Opinion | How Asian consumers are driving a revolution in healthier food choices

Asia’s rising middle classes are not just fuelling economic growth – they’re reshaping consumption itself. Nowhere is this transformation more visible than in the region’s embrace of healthier eating. From Hong Kong to Jakarta, a new generation of consumers is driving a quiet revolution in food choices. But is this a more lasting realignment of preferences or merely a pandemic-fuelled detour?

Market research suggests consumer attention on health will grow. China’s healthcare-related consumer spending is expected to rise from 5.9 per cent of total consumption in 2020 to 6.3 per cent in 2025. Meanwhile, the Asia-Pacific market for “functional foods”, or food that is promoted as offering health benefits beyond basic nutrition, is projected to nearly double from US$125.7 billion in 2024 to US$245.9 billion by 2034. Such numbers reflect a structural reprioritisation of household spending.

In Hong Kong, plant-based meat consumption is projected to grow at over 14 per cent annually through to 2032. Singapore’s Alchemy Foodtech, known for its glycaemic index-lowering powder for rice, exemplifies how innovators are tailoring solutions to Asian diets. Rather than abandoning traditional foods, consumers are embracing technologies that make them healthier – an indicator of long-term change.

While Covid-19 accelerated this health focus, the shift cannot be viewed as purely reactive. Rapid urbanisation, rising incomes and demographic pressures – such as ageing populations – were already steering consumption towards wellness. What’s noteworthy is how cultural continuity has been preserved: rice, noodles and street foods remain, but in healthier, tech-enhanced forms.

This marks a departure from Western-style health fads that often required radical diet overhauls. Instead, Asian consumers are integrating innovation into tradition, turning nutrition into an extension of cultural identity.

Technology is another accelerant. Brands are using marketing analytics to track consumer “health journeys” in real time. PepsiCo, for example, has developed a data platform that provides consumer insights through retailer partnerships and first-party data integration.