive healthcare, these partners bring together medical innovation, digital health tools, academic research, and nutritional science to combat one of Malaysia's most pressing chronic health challenges. 'Prediabetes is not a life sentence—it's a second chance,' said Ph. Lim En Ni, Chief Pharmacist and Engagement Director of Alpro Pharmacy. 'Through the ASAP Programme, we're reaching people before diabetes does—offering them the tests, intervention, and ongoing support they need to make lasting changes. Our aim is to stop diabetes before it starts.' For Merck Sdn. Bhd., the programme aligns with its commitment to early intervention in chronic disease.'The ASAP Programme puts prevention into action—on the ground, led by pharmacists,' said Ms. Pixie Yee, Managing Director of Merck Malaysia and General Manager of Merck Healthcare Malaysia and Singapore. 'It's meaningful because it reaches people before complications begin. As healthcare leaders, we must shift the focus from delayed treatment to early empowerment.' A core component of the campaign is a research collaboration with the University of Malaya to evaluate the impact of pharmacist-led interventions in identifying and managing prediabetes. The study explores how HbA1c screening, paired with pharmacological and lifestyle guidance, can delay or even prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes. Findings are expected to help shape future national healthcare strategies and support the standardisation of pharmacy-based chronic disease prevention in Malaysia. 'This campaign is more than awareness—it's a chance to validate the impact of pharmacists in chronic disease prevention,' said Professor Dr. Hasniza, Deputy Vice Chancellor, University of Malaya. The ASAP Programme aims to amplify a clear and urgent public health message: prediabetes is reversible, early action matters, and no one should wait for symptoms before seeking help. With professional support and free screening made easily available across the country, this campaign proves that diabetes can be stopped—before it starts. Malaysians are encouraged to participate by visiting any Alpro Pharmacy outlet during the campaign period. For full campaign details, eligibility information, and outlet locations, please visit: Let's act ASAP — because the best way to fight diabetes is to stop it before it starts.
The Sun
06-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Shoppers baffled as Lidl discontinues everyday fridge staple in ALL stores
SHOPPERS are devastated after Lidl confirmed it has discontinued a beloved fridge essential. It comes after frantic customers took to social media last month asking why they couldn't see the product on shelves. 1 The item causing the stir was Lidl 's own brand Dairy Manor lactose-free skimmed milk - a must-have for many. One lactose intolerant regular wrote to Lidl: "@LidlGB Do you still stock your own brand lactose free skimmed milk? Haven't been able to find it for a few weeks and am getting worried." People on Reddit also shared their concern, with one person complaining: "This was my regular but they haven't had it for over a month." The Sun can now exclusively confirm the product has been discontinued. Lidl explained the skimmed milk was axed due to "consumer preference", but reassured shoppers that the semi-skimmed lactose-free milk is still available in stores. Alternatively, if skimmed milk is your preference, there are a couple of other lactose-free products on the market. Aldi 's Cowbelle lactose-free skimmed milk is just 99p per 1L carton, making it a close match to Lidl. Alternatively, you can pay a little extra for the branded Arla version, which is £1.50 in Sainsbury's and Waitrose. Another budget option is Tesco 's own-brand Lactose-free skimmed milk which is still just 99p for a litre. It comes as a reminder to always compare prices before you buy - and you can make this easier for yourself by using a comparison site like Trolley. The newest products in the Middle Aisle of Lidl However Lidl 's lactose-free skimmed milk is not the only dairy product to go flying off shelves recently. Alpro recently discontinued a popular milk which loyal buyers cried was their "favourite". The sought-after "This Is Not Milk" cartons were made of oat milk but designed to taste more like dairy - disguising well in a cup of tea. However a spokesperson for Danone UK and Ireland, makers of Alpro, said: 'While "This Is Not M!lk" was designed to create a more familiar dairy milk taste, our shopper research showed us that many of our consumers enjoy the taste of oat just as much, if not more so. "As such, we have decided to focus on the great taste of our core oat range while continuing to develop new products that people will love." Tesco also had to apologise to customers after discontinuing its British Whole Milk 3.408L (6 Pints) in 2023. Just this year the supermarket giant broke its silence on the disappearance, saying it was "sorry for any disappointment." A Tesco spokesperson then told The Sun: "We phased out six-pint bottles of milk back in 2023 to reduce wastage, as there were higher levels of waste on that product size." Other breakfast staples which have been axed include Tesco's own-brand £1.95 Apricot wheats. And breakfast fans were gutted after realising Aldi's popular Very Berry Muesli has been missing from supermarket shelves. To keep up to date on discontinued products, as well as new releases, it can be helpful to join local bargain and food-hunting groups on Facebook. Where does Lidl want to open new stores? LIDL has published a new list of desired locations for potential new stores. The list includes, amongst many others, the following towns and cities: Bristol Derby Liverpool London Manchester Nottingham Oxford Southampton Swansea Birmingham Sheffield Cambridge Edinburgh To see the full list, click here.
The Guardian
19-04-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Oat milk rises to top as Britain's preferred plant-based drink
With white-suited operatives tapping buttons on huge machines and its walls a tangle of heavy-duty pipes, the sprawling complex in the Northamptonshire countryside could pass for a Bond villain's lair, were it not for the comforting porridge smell. But rather than plotting world domination, the site's owner, Navara Oat Milling, is piggybacking on Britons' growing thirst for plant-based alternatives to dairy. At regular intervals, trucks loaded with up to 30 tonnes of oat flour trundle eight miles up the road to the Alpro factory in Kettering, which churns out over 200m litres of plant milk a year. The decision by Alpro's French owner, Danone, to switch to using British oats rather than an imported syrup in its main oat drink range is the latest in a wave of innovations as plant-based food makers write a new chapter after the boom-and-bust story of the past 10 years. During the cost of living crisis, shoppers turned away from pricey dairy and meat alternatives. In the squeeze that followed, retailers cut shelf space for such products and some high-profile names went under. Meatless Farm, for example, ceased trading before being rescued from administration. Now the worst appears over, for dairy alternatives anyway, not least because Britons are pairing plant milk with another expensive habit – coffee. Today, one in four coffees sold by the major chains is made with it, with oat the No 1 choice. Supermarket sales data shows shoppers are putting more of it in their baskets for the first time since 2022. In the year to February 2025, sales volumes were up 2.1% on the previous 12-month period, and oat milk romped ahead with growth of 7.2%, according to data firm Kantar. Just under 35% of UK households consume plant-based drinks, it says. As plant-based food brands regroup, marketers are looking for new ways to win over shoppers. The fast-growing Plenish brand is billing itself as the 'UK's only clean-label fortified m*lk with no oils and additives', while to stand out against UHT rivals, Oato launched 'fresh' oat milk last year. To make plant milks more affordable, both Alpro and Oatly have introduced cheaper 500ml packs. With the Navara mill processing oats grown within 80 miles, Alpro's decision to play the British card stands out in a market where the other big brands produce overseas. Last year, Oatly shelved plans for a factory in Peterborough, and to hammer the point home the Alpro carton is emblazoned with union jacks. In more exuberant times, supermarket chiller cabinets bulged with plant milks, with incumbents such as soya, oat and almond pitted against pea, potato and all manner of nuts. But oat won out and annual sales top £275m, up from £155m five years ago. This year, oat will make up 40% of the market on a volume basis, with half a million litres sold each day in the UK. Analysts say that oat has emerged victorious due to its superior taste and because consumers see the ingredient as recognisable and healthy. While the hi-tech Navara mill cost over £50m, James Skidmore, managing director, says the milling process children learned about watching Windy Miller in the classic TV show Camberwick Green has hardly changed. 'How you manufacture oat flour or flakes from raw oats is fundamentally the same,' he says. However, heavy investment in automation means Navara can make adjustments to produce a consistent raw material. To change the Alpro recipe, Danone made a multimillion-pound investment in the Kettering site, buying the machinery required to turn the flour into the 'oat juice' that is the new base ingredient for its oat drinks. After research showed that half of plant-based shoppers are driven by health, Alpro is trumpeting the fact that its new recipe is low fat, high in fibre and bolstered with vitamins and minerals. However, Tom Kerr, Danone's head of category management and commercial planning – plant-based, says customers also just like how it tastes. 'A lot of people prefer an oat flat white v a dairy flat white from a taste point of view.' Key to the success of plant-based foods is for brands to be 'really clear and consistent in the health messaging around it', Kerr believes, pointing to lessons learned from the travails of alt-meat. 'It was such an explosion, it almost became overwhelming for shoppers to understand what the benefit is. We are trying to make consistent improvements and be very clear about the health benefit.' While bestselling brands like Oatly have gone into battle with dairy, citing oat's lower climate impact, for consumers it is not an either-or situation. Nine out of 10 plant-milk buyers stack it beside cow's milk. That left higher-priced dairy alternatives vulnerable during the cost of living crisis, when shoppers balked at paying for two kinds of the same product. One solution has been smaller pack sizes: 'We wanted to create options at a lower absolute price points so smaller households or single-user households can still have it,' says Danone's Tom Kerr. Kiti Soininen at Mintel thinks plant-based milk will be a long-term growth story, thanks to its young customer base. While only 14% of over-45s use plant-based milk, nearly twice as many under-45s drink it, Mintel's research shows. 'There's little reason to think younger consumers will abandon their now-familiar option,' he says. 'Many children are growing up with oat and nut milks in the family fridge, with a quarter of parents of under-16s using plant-based milk.' A limiting factor is cost, as although plant milk is increasingly included in supermarket promotions, it is still more expensive than cow's milk. But comparing a generic pint of cow's milk with a trendy oat milk brand is not a fair comparison, says Thijs Geijer, an economist at ING Research. For a start, the UK cow's milk market is 10 times the size of plant-based. 'You pay a premium for the brand,' says Geijer. 'Brands use that to invest in things like innovation and marketing. Manufacturing is not necessarily expensive, but in producing milk, dairy companies profit from their economies of scale and sell a range of other dairy products that are more profitable than milk. Milk in supermarkets is really commoditised – high volume but low margins.' Interestingly, while dairy alternatives are often discussed as a way to combat the climate crisis, the drink's environmental impact is not the main reason people pick it up – perceptions that it is a 'healthier choice', suitable for allergy sufferers, and tasty score higher as reasons to buy in Mintel's polling. Indeed, the environmental impact of food and drink is of low importance when it comes to people's choices, says Soininen; how it tastes and how much it costs are by far the most important things. 'The category has not escaped the recent spotlight on ultra-processed foods (UPFs), with dairy alternatives widely seen as highly processed,' she adds. 'However, these views are not a major deterrent.'
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Alpro Pharmacy Now Offers Free AIA Vitality Health Check to Support Early Disease Detection
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Millions of Malaysians are at risk of serious health complications due to undiagnosed and unmanaged non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, and obesity. According to the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2023, more than 2 million adults are living with at least three of these conditions, and over half a million Malaysians (2.5% of the adult population) suffer from all four, significantly increasing their risk of heart disease and stroke. Even more concerning, 40% of adults have not undergone any health screenings in the past year, citing reasons such as feeling healthy, lacking symptoms, or having time constraints, according to the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2023. This lack of awareness and proactive healthcare contributes to late-stage diagnoses and preventable health complications. To promote early detection and preventive care while making health screenings more accessible to the community, Alpro Pharmacy, in collaboration with AIA Malaysia, offers the AIA Vitality Health Check—an essential screening that includes BMI measurement, a blood pressure check, a blood glucose test, and a total cholesterol test. AIA Vitality is a health and wellness programme designed to empower Malaysians to make healthier choices and adopt better lifestyles. By integrating the principles of behavioral economics, AIA Vitality rewards individuals for making positive lifestyle changes, such as undergoing regular health screenings, exercising, and maintaining a balanced diet. The programme provides incentives and benefits that make it easier to sustain a healthy lifestyle. By leveraging Alpro Pharmacy's extensive network of nearly 300 outlets nationwide and the team of professional pharmacists, this collaboration ensures accessible, professional health screenings for all AIA Vitality members—bringing quality healthcare closer to communities and encouraging Malaysians to prioritize their health through early intervention. "Preventive healthcare is more crucial than ever," said Ph Lim En Ni, Chief Pharmacist and Engagement Director of Alpro Pharmacy. "At Alpro, we believe in bringing reassurance to the community through accessible, professional healthcare. Many Malaysians do not realize the silent risks they face until it is too late. That is why we are dedicated to providing proactive health screenings, empowering individuals to take charge of their well-being. With this collaboration, we are ensuring that people can detect potential health issues early and make informed decisions for a healthier future." The AIA Vitality Health Check is now available at all Alpro Pharmacy outlets nationwide. AIA Vitality members can walk into any participating outlet to undergo the test or consult with Alpro's professional pharmacists for further health guidance. Additionally, AIA Vitality members can enjoy exclusive perks at Alpro Pharmacy, including discounts on health screenings, vaccinations, physiotherapy, and eye care services—helping them take proactive steps toward better health. (subject to terms and conditions). This initiative underscores AIA Malaysia's mission to promote healthier lifestyles and Alpro Pharmacy's dedication to enhancing public health through accessible, preventive care. For more information, visit or drop by your nearest Alpro Pharmacy today! About Alpro Pharmacy With a humble beginning starting with a single pharmacy outlet in the small town of Port Dickson in 2002, Alpro Pharmacy is now a diversified community chain pharmacy that provides comprehensive primary healthcare solutions via over 300 outlets including Alpro Pharmacy, Alpro Clinic, Alpro Physio and Alpro Baby, both online and offline, nationwide. It is supported by a team of more than 650 healthcare professionals, ranging from doctors, pharmacists, nutritionists, dietitians to physiotherapists and many other healthcare professionals. Serving more than 3 million families in Malaysia, Alpro Pharmacy is the first and only community pharmacy in the country to provide RM1 million product liability insurance to safeguard the supply of genuine medications. With over 500,000 prescriptions filled per year, Alpro Pharmacy is also the largest prescription pharmacy chain in Malaysia. For more information, please visit View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Alpro Pharmacy Sign in to access your portfolio
