5 major food industry trends spotted at Fi Asia 2025
From cost-effectiveness to flavour favourites, these were the top 5 food trends seen at Fi Asia 2025 as highlighted by top brands and suppliers in the region.
As consumer demands and preferences continue to evolve in a myriad of ways throughout the diverse Asian region, food and beverage companies are placed under increasing pressure to adhere to these rapid changes in order to ensure products continue to sell.
The best way to do this is for companies to implement new product development and innovation strategies in accordance with current market trends – which of course regularly switch up and evolve as well.
This was prominently evidenced in this year’s Fi Asia 2025 event in Bangkok, Thailand, where several major industry trends such as reformulation and localisation have made a strong comeback showing, in addition to affordability which largely dominated last year’s show.
Reinventing classics: Hyperlocal ingredients and strong aromas crucial for food innovation in China
Food and beverage innovation in China should incorporate hyperlocal elements, strong aromas or radical reinventions of well-known classics to resonate with China’s ‘sensitive’ taste buds.
It is a well-known fact that consumers in China have some of the most exacting taste buds in the world driven by the wide range of cuisines available in the market, and the unusually rapid rate of innovation in the country.
This means that food and beverage firms need to go the extra mile to cut through the noise.
“China is a unique market compared to the rest of the world, and this is firstly because we have such a large population leading to increased demands compared to other regions; but more importantly because consumer taste buds here are truly more sensitive,” Kerry China Marketing Director Helen Tang told FoodNavigator-Asia at the recent Food
Leaf-powered protein: Leaft blazes new trail in APAC with Lacto Japan
New Zealand-based Leaft Foods partnered Lacto Japan to bring its leaf protein into staple categories such as bakery and dairy foods this year.
Leaft’s Rubisco Protein Isolate is extracted from green leaves – a novel protein source positioned as both sustainable and versatile in alternative protein development.
The partnership aimed to accelerate sustainable nutrition in Asia Pacific by pairing Leaft’s technology with Lacto Japan’s established presence in dairy and food manufacturing.
‘Super-sensorial’ indulgent foods pegged as major growth category in South East Asia
South East Asian consumers have increasingly placed value on sensorial experiences, particularly within indulgence categories such as confectionery and desserts.
Sensory aspects of food consumption such as texture and mouthfeel have always been important in Asian food innovation, but in recent years there has been a significant uptick in demand for unique sensory experiences across multiple categories.
According to food corporation Cargill, this has been particularly evident in the indulgence food categories.
“There is a growing consumer shift towards rich, indulgent food experiences in South East Asia, where the food and beverage industry is extremely dynamic and growing rapidly,” Cargill Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand R&D Lead and Innovation Centre Head Beh Kok Wei told FoodNavigator-Asia
Flavours and colours 2025: Personalised wellness and bold, fruity profiles set to shape food trends – ADM
ADM predicted four key trends would drive the food and beverage industry in 2025, focusing on personalised wellness and bold, fruity flavours.
Consumers look not only for food that look and taste good, but are also driven by their health goals and a desire for familiar yet unique experiences, according to ADM’s 2025 Flavor and Color Outlook report.
The report emphasised the significance of selecting the right flavour and colour combinations to help brands meet the growing demand for wellness-oriented products.
As such, the focus for 2025 was on multisensory products that address consumer preferences for simplicity and familiarity while offering creative twists.
McCormick: Spicy flavours in Asia need harmony, not intensity
Spice is a leading savoury flavour trend in Asia – but innovation here requires much more than just cranking up the heat, according to McCormick
Spicy flavours are a way of life in most Asian markets, from sour-spicy tom yum soups in Thailand to spice-laden curries in India.
On the surface, innovation with spiciness may appear to be straightforward e.g. focusing on increasing spice levels or using different chillis, and there was a period when intense spice was the leading flavour trend in Asia – but today, experts say there is much more to successful spice innovation than just upping the intensity.
“Simply put, spiciness alone is not the key – heat is,” McCormick VP for Flavour Solutions Betty Juliana Tan told us.
APAC salt reformulation rises in response to grading schemes, salt taxes
With the rise of salt taxes and nutri-grade schemes, more APAC food firms have worked on reformulation to meet health and regulatory demands
The past few years has seen an initial focus focus on sugar taxes shifted to also include salt in various markets.
Thailand, for example, has already announced that it will be introducing a tiered salt taxation system that is expected sometime this year which will be closely modelled after its sugar tax system.
“Salt reduction and reformulation technologies have definitely emerged as the top area of interest for food firms in the past year, likely driven by regulatory requirements,” Kerry Senior Strategic Marketing Manager Taste Jie Ying Lee told us.
Less sugar, more sweets: Asians seek local flavours in healthier treats
Sixty-five percent of South East Asian consumers prefer local flavours and lower sugar when indulging in desserts, according to a regional study
The study was conducted by food and nutrition firm Cargill, providing insights into consumer attitudes toward indulgent products across five categories: sweet biscuits and cookies, sweet baked goods, chocolate confectionery, ice cream, and café-style beverages.
While indulgence remains a key driver, the region showed a strong shift toward health and sustainability.
“Around 69% of consumers said health attributes are important even as flavour remains the priority, with low sugar being the most influential factor,” Cargill’s Beh added.
Best of both worlds? Q-protein offers healthier meat with plant benefits
A hybrid meat product has claimed to offer improved nutrition, lower cholesterol, and higher fibre – all while retaining the taste of traditional meat.
Singapore-based Quality Meat and food innovation firm Nurasa co-developed a hybrid meat product blending traditional meat with a proprietary plant-based protein system called Q-protein.
The collaboration, facilitated by Nurasa’s NuFood Concept Studio (NuFCS), aims to meet growing consumer demand for healthier, better-for-you options without compromising on taste and texture.
Joey Oh, General Manager of Quality Meat, said that the hybrid meat was developed in response to real market demand.
Bean-free coffee: Prefer partners Ajinomoto, Coffee Ferm for APAC growth
Singapore’s Prefer has scaled its sustainable bean-free coffee across APAC with partners Ajinomoto and Coffee Ferm
Made from food manufacturing byproducts such as rice and soy, Prefer’s bean-free coffee flavours are developed using a proprietary fermentation and roasting process.
As part of its Asia Pacific expansion plans, Prefer partnered Ajinomoto Thailand and Australia’s The Coffee Ferm to tap their strong distribution networks.
“We chose Ajinomoto and The Coffee Ferm because our technology complements their strong distribution networks, enabling lower-cost, lower-carbon products for their customers,” said Prefer CEO Jake Berber.