The Good Choice of Plant-Based Product: What is the key factor for plant-based product concerned by Thai consumers

Flexitarian diets and seeking dairy milk alternatives are the key factors of the growth number plant-based application in Asia 

While the wider economic landscape and consumer education remain challenges for the plant-based sector in Asia, there are several opportunities for industry to make gains across the region. As we enter the new year 2025, several plant-based trends are poised to redefine the culinary landscape, fueled by consumer preferences and industry innovations. The plant-based protein start-up scene is geared to grow 25% in 2025 as more Asians look into flexitarian diets and strive to develop products better suited to their plate without wanting to sacrifice the taste.¹ 

Plant-based products are trending, but they don’t want to compromise on taste, texture, or indulgence. It makes consumers prefer to choose flexitarian as their healthy diet choice that is still has an animal-based ingredient touch as the ingredients. Many industry innovations are coming and offer very creative plant-based products innovation which fit the palate of consumers. 

Meat, Dairy & Alternative Protein Survey 2024  

Regarding the Innova survey market (2024), the plant-based diet has bigger potential in the flexitarian sector. Means Asians are not preferring for a diet with fully plant-based ingredients and prefer to mix plant-based and animal-based ingredients for their diet. Besides that, consumers don’t consider buying a 100% plant-based product for several reasons, like the price/value for money is too high, the taste and texture of the product are not good, the product variants are limited, it always using artificial ingredient.² 

Health and wellness trends boost demand for plant-based products in Thailand 

With plant-based diets very much steeped in the tradition of many markets, industry can capitalize by enhancing the nutritional value of plant-based products, producing “cleaner” labels, maximizing texture and focusing on the protein forms.  

In Thailand, plant-based products started becoming popular in 2024 and continue growing until now. This growth is driven by an increasing number of consumers seeking alternatives to cow’s milk due to health reasons, concerns about animal welfare, environmental sustainability, and allergies or intolerances.³  

As we know, plant-based diet associated with lower risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and certain cancers. It’s in line with health concern survey by Innova market – 2024 that the top health concern by different generation are heart health and weight management.² 

The rising availability of plant-based options in supermarkets, restaurants, and online stores, as well as in cafés and restaurants, is reflective of this trend. The market for plant-based dairy in Thailand will continue to expand over the forecast period, supported by health and wellness trends.³ Below is the graphic for the forecast of sales value in Thailand until 2029.  

Figure 2 – (on the left): The forecast of sales value of plant-based dairy in Thailand until 2029; (on the right): Reasons consumer why consider buying plant-based products 

Added prebiotic and high fiber claims continue to push into plant-based products 

According to the Innova market survey 2025, 49% of respondents said that they have already changed their consumption to non-dairy milk and other plant-based products with healthy reasons. The key health-related reasons why Thai consumers consider buying plant-based products are protein intake, natural, and digestive health.² 

If we look closely at digestive health benefits, there are a lot of products launched on the market that are using prebiotics and fiber ingredients as the key ingredients for healthy claim. Over half of Asian consumers express interest in prebiotic and interest is nearly ubiquitous for fiber. Most of plant-based products launched in 2024 are claimed “source of fiber”, “good source of dietary fiber”, and “high fiber”.⁴  

Prebiotics themselves are substances selectively fermented in the gut to accelerate changes in the microbiota composition or activities to give more benefits for the gut health. Not all dietary fibers can be classified as prebiotics, but nearly every type of prebiotic can be classified as dietary fiber.  

Conventionally, prebiotic dietary fibers are available in an abundance of fruits and vegetables. But the never-ending innovation in the food industry has also made it possible for consumers to gain prebiotic dietary fibers in the form of multi-purpose fiber ingredient like FiberCreme, which according to an in vitro study is shown to have positive prebiotic activity scores. FiberCreme showed positive prebiotic activity scores, which means FiberCreme is able to be specifically metabolized by probiotic bacteria Lactobacillus in the first 24 hours and Bifidobacterium in the first 48 hours as shown in the graphic below.⁵ 

Figure 3 – The prebiotic activity score of FiberCreme with IMO and inulin compared to FOS and inulin fiber 

Addressing the evolving demand for dietary fiber in various plant-based applications, LNK introduces FiberCreme vegan without a protein content ingredient and FiberCreme plant protein based (using oat and mung bean protein), a distinctive unique prebiotic designed to meet the requirements of manufacturers. Due to not containing protein ingredients, FiberCreme vegan suits for acid or low pH applications. This innovation aims to contribute significantly to the evolving landscape of dietary fiber utilization. 

For further insights on how FiberCreme can enhance the value of your products, we encourage you to reach out through our website at www.business.fibercreme.com . Explore a collection of white papers on FiberCreme developed for diverse applications: 

Yogurt –https://www.business.fibercreme.com/application/dairy
Meal Replacement – https://www.business.fibercreme.com/application/health-nutrition
Fruit Juice – https://www.business.fibercreme.com/application/dairy-alternatives

References:  

1. Nurul Ain Razali. (2022). Plant power: Asian plant-based start-up scene expected to grow 25% by 2025. Food Navigator, Asian plant-based start-up scene to grow 25% by 2025 – Expert 
2. Innova Market Insight. (2024). Now & Next for the Plant-Based Consumer in Asia. 
3. Euromonitor International. (2024). Plant-based dairy in Thailand. 
4. Innova Market Insight. (2024). Now & Next for Fiber & Prebiotic – Asia Pasific. 
5. Harmayani et al. (2017). Analysis of Prebiotic Activity Score and Prebiotic Index in FiberCreme. Internal report: unpublished