[EP #03] 10 rules for F&B challenger brands success in APAC: With Rob Hall

Our very own Rob Hall, founder and CEO of Growth Asia, spoke at Thaifex Anuga Asia 2025 about how up and coming F&B brands can really make a mark in APAC.

He highlights how many challenger F&B brands enter the region with ambition, but not enough of a game plan. He lays out a no-nonsense guide to doing it right, backed by decades of helping brands expand across the region.

His key message? Winning in Asia means thinking big from day one. That starts with designing your route to scale early, long before you start tweaking flavors or packaging for a local launch. You need to know which markets come next, how the business will grow, and what role your brand will play in the broader category. Without that, your local success may stall before it really starts.

Rob also challenged the idea that niche positioning is the safest entry point. In fact, he argues that many brands aim too narrowly, focusing on a small, premium audience that’s easy to reach but hard to scale. The bigger opportunity lies in building relevance for the mass market, even if that takes more strategic legwork upfront.

Another important takeaway? Shelf presence alone won’t build demand. Brands that win create awareness before they hit the aisle. That means getting loud, showing up in culture, and being top of mind, not just top of shelf. And while paid performance has its place, brands also need to invest in long-term demand creation, not just short-term sales.

If your brand is gearing up for Asia, or struggling to grow beyond your first market, Rob’s talk is well worth a listen. It’s packed with practical frameworks and hard-earned advice to help you shift from playing it safe to playing for scale.

Listen to the episode on Spotify or watch on YouTube (subscribe to both if you’d like to stay in the loop on new episodes).

Made with ❤️ by GourmetPro - your network of Food & Beverage experts, on demand.

💖 And if you think someone you know might be interested in this edition of Market Shake, feel free to simply forward this email or click the button below. 💖

👉 P.S.: GourmetPro is also on LinkedIn!