Asia Pacific

Breakfast cereals maintain demand due to convenience as a nutritious breakfast meal. In this sense, products such as RTE cereals and muesli and granola are proving a success, thanks to the ongoing health and wellness trends. Players in RTE cereals…

The increasingly hectic lifestyles of consumers propelled the expansion of breakfast cereals in retail volume terms in 2023. Due to their ease of preparation, such products emerged as a convenient morning meal option for many consumers, although the…

Breakfast cereals enjoyed a stronger year of retail volume growth in 2023, as prices continued to rise, but at a slower pace than in 2022. This was largely due to the continued dependence on imports in this category. Breakfast cereals is a relatively…

Demand for breakfast cereals remained very limited in Vietnam in 2023, due to the overwhelming importance of traditional specialities such as xoi (sticky rice), pho (a broth containing rice noodles, meat and herbs), bun bo (a spicy broth associated…

Butter and spreads are seeing retail prices fall in 2023, following a period of dynamic price increases in 2022. Current value sales have been pushed into decline as the inflation rate slowed in Azerbaijan and logistical supply chains were adjusted…

Retail sales of butter saw accelerated growth in current value terms in 2023. Growth was boosted by the lifting of pandemic-related measures, which saw a revival in offline consumption, combined with an enhanced consumer awareness of Western cuisine.…

The consumption of butter in Hong Kong experienced robust total volume growth following the initial pandemic disruption. Over the course of recent years, butter consumption in Hong Kong has been consistently influenced by a variety of lifestyle…

Value sales of butter and spreads recorded double-digit growth in 2023, with demand rising steadily. Traditionally in India, butter and ghee has been prepared at home from milk as it is considered more budget-friendly. Butter and ghee are extensively…

Butter and spreads maintains positive growth in 2023, thanks to a combination of factors, including a return to on-the-go lifestyles and trends which emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic. Butter and spreads are commonly used in preparing quick…

Butter is set to decline in retail volume terms in 2023, due to the impact of inflation, which has been driving up unit prices. The price of butter had been stable over the last few years, as many products, such as Meiji Hokkaido Butter, are locally…

Butter and spreads is expected to register double-digit current value growth, but much more muted volume growth. Kazakhstan has strong trade links with Russia in particular and its war in Ukraine is negatively impacting the Kazak economy and leading…

During much of 2020 and 2021 consumers found themselves confined to their homes due to the government’s measures to stem the tide of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This encouraged them to take up cooking and baking as a hobby. This trend had a…

The sale of unpackaged butter and ghee products in rural areas remains strong in Pakistan. However, urban consumers are becoming more hygiene conscious and are looking for more convenient butter and ghee formats, with many opting for packaged…

Butter and spreads is set to continue to record a decline in retail volume sales in 2023, due to normalisation of sales following a spike in 2020, when home seclusion during pandemic lockdowns promoted home cooking and baking. Following the lifting…

In 2023, overall butter and spreads in South Korea is expected to continue to show positive growth in retail current value terms, although the growth rates vary across different categories. While inflation has contributed to the overall sales…

In March 2022, as pandemic restrictions gradually eased, a coexistence with the virus emerged. Consequently, the number of confirmed cases began to peak, reaching new daily highs. During the initial two quarters of 2022, most consumers stayed home to…

Butter and spreads is benefitting from the resumption of tourism following the reopening of society after the pandemic years. Indeed, Thailand’s tourism trade is again booming, which positively impacts sales via foodservice channels. Many sales of…

Butter and spreads saw accelerated growth in retail volume terms in 2023, thanks to the continuation of the home cooking and baking boom, which took off during the pandemic and which showed no signs of abating, despite that fact that consumers spent…

Volume growth is expected to be muted for butter in 2023. With inflation still high, though easing, consumers are expected to be price sensitive and as a result opt for more affordable margarine and spreads rather than butter. The situation is…

In 2023, margarine and spreads is projected to continue to be the dominant category in retail volume and value sales terms, followed by butter, with cooking fats sales still negligible. The popularity of margarine and spreads is underpinned by its…

In 2022, due to the resurgence of COVID-19 and the implementation of lockdowns, offline businesses were severely impacted, leading to a significant reduction in traffic and a high-single-digit decline in retail value sales of cafés/bars. Nonetheless,…

After a difficult year in 2022, cafés/bars saw a significant rebound in current value terms in Hong Kong in 2023, although sales remained well below the pre-pandemic level. The coffee scene has become increasingly diverse in Hong Kong, with a wide…

Cafés/bars maintained exceptional current value growth in India in 2023, with solid growth also seen in outlet numbers. The strongest growth was seen by bars/pubs, partly because this channel was the hardest hot by the pandemic. In addition, in…

Cafés/bars saw another year of buoyant growth in current value terms in 2023, with independent outlets leading the way. This was consistent with the developing coffee drinking culture in the country, as consumers sought out visually appealing venues…

In May 2023, the Japanese government downgraded the legal status of COVID-19 to class 5, which led to a rebound in footfall for consumer foodservice. Consumers returned to going out, and enjoyed dining out. In particular, bars/pubs, which suffered…

There has been a significant rise in the number of Malaysians taking up coffee drinking culture, with the country ranked third highest in terms of coffee consumption in Asia Pacific. With Malaysians becoming more coffee-savvy, there are notable…

Bars/pubs in Singapore continued to record sustained value growth in 2023, following a spike in 2022 as pandemic-related movement restrictions were relaxed. Renowned for its cocktail culture, Singapore is home to a diverse array of drinking…

Specialist coffee and tea shops is a mature category in South Korea, but continued to show dynamic growth in 2023. Previously, players in specialist coffee shops changed high unit prices, but advances in coffee machines led to standardisation of…

Coffee is a daily ritual for most people in Taiwan, but especially office workers, with this benefiting cafés/bars. Convenience store cafés/bars play an important role in due to the wide coverage of these stores, which gives consumers easy access to…

Cafés/bars in Thailand registered buoyant growth in current value terms in 2023. Growth was driven by the revival of normal pre-pandemic lifestyles, including the return of consumers to their physical workspaces and more regular contact with family…

During 2023, cafés/bars recorded solid growth in terms of both current value and volume of transactions. This was driven to a large extent by an increase in consumer mobility, with locals being keen to make up for the time lost during the pandemic.…

Cafés/bars continued to enjoy healthy growth in current value terms in 2023. This was attributable to a rebound in international and domestic tourism, following the revival of the travel industry in the aftermath of the pandemic., Such establishments…

Currently, there are no sales of medical cannabis in Japan, although the illegal cannabis market continues to grow, along with legal CBD & other non-intoxicating cannabinoids. However, an amendment to Japan’s Cannabis Control Law was passed in…

The cannabis market has experienced significant turmoil due to uncertainties arising from the actions of the Thai Government. Subsequently, there was a noticeable decline in consumer confidence in legal cannabis consumption in 2023. While demand…

Carbonates is the most popular soft drink in Azerbaijan, with consumption rising in tandem with population growth and urbanization in the country. Cola carbonates comprises over 60% of retail volume sales and yet continues to enjoy strong growth in…

Off-trade volume and current value sales of carbonates continued to see dynamic growth in China in 2023. Brands were able to maintain growth through innovations in areas such as sugar reduction and flavours. Sugar reduction (the use of sweeteners)…

After the lifting of pandemic-related restrictions, the city experienced a notable resurgence in foot traffic, accompanied by an influx of tourists, which had a positive impact on the on-trade sales of carbonates in Hong Kong. It also helped drive…

In 2024, Coca-Cola, the leading carbonates player in India, decided to transfer its company-owned bottling operations in three North Indian regions to existing independent bottlers. These regions include Rajasthan, Bihar, North-East India, and parts…

Carbonates in Indonesia saw healthy volume growth for the third consecutive year in 2023 with sales normalising in terms of off-trade volume and value, and the former returning to pre-pandemic levels (current value sales recovered in 2022). The…

In 2023, total volume sales of carbonates are set to decrease compared with 2022. On-trade volume sales are expected to increase thanks to a continued rebound in demand after the lifting of pandemic restrictions. However, off-trade volume sales are…

Carbonates continued to experience volume growth in 2023, maintaining its steady upward trend. Growth can be attributed to several factors, including population expansion, especially among the younger demographic, increased per capita consumption due…

On-trade volume and fountain sales in carbonates are being supported by developments in foodservice and hospitality channels. For example, as seen with the growth of hotels in the country, such as the Hyatt Place Kuala Lumpur, INNSiDE by Meliá Kuala…

With inflation even higher than in 2022, consumers felt the financial pinch and as a result, volume sales of carbonates fell in 2023. That being said, competition remained tight and players looked to compete with each other by introducing or even…

On-trade volume sales of carbonates are set to record another year of growth in 2023, continuing to rebound after the decline seen in 2020, with growth being driven by reduced sugar carbonates. Meanwhile, off-trade volume growth of carbonates is…

Overall carbonates is set to see dynamic off-trade volume growth in 2023. However, concerns about the dangers of the overconsumption of sugar are driving consumers towards healthier variants. Increasing numbers of consumers are concerned about the…

Carbonates in smaller pack sizes of 200-350ml gained ground in off- and on-trade channels in Taiwan in 2023. This was partly due to rising health-consciousness among the population, in that concerns about the sugar content of these soft drinks led…

Regular carbonates registered a decline in off-trade volume sales in 2023, in contrast to their reduced sugar counterparts. Thais are becoming increasingly cautious about their sugar intake, given that excessive consumption has been linked wide range…

Despite continued inflationary pressures, carbonates registered healthy growth in volume terms in 2023, both in on-trade and off-trade channels. Besides an increase in consumer mobility, this was attributable to the sustained marketing and…

Carbonates continue to enjoy strong double-digit growth in the off-trade underpinned by population growth, urbanization and the slowdown in unit price growth. The country‘s youthful demographic profile is one of the key drivers of overall demand.…

Carbonates has seen slower growth in both on-trade and off-trade volume terms compared to 2022. This can be attributed to several factors such as elevated inflation, lower income levels, and increased health concerns and a growing focus on sport and…