Busy work lifestyles, rising disposable incomes, higher educational backgrounds and growing concerns over diseases like obesity, diabetes and other cardiovascular diseases, have led to consumers increasingly looking at food and beverage products with health benefits.
With limited time to shop and to compare products, the next gen consumers are those who pay attention to simplified clear label products manufactured by reliable manufacturers with accredited portfolios. Consumers, in general, also prefer convenient formats for at-home and on-the-go consumption.
Asia Pacific leads the global market for functional claims, according to Euromonitor Plc, and consumers are looking for products which offer digestive health benefits as well as high protein and energy boosting properties. (See Chart 1.0)
For manufacturers, their products’ success pretty much depend on how successful they can convince consumers to purchase their products, and this usually represents the whole package – from manufacturers’ integrity to clear labelling and transparency in claims, apart from the product affordability and convenience in terms of consumption.
Growing health and awareness trend has also indirectly led to the recent recovery of the dairy products market in 2025 in the Asia Pacific region which grew 1.6% after few years of decline since 2022. In this segment, manufacturers are increasingly looking at clean label which includes the products being lactose-free, natural and organic to spur demand as these are the growth drivers. (see Chart 2.0)
Brands that blend proven science with sensorial delight, and deliver them in user-friendly formats that people like or desire will set the pace of growth in the market in this decade.
