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Article by: Marijo Gonzalez, editor
Asia’s food and beverage landscape is remarkably diverse, but in general, consumers are now drawn to products that balance functionality, sensory appeal and nutrition. This development stems from rising health awareness and consumers’ natural appetite for indulgence. Industry players and regional leaders alike are investing in research, innovation, and surveys to decode these evolving preferences.
India’s influential youth
By its sheer size, India is a promising market for food and beverage valued at USD334 billion in 2023, based on a report by Ken Research*. The market is driven by retail expansion, e-commerce and a young and trend-setting population.
The Gen Alpha (the age group born from 2010 onward), characterized as highly experimental, seek new flavors, formats, and healthier options, and is considered a significant influence on the local market. In 2025, IFF released a consumer report that focused on this generation alone, exploring their emotional connection to food, identifying the flavors, textures and experiences that inspire joy. Based on the report, Gen Alpha “views food as a source of emotional fulfillment — shifting the focus from function and lifestyle to happiness and experience.” The report further introduces product concepts that blend indulgence with nutrition, giving brands a roadmap to create offerings that are joyful, balanced and built for loyalty.
For IFF, a leader in flavors, fragrances, food ingredients, health and biosciences, India has strong potential especially for companies that produce fortified snacks, nutraceuticals and clean-label products.
Jayant Kapre, vice president, commercial, IFF Taste, India
Jayant Kapre, vice president, commercial, IFF Taste, India told FoodPacific Manufacturing Journal (FPMJ): “As consumer preferences evolve, we see immense opportunity at the intersection of taste, health, and convenience. The Indian market’s rich and diverse consumer insights continue to inspire innovation. With a growing number of start-ups and small customers, we are shaping our thought leadership in how we engage with emerging players. Categories like bakery and snacks are particularly vibrant, offering scalable solutions that can be adapted across other Asian markets. The Indian bakery market alone is projected to grow at a robust 9.1% CAGR to reach USD 31.5 billion by 2033.** This growth is driven by rising demand for health-forward, convenient, and premium offerings. This combination of scale, speed, and innovation positions India as a critical contributor to value creation in Asia.
Mr. Kapre offers this advice for brands seeking to tap into this market: “To resonate with Gen Alpha, brands must design for dual impact: delivering joy through playful, sensory-rich experiences for children, and offering reassurance to parents through nutritional integrity and transparency. Engaging Gen Alpha at this formative stage is a strategic investment. By nurturing early emotional connections, brands can build enduring loyalty and future-proof their portfolios in a fast-evolving consumer landscape.”
Multiple textures and flavors loved in Southeast Asia
India’s culinary influence on other parts of Asia is considerable, and Southeast Asian consumers in particular share similarities with India, but they preserve their own unique and diverse preferences.
“Southeast Asia presents a fascinating mix of cultural diversity and increasingly discerning consumers who demand products that are both healthful and indulgent without compromising on taste or texture,” said Chloe Gao, Global Sensory and Consumer Perceptions Manager, Ingredion.
Sharing results from Ingredion’s own market surveys, Ms. Gao compares the trends in Asia, Southeast Asia, and the rest of the world: “Texture is fundamental to global food preferences, with 60% of consumers preferring foods with multiple textures and multiple flavors. However, in the Asia region, preference for foods with multiple textures and multiple flavors is notably higher than the global average. In Indonesia, close to 80% of consumers polled indicate a preference for foods with multiple textures and multiple flavors. About 80% of Asian consumers perceive multi-texture products as indulgent; in fact, airy, multi-texture and fluffy textures are especially appealing to consumers in Indonesia,” she said.
Chloe Gao, Global Sensory and Consumer Perceptions Manager, Ingredion
She added: “There is also a higher preference for healthier options among Southeast Asian consumers compared to APAC and global consumers. Over 88% of consumers in Southeast Asia (covering Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines) would like to see “High in fiber” claims on product packaging, a figure well above the APAC average of 80% and global average of 79% in 2025, confirming strong market demand in Southeast Asia. These preferences will be key in driving consumer-preferred innovation in 2026.”
Cargill also shared the results of its consumer study in 2025, a milestone year for the company marked by the unveiling of an innovation center in Singapore. Beh Kok Wei, R&D Senior Director, Food Southeast Asia, Australia & New Zealand and Singapore Innovation Center Lead, Cargill, said: “Cargill’s Southeast Asia Indulgence consumer study reveals that flavor and elevated sensory experiences as the key purchase drivers for consumers when it comes to indulgent food categories of bakery, chocolate confectionery, ice-cream and café-style beverages.”
Beh Kok Wei, R&D Senior Director, Food Southeast Asia, Australia & New Zealand and Singapore Innovation Center Lead, Cargill
Cargill’s report also finds that about 70% of consumers are looking for unique tastes and innovative flavors, while 82% of consumers value a ‘super-sensorial’ experience (delivers an enhanced, multi-sensory consumption experience), and 79% of consumers are likely to pay a premium for distinctive textural experiences. The study also reveals that more consumers are willing to pay for quality and sustainability, where dark chocolate is positively perceived and highly favored.
Nutrition rules
In the field of health and nutrition, FrieslandCampina Ingredients, recently shared its trends report, highlighting 2026 as the year of accessible nutrition. The market is being shaped by macro trends like AI, personalization, and rising health awareness, alongside micro shifts in formats and consumer behavior.
In an interview with FPMJ, Vicky Davies, Global Marketing Director for Performance, Active & Medical Nutrition at FrieslandCampina Ingredients, stressed this fact. “We look at the outside to explore the trends,” she said. “How do we translate that into regional plans and localized strategies so that we can meet the needs of the customers and the consumers in all the different countries where we are present?”
Vicky Davies, Global Marketing Director for Performance, Active & Medical Nutrition at FrieslandCampina Ingredients
According to FrieslandCampina Ingredients, brands must combine science, technology, and innovation to meet rising consumer expectations. Success lies in translating emerging trends into meaningful, everyday nutrition solutions, from protein to fiber to GLP-1, and other functional ingredients.
Simon Hoogenkamp, Asian Team Manager at SVZ, a supplier of fruit and vegetable ingredients agrees that consumers in Asia are increasingly seeking natural products. SVZ’s participation in Fi Asia last year underscored its role as a bridge between European quality and Asian consumer needs in terms of natural fruit and vegetable purees, concentrates, NFC juices, and IQF formats.
Simon Hoogenkamp, Asian Team Manager, SVZ
“As SVZ looks toward 2026, the company sees Asia as a region ripe for growth. “We believe sustainability and clean-label products will continue to gain traction in Asia. Consumers are moving toward simplicity, transparency, and natural ingredients,” Mr. Hoogenkamp said. “We’re proud to support that shift with trusted products and a long-standing presence in the region.”
Though food and beverage trends shift constantly, consumers are increasingly gravitating towards products that are perceived as good for health. They also seek indulgence, accessibility and affordability in their choices.
Thumbnail Photo © Darrenw I Dreamstime.com
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* India Food and Beverage Outook to 2030. https://www.kenresearch.com/industry-reports/india-food-and-beverage-market
*Indian bakery market. https://www.imarcgroup.com/indian-bakery-market