K-Food surge fuels Asia’s new probiotic boom

Korean food trends are reshaping Asia's appetite for probiotics and functional foods.

Asia-Pacific’s preference for K-food is spurring a new demand for probiotic-rich, functional food. With the rise of Korean fermented dishes like kimchi, consumers are not only seeking flavours but are embracing gut-friendly ingredients as essential parts of a healthy diet.

Megumi Matsunaga, Consultant at Euromonitor International, believes this marks a new phase in Asia’s food market, where functional and probiotic-rich foods are quickly moving from niche to mainstream.

“The popularity of K-food in Asia really took off during the COVID lockdown,” explained Matsunaga. “People had opportunities to deep dive into Korean culture, and a big part of that experience was through K-food.”

This immersion in Korean culture turned foods like kimchi and Korean noodles into daily staples for many, with brands like Nongshim reporting retail sales jumps of 45% in the Philippines, 65% in Malaysia, and 76% in Hong Kong in 2020.

This newfound interest has given fermented foods a modern image, shedding their association with older generations and elevating them as “naturally functional foods,” according to Matsunaga.

Beyond probiotics, Asia is seeing a wave of innovations with botanicals, which are being added to indulgent foods in creative ways. Products like ginseng-infused cookies in South Korea and ashwagandha ice cream in Singapore are reshaping consumer expectations around functional ingredients.

“While botanicals aren’t new to Asian consumers, the way they are being positioned in functional products is evolving,” Matsunaga noted, underscoring the growing demand for functional foods that support relaxation, sleep, and mental well-being.

With the rapid growth of functional foods and a probiotic boom underway, Matsunaga foresees continued innovation as companies race to capture a share of Asia’s evolving food market.