Five Reasons Why Asian Consumers are Craving Healthy Cuisines

Consumers are connecting specific foods with physical health, personal branding, and weight management. In addition to cutting carbs and calories, attention is turning to the body and mind-boosting superfoods and edible “beauty snacks”.

As mentioned in our recent article, Five post-pandemic beauty and wellness trends in Asia, demand is rising for products formulated with plant and fruit-based ingredients, ranging from pumpkin to pepperberry.

Fermented drinks, such as kombucha, are coveted for enhancing beauty from within, and vitamins zinc and selenium-enriched yogurt drinks in Thailand claim to boost the immune system.

Fitness-focused consumers are also experimenting with food combinations that increase energy levels, nourish the skin, and reduce the signs of aging. Meanwhile, on short video apps, users learn and share details of Olympic and elite-level sports stars who follow performance-based diets that eschew meat, dairy, gluten, and refined sugars.

Takeaways:

• Beauty snacking is a fast-growing trend, and the range of edible treats that taste great and are promoted as boosting natural vitality is expanding
• Social media and short video app content increasingly promotes the connection between nutrition, vitality, and physical appearance
• Asian netizens closely follow the dietary preferences of sports stars, fitness gurus, fashion models, and popstars famed for their high-energy performances

Consumers seeking wholesome foods to support dietary discipline and improve mental and physical health are shopping around online and offline. As a result, the shelves of supermarkets and online marketplaces are ever-more diverse, and numerous products are promoted for their health benefits. Shoppers are also showing a renewed preference for locally cultivated and sourced foods to ensure freshness and support rural producers.

A greater choice of organic, vegan, and gluten-free products is driving demand for healthier home consumption. Asian consumers seeking a milk substitute traditionally turned to soy drinks. Today, an array of imported and homemade brown rice, almond, and macadamia drinks are barista-quality for home-brewed lattes or healthy desserts.

Whereas spaghetti was once the only pasta option, gluten-free versions made from purple rice, soy, and spinach are commonplace, while noodle varieties include pumpkin, potato, and uji matcha.

Takeaways:

• It is not just tastes that are changing, consumers are continuously seeking out new health-oriented food brands that align with their lifestyles
• Greater availability and lower cost of items once considered as luxury foods are encouraging more people to experiment with healthier cooking at home
• Consumers are showing a greater interest in locally sourced produce to reduce the environmental impact from distribution and transport

As more diners experiment with their diet, they are becoming more selective. Meat and seafood consumption, for example, is mixed and matched with vegan dishes. Food innovators are tapping into demand for flavorful alternatives to meat that go beyond tofu and tempeh.

Chinese plant-based brand Zrou works with celebrity chefs like Tony Xu and David Laris to promote meat-free gastronomy and is creating a vegan menu for Accor Hotels. Indonesia’s Green Butcher supplies “beefless” products to Starbucks made from soy protein, chickpea, and mushrooms.

In Vietnam and Malaysia, burgers are flipped from fiber-rich jackfruit, and a Singaporean start-up produces high-protein meat substitutes from microalgae. Protein-rich ingredient innovation also extends beyond BBQs, burgers, and sandwich bites. In Japan, a vegetarian sushi brand is using plant-based fish protein, which it says reproduces the taste and texture of real sushi in a sustainable, fish-free way.

Takeaways:

• Plant-based meat alternatives vary in each market depending on local ingredients and food science research
• High-protein foods are especially popular with consumers who like to work out and keep fit
• Once fairly rare, dedicated vegan sections are now appearing on menus across the region, from coffee shops to fine-dining restaurants and luxury hotels

A fast-developing quest for improved dietary health is guiding consumers towards organic products that are rich in vitamins, minerals, and iron that is crucially sustainably nurtured.

Indonesia recently certified inulin and oligofructose, which are contained in chicory root fibers, as immune-boosting prebiotic ingredients. This could spur the development of new chicory root-based health foods. Seaweed harvesting has increased in several markets.

In addition to being a coveted ingredient for skincare formulas, vitamin and mineral-packed ocean algae features in noodles, condiments, snacks, and dipping sauce. Awareness of the circular economy’s benefits for dietary health is also gaining traction. Agritech specialists are reusing waste ingredients from food processing, such as spent grains from beer brewing and okara from tofu making, as protein-rich ingredients for other products.

Takeaways:

• More consumers are selecting organic food products that are produced with minimal harm to the environment
• Nutrient-rich products from the ocean as well as the land are in hot demand
• Innovations in the circular economy are developing, particularly in Singapore which is positioning itself as a regional center for agritech research

A desire to enjoy sweet treats that are lighter and less calorific was sweeping Asia before the pandemic. In recent months, more guiltless desserts crafted by start-up meat-free brands have emerged across the region. These brands are responding to the broader rejection of cholesterol-heavy animal fats, with stronger demand for dairy-free, gluten-free, and additive-free products.

There are new ranges of fat-free sorbets in China to vegan ice creams in the Philippines and hand-crafted plant-based desserts in Malaysia. Many new health-aware dessert purveyors are forged from home or in so-called ghost kitchens, which lower the cost for gourmet-inspired start-ups, enabling them to focus on flavor innovation and product quality.

Takeaways:

• Consumers experimenting with dairy-free or gluten-free diets still want to enjoy guiltless delights that look mouth-watering and taste exquisite
• Hotel chefs, restaurateurs, and cafes frequently introduce new pastries, cakes, and desserts that tantalize with their health benefits as well as their exquisite taste
• Start-up organic ice cream and sorbet brands that blend local fruits and flavors are a growth trend