Consumer Foodservice

There were no self-service cafeterias operating in the Philippines at the end of the review period and in 2021.

Plant-based alternatives are in emerging stages in Asia and set to gain traction. Companies must navigate the unique perception of meat and dairy in this region to introduce plant-based products that match consumer expectations of nutrition, taste…

The Asian consumer is changing. Traditional values that served the collective in terms of both society and the family are on the wane, with COVID-19 lockdowns accelerating a new focus on individualism and the self. This report explores how Asian…

Businesses globally face challenges in consumer markets in the short to medium term, owing to the rising cost of living and increasingly financially cautious consumers. Amidst uncertainty arise opportunities. Income and expenditure insights are…

In the upcoming years, consumers and businesses face an array of challenges, with rising income inequality being among the key ones. Nevertheless, addressing the income inequality through catering to the Bottom of the Pyramid and the Middle Class…

Rising costs of living pose challenges globally, but companies can find opportunities in several categories, essential and discretionary, especially in underpenetrated fast-growing markets. By considering category adjacencies and focusing on value,…

This report examines inflation levels and drivers globally and in key countries in Q4 2023 and 2024. Global inflation is moderating, although divergence remains among the key economies. Higher volatility in the energy markets and disruption of…

Technological advances in 2024 will continue to reshape consumer behaviour. This annual report explores the top five digital shopper trends that will redefine commerce the most in the year ahead. Some of the trends included in this report’s edition…

In May 2023, the Japanese government downgraded the legal status of COVID-19 to class 5, which led to a rebound in footfall for consumer foodservice. Consumers returned to going out, and enjoyed dining out. In particular, bars/pubs, which suffered…

In 2023, Japan relaxed its COVID-19 rules, which boosted the travel industry. These changes altered how people, both local and foreign visitors, viewed and approached travel, which aided recovery. In terms of local travel, COVID-19 became less of a…

Consumer foodservice continued to see strong recovery in Japan in 2023, posting double-digit growth in current value sales in line with the recovery of flows of consumers after the downgrading of the status of COVID-19. On 8 May 2023, the Japanese…

After COVID-19 was downgraded to class 5 in May 2023, consumers felt more comfortable eating out. This contributed to a sales rebound for full-service restaurants, but challenges remained. Costs continued to rise, and players continued to find it…

Limited-service restaurants continued to see a positive current value performance in 2023, mainly driven by unit price increases. Although some companies had already implemented price increases in 2022, it became inevitable that they would raise…

On 8 May 2023, the Japanese government announced that it would reclassify COVID-19 as a class 5 infectious disease, which is the same classification as seasonal flu. As a result, decisions regarding infection control were left to individuals and…

Street stalls/kiosks continued to see an increase in current value sales in 2023, thanks to the rising popularity of food trucks. Even during the pandemic, food trucks were less negatively impacted thanks to their mobility, which allowed them to…

Specialist coffee and tea shops is a mature category in South Korea, but continued to show dynamic growth in 2023. Previously, players in specialist coffee shops changed high unit prices, but advances in coffee machines led to standardisation of…

In 2023, the significant growth in sales of drive-through outlets was noteworthy. This method of fulfilment showed a triple-digit growth rate during COVID-19 in 2020, and still sustained double-digit current value growth in 2023. From a corporate…

Despite optimistic expectations of rapid recovery in consumer consumption following the COVID-19 pandemic, transaction growth in overall consumer foodservice in South Korea experienced a slowdown in 2023, exacerbated by prolonged inflation. The…

Traditional buffet-style family restaurants faced significant losses during COVID-19, due to concerns about close contact with many people. In particular, chained Korean buffet brands such as Season’s Table, which were popular amongst…

In alignment with the trends observed in 2022, the majority of limited-service restaurants (LSRs) witnessed a surge in menu prices during 2023, which was attributed to the repercussions of escalating raw materials costs and labour expenses. In 2023,…