Thaifex Anuga Asia 2025 – Roundup Part 2

Welcome to the second course of our Thaifex Anuga Asia 2025 summary. Part 1 was the appetizer; now here comes the full spread of flavor, function, and future-thinking. This time, we're zooming in on how Southeast Asian consumers are reshaping the F&B playbook.

I was able to attend a number of the talks at the Future Food Experience+, where speakers focused on Asian consumers, with a lot of the content centered around health and wellness. Here are a few bits and bobs of insights from the presentations.

The main trends

Price tag to purpose

Health and safety are primary concerns for consumers in the region as they consider what to buy. An interesting aspect of how these are playing out comes in terms of value, an ever-expanding feature that is going well beyond just the price. Across Asia, price consciousness was a given, and that still holds, but consumers are increasingly looking at value today – getting the best bang for their buck. 

They want better ingredients, products that actually do what they claim to, and overall improved quality (which is also seeing a broadening definition).

Even in terms of packaging, consumers are more concerned about hygiene and how well it keeps food safe compared to recyclable or low price. 

More than a gut feeling

Gut health used to be heavily linked to digestive health, but this positioning has significantly evolved over the last couple of years. Greater awareness of the microbiome and its maintenance continues to grow across Southeast Asia. Consumers are increasingly understanding the connection between a healthy (and diverse) microbiome and various aspects of health and wellbeing. They now associate a healthy gut with better sleep, mood, skin, immunity, and even stress reduction. The gut-brain axis and the gut-skin axis as well as the role of the gut in overall immunity are driving consumer demands and product innovation. 

In Thailand, digestive health claims have become a common feature across F&B, forcing brands to expand on the linked claims they call out. Gut health is no longer stand-along but instead works in tandem with other benefits, and this is an area that will help it grow beyond just probiotics and prebiotics. Expect to see postbiotics also emerge over the next few years as regulations for this new category solidify. 

Kombucha of Songkhla features the Pluchea Indica herb from the Songkhla Lake in Thailand. In addition to the probiotics in the kombucha, the herb is said to help reduce LDL cholesterol and regulate blood sugar, among other benefits.

Personalized nutrition

I attended a fascinating presentation about how the future of food is going to increasingly be driven by personalization, especially in light how certain technologies are becoming more accessible to consumers. Take human genome sequencing, for example. The first complete sequence was generated at the start of the millennium. And in less than two decades, the price for doing this has dropped from a breath-taking US$1 million to another breath-taking US$600!

Having access to this data – along with all the other health data we are constantly generating through our array of wearables – is going to change the face of nutrition, especially as the understanding that every body has unique needs grows. So it isn’t hard to see why brands are already looking at how to personalize F&B for today’s consumers. 

Maybe “personalized” is not yet the right word to use yet, but brands are definitely tailoring their offerings for very specific health needs.

Examples of some these tailored solutions for specific groups were on display at booths as well.

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Wellness is skin deep

Across Asia, around 25% of consumers say they have bought food or drink products to improve their physical appearance, with beauty claims in F&B gaining significant traction. Facial skin tops the list, but hair and body care are close behind.

Collagen remains as popular as expected, from diverse sources and a range of formats. While many of them feature marine collagen, it was interesting to see one product calling out vegan collagen, derived from carrot. I asked several times if this was indeed collagen or if it was a collagen booster, since as far as I know, collagen is only from animal sources. I am not convinced since a quick Google search confirmed my suspicions – that carrots are indeed collagen boosters.

Collagen for joint health

Many of these products are intended to promote skin health, but there was one brand looking at collagen from a slightly different angle – focusing on the joint health aspect. Pacha Natural Collagen is a company from Turkiye that incorporates bovine collagen in foods like granola and snacks to make it a more natural consumption format rather than gummies or supplements.

Watch the interview with the founders here:

Losing sleep over the lack of sleep

For Thai consumers, sleep has become a major concern and improving the quality of sleep is one of the top goals, alongside immunity and weight management. Consumers are no longer just thinking about getting the recommended 8 hours of sleep – now it’s more about the quality of sleep. The sleep market is massive, and tracking apps and sleep aids are becoming fixtures in people’s lives.

But what’s driving the surge, you ask? Stress and emotional eating are key culprits – 44% of Thai consumers say emotional eating is the biggest barrier to their health goals, a problem deeply linked to disrupted sleep and rising anxiety. 

The connection between gut health and sleep is also gaining traction, with more consumers reaching for functional foods that promise relaxation, better digestion, and even more restful nights. In this context, sleep isn’t just a health concern – it’s a commercial opportunity. Brands that can position products as sleep-supportive (think calming botanicals, low-sugar, gut-friendly formats) are perfectly poised to meet the moment.

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Old-world flavors, new-world convenience

Over half of Asian consumers say food that reflects their cultural heritage is important to their diet. And this sentiment is reshaping how brands approach innovation.

But tradition doesn’t mean slow-cooked or hard-to-prepare anymore. Today’s consumer wants instant nostalgia that’s convenient and offers modern takes on the dishes they grew up with, or grew to love. Whether it’s busy millennials, time-starved Gen Zs, or homesick expats, there’s a rising demand for ready-to-eat or easy-to-cook versions of heritage meals.

Which is why we’re seeing products like the following:

But “tradition” now also includes global traditions. It’s a savvy move that taps into the desire for culinary exploration without abandoning comfort. This trend is about more than nostalgia – it’s about identity, pride, and curiosity. Consumers are looking for products that help them celebrate their roots while sampling others’. They want food that feels meaningful, but also fits their modern lives. And increasingly, they want brands to tell those stories clearly, on-pack, online, and in real life.

Don’t forget to check out the rest of the photos from the full album!

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