Discover the flavors, formats, and food experiences shaping APAC’s dynamic food and beverage landscape, and explore how ofi can help you turn these trends into products consumers will crave.
Across APAC, consumers are adapting to economic pressures, climate concerns, shifting lifestyles, and evolving cultural influences. These forces are accelerating demand for foods and drinks that deliver:
Comfort and trust
Pleasure and excitement
Wellness and lifestyle alignment
What APAC consumers seek in 2026 is shaped by how they live today: more flexible eating patterns, a desire for emotional release, and a growing focus on health and balance.
ofi TrendBites 2026 reveals the six forces redefining menus, snacks, beverages, and ready-to-eat formats across the region — and where the opportunities lie for brands ready to innovate.
Traditions reimagined through fresh twists and cultural mashups.
In APAC, consumers increasingly find comfort and excitement in foods that feel rooted in culture but refreshed for modern tastes. Trend data shows:
Strong demand for authentic recipes, nostalgic flavors, and regional signatures
High openness among younger consumers (18–34) to fusion concepts and “newstalgic” reinventions
Bold flavors, rich aromatics, and memorable textures that excite the senses.
APAC consumers place heightened importance on texture, heat, aroma, and contrast. Key signals include:
Growth of crispy, chewy, creamy claims on-pack
Rising demand for spicy-creamy hybrids, fiery flavors, and “challenge” snacks amplified by social platforms
Clear textural preferences: crispy in Southeast Asia, creamy in China
Small, elevated moments that offer affordable indulgence.
With financial pressures top of mind, APAC consumers turn to accessible luxuries rather than large splurges. Data shows:
Rising use of premium ingredients such as truffle, pistachio, hojicha, and dark chocolate
Growth in gourmet-style snacks, upscale beverages, and “treat-yourself” menu items
Lighter, brighter indulgence balancing pleasure with freshness.
Consumers across APAC are drawn to indulgence that feels cleaner and more vibrant. Trend signals include:
Surging interest in yuzu, pomelo, calamansi, basil, perilla, and floral-tea notes
Strong traction for “refreshing indulgent” combinations in snacks, drinks, and desserts
Foods and beverages supporting body, mind, and beauty.
APAC consumers actively seek functional foods — especially younger demographics. The fastest-growing claims include:
Beauty from within, collagen, skin benefits
Mood, stress, focus, and energy
Protein enrichment, weight management, and digestive health
Low-salt, “cleaner” ingredient lists
Hybrid formats that blur meals, snacks, and drinks for flexible APAC lifestyles.
As eating occasions become more fluid across the region, consumers embrace:
Meal-replacement beverages
Savory drinks
Snacks inspired by beloved meals
Mini meals optimized for portability
ofi TrendBites 2026 may come neatly portioned, but inside each one is a whole world ready to burst open: a swirl of nostalgia, a crunch of thrill, a splash of citrus-bright freshness, a whisper of premium indulgence.
And in APAC, where consumers snack between meals, meal between snacks, and chase flavor like it’s a sport, those little sparks become big opportunities fast.
So why not give them something worth falling head over heels (or chopsticks) for?
At ofi, we turn trend sparks into sensations, the kind that surprise taste buds, light up menus, and occasionally make your competitors wonder, “Why didn’t we think of that?”
Let’s turn today’s small bites into tomorrow’s big wins.
ofi accelerates the innovation journey for APAC brands and foodservice operators by turning insights into innovation and final concepts fast.
We work hand-in-hand with customers to bring the latest trends to life, creating tangible products tailored to the unique cultural nuances and evolving preferences of the APAC consumers.
Our regional strengths include:
Deep consumer intelligence across Southeast Asia, China, Australia, Korea & Japan
APAC-based innovation scientists leveraging consumer trends to drive rapid prototyping within dedicated application labs
End-to-end co-creation for menu items, snacks, beverages, and ready-to-eat concepts
