Food & everage

REPORT PUBLISHED: 9 APR 2021 BY: EMILIA MORANO-WILLIAMS

Across the APAC region, the morning meal is in a state of flux, as people
shift habits according to pandemic and post-pandemic preferences as well
as realigned health priorities. This report provides an Asian lens to the
themes we identified in Revised Breakfast Rituals, demonstrating how
health, omni-breakfast and indulgence are showing up on breakfast tables
across the region.

ummar
Understanding Asia’s Morning Meal
Unlike in many Western countries where breakfast
is a distinct category of foods, morning meals in
Asian countries typically incorporate dishes also
eaten at other times of day, such as dosa in India,
hot dry noodles in China and natto in Japan.
Whether breakfast takes place at-home or on-the-
go is also regional and is being reassessed post-
pandemic.
Driving Dairy’s Appeal
As we explore in Dairy 2021: Sector Outlook,
China’s dairy sector is booming – a trend that’s
reflected across Asia. Advocates tout it as a high-
protein and immune-supportive option (see The
Immunity Opportunity). The challenge for brands
is to translate health claims into culturally
sensitive products that align with, not replace,
current eating patterns.
The Porridge & Fibre Play
As consumers seek sources of fibre, oatmeal is
booming at breakfast, thanks in part to its textural
and flavour similarities to regional rice porridge.
While the messaging around health touch on
Western interests – such as fibre, low-sugar and
rich vitamin profile – the formats reflect local
tastes, leaning on beverages and savoury
flavours.
Understanding Cereal’s Surge
Asian countries accounted for 51% of the global
cereal market in 2020, while North America
contributed only 18% of sales
(ResearchandMarkets, 2021). While Western and
homegrown brands share the sector, the best-
sellers are those with a keen understanding of
local flavours and an ability to adapt formulations
to regional preferences.

At A Glance The Regional Focus of this Report – Asia 

Kazakhstan
Mongolia

Uzbekistan
Kyrgyzstan
North Korea
Turkmenistan Tajikistan
Japan
China South Korea
Afghanistan

Pakistan Nepal Bhutan

India Bangladesh Taiwan

Myanmar Vietnam
Laos
Thailand
Cambodia Philippines

Sri Lanka
Malaysia
Singapore
Indonesia

Relevant Industries Trend Duration

APAC_Breakfast_Trends_2021_scr.pdf
Page 1 of 13
https://www.stylus.com/apac-breakfast-trends - ©Stylus Media Group 2021
 Advertising/Marketing
Now 2 yrs 5 yrs 10 yrs 20 yrs
Food and Beverage
Travel/Hospitality Innovation Platforms

APAC_Breakfast_Trends_2021_scr.pdf
Page 2 of 13
https://www.stylus.com/apac-breakfast-trends - ©Stylus Media Group 2021
 Key Stats 

Understanding Asia’s Morning Meal

76% In China, 76% of consumers say they want to support local brands post-pandemic

Across APAC countries, 66% of consumers say they’re trying harder to support local brands post-
66%
pandemic

Online shopping accounted for roughly 5% of Japan’s grocery revenue in 2020, approximately
5%
double that of 2019

Natto’s reputation as an immune-supportive food saw sales in Japan increase by 20% in March
20%
2020 compared to 2019 sales

The percentage of Indian consumers who had breakfast at home more than once in the past week
81%
(January, 2020)

In India, 66% of consumers say they will cook at home as much or more after the pandemic as they
66%
did before

One-third of Indian consumers say they’d be more likely to try packaged breakfast products if they
33%
claimed that their products tasted homemade

12% Among urban Indian consumers, 12% report frequently eating energy bars for breakfast

Driving Dairy’s Appeal

The APAC yoghurt market is expected to be worth $9bn by 2023, up from $7.58bn in 2018 and
$9bn
growing at a CAGR of 3.48% during that time period

$81m In Thailand, sales of boba (bubble tea) are worth approximately $81m

51% The percentage of Thai consumers interested in supplements in drinkable formats

500% Online searches for healthy foods increased by 500% in India during the pandemic

53% In Asian countries, 53% of consumers would pay a premium for products with no- or low-fat claims

The Porridge & Fibre Play

The global market for cereal flakes – including wheat, bran and corn flakes – is expected to be worth
$22.3bn
$22.3bn by 2029, up from $9.9bn in 2019

China’s market for whole-grain foods is projected to grow at a CAGR of 6.9% between 2020 and
6.9%
2027, totalling $12.1bn

59% Light meals with fruits and grains are an appealing option for 59% of Chinese consumers

Understanding Cereal’s Surge

APAC countries accounted for the majority of the breakfast cereal market (51%) in 2020, as
51%
compared to North America, which drove 18% of sales

The global market for breakfast cereal is expected to reach $60.07bn by the end of 2021, up from
$60.07bn
56.86bn in 2020

In China, 60% of consumers say they are buying as much or more breakfast cereal during the
60%
pandemic as they did previously

In India, 53% of consumers say they are buying as much or more breakfast cereal during the
53%
pandemic as they did previously

Understanding Asia’s Morning Meal

APAC_Breakfast_Trends_2021_scr.pdf
Page 3 of 13
https://www.stylus.com/apac-breakfast-trends - ©Stylus Media Group 2021
 Unlike in many Western countries where breakfast is a distinct category of foods, morning meals
in Asian countries typically incorporate dishes also eaten throughout the day, such as dosa in
India, hot dry noodles in China and natto in Japan. Whether breakfast takes place at-home or on-
the-go is also regional and is being reassessed post-pandemic.

Building Delivery Demand: As the pandemic decimated out-of-home breakfast in some

regions of Japan, restaurants like Reiwa Natto responded with delivery boxes. Located in
Mito in central Japan, the restaurant spotlights natto – a fermented soybean dish and
common breakfast food that saw sales boom at the beginning of the pandemic thanks to its
immune-supportive reputation. Aficionados could order a box filled with natto varieties from
across the country.

With online grocery shopping now occupying about 5% of the country’s supermarket sales –
roughly double pre-pandemic levels (Reuters, 2020) – such deliveries could help restaurants
maintain consumer relations moving forward. For more, see Japan’s New Food Culture.

Reiwa Natto Reiwa Natto Reiwa Natto

China Dines Out: In 2011, the Chinese government invested in infrastructure to distribute
quick, healthy breakfast options in Shanghai. The programme now boasts 24 central
kitchens that supply over 7,800 shops, restaurants and food trucks. This year Chinese e-
commerce giant Alibaba will launch digital storefronts for participating food trucks for app-
based ordering, a smart way to appeal to the 76% of Chinese consumers who want to
support local brands post-pandemic (Kerry, 2020).

Independent Shanghai cafes increasingly serve hybrid Western-Eastern breakfast menus to

cater to young, cosmopolitan consumers. At Qiao Coffee’s two locations, it serves dishes
like mantou (steamed buns) alongside Western-style coffees, like flat whites and cold brew.

Nationwide, international fast-food outlets are bolstering breakfast menus with local dishes.
McDonald’s now sells roujiamo (steamed bun burgers) and congee (rice porridge), the latter
of which is also a top-seller at KFC. KFC also has reganmian (hot dry noodles with chilli oil
and preserved vegetables – a speciality from Wuhan) on its breakfast menu. For more, see
China’s 'New Normal' Food Consumers.

APAC_Breakfast_Trends_2021_scr.pdf
Page 4 of 13
https://www.stylus.com/apac-breakfast-trends - ©Stylus Media Group 2021
 Food truck in Shanghai Breakfast in Shanghai

Qiao Coffee Mantou

McDonald's McDonald's KFC

India’s Home-Cooked Preferences: In India, home-cooked breakfasts remain the go-to

for 81% of consumers who eat at home multiple times per week (Mintel, 2020). This number
is likely to hold as 66% also say that home cooking will be as much or more of a priority
post-pandemic (Global Data, 2020). Nevertheless, a third of Indian consumers would try
packaged breakfasts if they offered a home-made taste (Mintel, 2020). This is an especially
relevant fact for urban consumers, which are adopting on-the-go breakfasts: 12% of Indians
living in major cities frequently eat energy bars for their morning meal (Mintel, 2020).

33% of Indian consumers would try packaged breakfasts with a home- Energy bars are becoming a more popular breakfast item for urban-
made taste dwellers in India

Comfort Me with Nostalgia: In the Philippines, regional baked breakfast items like pan de
sal (a sweet roll) saw increased demand during the country’s lockdown as consumers chose
the bread as a comforting, and affordable, morning treat. Home cooking priorities were
similarly nostalgia-tinged. Local food website Pepper provided recipes to convert items
typically associated with breakfast, like tinned karne norte (corned beef) into anytime-
appropriate meals.

Moving forward, experts predict the desire for comforting foods will provoke a resurgence in
restaurants serving all-day breakfasts, which were gaining pace in Manila pre-pandemic
with the likes of Nono’s, Kanto Freestyle and Ate Rica’s Bacsilog.

APAC_Breakfast_Trends_2021_scr.pdf
Page 5 of 13
https://www.stylus.com/apac-breakfast-trends - ©Stylus Media Group 2021
 Pan de sal Karne norte

Nono's Kanto Freestyle Ate Rica's Bacsilog

Driving Dairy’s Appeal

As we explore in Dairy 2021: Sector Outlook, China’s dairy sector is booming – a trend that’s
reflected across Asia. Advocates tout it as a high-protein and immune-supportive option. The
challenge for brands is to translate these claims into culturally sensitive products that align with, not
replace, current eating patterns.

“
The APAC oghurt market i expected to e worth $9n  2023, up from
$7.58n in 2018 and growing at a CAGR of 3.48% during that time period
Market Data Forecat, 2020

The Health Halo: Among APAC consumers, 53% would pay a premium for products with
low- or no-fat claims (Kerry, 2020). This health-conscious positioning informs the marketing
of Malaysian brand YourgutBB’s made-to-order yoghurt. Its yoghurt boasts a potent dose of
probiotics – frequently absent in commercially produced, sugar-sweetened varieties. It’s a
formula meant to appeal to the country’s health-conscious eaters, a growing cohort given
Malaysia’s high obesity rates (the highest in Asia).

Thai low-fat yoghurt drink Chew-D positions its passion fruit-flavoured beverage as a healthy
and satisfying anytime alternative to popular treats. The drink contains chewable pieces
made from konjac (an indigestible starch with a jelly-like texture), giving it the textural appeal
of boba (bubble tea) – estimated to be an $81m market in the country (Bangkok Post,
2019).

APAC_Breakfast_Trends_2021_scr.pdf
Page 6 of 13
https://www.stylus.com/apac-breakfast-trends - ©Stylus Media Group 2021
 Yourgutbb Yourgutbb Yourgutbb

Konjac Chew-D

Promoting Plant-Based: Searches for healthy foods increased by 500% in India during
the pandemic (Google India, 2020), an interest Mumbai yoghurt brand Epigamia taps with
its plant-based coconut yoghurts in unsweetened and jaggery (an unrefined cane sugar)
varieties. Non-dairy milks are also gaining traction in India: Epigamia released
unsweetened and chocolate almond milk in 2020 and Starbucks will launch oat milk from
Swedish brand Oatly nationwide.

Epigamia Epigamia Epigamia

An Indulgent Cross-Over: Inventive brands are reimagining morning dishes as ice

creams, echoing the omni-breakfast theme explored in Revised Breakfast Rituals. In
summer 2020, Singapore ice cream parlour Sunday Folks attracted queues for its limited-
edition flavour kaya toast (buttered toast with coconut jam and eggs). Indonesian ice cream
brand Holi Ice Cream tested a savoury variety tasting like Indomie goreng (stir-fried instant
noodles).

APAC_Breakfast_Trends_2021_scr.pdf
Page 7 of 13
https://www.stylus.com/apac-breakfast-trends - ©Stylus Media Group 2021
 Sunday Folks Kaya toast

Holi Indomie Goreng

The Porridge & Fibre Play

As consumers seek sources of fibre, oatmeal is booming, thanks in part to its textural and flavour
similarities to regional rice porridge. While the messaging around health touch on Western
interests – such as fibre, low-sugar and rich vitamin profile – the formats reflect local tastes,
leaning on beverages and savoury flavours.

The Whole Grain Game: Shanghai brand Wholly Moly markets fibre-rich whole grains to
young Chinese consumers with its line of quick-cooking porridge and drinks. They offer
whole-grain alternatives to popular breakfasts: instant oat bran porridge tastes like millet
congee, while powdered oat bran drink mix has a flavour similar to rice. As interest in
healthy living spiked in China during 2020, Wholly Moly earned $15m in 2020 and aims to
push ongoing interest in health-conscious eating to double sales in 2021 (Food Navigator
Asia, 2020).

In Indonesia, Quaker Oats adopts a similar strategy to promote its flavoured instant oat
packets, which replicate the taste of soto (a popular soup with variations throughout the
country) and kari ayam (chicken curry). To embed a culture of oat-eating, the brand shares
recipes on its Instagram page that incorporate oats into dishes like cilok (tapioca
dumplings) and roti gulung (a rolled dessert).

In Korea, local food company Lotte partnered with Quaker Oats to release oat-based
beverages with a smoothie-like texture. Shoppers choose from sweet and savoury flavours,
such as corn, strawberry and black soybean.

APAC_Breakfast_Trends_2021_scr.pdf
Page 8 of 13
https://www.stylus.com/apac-breakfast-trends - ©Stylus Media Group 2021
 Wholly Moly Quaker Indonesia

Quaker Quaker Quaker

Cross-Over Appeal: Noting that 44% of India’s 18- to 34-year-olds occasionally eat instant
noodles for breakfast and that 75% of Indian consumers prioritise healthy foods more now
than they did pre-pandemic (Mintel, 2020), Indian oat brand Saffola launched Oodles, an
oat-based instant noodle packet. It’s positioned as a wholesome alternative to the country’s
best-selling Maggi noodles: Saffola’s product takes five minutes to cook versus two,
features its popular masala flavouring and has noodles shaped like individual rings, rather
than a block that separates when hydrated.

Saffola Saffola Maggi

Understanding Cereal’s Surge

Asian countries accounted for 51% of the global cereal market in 2020, while North America
contributed only 18% of sales (ResearchandMarkets, 2021). While Western and homegrown
brands share the sector, the best-sellers are those with a keen understanding of local flavours and
an ability to adapt formulations to regional preferences. For more, see Three-Minute Trend: The
Wacky Future of Sugary Cereal.

Flavouring is Key: Like in Western markets, nostalgic flavours drive cereal sales, yet
flavourings dependent on the local market. In India, Kellogg’s released cornflakes varieties
with saffron, pistachio and almonds; rose petals and almonds; and milk powder, spices and
almonds.

Noting this increased competition – and the fact that 53% of Indian consumers maintained
or increased their purchases of breakfast cereal during the pandemic (AP Food, 2020) –
Indian conglomeration Tata acquired Kottaram Agro Foods in February 2021 to boost
Kottaram Agro’s healthy cereals. Its product line-up includes millet-based muesli and mix for
dosa, a lentil-rice flatbread that’s a popular breakfast option in Southern India.

Meanwhile, Malaysia brand Amazin’ Graze flavours its granola with peanut, tangerine and
ginger.

APAC_Breakfast_Trends_2021_scr.pdf
Page 9 of 13
https://www.stylus.com/apac-breakfast-trends - ©Stylus Media Group 2021
 Kellogg's Kellogg's Kellogg's

Kottaram Agro foods Amazin' Graze

360° Cereal Marketing: Shrewd branding for cereals is essential to embed in local
markets. In Japan, Hershey’s recently launched a strawberry-flavoured cereal filled with white
chocolate. The cereal is marketed as a crunchy topping to fruit salad, toast or ice cream.
Also adopting sweet flavours is Korean cereal brand Hergry, which comes in strawberry,
chocolate and green tea varieties.

Korean cereal brand Ottogi updated the branding for its flaked nurungji (scorched rice) to
appeal to younger consumers with a cute cartoon mascot. Prior to the brand’s launch, the
design team shared their creative process with the public on social media when designing
the mascot, helping to bolster a shared sense of affinity between shoppers and the brand.

Hershey's Hershey's Hershey's

Hergry Hergry Hergry

APAC_Breakfast_Trends_2021_scr.pdf
Page 10 of 13
https://www.stylus.com/apac-breakfast-trends - ©Stylus Media Group 2021
 Ottogi Nurungji Ottogi

The Health Factor: In Korea, Kellogg’s introduced cereal sweetened with fruit and
vegetable concentrates. There’s a blueberry-apple-beetroot blend and strawberry-apple-
carrot mix. It’s intended as a healthier option for kids.

For adults, the company markets its protein-rich cereal line through live workouts on
Instagram, borrowing tactics we cover in Retail’s Wellbeing 360° to position the brand’s
product as an ideal post-exercise meal.

Kellogg's Kellogg's

Kellogg's Kellogg's

APAC_Breakfast_Trends_2021_scr.pdf
Page 11 of 13
https://www.stylus.com/apac-breakfast-trends - ©Stylus Media Group 2021
 Future Inight
Add Nostalgic Flavours to New Formats
Appropriate and identifiable flavourings are
key for launching new products that resonate
with consumers. Take inspiration from
Sunday Folk’s kaya toast ice cream, or
Kellogg India’s saffron-flavoured cereals.
Identify the foods that drive emotional
responses in your consumers, then find new
formats to highlight their distinctive flavours.
Provide Product Tips
For products without a strong cultural
grounding – like Hershey’s filled sweet
cereals – providing on-package tips on how
to use the food is critical to boosting
engagement. Rooting these tips in local
tastes is essential. Quaker Oat’s social media
recipes in Indonesia are an excellent example
as they illustrate how the ingredient slips
seamlessly into local cuisine.
Take the next tep
into our et future
tlu Advior’ world-cla trategit
tranlate our trend intelligence into
tailored gloal and market inight to
maximie our unique future uine
opportunitie.
Our epoke reearch project can
how ou what our conumer want
next – and wh.
Topic
Convenience Culture | Emerging Markets | Wraparound Wellness
APAC_Breakfast_Trends_2021_scr.pdf
Page 12 of 13
https://www.stylus.com/apac-breakfast-trends - ©Stylus Media Group 2021
Prioritise Format, Not Mealtime
When formulating breakfast for APAC
consumers, thinking about morning-friendly
formats take precedence over morning-
appropriate flavours. This can mean
adapting homemade dishes for busy
routines, like Kottaram Agro does with its
dosa mix. See Upstreaming Everyday Edibles
for more ideas on how quick-prep foods can
provide memorable mealtime moments.
Champion the Health Pull
The pandemic has put health at the forefront
of consumer food decisions. Use health as a
point of differentiation and highlight the
unique benefits – whether rich in vitamins,
low in sugar or high in protein – that are
intrinsic to your product. This can also inform
marketing, like Kellogg’s does in Korea with
its social media workouts.
Let’ future-proof our
uine
 Please think before you print.

Stylus Media Group

London | New York
T +44 (0) 203 837 8300 (UK)
T +1 (646) 665 3501 (US)
E innovation@stylus.com

@Stylus_LIVE

instagram.com/wearestylus

bit.ly/stylusgroup

stylus.com/rss.xml

About Stylus

We’re experts in trends intelligence. We equip the most forward-thinking brands and agencies with the creative insights they need to make
transformative business decisions.

APAC_Breakfast_Trends_2021_scr.pdf
Page 13 of 13
https://www.stylus.com/apac-breakfast-trends - ©Stylus Media Group 2021